The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 815: Chapter 379 Black Black Heart (6K2)_3

“I…” Lady Jersey took out a handkerchief to cover her mouth, her face pale, “Mr. Talleyrand, I don’t want to spoil your mood, but I think I really do need a rest.”

“Alright…”

Seeing Lady Jersey’s condition, Talleyrand didn’t press further. He had just stood up to stretch when the Embassy’s Military Officer pushed open the doors of the entertainment room and reported, “Mr. Talleyrand, it’s calm outside now.”

Talleyrand seemed to have already known this would be the case, as his face showed little emotion, “Efficiency is quite high. Who’s leading outside? Officer Arthur Hastings? If it’s him, do me a favor and ask if he wants to come in for a game of cards.”

The Military Officer bowed and said, “It seems you might be disappointed. The riot control outside wasn’t handled by Scotland Yard, but by the Guard Cavalry Regiment. As for Officer Hastings, I heard he took his men to the Tower of London. Judging by the density of the smoke and the roaring flames, there must be a fierce battle going on there.”

“A battle at the Tower of London?”

Talleyrand walked to the window and glanced eastward. As the Military Officer had described, the flames there were indeed raging high.

The old cripple sipped the golden wine in his glass, breathing in the cold, turbulent air, and said calmly, “Honestly, tonight somewhat reminds me of the month of Brumaire in 1799.”

Lady Jersey stood up and asked softly, “What happened in that November?”

Leaning against the window, Talleyrand seemed lost in memories of that year, “I remember, many remarkable people died that day.”

…

Rain dripped from the brim of Arthur’s high hat, and his face was covered with various fluids, even he couldn’t tell if it was rain or blood.

Maybe it was his tall horse, or perhaps his distinguished epaulettes and noble police rank, but as he led his team into the riot crowd, he quickly became the target of those remaining hardened protesters.

As a police commander, an Assistant Commissioner of the Greater London Police Department, he enjoyed the privilege of not having to use a Civilization Cane. Arthur wielded the invaluable royal sword, and while the sword hilt struck the rioters’ heads, it was enough to crack their skulls sending them out of the fight, even if it couldn’t knock them out completely.

Among those surrounding him, there were both twenty-year-olds and forty-year-olds. The twenty-year-olds hoped to die for their ideals, while the forty-year-olds hoped to die for their families. Among them were bold, passionate university students, unyielding veterans, homeless children, and recently dismissed shop clerks.

Worse yet, he spotted a familiar face he didn’t wish to see at this moment, stirring up an unwanted memory.

“Mr. Hastings?”

The other seemed just as disbelieving of his eyes, for he remembered this officer as a kind-hearted man who once gave him enough money for a funeral and secured his daughter a decent burial place, laid to rest like a true lady in St. Mary’s Church at Oxford University.

He was Robin’s father.

“Damn it!”

Seeing that familiar face, Arthur punched the burly man attempting to drag him off his horse, yelling at him in exasperation, “What the hell are you doing here! Why aren’t you staying at home! Don’t you know how dangerous the streets are? Riots, cholera! Just bumping into something could get you killed!”

Robin’s father, initially furious, was instantly subdued by Arthur’s roar, stammering, “Mr. Hastings, I… I don’t know either, I just saw everyone coming this way, and since I had nothing to do tonight, so I…”

Arthur’s face contorted under the moonlight upon hearing this. He wanted to pull this forty-year-old man onto his horse, only for him to struggle free.

“Are you out of your mind?”

Arthur glanced at the growing crowd of protesters around him, hearing the thundering hooves of cavalry getting closer, his anger was palpable, “Before the cavalry arrives, I will get you out of this godforsaken place! If I leave you here, you’ll definitely die tonight!”

Robin’s father appeared intimidated, hunching his back and being pushed around by the rampant crowd. Nevertheless, he mustered the strength to take off his shabby felt hat and apologized to Arthur.

“I’m…I’m sorry, Officer Hastings, I…I didn’t mean to cause you trouble. I didn’t intend to get involved in these things, but… but you don’t know, my child’s mother passed away recently too, and without that income, I couldn’t pay the rent on time, so… the landlord evicted me.

And lately, with the economy being bad, I injured my leg at work, and the factory, using that as an excuse, fired me. Without income, I could only wander the streets. When I saw people gathering, I just followed them.

I’m…I’m not proud to say this to you, but sometimes following them I could get a bit of money, or find something useful from broken shops. But… but I assure you, I didn’t actively seek these things.”

Hearing this, Arthur’s eyes seemed to fill with blood, furious, “If something happened, why didn’t you come to me! Did I do everything just to hear you say, ‘I’m sorry, Mr. Hastings’?”