The Shadow of Great Britain

Arthur watched him pacing back and forth like a spinning top at the side of the stall, and couldn’t help but tease: ”However, if you really receive the medal, don’t tell people you got it because I built the bridge for you. After all, I declined the baronetcy precisely to avoid suspicion.”

Eld didn’t take Arthur’s words to heart at all, as he thought about how to draw while responding: ”You can rest assured about that. I swear, if I really receive the medal, I will erect a sign at my doorstep saying, ’This medal was not obtained through nepotism, but through my own true talent and learning.’”

Arthur glanced at him: ”Best add at the signature: ’Eld Carter—the earliest discoverer of Cateron.’”

Eld, thick-skinned, said: ”Of course, the Royal Society will surely thank me for this creative discovery by then!”

But turning his head, Eld also heard something amiss: ”You just said... you declined the baronetcy to avoid suspicion?”

”Mainly, I didn’t want to stand alongside Sir John Conroy to accept the conferment,” Arthur said lightly: ”This could easily lead to inappropriate associations in the minds of others, especially since Mr. Faraday has again refused the Royal Family’s conferment of baronetcy.”

”Faraday refused the conferment?” Eld was utterly perplexed: ”What’s going on?”

Arthur glanced at the sky, found it still early, and patiently explained to Eld: ”You know, conferring someone requires a reason. The reason for John Conroy’s baronetcy was years of loyal service to the Royal Family...”

Having experienced the Ramsgate incident with Arthur, Eld immediately understood: ”Got it, I know you definitely don’t want to use the same reason.”

”Exactly, and Her Majesty the Queen also doesn’t want to use this reason,” Arthur said: ”So she thought of another occasion, planning to confer me as a baronet for outstanding contributions to the field of Natural Philosophy. However, in the field, especially in electromagnetism, there are clearly many more deserving individuals than me for the baronetcy. Especially Mr. Faraday, if he’s unwilling to accept it, how can anyone else in electromagnetism graciously take the honor from Her Majesty the Queen?”

Hearing ”Faraday refused the baronetcy,” Eld was even more shocked than hearing Arthur refused baronetcy just now.

After all, given Arthur’s relationship with the Queen, there’s always a next time.

But for Faraday, once this village is passed, there might not be the shop.

If not for the Queen wanting to confer Arthur, the other people in Natural Philosophy wouldn’t have the chance to tag along for the soup.

”Is he crazy?” Eld said, mouth agape, looking like Darwin’s head had blinded him: ”I thought only eccentrics like you would do something like that. How did he respond to Her Majesty the Queen?”

”Don’t be so surprised, in 1830 the King tried to confer him as a baronet, and he refused back then too,” Arthur said: ”Mr. Faraday said, ’As a scientist, I do not want to receive honors for purely academic work that are beyond my duties.’ When Her Majesty saw his refusal, she proposed making him the Royal Family’s advisory scientist. At first he refused as well, and it took me almost half a month of persuading before he reluctantly agreed, and that too under the condition of no salary, no uniform, and no palace activities. Because he said he only wanted to be a servant of Natural Philosophy, not a servant of any power.”

Eld raised an eyebrow: ”Listening to him, it feels like these words were not only meant for Her Majesty but also for you?”

Arthur didn’t immediately respond, but picked up his tea cup and gently blew at the chilled tea: ”Maybe. Mr. Faraday seems somewhat disappointed in me based on the Natural Philosophy research. He has always felt I should become a scientist, not a White Hall bureaucrat.”

Eld rolled his eyes: ”Well, then he really doesn’t see clearly. Becoming a White Hall bureaucrat, you can always turn into a scientist anytime, but becoming a scientist and then wanting to become a White Hall bureaucrat is not just a matter of mere words. Now if you want to get a Royal Society membership, isn’t that easy?”

At this, Arthur suddenly asked back: ”Speaking of which, how’s your work going at the Hydrographic Office?”

As soon as the topic of work came up, Eld was full of complaints: ”If I had known earlier that my work at the Hydrographic Office would be sorting the materials brought back from the Beagle’s global voyage, I should have burned all those things when I came ashore! But, thanks to Charles, he’s helped me quite a bit this past year.”

”Hmm...” Arthur, hearing everything is going smoothly for Eld, felt a lot more relieved: ”Speaking of which, you’ve been in the position of Third-class Clerk for two years now, right?”

”Pretty much.” Eld leaned back in his chair: ”At the Navy Department, I’ve been counting my days on my fingers. If you didn’t mention it, I’d think I’d been serving a twenty-year sentence there.”

Arthur chuckled softly: ”Then... after receiving the Royal Medal, don’t you plan on changing places for your Navy Department position adjustment this year?”