The Shadow of Great Britain

265: Chapter 178: Rothschild’s Visit (4K8) 265: Chapter 178: Rothschild’s Visit (4K8) Farewell to Victor, the quiet living room was alive with Great Dumas and Arthur engaged in fervent writing.

Suddenly, the peace was shattered by the sound of a key turning in the door.

Elod barged in with a magazine in hand, glanced at Great Dumas and Arthur, looked around, and asked, “Just you two?

Charles isn’t here?”

Arthur leaned back in his chair and stretched, “Charles went to the Linnaean Society at Burlington House for a natural history event.

I’ve heard the Linnaean Society recently acquired a collection of paleontological specimens, and it seems Charles is quite interested in them.”

“Oh!

Thank heavens, he’s finally doing something serious,” Elod began, “I support his endeavors, too much studying of monkeys will make him lose interest in natural history.”

“Studying monkeys?” Great Dumas took a sip of his coffee, “But I heard Charles say his primary subject of research is you.”

“Bullshit!” Elod retorted angrily, “I’m more advanced than a monkey.”

Arthur, sipping his tea, commented indifferently, “Elod, you don’t need to be in such a rush to make comparisons on this matter.”

Left speechless by their teasing, Elod could only make jokes at Darwin’s expense in his absence, “But is Charles really at the Linnaean Society doing research?

Didn’t Alexander say recently he’s been dating some mysterious lady?

You think it’s possible that…

well, to be honest, on my way home I passed a restaurant and through the display window, I spotted a pretty lady sitting with a little bald head.”

Great Dumas said, “In Britain, every man is going bald, you can’t judge someone’s identity by that.

Plus, Charles couldn’t be considered bald.

If we’re being fair, he’s just unfortunately, in his twenties, grown less hair in the front.”

“Huh?” Elod disagreed, “Every man is balding?

What about Arthur then?”

Great Dumas glanced at Arthur’s thick black hair, draped his arm around his shoulder and replied, “I’ve always said, Arthur is an old Frenchman.”

“And what about me?” Elod asked.

“You?” Great Dumas responded, “I tend to think you’re on the more advanced side.”

Hearing this, Elod clutched his aching heart, legs weakening, and collapsed against the bookcase behind him.

To his dismay, he realized that ever since Great Dumas joined their ranks, there was now one more person capable of outwitting him, a University of London classical literature graduate.

What’s more tragic was that the man was indeed French.

“Alexander, you rascal, now I know why King Louis Philippe of France would love to hang you.”

However, not only was Great Dumas not angry upon hearing this, but he also responded with pride, “Elod, I didn’t expect to receive such praise from you.”

Elod whipped out the magazine wedged in his armpit and slammed it on the table, “You stubborn mule, nothing gets through to you, does it?!”

Before Great Dumas could reply, the Red Devil sitting at the table, switching between scrutinizing the manuscripts of Great Dumas and Arthur, caught sight of Elod’s magazine and gasped, muttering to himself.

“‘Lady’s Wardrobe’?

Arthur, does your fool of a friend have such interests?

Thank goodness it’s not the Middle Ages, or he’d have his head chopped off.

The Bible clearly states that a woman shall not wear a man’s garment, and vice versa for men.”

It seemed Elod also realized something was off about the book he slammed on the table.

He looked down at the cover of the magazine, gave his head a smack, and exclaimed, “Damn it!

How did I end up bringing my sister’s book here?”

Arthur just sipped his tea, “Never mind, Elod, no need to go to the trouble of explaining.

We’re all friends here, and no one’s going to snitch on you.

If you’re not too busy, maybe next time you could give a workshop to our LPS intelligence agents.

I’ve just been exchanging work experiences with a master of disguise.

Sometimes, if you can make good use of dressing in drag, you can obtain unexpected intelligence advantages.”

Elod, feeling disbelieved and about to get angry, with a frown at the latter part inquired, “Dressing as a woman?

When did Scotland Yard start playing this game?

Would the Home Office allow you to do such a thing?”

Arthur put down his teacup and sighed, “If it were during the Tory Cabinet’s time, they probably wouldn’t have let us do it.

After all, the Tory supporters include quite a number of the clergy, and their views tend to be traditional and conservative.

But now it’s the Whigs who are in power, and the Whigs are even daring to propose reforms for Parliament.

I think wearing a skirt for intelligence work is not too grave an offense, is it?”

Upon hearing this, Great Dumas burst into laughter for no apparent reason.

Elod, startled by his laugher, asked, “Alexander, what are you laughing at?”

Great Dumas, while wiping away tears from laughing, said, “What Arthur just said reminded me of something Victor told me about his past.

When he was young, to evade arrest and execution, he borrowed a dress from the prostitute who lived next to him.

It turns out he dressed up too beautifully.

Not long after he left, he was nearly pinned down by a gang of drunk ruffians for a ‘righteous execution.’ Thankfully, he had a strong build and carried a small knife for self-defense, or else that moment might have haunted him for life.”