The Shadow of Great Britain

442: Chapter 247: The Cornered Beast Fights Back (4K4)_2 442: Chapter 247: The Cornered Beast Fights Back (4K4)_2 Generally speaking, it is extremely difficult to identify whether they are engaged in the relevant business.

Only the most experienced veterans can understand their spontaneous hints, which may be a provocative skirt-lifting gesture, a suggestive glance, or seductive words that are not too direct.

In most cases, these ladies have one or several long-term, steady clients.

Their dealings are not widespread and are kept very secretive, so it is very difficult for Scotland Yard to determine their exact numbers.

We can only send out our most seasoned detectives to try their luck on the streets of London, and if by chance they encounter a lady who has just lost a steady client, or if they make her feel that our detective is a worthy prospect, then we might just get lucky.”

Gladstone asked, “Does ‘getting lucky’ mean being propositioned by her?”

Arthur had not yet swallowed the tea in his mouth, and almost sprayed it in the other person’s face upon hearing this.

He calmly swallowed the tea and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, “Mr.

Gladstone, what I meant was that the statistics for the number of undercover prostitutes at Scotland Yard would increase by one.

I don’t think ordinary policemen would have that much spare cash to spend on such things.”

Gladstone then asked, “So you mean to say that high-ranking officers can?”

Arthur, staring at Gladstone’s serious expression, had some difficulty knowing how to communicate with this politically naive young man.

But at least for now, he understood why those conservative bigwigs in the Tory Party supported this young man.

Whether by Western standards or Eastern ones, this fellow’s moral sensibilities were pure enough, and this indeed would endear him to the priests.

Arthur then said, “Well, Mr.

Gladstone, if you really want to get to the root of it, I will speak frankly.

In terms of expenses alone, the salaries of high-ranking officers are indeed high enough to cover these outlays.

Sufficiently high rewards, this is also one of the reasons why the number of prostitutes remains high.

Consider this, in London today, most female workers earn an annual income of 25-30 pounds.

However, according to Scotland Yard’s statistics, the going rate for an ordinary prostitute can reach one shilling per client.

Therefore, even those ladies who have to give a 40 to 50 percent cut to the brothel can make an annual income of 80-100 pounds, and those in better conditions could double that amount on this basis.”

“You must also know what the normal income level is in London at present.

A respected and mature craftsman can earn only 100 pounds, a senior employee of a railway company has an annual income of 60-80 pounds.

And as a Police Superintendent of Scotland Yard, my full-year official income is 150 pounds.

Under such financial temptation, coupled with the immoral guidance by certain individuals, they have a first time and will have a second, and later on, it becomes increasingly uncontrollable.”

“I’ve heard you have been working on counseling them for quite some time, so you may also know from their own words that once they have entered this profession, it is impossible to turn back.

Out of the total 3103 prostitutes arrested by Scotland Yard in the past, 1773 had no education at all, 1237 could recognize the twenty-six letters and had some basic reading and writing skills, 89 had been tutored by private teachers and only 8 had completed a women’s grammar school.”

“So, the vast majority of them could only work as textile workers or housemaids.

But you might not know that factory owners and household employers are extremely concerned about the past experiences of their employees, so once they discover that the person they’ve hired has had such an experience, it is impossible for them to get any job.

I feel that this may well be the reason why you have always failed in your moral counseling work.”

Hearing this, Gladstone couldn’t help but frown.

It seemed like something became clear to him, and it was also somewhat painful.

He sighed and said, “Ah…

I can’t think of any reason to refute your point.

Mr.

Hasting, I must admit, perhaps I had a preconceived notion about Scotland Yard before.

Now that you’ve explained it to me, perhaps what I heard before were just isolated cases.”

Arthur, detecting something amiss in Gladstone’s words, asked, “What exactly did you hear before?”

Priest Newman beside them spoke up to explain, “William previously told me that when he was visiting the streets of London, people had complained to him, ‘If a prostitute argues with a policeman, then her death is certain,’ and this view seems to be quite widespread among such women.

And when I was in the confessional, I also heard similar things, that if they don’t bribe the police or the sheriff, they would be taken away for questioning.”

Upon hearing this, Arthur immediately understood the areas of Gladstone’s activities.

He thought that Gladstone mostly wandered around Fiona’s turf, but now it seemed that when the young man had time on his hands, he surely did not miss frequenting Holliwell Street and Leicester Square.

Considering that this young gentleman before him might soon be elected as a member of Parliament, Arthur had to consider his words carefully before cautiously responding, “I don’t deny that such phenomena exist within Scotland Yard, extorting brothels, forcing streetwalkers to pay bribes, or compelling them to provide free services.

Such cases do occur, so Scotland Yard periodically expels and prosecutes some officers found to be involved in misconduct.”