The Shadow of Great Britain

423: Chapter 240 Conversation with the Foreign Minister (5K) 423: Chapter 240 Conversation with the Foreign Minister (5K) London, Westminster, Whitehall, the residence of the Foreign Secretary.

As soon as Arthur stepped through the door of the Foreign Office, he immediately felt the bustling atmosphere of the place.

The officials of the Foreign Office were bustling back and forth, with quite a few even running as they went.

Arthur was about to go upstairs when he overheard a murmured conversation between an older and a younger civil servant as they passed by.

“Has the minister lost his mind?

Why should we continue to support the Russians by taking on that loan from the Hope Company?

At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, we specified in the Treaty of Vienna that if the Russians violated the treaty’s conditions, the financial aid to Russia would immediately cease.

Now the Russians are making moves on Poland, which clearly violates the Treaty of Vienna.

And yet, the minister actually wants to sign a supplementary agreement with the Russians, to continue fulfilling our financial assistance to them?

If Parliament finds out, how are we supposed to explain ourselves?”

“That’s the cunning part of Viscount Palmerston’s exercise of power.

Have you forgotten?

Parliament is about to dissolve, and while the members are busy campaigning, the new session has not yet begun, which is why he is pressing us to draft the scheme as soon as possible.

Otherwise, once Parliament gets wind of it, that would be…

”

The Red Devil propped himself up on his tail, leaning back lightly, placing all his weight on it.

He snickered as he looked down trimming his nails, then said, “Oh, my dear Arthur, have you brought me to the labyrinth of Crete?

Why is this place so filled with a mysterious, clandestine aura?

Then, are you about to meet that fearsome Minotaur next?”

Arthur glanced at him, then swept his eyes over the office’s oppressively busy atmosphere, and said, “Whether Viscount His Lordship is the Minotaur, I do not know.

But I have heard some police inspectors from Scotland Yard say that when Viscount Palmerston served as the Secretary at War, he had a nickname—they all called him the brutal taskmaster.

It seems he must have brought this habit with him to the Foreign Office as well.”

Arthur pulled out his pocket watch to check the time, then shook his head, “It’s already time for afternoon tea, yet I haven’t seen a single smile on the faces of these people.

What’s even more unbelievable is that these are old bureaucrats from the Foreign Office.

It looks like in just over half a year since Viscount Palmerston took over the Foreign Office, they have already tasted the ‘water-dipped whip’ that even the Army couldn’t stand.”

Agares pulled out a nail file to sand his pinky, then raised his hand against the light from the oil lamps hanging in the hall, admiring his handiwork with satisfaction, “Isn’t that so?

My dear Arthur, if you had a boss so full of energy, who worked hard and still had plenty of time to refine eighteen different skills with Mrs.

Copper, enjoying the pleasures of life, you’d collapse too.”

“Eighteen skills, huh…” Arthur said, pinching his chin as he looked at the Red Devil, “Agares, I didn’t know you were so knowledgeable!”

Agares cheekily put away the nail file and donned a doctoral hat, asking, “Arthur, I can teach you the first nine for free, but you’ll have to pay for the last nine.

It’s only the price of a soul, but it will make your entire life much more exciting.”

Arthur adjusted his white gloves, “Hmm…

It sounds like quite a deal.”

“Are you tempted?” Agares asked delightedly, “Oh, Arthur, seeing how eager you are to learn, I would even allow you to publish this tidbit in ‘British Gentlemen.’ You don’t need to credit the author, or if you prefer, you could even pin it on Eld.”

Arthur just smiled and shook his head, “Sorry, Agares, while I’m quite interested, given I have no practical subject at the moment, I don’t plan to buy something useless to take home as a keepsake.”

No sooner had Arthur finished speaking than he heard a quick succession of footsteps behind him.

Arthur turned his head to look, and saw a gentleman wearing a neat and proper suit, whose eyes betrayed a hint of weariness, walking briskly toward him, “Inspector Hastings, I am terribly sorry to have kept you waiting.

Viscount Palmerston has just finished with a few representatives of civic organizations, and he is now available to see you.”

Arthur doffed his hat in a polite response, “Then please lead the way, as this is my first visit to the Foreign Office, and I am not familiar with the layout of the offices.”

“Of course, if you would just follow me,” said the civil servant as he led Arthur towards the second floor, cracking a joke or two along the way, “How do you find it?

Do you think Scotland Yard is usually as busy as the Foreign Office?”

Arthur simply laughed, “In terms of work intensity, they might be similar, but after all, our work is different.”

The civil servant laughed and shook his head, “No, in my opinion, the nature of the work at Scotland Yard is exactly the same as that of the Foreign Office, maybe even a bit broader in scope.”

“How so?”

The civil servant explained, “As everyone knows, police officers daily deal with thieves, liars, robbers, prostitutes, and drunks, whereas the Foreign Office must deal with the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Russia, Spain, and even Bavaria.”

Arthur joked, “Are you forgetting France?

And by placing the Kingdom of Bavaria on the same level of importance as great powers like Austria and Russia, aren’t you elevating them a bit too much?”