The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1226: Chapter 144: The Truth Revealed (2)

Bismarck’s heart was still hanging high at first, but Heine’s words almost made him laugh. The curiosity of the young eventually overcame his fear, and Bismarck unexpectedly asked: ”Aren’t you that kind of person? As your most loyal follower, I must admit I’m greatly disappointed.”

Heine lectured the young junior, stating earnestly.

”I’m not a materialist, nor an atheist, but I have doubts about idealism and theism. In my view, I’m more candid than anyone. Those so-called smart Germans have the same doubts about the things they verbally believe in as I do, but they refuse to voice their opinions about God. These are the real atheists. Bismarck, remember, silent denial is a more severe civic crime compared to vocal denial. Because if you don’t question, those erroneous concepts are endorsed, and these erroneous concepts have served as pillars of despotism for thousands of years.”

And then Heine added: ”On this matter, I have expressed more detailed views in my new book ’On Romanticism’, which you can get from someone in London or Paris if you want to delve deeper. For reasons known to all, it’s unlikely to have a German version.”

Great Dumas heard this and couldn’t help but laugh heartily: ”Heinrich, without this last market-savvy line, you could have been a revolutionary leader. It’s just a book; if this young man wants it, I’ll send him a copy to Gottingen when I return to Paris.”

And then Great Dumas reminded Bismarck: ”But you should be careful when you bring the book back to Prussia. I don’t know how strict the border checks are there, but I’ve heard from friends that if you bring a book like ’On Romanticism’ to the Two Sicilies Kingdom, not only will the book be confiscated, but you might be detained for two days.”

Seeing everyone accepted Bismarck, Nourri finally returned the handgun to its holster. However, to be safe, he decided to confirm with Arthur: ”Are you sure this lad really came just to chase stars? Is he a good student of yours at Gottingen?”

”He’s not exactly a good student.”

Arthur’s words raised the previously eased tension again, and Nourri instinctively drew his handgun again, while Bismarck almost cursed directly.

But then, Arthur lowered the raised temperature back to freezing: ”I’m sorry to say this about Otto, but most of the good students from Gottingen have bright futures upon graduation, like joining their senior Metternich in Vienna and securing a civil servant position. So, it’s only those like Otto who aren’t traditionally ’good students’ are trustworthy.”

Bismarck knew Arthur was intentionally stepping on him, but he could only glare without being able to refute.

As a fellow Gottingen graduate, Heine was very pleased with Arthur’s words, nodding: ”It’s indeed like this at Gottingen. When I studied there, most professors didn’t like me, particularly those old relics in the Student Council led by Herbart, targeting me everywhere.”

Afterwards, he asked Bismarck: ”How was Herbart towards you?”

Bismarck cleverly replied: ”Mr. Heine, I’ve been in Gottingen for three semesters, but it feels like only two semesters have passed. Do you know why?”

”Why?”

Bismarck proudly replied: ”That’s because I spent a third of my school time in the confinement room. If you don’t believe it, you can ask the Hastings School Director to check my student records.”

Garibaldi laughed heartily, hugging Bismarck’s shoulder: ”It seems you also dislike those ’kings’ in Gottingen campus. If given a chance, you would surely want to overthrow them like us.”

”You’re right!” Bismarck whistled lightly, pretending to be relaxed: ”Though it’s impolite, I almost wish to hang the principal and the school director on streetlights! Of course, I’m not specifically targeting Hastings School Director; he just happened to be in such an unlucky position.”

”Hahaha!” Garibaldi gestured for his followers to put away their weapons, inviting Bismarck to sit: ”Your new school director is a good man. A fervent sponsor of liberalism, you should know a quarter of the funds of the international brigade we launched from Karachi were personally sponsored by him.”

”A quarter of the funds?”

Bismarck instantly recalled overhearing the diplomat’s conversation in the school director’s office that day.

Hastings, the bastard, colluded with others to embezzle ninety-five percent of the British Foreign Office’s funds, while the remaining five percent was enough to sponsor a quarter of the expedition brigade. How poor are these Italians? Are they an expedition rebel army or a wandering beggar gang?

Bismarck neither dared to ask nor speak randomly. He feared that if he slipped up, it would ruin his promising future in the national judicial exams.

Arthur also noticed Bismarck’s constrained state and naturally continued the conversation: ”I guessed from the English newspaper on the table that when Mazzini sent you the letter, he probably included more than just my black marks but also said other things, didn’t he?”

Garibaldi didn’t hide, answering candidly: ”Mazzini was truly unfortunate; heaven knows why our luck was so bad! If he hadn’t spoken personally, I wouldn’t know that our two expedition brigades were so dismal. Two expedition brigades, one led by Ramorino departing from Karachi, the other by Graf Ski advancing from Nyon. The situation of Ramorino is not new, it’s roughly the same as what’s described in the newspapers.”

But there’s no news coverage for the brigade led by Graf Ski due to their departure from sea. Mazzini initially hoped this brigade could cause a big stir, after all, they were best equipped. They had two three-masted ships, one for people, the other for transporting weapons and ammunition. Yet no one expected that as soon as Graf Ski’s team set out, intending to cross Lake Léman, the Swiss Government’s steamships promptly pursued them. As a result, not only were weapons and ammunition seized, but even the crew was captured.

Recently, Ramorino has been defending his failed command, saying he arrived at the rendezvous point as scheduled but didn’t find Graf Ski’s team, so he didn’t march on Saint Julian’s main road but searched while marching along the lakeside. Ramorino believes Mazzini’s accusations are completely unwarranted because he wasn’t marching aimlessly, but his objective was detained by the Swiss Government.

He also accused Mazzini of being too frail, as he had never seen a rebellion leader suffering from high fever during a rebellion. If he hadn’t slowed down the marching pace, Mazzini could’ve died from illness halfway. He said Mazzini claimed: ’Even if the rebellion cannot succeed, at least we must martyr ourselves. Without martyrs, there is no religion. Let us establish our religion, even at the cost of bloodshed.’

But that night, right after saying this, Mazzini’s fever rendered him delirious. When he reopened his eyes, he found himself lying on a bed in Switzerland. Ramorino asserted he exerted great effort and overcame numerous difficulties to bring Mazzini back to Geneva. Yet, he received no thanks, but was cursed as a traitor.”

Nourri, arms crossed, leaned by the window and sighed: ”So they still haven’t sorted out the responsibilities?”

”Not really. Everyone generally believes Ramorino and Mazzini both have their reasons, neither should be blamed. Their main concern remains focused on the self-organized hundred-man reinforcements by French Republicans. As soon as they left Grenoble and crossed the Savoy border, the French authorities preemptively informed Sardinia-Piedmont authorities of their situation. That night, near the Scolas Cave, this group of Republicans were ambushed suddenly, and after an hour-long battle, they were routed. Everyone is now speculating on who leaked the information to the French authorities.”