The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1237: Chapter 148: The Foreign Office’s Vermin_2

A passionate young man who never harbored harmful thoughts. Although he did things a bit recklessly, he couldn’t change his optimistic attitude even in the face of failure. Whenever he saw Garibaldi being incredibly grateful for those 500 pounds, Arthur’s dwindling conscience would face a harsh test.

Though Arthur didn’t consider himself a moral gentleman, at least he wouldn’t do things that harm others without benefit to himself. Previously, selling out Young Italy was to save the French Royalist farmers, and the extra 2,500 pounds was at most an unexpected windfall.

Arthur did not possess the meticulous qualities of a banker.

After all, for someone who has died once, for someone who already has a certain social status, money no longer holds much worldly significance. Moreover, although he wasn’t very rich, he wasn’t short of money either.

Compared to money, he valued friendship more because Arthur was well aware of how he lived his second life.

From a personal perspective, even to avoid making the Great Dumas, who contributed one-sixth of his revival target, feel bad, Arthur couldn’t choose to take out Garibaldi in Gottingen.

But he wouldn’t put these lines on the surface because he had too many ways to change Schneider’s mind.

Arthur let out a heavy sigh, shook his head solemnly, and said: ”August, simply dealing with Garibaldi won’t solve the problem. Because there is still Mazzini in London who knows the secret. You can deal with Garibaldi in Gottingen, but can you take out Mazzini in London?”

”Mazzini is in London?” Schneider’s hair on the back of his hand stood up upon hearing this: ”Damn it! When did that guy run to London?”

The news of Mazzini being in London was like a bolt from the blue, an invisible lightning strike hitting Schneider’s head, even under the kerosene lamp’s light, you could see the blue smoke rising from his head.

Schneider thought of countless possibilities at once, he was particularly worried that Mazzini and other Young Italy members would run to the Foreign Office and confront Viscount Palmerston.

If it were elsewhere, Schneider could unhesitatingly eliminate Mazzini.

But ironically, as long as Mazzini stayed in London, he would be safe.

Because neither the Foreign Office, the Home Office, nor the lawless Royal Navy at sea dared to act rashly in London.

Given the London media’s tendency to exaggerate and the citizens’ love for gossip, even if the departments on Whitehall Street did nothing shady, they would fabricate a pile of conspiracy theories.

If they actually did something, and it was against a well-known European liberal leader like Mazzini, Schneider could submit his resignation the next day and prepare to hire a lawyer for court.

As for whether Viscount Palmerston would protect him to maintain the department’s reputation?

Ha!

Viscount Palmerston’s motto was well-known in the Foreign Office—there are no eternal friends, only eternal interests.

Schneider colluded with others to embezzle departmental funds and also assassinated Mazzini, damaging the department’s reputation. Does he still expect Palmerston to take the blame?

Don’t be ridiculous!

The minister not executing him on the spot would already be incredibly merciful on God’s behalf.

The pleasant trip to Munich had been cast aside in Schneider’s mind, at this moment he only felt trapped in hell, with immortal worms crawling all over him, and inextinguishable fires burning beneath him.

Arthur watched the utterly desolate Schneider until he noticed his lips had lost their color, only then did he believe the timing was about right.

”But as you said, things haven’t gotten that bad yet.”

Arthur comforted: ”August, truth be told, at first I also thought about getting rid of Garibaldi. But then I realized our only hope for survival hinges on this young sailor.”

”Hmm?” Schneider suddenly raised his head: ”What did you say?”

Arthur began: ”Garibaldi thinks I’m a good man, a positive liberal, a generous supporter of the Italian revolution. As for the issue of the Foreign Office funds not arriving as planned, according to the original plan, I blamed it all on the French Bank founded by Mr. DelaSalle. As we wished, France’s Home Secretary Thiers shut down that bank suspected of being affiliated with Young Italy after the expedition, but you and I both know, the bank’s accounts showed no records related to Young Italy, instead, there was a significant transfer to Mr. Von Cromar, the Cultural Attaché at the Austrian Embassy in Paris.”

Hearing this, Schneider let out a long breath: ”I almost forgot about this. However, letting Mazzini go to London is still dangerous. If he tells the minister that Young Italy hasn’t received a single penny, Viscount Palmerston may not be able to determine that we’ve embezzled the department’s money, but he’ll definitely be suspicious.”

Arthur laughed: ”That’s where Garibaldi’s role comes into play. To be honest, August, before Garibaldi set off for Genoa, I privately gave him an initial fund of 500 pounds. If not a single penny of the Foreign Office’s financial aid reached them, it would indeed seem odd, but if a portion of the funds has already arrived, then...”