The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 892: Chapter 16: Detective’s Frontline Enemy_2

However, Arthur was not very interested in these three gentlemen or the French lady at the front desk; he was more intrigued by Victor’s cynical taste in art.

He noticed that Victor’s office was decorated with pieces like ”The Beheading of Prophet John,” ”The Passion of Ravayac,” and ”Damien’s Quartering,” all of significantly intense themes.

Of course, there were also some lighter ones, such as portraits of high-ranking officials in the French police, including the former French Empire’s Minister of Police, Fouche, and the current director of the Great Paris Police Hall, Jusco.

From these artworks, Arthur gleaned some understanding of Victor’s character and temperament. Although this 55-year-old man joked about not caring about leaving the Great Paris Police Hall, it was clear that, while he loved fame and money, like the scientists at the French Academy of Sciences, he was more enamored with the pursuit of power.

For Victor, other lines of work were mere trifles, unable to satisfy his cravings for power and excitement. A true hunter doesn’t retire like a civil servant; he is less content than a priest or a painter.

”We are fighting to defend social order, in the name of justice, just like soldiers fighting under the military banner for their country! Our first plan is to leave those social parasites nowhere to hide. We must root out those embezzlers, conmen, and fraudsters, strip away their disguises and confront them head-on!”

Leaning back on the sofa, Arthur accepted a cup of coffee and a cake from the lady at the front desk, thanking her softly. He then enjoyed his leisurely breakfast while listening to the French legendary detective, with blue eyes and silvery-gray hair, deliver his daily ’battle briefing’ to the staff.

No matter how high the level of Victor’s speech was, at least he practiced his own ”management rules” by example. Throughout such a long speech, Arthur did not hear a single swear word from him.

”Alright, let’s leave it at that for today. Everyone, return to your posts! Cyclops, Pan, remember to keep an eye on those swindlers from the provinces. Get close to them. I suspect they might be from ’Duame.’ We had already marked this gang of money launderers in the Security Department. Taking them down would mean a huge profit. Your job isn’t just to extract information from them; try to obtain a few of the fake bank documents they make so that we can have leverage.

As for you, Tall, you’re still on that extramarital affair case today. Mr. Eritier wants to know if his wife is really involved with Count La Fontaine. Yes, that’s right, I don’t need you to ruin their fun; just confirm whether they’ve really gone ’in and out.’ What? They’ll draw the curtains? I don’t care; this is your job to figure out! Are you suggesting that one curtain would make me reject Mr. Eritier’s offer of 500 Francs?

No, don’t confront Mrs. Eritier on the street. Why would you think of threatening a lady? Mr. Eritier only wants to know if this is happening, not to take revenge on his wife and her lover. If his wife is indeed unfaithful, it would actually be advantageous for Mr. Eritier, as he needs Count La Fontaine to help expand his business.

If hearing such things for the first time, Arthur might have been surprised, but by now, he was accustomed to such matters.

Even yesterday, he had heard an even more scandalous gossip during the banquet hosted by Thiers, the president of the French Senate, following the Copley Medal award ceremony.

A drunken guest secretly told Arthur that after the success of the July Revolution in 1830, Thiers, who had always supported the Orleans Party and played a key role in its establishment, was immediately appointed as Secretary-General of the Treasury but wanted to advance by becoming a member of the Senate.

However, according to French election law, Thiers, who had no property, could not vote or stand for election, nor could he become a senator. At that time, a real estate developer generously sold Thiers a house with zero down payment.

Thiers bought the house on October 8 and was elected as a senator on the 21st, becoming Deputy Minister of the Treasury upon the command of his old acquaintance, Marquis Lafayette, on November 2. Naturally, Thiers reciprocated by giving that helpful real estate developer a lucrative position in the Treasury.

If the story ended here, it would merely be a tale of successful investment. But in reality, things were not so simple.

Firstly, the real estate developer and Thiers met at a salon, which was hosted by Thiers’ lover—Talleyrand’s niece. Moreover, Thiers didn’t first meet the real estate developer; he met the developer’s wife first. It was under her strong persuasion that the real estate developer finally decided to invest in Thiers.

As for why this lady was so adamant about persuading her husband to invest in Thiers, besides her keen insight, there were also some issues related to male-female relationships. However, if the story stopped here, it still wouldn’t surpass Arthur’s basic expectations.