The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 895: Chapter 17 Heaven Did Not Create Me Hasting_2

Ville took out a stack of papers from his leather bag and placed them in front of Arthur: “This is Mr. Coriolis’s draft paper. You can look it over now or, if you’re busy, you can review it tonight. If suitable, you can send someone to notify me at the Academy of Sciences or Polytechnic University anytime.”

This unexpected move from Ville immediately cornered Arthur.

Even though he knew he might not fully understand, Arthur still pretended and picked up the manuscript, flipping through a few pages casually.

However, upon flipping through it, Arthur’s tightly furrowed brow suddenly relaxed.

Perhaps because he was more at ease, Arthur’s posture became more relaxed as well. He spoke eloquently while holding his pipe: “I have to say, one’s destiny, of course, depends on self-effort, but one must also consider the course of history…”

Ville, hearing this, was taken aback: “Sir, what are you talking about?”

Arthur said nothing more but pulled out a pen from his jacket pocket and elegantly scribbled a mathematical expression.

Ville was just lifting his coffee, but before the cup reached his lips, Arthur had already pushed the concise formula in front of him.

Ville hadn’t quite reacted to what was happening, and after a long pause, he spoke: “Sir, what is this?”

Arthur returned the pen to his pocket: “This is merely my personal, a small, arbitrary guess, but whether it’s correct or not, I’ll have to trouble Mr. Coriolis to verify it himself. As for the next phase, I might need to go out with Mr. Victor to handle some affairs. He promised to show me around Paris properly, and we might even visit Mr. Executioner Samson’s home for a while. Isn’t that right, Mr. Victor?”

Victor, a seasoned figure in French underworld, naturally understood what Arthur meant. Victor stood up smiling and said: “That’s right, Mr. Ville. You might not know yet, but Sir Hastings also has duties from the British Foreign Office, so we must not delay him too much.”

“Ah… of course, you two have a good day.”

Ville had not yet fully processed the events of the fleeting moment, and he felt a bit stunned when speaking now.

Not until Arthur and Victor walked out the door of the detective agency did Ville, as if awakening from a dream, physically jolt.

The lady at the reception desk politely asked: “Sir, do you need further assistance?”

Ville hastily replied: “Miss, please help me find a pen. If you can provide a clean sheet of draft paper, that would be even better!”

…

Along the Champs-Elysees, the iron wheels of carriages rolled over cobblestones, creating crisp clattering sounds, mixing with the melodies of street musicians’ accordions, vendors’ cries, and whispers of passersby into a leisurely waltz.

On either side of the street, Baroque buildings stood imposingly, windowsills adorned with vibrant flowers, and wrought iron balconies laden with drying clothes, exuding a rich sense of life.

Victor and Arthur paused at a small roadside fruit stand. The talkative vendor, wearing a straw hat and an apron stained with fruit juice, was enthusiastically promoting his excellent peaches, cherries, currants, and citrus to the two gentlemen.

Worried that the two customers might not believe him, he even passionately picked out the peach he was most confident in, wiped it vigorously with his apron, and handed it to Arthur, indicating he could taste before buying, no problem at all.

Arthur took the peach and bit it gently, its juicy flesh instantly filling his mouth. He nodded in satisfaction, raised a finger, and said: “Please give me one kilogram.”

The vendor obligingly packed the peaches, laughingly saying: “Sir, one kilogram of peaches, costing you 4 Sous.”

According to the current French exchange rate, 1 Gold Louis = 20 Francs = 400 Sous.

Based on Arthur’s observations along the way, in most bakeries, a baguette costs 1 Sou, a lamb rib could sell for 7 Sous, and an hour of a rented carriage requires 40 Sous.

One kilogram of peaches selling for 4 Sous though not cheap, wasn’t a rip-off by the vendor; it was within a reasonable price range.

However, although the peaches weren’t expensive for Arthur, that doesn’t mean they aren’t for everyone.

Because according to Victor, although wages in London are not high, wages in Paris are evidently lower.

Working 14 hours a day in a cardboard factory in Paris earns only 4 Sous salary, while a 17-hour seamstress can earn 12 Sous. For workers, the dock loader on the Seine River is considered the most lucrative job. This work is tiring, but it pays 30 Sous.

For those living in Paris, to maintain a subsistence living level, daily expenses for food, clothing, shelter, and transportation must reach 20 Sous, equivalent to 1 Franc.

Workers in London generally earn at least fifty percent more than those in Paris, but unfortunately, due to legislations like the “Corn Laws,” prices in large cities like London, especially the price of grains, are considerably higher than in Paris.

If one must say how living in Paris is better than living in London, apart from the bright sunlight, delicious French cuisine, and diverse French beauties, it’s their metric unit of measure being much friendlier than Britain’s imperial system.