The Shadow of Great Britain

Capítulo 1201: Chapter 135: Heine’s Patriotism (2)

Herbart saw how persistent Arthur was and fell silent for a while before sighing: “This is my bottom line, you should also consider that managing disciplinary actions for the Student Council is not an easy task.”

“I understand your difficulties.” Arthur put down his pen and got up to see his guest out: “Rest assured, sir, if anything truly changes, if the committee cannot control it, I will have the police step in at the last minute.”

Herbart shook his head as he stood by the door: “I hope it doesn’t come to that; compared to Heine, I would rather the police not tarnish this academic sanctum.”

Click.

Herbart closed the door, and as Arthur heard the footsteps fade away, perhaps due to a professional habit, he hummed a tune and took out an old student archive from his office drawer, starting his entertainment for the day.

The cover of the archive prominently displayed a notable name—Heinrich Heine.

Most student files contained only a few thin pages, but Heine’s file nearly rivaled a lengthy novel.

Arthur first pulled out a thick stack of various warnings and penalties, immediately followed by several transcripts, and lastly a pile of petition letters in which Heine ardently appealed to the Disciplinary Committee.

As Arthur admired these literary works from the great German poet, he secretly calculated how many thousands of Francs the University of Gottingen owed Heine over the years.

He was engrossed when suddenly, with a click, someone pushed open the office door.

With an air of arrogance and disdain, Heine walked up, pulled a chair across from Arthur, and elegantly crossed his legs: “Eight years, and Gottingen is still the same.”

Arthur swept the archive file under the table: “What’s wrong? Heinrich, whenever I return to the University of London, I feel a sense of intimacy and pride, but you seem to have a different sentiment about your alma mater.”

Heine spoke with some distaste: “I don’t dislike Gottingen, but I dislike many people here, and the empty platitudes that drive people mad. For a long time, everything associated with patriotism makes me sick. Those hateful fools, working tirelessly under the guise of patriotism. They wear fitted uniforms, truly divided into masters, journeymen, and apprentices, following the same rituals, and engage in such competition at home. Indeed, seeing this masqueraded face infuriates me.”

At this point, Heine shifted his tone: “But this doesn’t mean I dislike patriotism; I only dislike German patriotism. France has patriotism too, and theirs is about loving their homeland, but France is also a nation of civility, a nation of humane progress. And German patriotism? Quite the opposite, German patriotism is about hating the French, hating civilization and freedom. So, because I praise France, I am not a German patriot. Now, do you understand why I am upset?”

Arthur immediately saw through Heine’s thoughts: “It seems that not everyone in the student body at Gottingen welcomes their hero.”

Heine was about to lash out but seemed to think of something that calmed his rising anger, softening even his gaze.

“Loving freedom is like a flower blooming in a prison; only within a prison does one feel the preciousness of freedom. Thus, only at the borders of Germany do I feel love for my German homeland, especially when seeing my native land encountering misfortune while abroad, this love grows stronger.

I don’t want to embellish my own reputation, but I must say that when I heard of the Frankfurt garrison incident or when I learned that the German Confederation Council passed the ‘Carlsbad Decrees’ amendment, a strong emotion surged within me, urging me to return here. It was not an impulsive patriotism; it was something more noble, more kind, more simple. I just hope for a better homeland.”

Heine leaned on the desk and sighed: “Perhaps I should thank Alexander, for when he told me we had entered Prussian territory, my heart leapt to my throat, and I almost wanted to stuff that fatty into a sack and beat him. But gradually, as the fear subsided, a sudden spirit of courage emerged within me. Let them come, the Prussian soldiers, the Austrian police, let them come! Tell them, Heinrich Heine, the man they want to catch, is right here! Come on, shoot me!”

“Heinrich, if you truly need it, I can report you to the Mainz Intelligence Office of the German Confederation at any time.”

“Are you serious?”

“No, I just wanted to show you that I can play the reactionary quite convincingly.”

Heine rolled his eyes at him: “Sometimes I really don’t get you; whose side are you on anyway? You’re a student of Jeremy Bentham!”

Arthur smiled: “Meanwhile, I am also a knight of the third year under King William IV. There are people on both sides, and it pains me when either side suffers losses. As you said, Heinrich, my stance cannot be simply explained by narrow liberalism or nationalism.”

Heine raised an eyebrow and asked: “So? You really won’t go to the Mainz Intelligence Office to report me?”