The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 992: Chapter 55 Denmark Controversy_2

Linking the Kingdom of Sardinia’s sponsorship of Royalists to launch the Vendee rebellion and Louis Philippe’s act of harboring exiled Young Italy members, Arthur suddenly had a subtle feeling in his heart.

Looking at these matters separately seems like independent events, but if viewed individually, it always feels that there’s an intricate connection between them.

The Kingdom of Sardinia wanted to overthrow the rule of the July Monarchy in France, while the July Monarchy retaliated against the Kingdom of Sardinia through Young Italy.

If that’s really the case, then the Paris Police Chief Jusco’s bold claim of strict investigation into Young Italy’s speech is actually just a smokescreen to cover up, and the French are merely using this opportunity to clear themselves of suspicion while lulling the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Austrian Empire into complacency.

At this thought, Arthur instinctively took out the pen from his front chest pocket, ready to write a diplomatic report to be taken back to London by the embassy’s secretaries. Although this information isn’t of great value to Britain, if the Foreign Office uses it cleverly, it could cause Austria, France, and Italy to quarrel, making them temporarily inattentive to Britain’s growing power in the Mediterranean Sea.

Great Dumas saw Arthur’s action and quipped, ”Arthur, inspiration strikes? I understand your feelings; when you have an idea, you must write something. However, at this time, let’s first enjoy the fine wine and food. The chef at the Waai’er Restaurant is first-class, on a completely different level from the chefs you encounter in London.”

Arthur smiled, raised his glass, and clinked it with him, saying, ”Alexander, you’re right. When an Englishman is inspired, it’s usually not a good thing.”

Speaking of this, he turned to the apprehensive Andersen: ”Hans, perhaps we should talk about the publication.”

”Publication?”

Andersen was caught off guard by this sudden development.

He had tossed and turned all night, counting stars outside the window, carefully considering how to present himself more gracefully in front of this major publisher from Britain, and which phrases might spark his interest in his work.

But what he never expected was that Arthur hadn’t asked a single question about literature, nor had he discussed music and painting art with him, but directly expressed his willingness to publish his works.

Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol, but Andersen only felt his head spinning.

”I... thank God, my life is indeed very fortunate. Although I come from an underprivileged background and have encountered many tough situations, whenever I need help, a noble person always appears by my side. In Copenhagen, I met Madame Ledsoe and Mr. Colin, and in Paris, I met Mr. Heine, Mr. Zhongma, and you, Sir.”

Arthur smiled and asked, ”Who are Madame Ledsoe and Mr. Colin?”

Andersen replied, ”Do you know our great poet Abrahamson? Madame Ledsoe is his daughter and also my landlady.

At that time, I had just gained a little fame in Denmark, so the composer Mr. West came to me, hoping to collaborate with me to adapt Sir Walter Scott’s ’Kenilworth’ into an opera. I was very honored, and I also needed the money, so I agreed to his collaboration request.

However, to my surprise, the script had just been half-written when the matter spread like wildfire, with harsh, cold, unfeeling voices mocking me everywhere. Several newspapers in Copenhagen published articles saying that someone like me adapting Sir Walter Scott’s works was simply an insult to the elderly gentleman; instead of writing a script, I was dismembering a classic.

There were quite a few people I didn’t know sending me anonymous letters, using the most crude, stupid ways to attack and insult me, and all these became part of my life at the time. If it weren’t for the continual encouragement from Madame Ledsoe and Mr. West, I wouldn’t have been able to endure that period of ridicule and mockery.

In that same year, to repay their trust in me, I boldly published a new poetry collection ’Twelve Months of the Year.’ Although the critique circles in Copenhagen were, as usual, sarcastic and rejecting my poetry collection, wishing to trample me into the mud. ’Literature Monthly’ took apart my poems one by one, nitpicking at the spelling and phrase usage, but I always believed this is my best work so far. Fortunately, you’re different from those unpleasant people in Copenhagen because you know how to appreciate it.”

Hearing Andersen’s grievances, Arthur couldn’t help but laugh heartily: ”I always thought only rainy places like London could breed such ill-natured literary magazines like ’Blackwood’s,’ but it seems Copenhagen is the same. So just because you adapted a novel by Sir Walter Scott, they turned you into a target for extensive attacks?”

Great Dumas raised an eyebrow and said, ”Mostly it’s because others in Copenhagen’s literary world also had their eyes on this adaptation business, and since you took their job, that’s why they were so furious and saw you as an eyesore. Hans, don’t care about those jumping clowns; such incidents are common in Paris. I was even accused of plagiarism by them in the past.”

Hearing this, Andersen widened his eyes, looking somewhat incredulous: ”Mr. Zhongma, are you saying people used to attack you like this too? How did you usually handle it?”

”It was quite simple.”

Great Dumas opened his coat and patted the holster at his waist: ”If I find out who’s attacking me, the newspaper headline the next day will have a duel invitation from me. The foremost ability one needs for doing literary criticism of my works isn’t how great their judgment is, but how good their shooting skills are. Of course, if those literary critics could be like Arthur who could take a bullet and still survive, I could accept it too. You see, Arthur pointed out where my works weren’t good, and I never refuted it.”

Heine, after hearing Andersen’s experience, also sneered at those parasites in the Copenhagen literary world: ”You made them so angry just by adapting a novel by Walter Scott; if you were to adapt Shakespeare, wouldn’t they be ready to go into their graves?”

At that thought, Arthur blinked and suddenly proposed: ”It’s a pity the rights to Sir Walter Scott’s works aren’t in our ’British’ hands, and he unfortunately passed away the year before last. However, among our ’British’ contemporary popular authors, there just happens to be a successor to Sir Walter Scott’s legacy. Hans, have you heard of Eld Carter?”

”Eld Carter?” Andersen seriously recalled but couldn’t quite place the name in his mind: ”Sorry, Mr. Carter probably hasn’t published any works in Danish or German, right?”

”Not yet, but soon.”

Originally, Great Dumas didn’t intend to promote Eld, but the thought of those annoying critics in Copenhagen potentially getting agitated over the adaptation rights to Eld’s works filled him with the urge to contribute to this prank.

Great Dumas spoke, ”Hans, you might not know, but Mr. Carter’s ’Robin Hood’ has been personally praised by Sir Walter Scott. Besides that, there’s ’St. George’s Flag Still Rises,’ which is also based on his personal experiences. If you’re interested, I think Arthur could represent the ’British’ here and give you the Danish adaptation rights to these two works.”

Arthur laughed and nodded, ”Of course, but that’s only part of our agreement. Hans, I’m not only interested in your poetry collection; your ’The Emperor’s New Clothes’ showed me other bright aspects of you. Therefore, I’m planning to let the ’British’ fully represent the publication and distribution of your works in Britain. We can sign a five-year long-term agreement. What do you think?”