The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1218: Chapter 141: The Fox of Gottingen (Part 2)

When his four competitors openly mocked him on stage, he immediately retaliated with a duel.

The opponent who was originally more likely to be elected than Bismarck was beaten by him into fleeing, and ultimately had to jump over Bismarck’s ’dog-beating stick’ like a little puppy.

Moreover, as Bismarck said, this unexpected behavior received cheers from the students, everyone thought he was a man, while his opponent, the beaten underdog, lost almost all his support votes.

Even though he’s only 18 this year, Bismarck is already eager to use his personality to command and lead others, and given the current situation, Mottle astonishingly discovered such remarkable leadership in this little fellow.

Mottle found a chair to sit down, looking at Bismarck’s appearance, and wanted to find some fun: ”I remember you said at the end of last semester that you didn’t plan to return to Gottingen? But this semester not only have you returned, you’ve even run for chairmanship.”

Bismarck brewed a pot of tea on the fireplace: ”I didn’t plan to return because the school court sentenced me to a month’s detention, and I had written a letter to the principal before returning. You didn’t know, the old stubborn deliberately postponed the detention date, so that the sentence would we carried out only after I returned from vacation on McLarsa Island. In my letter, I feigned illness, telling him that my condition relapsed and it was uncertain when I would recover, thus I had to stay in Berlin. Since long-distance travel would further deteriorate my already weak health, I requested the school to go with the flow and allow me to be detained in Berlin, without the need to return to Gogentine.”

”Did the principal agree?”

”No. That old thing replied, saying he’s about to retire, and as for how my sentence should be executed, it needs to be decided by the new Academic Director, Sir Arthur Hastings.”

Bismarck mused: ”I figured the new director definitely isn’t familiar with the school, he probably doesn’t even know my sentence hasn’t been executed, so I decided to first come back to school and see how things stand. Also, my relationship with my father is unpleasant, as he refused to help pay off my debts, without any leeway. And all this is because my academic progress hasn’t been smooth.”

Mottle asked in surprise: ”Then how do you plan to live this semester?”

Bismarck reclining on his chair, legs crossed, said: ”John, that requires the use of wisdom. Despite his refusal to help with debts, I starved myself for a week before returning home on vacation, so I appeared haggard and sickly, and thus he naturally thought it was due to lack of food and clothing. Subsequently, I arranged a moment alone with him to express my predicament. I told him I would rather convert to Islam than suffer from hunger. My father’s heart is much softer than my mother’s, so the problem was solved.”

Mottle laughed: ”Otto, that’s not a bad idea. Unfortunately, I can’t use it, as there’s no way I can just go back to Boston for a bit of living allowance, that would only make me poorer.”

Bismarck joked: ”But if you don’t go home and personally persuade your father, how would he agree to transfer you? You’re here to study knowledge, but from every aspect, Gottingen isn’t worth anyone’s linger, because most of the professors decorating the university’s reputation have either passed away or have fallen into decline. Moreover, the town itself is too dull and boring, you should have gone to either Paris or Vienna.”

Mottle said helplessly: ”Then what can be done? My father’s understanding of European universities is limited to only those like Cambridge, Oxford, Glasgow, Edinburgh, all these British universities don’t accept international students. Among the remaining universities in Europe, he only knows of Gottingen, merely because this school was founded by the British Royal Family.”

”Indeed!” Bismarck sneered: ”Founded by the British Royal Family, and now a British jerk became Academic Director.”

”Jerk? Are you referring to Sir Arthur Hastings?”

”Sir? He’s just a York farmer!” Bismarck lay back and rolled his eyes: ”Who knows how such a person attained the title of Sir, maybe the British King was blind.”

Mottle touched his cheek and frowned: ”Not necessarily, right? I read the piece in the school paper titled ’Sending Bismarck to Stendal’, while it’s true he’s of farmer origin, regular farmers can’t write like that!”

”Heh...indeed so, he’s the most despicable kind among farmers.” Bismarck said angrily: ”Coercion, inducement, rhetoric, intimidation, regular farmers wouldn’t be so sanctimonious, nor would they use such tactics. John, you must be cautious of him.”

”Really...is that so?” Though Mottle always had a good relationship with Bismarck, he still couldn’t quite believe his judgment, as Bismarck’s statements almost completely contradicted what he heard from another friend: ”Actually, before he assumed the position of Academic Director, I had already heard some things about him from others.”

”Whose mouth did you hear from? Is he famous in the United States?”

”It’s not because he’s famous in the States, but rather because a friend of mine happened to know him. You know, studying abroad in Europe is considered a fashionable trend in the United States, so there are quite a few European university alumni associations in Boston. I got to know a priest in the Gottingen alumni association in Boston who had read theology here, his brother has a good relationship with Mr. Washington Irving, I once visited their home and happened to meet the two of them.