The Shadow of Great Britain

468: Chapter 255: If He Seeks Revenge in Later Years, Blood Will Stain the Mouth of the Thames River (5K)_3 468: Chapter 255: If He Seeks Revenge in Later Years, Blood Will Stain the Mouth of the Thames River (5K)_3 “Very well, never heard of it, this one should be easy to catch,” Ledley muttered as he nodded slightly, then turned his head towards Great Dumas: “Your turn, fatty.”

Great Dumas hummed with crossed arms: “Alexandre Dumas.”

“And your father?”

“Alexandre Dumas.”

Upon hearing this, Ledley put down his pen, pondering: “Your father is also called Alexandre Dumas?

Fatty, you wouldn’t be lying to me, would you?”

Great Dumas replied disdainfully: “Is it so strange to have a father and son with the same name?

In Britain, there are a bunch of Charleses, what’s there to fuss about?”

After thinking it over, Ledley finally decided to try him a couple more times: “What about your grandfather’s name?”

“Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie.”

“Hmm?” Ledley was startled: “That long?”

Great Dumas stroked his curly hair back: “Nobility, you see.

My grandfather was a Marquis.”

“A Marquis…

oh…”

Ledley looked at the paper in his hand and mulled over: “But…

that’s not right, is it?

You and your father have the last name Dumas, and your grandfather’s last name is Pailleterie.

Is there something going on here?

Is your father illegitimate?”

Great Dumas glared: “What’s it to you?

Why ask so many questions?”

Ledley shook his head with a smirk: “I’m just curious, not trying to rub salt in your wounds.

Well, let me ask you one last question.”

“What question?”

Ledley seemed a bit embarrassed, smiling shyly: “Well, that…

your surname, Dumas, how is it spelled?

Mind you, I’m not uneducated, I just want to test you a bit.”

No sooner had Ledley finished speaking than the sound of a door opening came from behind him.

He turned to look and there were two bigwigs from Superintendent Hasting’s men entering his office; he promptly stood up to greet them: “What brings you two here?”

While Ledley exchanged greetings, Tom and Tony did not respond.

The two were stunned by the nine pistols placed on the desk and a sack full of black gunpowder and bullets leaning against the desk.

Seeing familiar faces, Disraeli and Great Dumasm relaxed a bit as well.

Disraeli winked and smiled at them: “Tom, Tony?”

Tom’s eyes widened at the alarming arsenal, and he asked: “Have you two lost your minds?

Even if it’s for self-defense, isn’t having this many a bit too excessive?”

Tony took a deep breath: “This firepower is almost on par with a police station.

Mr.

Dumas, are you planning to annihilate our patrol team?

Take my advice, Napoleon has been dead for years, it would be better if you gave up on attacking Britain sooner rather than later.”

Upon hearing this, Great Dumas quickly utilized his storytelling skills, clearing his throat: “Tony, these guns and ammo aren’t for myself.”

Tony slapped his forehead: “Of course, Mr.

Dumas, if these were for yourself, we wouldn’t arrest you, would we?”

Tom countered on hearing this: “No, we still have to arrest him.

Suicide is a grave sin against God; if Mr.

Dumas were successful, at most, a priest wouldn’t conduct his funeral.

But if his suicide failed, we’d eventually have to hang him anyway.”

Ledley added to this: “However, there’s an upside to being hanged; at least the priest would be willing to hold a service for you.

Embalming the deceased, rest-in-peace worship, burial in the ground – they are practiced at that.”

Great Dumas looked furious: “So you’re saying, if you hang me, I should thank you?”

Ledley replied seriously: “No need for thanks.

If you make it to Heaven because of this, just put in a good word for me with God.

But if you go to Hell, best not to babble nonsense in Satan’s ears.”

Tony quickly stepped forward to shield Ledley, making faces at Great Dumas and Disraeli: “What on earth are you two doing with all these things?

Scotland Yard already announced firearms control around the Astley Theatre during Halloween, you two are friends of Superintendent Hasting and couldn’t unaware…

or are you saying it was Superintendent Hasting who told you to do this?”

Disraeli hastily took Tony’s cue: “Tony, you can’t hide anything from you.

Yes, it was Arthur who told us to bring these here.”

Great Dumas added: “Correct.

I heard from Arthur recently that Louis Bonaparte is training a French artillery regiment for Scotland Yard.

But when it comes to French artillery, who knows more than me?

French artillery training isn’t just about strict French standards; even the firearms and ammunition must be authentically French.”

As he spoke, Great Dumas even bent down to scoop a handful of greasy black powder from the bag, letting it slip through his fingers: “Look!

This black gunpowder, I ground it myself.

Do you know why French artillerymen are more formidable than those from other countries?

It’s all because our black gunpowder is a secret recipe, handed down generation to generation.”

Tom was taken aback, then asked doubtfully: “Mr.

Dumas, are you serious?”

When Tom questioned, Tony hastily turned around and glared at him: “Tom!”

But before he could signal Tom, Ledley had already assumed a pose reminiscent of Police Superintendent Jones from Tower Hamlets who had taken on a similar action.

With hands clasped, Ledley faced in the direction of Astley Circular Theatre, spoke with proper enunciation and a booming voice: “Oh my!

Have I not made a mistake as grave as Zeus striking Mount Olympus, the God of Thunder blowing up Valhalla?

I didn’t realize that you two are Scotland Yard’s dignitaries—friends of Superintendent Hasting!”