The Shadow of Great Britain

314: Chapter 202: Human-like Constellations Shine (5K) 314: Chapter 202: Human-like Constellations Shine (5K) Under Arthur’s watchful eye, a sweating Mr.

Riddle almost immediately met his request to jump the queue for cologne.

However, Arthur was clearly more concerned about the reputation of Bernie Harrison in the perfumers’ circles than the cologne itself.

Arthur uncapped the perfume bottle and took a light sniff, then nodded in satisfaction, “I have to admit, Mr.

Riddle, the perfume you’ve blended is almost as good as that of Mr.

Bernie Harrison.

Do you know Mr.

Harrison?

He entered high society precisely because of his skill in crafting perfumes.”

Upon hearing Arthur mention Bernie Harrison, Riddle’s demeanor softened considerably.

He responded with a smile, “You flatter me, sir.

While I do confess to having some insights into the art of perfume blending, there’s still quite a distance between me and a big shot in the fashion world like Mr.

Harrison, who supplies a stable stream of perfumes and cosmetics to numerous important clients.”

Seeing the conversation opening up, Arthur coaxed with a smile, “Is that so?

Yet recently I heard Mr.

Harrison complaining that there have been notably fewer people coming to place orders with him.

You French perfumers have certainly given him considerable competitive pressure!

But in my view, it’s actually quite good.

Britain has always championed free competition, and only with a sufficient number of strong competitors in the same industry can we promote the improvement of product quality.”

“Mr.

Harrison’s clients have decreased?”

At these words, Riddle’s eyes lit up, but he quickly suppressed his smile and waved his hands dismissively, “Nevertheless, as you Britons say, even a bankrupt millionaire is still richer than a beggar.

Mr.

Harrison is well-established; losing a few clients won’t hurt him much.

Besides, as long as he holds on to major clients like Sir Henry Drummond, Thomas Crook, and the Earl of Eldon, there won’t be many who can challenge his unshakeable position in the art of perfume blending in the short term.”

Sir Henry Drummond, Thomas Crook, and the Earl of Eldon?

Upon hearing these names, Arthur felt a sudden stop in his chest.

He now understood how Bernie Harrison acquired his seat in Parliament and where he stood on the political spectrum.

This man was definitely an authentic hardline Tory Party member, and even Sir Peel, the current leader of the Tory Party, might have trouble keeping him in line.

Among Mr.

Harrison’s clients, Sir Henry Drummond is a member of the House of Commons and a banker who proudly identifies as an ‘old school Tory’, and besides that, he is also a prolific writer, mostly on religious studies.

Moreover, Mr.

Drummond is known for his loud mouth, often making shockingly unconventional statements in the Commons, which not only earn cheers from his supporters but also attract fierce attacks from Whig Party members, much to the consternation of the more liberal Tories.

His most famous argument is that the common people are untamed and rowdy, repeatedly threatening social order and property safety, and therefore should not have rights.

The political elite must solidify their status through various means to prevent the lower classes from causing upheaval.

The British Government’s system is perfect and carries a long historical heritage, signifying ‘the union of divine will and civil law’, and should not be meddled with lightly.

Should the rulers seek the cheers of subjects led by such a spirit by altering it, the government would certainly be obliterated.

As for Mr.

Thomas Crook, although he isn’t as outspoken as Mr.

Drummond, he holds a pivotal role within the Tory Party.

This is because Mr.

Crook served for twenty years as the Naval Minister from 1810 until last year when the Tory Party lost power, and he has always maintained a strong private relationship with the Duke of Wellington.

Although Mr.

Crook rarely made his opinions public during his tenure, the few instances he did revealed his political stance.

For example, when the Duke of Wellington decided to issue the ‘Catholic Emancipation Act’, Crook repeatedly warned his friends that the act was not only undemocratic and unconstitutional but would also set a precedent that could undermine the independence of the House of Commons.

And since losing power last year, a pent-up Mr.

Crook has gone full force in the Tory Party’s ‘Quarterly Review’, publishing numerous articles attacking parliamentary reform in just half a year, voluntarily taking on the vanguard role for the Tory Party.

The Earl of Eldon, who served as the High Chancellor for 26 years and is a staunch Tory Party hardliner, needs no further mention.

If the previous two were all talk, the Earl of Eldon was known for action.

This veteran, who served under five Tory Prime Ministers, often used Britain’s highest court—the Court of Chancery—which he controlled, to oppose a series of reforms including changes to ‘Corn Laws’, lowering import tariffs, amendment of criminal laws, and did everything possible to enact regulations to restrict the radical acts of the ‘lower mob’.

And the number of various types of rioters judged and sentenced by him must have reached over a thousand, even by a conservative estimate.

The most infamous of the executed was the Cato Street Conspiracy quintet that plotted to assassinate Cabinet members.

Tried and found guilty of treason by the Earl of Eldon, they were publicly executed outside Newgate Prison on May 1, 1820.