The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 931: After modification: Chapter 31 Today’s events will surely be reciprocated

In Paris, there are ears on the steps, mouths on the doors, eyes on the windows, and the most dangerous thing is to speak at the doorstep. The last few words said as people leave are like a postscript on a letter, the secrets leaked are as dangerous to the listener as to the speaker.

—Balzac

To rise to great heights, there are two ways to achieve it: one must be like an eagle or like a reptile. Certainly, a few rare individuals can ascend to the highest places by a third means, such as Sir Arthur Hastings, the fellow from across the channel who seems like an eagle on the surface, but that’s only because he calls his creeping manner flying.

What’s even more surprising is that neither Queen Victoria, Viscount Palmerston, Lord Russell, Gladstone, Disraeli, nor other major figures in British politics have any objection to this. Moreover, praise for Sir Arthur Hastings is not limited to Britain; it’s the same in France.

Our Emperor, in order to reward his innovative crawling-flying techniques, and moreover to reward those complex and unintelligible formulas he penned in Paris during early years, decided to award this newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to the French Empire with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, a symbol of the highest French honor.

And if not for the great resistance, he seemed to have considered electing Sir Arthur Hastings as France’s first foreign academician, granting him the honor of ’the Immortal.’ Ha! I must say, this really is the greatest unsolved mystery of the century (it is indeed so for the public, but I actually know a bit of the inside story).

—”Balzac Anthology”

According to reliable sources, Sir Arthur Hastings, the British Ambassador, after careful consideration, graciously declined the Emperor’s kind offer to nominate him as an academician of the French Academy.

Sir Arthur Hastings said frankly: ”Indeed, I have made some insignificant contributions in both the scientific and literary fields, but if the French Academy must break precedent and elect a Briton as an academician, then Mr. Dickens and Mr. Faraday are both better choices than me. And if not considering breaking precedent, then it should naturally be Joseph Liu Weier and Léon Foucault for scientific contributions and Alexander Dumas and Honoré de Balzac for literary contributions.”

—”Figaro Newspaper” January 16, 1853 edition

”The French Academy announced the new list of ’the Immortal,’ with Alexander Dumas, Honoré de Balzac and others prominently listed.”

Balzac: This is a supreme honor. I do not know if I am worthy of this honor, but I still must be grateful to Sir Arthur Hastings for his broad-mindedness, in the spirit of selflessness, boldly recommending me without reservation before the members of the Academy election committee.

—”Figaro Newspaper” March 22, 1853 edition

In Paris, at the Little Castle Hotel, Arthur and Victor faced each other moodily smoking.

This was their second day of surveillance duty.

Though yesterday afternoon, the truth about Vini being under watch was already revealed.

Yet, the two detectives were unable to draft a respectable and reasonable case investigation report, so have been unable to wrap up the case.

Victor Hugo, the renowned leader of the French literary scene, an impeccable great writer, a playwright whose works major Paris theater managers clamored for, regarded as the successor to Romantic literary leader Chateaubriand, unexpectedly had such a peculiar hobby.

Although Vini’s relationship with Hugo was good, judging by Arthur’s brief contact with Vini, this fellow, even if he wanted to keep Hugo’s secret, wouldn’t take two days to spread the matter throughout the city due to his big mouth.

Hugo’s reputation, whether good or bad, wasn’t Arthur’s concern, but as a born Parisian, Victor certainly had to consider these.

Since Victor made his mark during the Republican uprising on June 6, last year, he was quickly attacked by both the ”Constitutional Newspaper” and the ”Republican Newspaper,” turning this once god-like detective esteemed by Parisians into a sewer rat.

If Vini casually mentioned Hugo’s eccentricity was investigated by Victor, Hugo’s admirers would likely blame not their idol but the investigator Victor tainted by poor social reputation.

The citizens would surely believe it was Victor’s fabricated conspiracy to attack Hugo.

After all, Parisian police have a history in this matter.

Though Victor is already retired, who knows if he secretly continues working for the police?

Although such unsubstantiated malicious speculation cannot withstand scrutiny, based on Victor’s understanding of Parisians, the outcome would undoubtedly lead to this conclusion.

Worse, Victor does not wish to stand against Hugo’s supporters, after all, among the great writer’s admirers are many wealthy gentlemen and ladies, and these people are exactly the customer base the Breaux Detective Agency wants to develop.

However, should Victor keep Hugo’s little privacy secret, how should he explain it to Vini?