The Shadow of Great Britain

767: Chapter 363 Two-Faced Stendhal_3 767: Chapter 363 Two-Faced Stendhal_3 However, Stendhal’s experiences had some impact on Arthur, at least allowing him to see the finer details of the Great Revolution in France more clearly.

Everything had changed, yet it seemed nothing had changed; it was merely a change of players.

Slogans that sound good are certainly important, but as long as the price is right, most people are flexible enough to switch sides, whether they belong to the Republicans or the Bonapartists.

People like Great Dumas, who are stubborn, had become a rare breed indeed.

He leaned against the wall, smoking in silence, craving solitude, but before he could sort out his thoughts, he noticed a flash of white dress in his view.

Arthur instinctively took his pipe to snuff it out, but before he could make a move, he heard the other person speak, “Mr.

Hastings, you needn’t worry about it, I don’t dislike the smell of tobacco.

I might be different from most women, as the smell of smoke makes me feel secure.”

The speaker was Mrs.

Shelley, and Arthur looked up at this remarkable woman from London.

She wore a high-waisted white dress with a loose shawl adorned with lace trimmings.

A simple soft hat sat on her head, and her accessories were modest, save for the silver ring on her right ring finger.

Arthur smiled and asked, “Did Mr.

Shelley smoke when he was alive?”

Mrs.

Shelley slightly nodded, “Occasionally, but let us not talk about him today.

Honestly, I don’t like discussing his past with others, as memories are not always pleasant.”

Arthur did not press further, “I’m glad you can continue to look forward.

Honestly, when our editor found your confession letter in ‘Prometheus Unbound,’ we were all quite worried about your mental state.

That you have moved past your grief to focus on publishing and educating your child matters more than anything.

Speaking of which, I think I’ve met your son before.”

Mrs.

Shelley expressed her surprise, “You’ve met Percy?”

Arthur nodded, “Your son seems to attend the same school as the two children of Officer Tom from our department.

When Officer Tom was away on duty, I picked them up from school.

Those two rascals told me that a kid in the class next door had a father who was a great poet like Shelley, and even pointed him out to me.”

Mrs.

Shelley, her eyes crinkling with a smile, asked, “What do you think of him?”

Arthur complimented, “He’s diligent and hardworking.

When I was there, I saw him seeking advice from a teacher.

I’m quite certain he will grow up to be an extraordinary person, a distinguished poet like his father.”

Arthur thought his words would please Mrs.

Shelley, but her smile quickly faded, and even her tone became rather stiff.

“You must be mistaken.

I ask God to let him grow up to be an ordinary person.

Even if he must distinguish himself, he should become a reliable, honorable, and steady officer like you, not some poet.”

At this, Arthur immediately sensed something was amiss; these words sounded eerily familiar.

He slightly frowned but soon relaxed.

Byron!

Exactly, Lady Byron, wife of Milbank, seemed to have said the same.

Not only that, her greatest demand on her daughter’s husband was that he should not be a poet.

Considering the close relationship between Byron and Shelley, the mystery of why Mrs.

Shelley would make such a statement was almost ready to emerge.

Could Shelley too be a fickle lover?

Although Arthur had no evidence yet, it seemed to be the only possibility at the moment.

When Mrs.

Shelley saw Arthur stunned by her scolding, she realized her lapse and quickly apologized, saying,

“Sorry, Mr.

Hastings, I…

I didn’t mean to lose my temper at you.

I appreciate your blessings for my child, but for a mother, it’s most important that her child grows up to be a decent, kind, responsible gentleman.

I don’t care how many followers he has or how successful he is in the conventional sense.”

Arthur didn’t dare to continue asking about the issues between Mr.

and Mrs.

Shelley; he usually heard about such matters through indirect conversations with others.

If there was anyone to blame, it was only because Eld wasn’t here; otherwise, he wouldn’t have stepped into this minefield so easily.

Arthur joked, “Although you don’t care about how many followers your child has, making him a police officer is a bit too much.

Those of us in this profession face the hatred of thousands every day.

If possible, I suggest you could arrange for him to be an office worker, or perhaps a banker, a stockbroker, or something of that kind.”

Mrs.

Shelley shook her head and said, “If I had the capability, I would certainly hope for a better future for him.

But…

you might not know, my little Percy has always been bearing the sin of my and his father’s union.

He has neither the support of his mother’s family nor his father’s family; the only support behind him is me alone.”

“Oh…” Arthur laughed, “Then he might actually consider becoming a police officer, because I don’t even have my mother’s support; I’ve reached this point purely by luck.

Whatever I can do, with his cleverness, he definitely could do too.”

Mrs.

Shelley also smiled and said, “It’s because I heard about your experiences that I think he might be able to become a police officer someday.

All the ladies of the Bluestocking Society praise you endlessly, and everyone regrets that you have not been attending our reading salons lately, but we all understand that you have more important matters to attend to.

Rest assured, no matter what the newspapers say, we ladies always support you.

Only those who have spent time with you know what a fine young man you are.

If I didn’t know your character, I would never have had the audacity to ask you to meet with Elizabeth.”

“Elizabeth?”

At this, Arthur remembered there was such a matter.

He laughed and asked, “Is that the name of my enthusiastic reader?

I’m free today; if it’s convenient, we could meet her right now.”

“Um…”

Mrs.

Shelley continued, seemingly with difficulty, “Although it is impolite to say, I hope you won’t be too surprised when you meet her later, because she…”

“What’s wrong with her?” Arthur asked as he took his hat from the coat rack and put it on his head.

Mrs.

Shelley, clutching her skirt, mustered up a lot of courage and said, “She is a girl who cannot walk.”