The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 993: Chapter 56 The Gift of the Greeks

About a decade ago, I first published English translations of several of my books in Britain, such as ”The Poet’s Market”, ”Fairy Tales”, and ”An Album Without Pictures”. The British reviewers and readers greeted my books with the same friendly and sincere welcome, and I received many letters from unknown British readers who liked my work.

Sir Arthur Hastings, a famous publisher in London, even sent a beautifully bound collection of my works to King Christian VIII. A highly respected dignitary told me that when the king received the books, sent as a gift, he was immensely excited about the recognition I had received.

At the same time, he was very surprised that I was acclaimed abroad, yet frequently attacked and slighted at home. I felt that after reading my fairy tales, the king had developed a greater fondness for me. When I presented my latest work to the king in the reception room, he sincerely said: ”Only now do I truly understand you. It’s a pity I rarely see you. We must chat more often.”

After saying this, the king went on to tell me that he knew about my high reputation abroad, especially in Britain, which brought him great comfort. He also mentioned ”The True Story of My Life,” and with a heart full of compassion, he became a confidant of this book.

Before parting, he asked me, ”Where will you be dining tomorrow?” I said at a restaurant. The king smiled and said, ”Then come and dine with me and my wife! We start at four.” My fate changed from then on. However, the opportunity that changed my fate was actually sown the afternoon I met Sir Arthur Hastings at the Waai’er Restaurant in Paris in 1833.

Together with me, two Italians also had their destinies changed. I thanked Almighty God that their lives were spared, but now, a dozen years later, I can’t help but wonder why the eventual result of God’s protection was to set the fires of war ablaze on God’s land?

—— Hans Christian Andersen, ”Andersen’s Diary”

Even before heading to the Waai’er Restaurant banquet, Arthur had prepared the contract between the ”British” and Andersen.

As a young poet whose fame was mostly notorious and confined to Denmark, the ”British” could quite easily offer a price exceeding Andersen’s psychological expectations, not to mention Arthur also bestowed upon Andersen certain publishing rights for ”British” works in Denmark and the adaptation rights for the much-lauded works of Mr. Eld Carter.

A bona fide British swindler with a knighthood title was adept at building relationships with young people, especially with a young poet still full of hope for the world.

When Andersen saw Arthur signing a £50 cheque from the Rothschild Bank at the dining table with a casual gesture, he was shocked by the British tycoon’s generous display. To receive such a substantial advance payment without doing anything was something unimaginable in the Danish publishing world.

According to exchange rates, one British Shilling could be exchanged for 5 Danish Daler, a Pound for 100 Daler, and fifty Pounds for five thousand Daler.

When Andersen was studying in Copenhagen, his monthly rent was only 16 Daler, and on this trip as a scholar through Europe, he received a youth scholar travel grant from the Danish king, amounting to 200 Daler a month in state subsidy.

Even the administrative officer of Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, had an annual salary income of just about five thousand Daler.

It was only at this point that Andersen truly understood why Heine strongly recommended the ”British” to him. Sir Arthur Hastings indeed, as Heine said, never made things difficult concerning royalties, and British publishing was far more lucrative than he had imagined.

This son of a Danish shoemaker was not good at hiding his emotions, and Arthur, seeing Andersen’s expression, felt a sense of groundedness from the extravagant upper-class returning to the mortal world.

In recent years, he had seen so much opulence that he felt his personal wealth of over four thousand Pounds was not far from that of a street beggar, as this money held little purchasing power in the luxury stores near the Waai’er Restaurant.

Rothschild could buy a painting for five hundred Pounds to please the Duke of Sussex, but Arthur, spending only one-tenth of that, was able to astonish the most successful fairy tale author in history.

One must say, this money was well-spent.

As Arthur chatted with Andersen, he took out a business card from his pocket, instructing where he should send the manuscripts in London.

Meanwhile, Great Dumas, after a brief chat with Heine, noticed with the corner of his eye many old acquaintances dining today at the Waai’er Restaurant.

”Heinrich, is that Adolphe Nourri?”

”Adolphe Nourri?” Arthur’s attention was drawn by this newly mentioned name. As a shareholder of the ”British,” he consistently valued improving the quality of magazine content and asked understandably, ”What works has he written?”

Heine explained on the side, ”Arthur, Mr. Nuli is not a writer, but rather a composer and singer. Have you seen the ballet after arriving in Paris? That pioneering white ballet ’The Fairy’ was orchestrated by Mr. Nourri.”

Great Dumas emphasized, ”Besides, Mr. Nourri is a strong fighter like me. On the day of the July Revolution, I fought at the bridgehead in front of Notre-Dame de Paris, while Mr. Nourri fought at the barricades in the main city area, fiercely firing and singing the ’La Marseillaise’ to boost morale. At the time, the barricades where Mr. Nourri was situated faced a fierce assault by the Dragon Cavalry, but in the face of his songs and bullets, the Dragon Cavalry couldn’t advance even a meter.”