The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1028: Chapter 69 A Plan within a Plan_2

If this kind of effect can be replicated in France, then Gasoline is practically getting a free Scott. He can’t imagine a reason to refuse Arthur Sigma’s work; publishing his works certainly involves some risk, but the rewards are quite substantial.

Moreover, according to some rumors Gasoline received from London, Arthur Sigma himself has long served as a high-ranking officer at Scotland Yard. Combined with the ”Hastings Case Files” and Mr. Arthur Hastings’ personal experiences, his true identity is actually not difficult to guess.

Compared to the small risk of not publishing Arthur Sigma’s works, Gasoline is even more unwilling to bear the major risk of offending the big shareholders of the ”British”, the former high-ranking Scotland Yard officer, and the publishing review committee.

In other words, even if Arthur doesn’t mention it, Gasoline will shamelessly offer a lucrative contract to Arthur Sigma.

After considering his status as an upper-class Sir, surely Mr. Hastings should, for the sake of appearances, agree to cede Eld Carter’s French language rights?

It must be said, Gasoline’s little scheme was indeed employed in the right place, but he didn’t quite hit the mark in the pricing of the contract with Arthur.

However, as Gasoline said, he is the most agreeable publisher in the Paris publishing scene, so upon raising the offer, he soon managed to secure the French rights of six ”British” works to his satisfaction. What surprised him even more was that Heine, standing nearby, was quite ’generous and open-handed’, granting him the French rights for the new work ”On Romanticism”.

Adam Mickiewicz’s ”Forefathers’ Eve” for seven thousand francs.

Benjamin Disraeli’s ”Young Duke” for six thousand francs.

Charles Dickens’ ”The Pickwick Papers” for twelve thousand francs.

Alfred Tennyson’s ”In Memoriam” for seven thousand francs.

Eld Carter’s ”Robin Hood” for twelve thousand francs.

Heinrich Heine’s ”On Romanticism” for six thousand francs.

The final offer for the ”Hastings Case Files” by Gasoline was set at twelve thousand and one francs.

Amidst the exchanging of drinks, the two parties completed a major deal exceeding sixty thousand francs.

Though such a huge transaction immediately stretched Gasoline’s financial pressure to the limit, the promising sales prospects still brought a smile to his lips.

Meanwhile, Henry Dracett gained a deeper understanding of Arthur.

Originally, he was here just to keep an eye on his grandniece, but unexpectedly, he secured a big promissory note worth sixty thousand francs.

Thriving in the political arena, at the same time, enjoying considerable influence among the currently booming ”British”, he managed to decide on the French rights for so many books all at once...

Seeing Gasoline and Arthur chatting enough, taking advantage of the slightly intoxicated atmosphere, Dracett chuckled knowingly and asked: ”Sir, historical novels are so popular in France. You are a top graduate in history, why don’t you consider trying your hand at writing a historical novel?”

Arthur assumed he was just making small talk, smiled casually and responded: ”I have thought about it, but writing historical novels doesn’t necessarily require a degree in history. History is history, a novel is a novel. If studying history means one can write a good historical novel, then the hottest novelist in Paris right now should be Mr. Guizot rather than Thiers.”

Gasoline hearing this, laughed and replied: ”Are you criticizing Mr. Thiers’ works for being more novels than historical biographies?”

Hugo somewhat disagreed with Arthur’s view: ”In my opinion, Mr. Thiers’ books are actually quite interesting. I think it’s quite remarkable how he portrays history so vividly.”

Arthur shrugged, smiling: ”That’s not what I said, but rather what the Duke of Wellington said. He read Mr. Thiers’ book ’The Directorate and The History of the Empire’, and specifically criticized the passages concerning the Battle of Eylau. Thiers explicitly described Mourel gathering light cavalry, dragon cavalry, and cuirassiers, using eighty squadrons to attack the Russian Army, charging heroically at moments of crisis to rescue the entire army from peril.

But the Duke of Wellington clearly told me, according to the French Army’s organization, a full cuirassier squadron consists of 172 men, a dragon cavalry, and light cavalry squadron consists of 232 men, while the actual manpower is usually 100 to 150 men. So, eighty squadrons equate to over ten thousand cavalrymen. Yet Mourel couldn’t assemble ten thousand troops at the time, and according to the intelligence he received, the French Army only deployed 52 squadrons, including 42 squadrons from 14 regular cavalry regiments and 10 guard cavalry squadrons.

As for why Thiers turned 42 squadrons into eighty? His Excellency the Duke’s original words were: ’Probably that fool confused the organization of French Army squadrons and companies. Thus, even though he portrayed this operation vividly, brilliantly, immersing many in the heroics on the battlefield, actually he’s just a half-baked nobody who understands nothing.’

Arthur paused here, tactfully exonerating the Duke of Wellington: ”So, it’s best to leave professional matters to professionals. Leaving works behind before getting a clear understanding of the principles usually only amuses those who actually know.”

Upon hearing this, Dracett feigned offense under the influence of alcohol and said: ”Since this is the case, removing you from Scotland Yard was really a misguided decision. You’re definitely an expert in police matters, but you’re a novice in diplomacy. Oh, but I can’t say that, after all, some people can get things done even without experience. One of my old friends is just like that, and incidentally, he also has the surname Hastings.”