The Shadow of Great Britain

247: Chapter 168 Arthur’s French Colleague (4K6) 247: Chapter 168 Arthur’s French Colleague (4K6) London Number One, Wellington private residence, Apsley House.

Duke Wellington leaned back in a bright red velvet armchair, appraising the neatly dressed policeman before him, in a swallow-tailed coat and a black top hat, wearing spotless white gloves, with a police saber hanging by his waist—Arthur.

The Duke, with his silver-flecked hair, tapped his fingers on the desk and said, “You seem to be in good spirits, my boy.”

Arthur merely smiled, “If you had called me over a few days ago, I wouldn’t have looked like this.”

Wellington took a sip of tea, “Is that so?

But it makes sense, you used to walk too close to Peel and me.

After the Whig Party came into power, those who were displeased with you were bound to settle scores with you.

But looking at you now, did you manage to get through the crisis unscathed?”

“I guess so.”

Arthur did not want to hide his relations with the Whig Party, especially not from someone like the Duke of Wellington, who certainly wouldn’t trouble himself to target a small fry like him.

As Arthur understood the world, a beggar rarely envied a millionaire.

A beggar would envy a fellow beggar with a higher income, and the same went for millionaires.

Everyone preferred to spar with equals.

If someone fought out of their league, it was either an act of desperation or the folly of someone overestimating their abilities.

Arthur said, “The Whig Party’s rise to power nearly spelled my doom.

But as you probably know, I am a graduate of the University of London.

As it happens, the new High Chancellor, Lord Brougham, is also the chairman of the university’s board of trustees.

I once sat in on a few of his lectures, and he seems to have a rather good impression of me, so he helped me out this time.”

“Brougham?”

Upon hearing this name, Wellington realized, “I almost forgot about him, that quirky lawyer.

It’s not easy to maintain a good relationship with someone of his temper, but you certainly have good fortune.

The Whig Party came to power right after King George IV passed away.

Brougham would have never gotten the position of High Chancellor otherwise.

You know, the former king resented Brougham’s success in helping Queen Caroline win the divorce case.”

Changing the subject, Wellington said, “Today, however, it’s you who is here to see me.

Is Scotland Yard planning to entrust you with my security during the London Conference?

Hearing this, Arthur joked, “I hope you aren’t upset by it, my lord.

The other British Representative to the London Conference, Foreign Secretary Viscount Palmerston, will have his security personally handled by Chief Rowan.

My being responsible for you might seem a notch below in rank.”

The Red Devil, listening in, couldn’t help but snicker, “Oh!

Arthur, you little rascal.

Are you planning to make life hard for Rowan?

As if it’s not enough that the Whig Party has laid traps for him, now you’re setting him up for stumbling blocks among the Tories.”

As expected, Wellington raised an eyebrow upon hearing this and said with a semblance of a smile, “Ah!

Rowan does have quite a talent for shifting with the wind.

But let him be, after all, I’m only attending the conference as a consultant this time, and according to protocol, Palmerston’s security should be a bit higher in level than mine.”

Arthur smiled and inclined forward, “With your magnanimity, of course, you would not fuss over such trifles.

But although you may not, it is my duty as the head of security to conduct a thorough investigation of the terrain inside and outside Apsley House to ensure there are no issues during the conference.”

Listening to this, Wellington stood up, tapped the iron window bars with his finger, and playfully joked, “There’s not much to investigate actually, just look at these windows, solid as can be.

The Times isn’t saying for nothing that I’m all made of iron.

Attempting to assassinate me, the ‘Iron Duke,’ with just a few bullets, would hardly be effective.

However, you go ahead with your intelligence gathering if you must.

I understand your feelings, not knowing the terrain, troop strengths, deployments, and weather before a battle can indeed make one anxious.

By the way, during the London Conference, when you get the chance, you should have a good chat with Mr.

Francois Vidocq, who’s responsible for the security of the French Representative Talleyrand.

As far as police intelligence work is concerned, the French ‘Security Battalion’ under his command is arguably the finest in Europe currently.

If you can learn a thing or two from him, it will undoubtedly help enhance your capabilities.”

Security Battalion?

The moment Arthur heard the name of the organization, he immediately understood what the Duke of Wellington meant.

In fact, when it comes to establishing police organizations, France was far ahead of Britain in terms of timing.

As early as 1667, King Louis XIV of France ordered the establishment of the Paris Police Prefecture, although due to the Prefecture’s excessively violent policing style, in the early days, it was almost impossible to distinguish between the French police and the military, even to the extent that the highest chief of the Paris police wore the military rank of Lieutenant General.

During the Great Revolution period, the Paris Police Prefecture was reorganized into the General Police Directorate of Paris, and after Napoleon declared himself Emperor, it was reorganized into the Grand Paris Prefecture of Police, with their policing style and responsibilities gradually aligning with modern municipal police.

But although the Paris police were becoming more civilized, their historical traditions were still evident.

Even in their more civilized state, they were still relatively rough, and in most situations, the Paris police continued to adhere to the hard truth that guns were more persuasive than words.