The Shadow of Great Britain

257: Chapter 171: The Old Gentleman from Austria (4K)_2 257: Chapter 171: The Old Gentleman from Austria (4K)_2 As the saying goes, establishing a department is easy, dissolving one is difficult.

Perhaps the priests were truly considering the parish residents, wanting to reduce the security tax, but to the Home Office, this seemed like an encroachment on their power!

If you can dissolve Scotland Yard today, are you planning to dissolve our Home Office tomorrow?

Want to reduce taxes?

Sure, you could go request Parliament to dissolve the Royal Navy, what use do they have burning so much money on military expenses every year?

Ask them to build two fewer ships, take the money for building battleships and subsidize the parish residents.

Arthur laughed at this point, and two mustached military officers were amused into roaring laughter by him.

The more they looked at this Brit, the more they liked him, and just as they were thinking about inviting him for a big drink in the evening, suddenly, an elderly man with curly hair, leaning on a cane, and wearing a black trench coat with a wide-brimmed hat stepped out of the embassy.

The two military officers saw the elderly gentleman and quickly smiled and reached out with a greeting, “Guten tag!

Herr Metternich.”

The gentleman lifted his hand slightly to touch the brim of his hat and then walked down the steps with heavy and solid strides, soon exiting the embassy’s main gate.

Arthur furrowed his brow slightly, as the man seemed to have spoken German.

Although the history department at the University of London offered Latin and Greek courses to help students understand medieval official documents from various countries in Europe, German was clearly not included in the curriculum.

Although Arthur had not studied German, in his previous life he had seen some German videos; regrettably, he recognized only one reactionary slogan—”Heil Hitler,” but clearly, that was not what the man had said today, and that little mustache’d man’s birth was at least half a century away.

He was about to ask who the elderly gentleman who had just passed was when he suddenly heard a cascade of laughter.

“You must be Mr.

Hastings, right?”

Arthur turned to see a speaking lady in a millet-yellow satin dress, wearing emerald earrings and a neck adorned with a diamond necklace, with a pigeon-blood red ring on her lace white glove.

In London, there were many wealthy ladies, even more pretty ones, but a rich and beautiful one who also resided at the Russian Embassy was surely one of a kind.

Arthur took off his hat and bowed, “Madam, I am delighted to meet you.”

Mrs.

Liven looked at Arthur with a smile, “You are just as Emily described, a typical British gentleman.

Just by appearances, no one would ever imagine that you are a Scotland Yard officer who deals with criminals year-round.”

Arthur, hearing the lady’s compliment, did not take it lightly, knowing very well the beautiful lady in front of him could stir up a storm in Europe with just a flutter of her pleated skirt.

Arthur smiled and handed the phonograph he held to a servant beside him, then pulled out his wallet from his pocket, extracting four concert tickets and passing them over.

“Madam, I am pleased to be of insignificant assistance to you.

Thanks to your enthusiastic support along with Mrs.

Copper, I have successfully joined the London Philharmonic Society.

After consulting with Mr.

Mozesales, we plan to hold the Philharmonic Society’s Third Symphony Orchestra’s first public performance this weekend at Coburg Theatre.

If you could take time from your busy schedule to bring your family or friends to the concert, the London Philharmonic Society would be honored.”

Mrs.

Liven took the tickets and the program attached behind them, briefly glimpsing them, her eyes lighting up, “Oh!

God!

Are you sure you’re not mistaken?

Aside from you, Mr.

Mozesales and Mr.

Mendelssohn will perform at the concert?”

Arthur nodded with a smile, “Yes, the society places great importance on the Third Symphony Orchestra’s debut.

Mr.

Mozesales, being the head of the society, is determined to make a big splash with the orchestra’s fame.

That’s why he has specifically called Mr.

Mendelssohn back from his travels in Italy.”

Besides, I can share a piece of information with you privately, Mr.

Mozesales is striving to have Mr.

Cypriani Potter, who also teaches at the Royal College of Music in London, join this concert.

From the information I have so far, Mr.

Potter’s participation looks very promising.”

Even a noble lady such as Lady Livingstone could hardly contain her excitement upon hearing about the incredibly strong lineup of this concert.

The renowned chief conductor of the London Philharmonic Association and academic member of the Royal Academy of Music, Ignaz Mozesales,

the 21-year-old genius pianist, famous across Europe, and the author of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture,” Felix Mendelssohn,

and the best performer of Mozart and Beethoven piano sonatas in all of England, Cypriani Potter.

Additionally, there was a currently lesser-known but surely soon-to-be-famous member of Scotland Yard, Paganini—Arthur Hastings.

Such a luxurious lineup was more than enough to support a grand Christmas evening performance, but using it for just a routine Sunday concert seemed to Lady Livingstone to be an underuse of great talents.

Seeing that Lady Livingstone was intrigued, but not yet decisively so, Arthur continued to up the ante, “Of course, while Mozesales, Mendelssohn, and Potter are absolutely top-tier pianists, they still pale in comparison to the guest of honor at the concert.”

Upon hearing this, Lady Livingstone couldn’t help but cover her mouth with her white glove, “Do you mean there is someone even more skilled?”

Arthur nodded with a smile, “I heard from Mr.

Mozesales that his teacher, the mentor to all of Great Britain’s pianists—Muzio Clementi, will be attending this concert.”

“Muzio Clementi?” Lady Livingstone’s eyes widened in surprise, “Hasn’t he not held a concert for over a decade?”

Arthur smiled and said, “Just as you said, Mr.

Clementi has been solely dedicated to music education and stopped attending concert performances for over a decade.

But this time is an exception as he is quite elderly now and plans to announce his retirement soon.

This performance is likely to be his farewell appearance.

That’s also why I am earnestly requesting on behalf of Mr.

Mozesales that you attend this concert—he wants to offer a dignified farewell concert to his mentor.

If someone as distinguished as yourself could be in attendance, Mr.

Mozesales would be immensely grateful.”

Lady Livingstone no longer hesitated upon hearing this.

Although Muzio Clementi’s name may not be as highly celebrated as Mozart and Beethoven in later generations, in 19th-century Europe, this master who composed over 110 piano pieces was a legendary pianist on par with Mozart and Beethoven.

In England, his reputation and respect even surpassed those of Mozart and Beethoven.

This Romantic pianist from the Apennine Peninsula was truly the leader of Great Britain’s music scene.

Lady Livingstone promptly responded, “Rest assured, attending Mr.

Clementi’s farewell performance is a supreme honor.

Even if you had not approached me today, I would have promoted this concert in the club on Mr.

Clementi’s behalf.

Traveling to Vienna and not hearing Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven perform is like returning empty-handed, and living a life in London without ever hearing Mr.

Clementi perform is like living in vain.

I happen to have a friend arriving from Austria soon, and I will bring him along to discern whether Mr.

Clementi’s style surpasses that of Vienna’s pianists.”

“A friend from Austria?” Arthur was momentarily stunned; he suddenly recalled the German phrase spoken earlier by the two officers from Tsarist Russia—Herr Metternich.

Metternich?

Metternich?

He sharply turned around, but the elderly gentleman was no longer behind him.

Good God!

Was that the Prime Minister of the Austrian Empire—Klemens von Metternich?

What was he doing at the Russian Embassy?