The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1379: Chapter 200: Alkadia Literary Society (Part 3)

The doctors advised me not to sit still in one place all the time, although suffering from hemorrhoids is very uncomfortable, I am inwardly glad to have the opportunity to rid myself of this insignificant public office. However, as you said, this insignificance is only from my perspective, because others do not see it this way. Who knows if they might regard occupying the position I left in the National Office as an enormous fortune?

But I am to take a different path, a more straightforward path, and I have the strength within me to take resolute steps along this route. I submitted a transfer request upwards, along with a doctor’s diagnosis proving that I am no longer fit to work in the National Office. Luckily, Pletnev, the principal of the women’s college, thinks highly of me, so he applied to the Queen, hoping to transfer me under his command, to teach at the women’s nobility college.

However, don’t think this is of much significance. All the benefits lie in the fact that I’m now somewhat famous, and gradually people will begin to talk about me because of my lectures. Moreover, there’s more free time; I no longer have to painfully sit in the office all morning, nor do I work forty-two hours a week again. Now, I only work six hours a week at the women’s college, and my salary has even increased slightly.

I’m no longer engaged in that foolish, useless, petty and trivial work that I always find annoying. My current job is an indescribable enjoyment that pleases the soul. Although later Catherine College and two other schools joined the women’s college, increasing my working hours to twenty hours a week, my salary has more than quadrupled.

Upon hearing this, Arthur now found himself envying Gogol: ”My God! Did you use to work only 6 hours a week? No wonder you want to seek a position at Kyiv University; you’ve tasted the sweetness of teaching. Although the position and power do not match the prestige of the National Office, for someone like you who wants time to enjoy life, being a professor is obviously much more comfortable than muddling through the bureaucratic world.”

”Indeed!” Gogol was evidently very satisfied with teaching: ”Besides, this job at the women’s college also brings me greater fame. I’ve met many St. Petersburg ladies and socialites here; at first, I thought dealing with them would be challenging, but later I realized that making friends with them is much easier than dealing with those sly rogues at the National Office.”

Saying this, Gogol couldn’t help but worry about his dim future. The job at the women’s college was indeed very good, and if this school weren’t in St. Petersburg, he would be willing to work here for a lifetime. But the problem is that his hemorrhoids no longer allow him to stay in this frigid land; he yearns to go to Kiev, back to his hometown in Little Russia, to recuperate in that fertile land of spring warmth and blossom.

Mumbling to himself: ”But what can be done? If what you say is true, even if I ask friends from the Alkadia Literary Society for help, it might not work.”

”Alkadia Literary Society? What’s that?”

Arthur quickly caught the keyword, word changes become sensitive among literary types, while a secret police officer is always intrigued by various societies and eager to infiltrate.

Gogol was still entangled with his future, responding absentmindedly: ”Oh, nothing much, just a literary group founded by Rukovski and Pushkin. Shevilev, Cherdayev, Demidov, Livovich, Akasakov, etc., are all members of Alkadia.”

”Hmm...” Arthur pondered these names internally: ”They’re all quite renowned! If you don’t mind, could you introduce me? You know, I’m Britain’s cultural attaché, always interested in Russia’s cultural circles. Naturally, I won’t let you run around for nothing; if you help me, I will also make it convenient for you. Although I can’t speak for the Kiev inspector, if you can exert pressure directly through Education Minister Uvarov, there might still be hope for your associate professor position.”

Gogol merely assumed Arthur was joking: ”If I can have Uvarov pressure the inspector, I wouldn’t need to amuse myself with you here.”

Arthur confidently assured Gogol: ”Don’t worry, I didn’t say I had no ways. At the end of next month, I’ll attend a cultural exchange event, where your country’s Education Minister Uvarov will also be present. If you can finish writing ’History of Little Russia Cossacks’ before that, I’ll give you a chance to shine before the Education Minister.”

”What chance? Are you planning to recommend my book to the Education Minister?”

”Not just recommend,” Arthur coughed once: ”I also plan to tell him that your work is extraordinarily brilliant and about to be published in Britain.”