The Shadow of Great Britain

Capítulo 1421: Chapter 215: Old Friends in Moscow

The cold wind swept through the streets of Moscow, whistling and lifting the untouched snow at the street corners, which lingered in the air like white smoke. Horse hooves thudded on the frozen ground, accompanied by the creaking of wheels that extended far into the distance. The main towers of several cathedrals in Moscow were faintly visible in the winter mist, their grand architectural lines appearing solemn and oppressive against the gloomy clouds.

Gogol curled up in the corner of the carriage, wrapping his thin coat more tightly around himself. Although it wasn’t cold inside the carriage, his hands remained in his coat pockets, his fingertips trembling slightly. His gaze fell through the window onto the main building of the university that was gradually coming nearer, his brows furrowed, and his face could not hide his anxiety and unease.

“What if Maximovich is unwilling to help?” Gogol pondered silently, the indifferent face of the Education Minister and the evasive replies of the Kyiv Academic Director lingering in his mind. The tone of refusal and the evasive words surged like a tide, making his chest feel suffocated.

At that moment, his attention was drawn to another carriage outside the window. The carriage followed closely behind his, occasionally shortening the distance, then slowly falling back, like a spiraling shadow.

Gogol’s frown deepened. A wave of inexplicable irritation surged in him, the feeling of being watched was unsettling.

Who was the owner of that carriage?

Arthur Hastings!

That troublemaker!

Just thinking of that guy who once impersonated an imperial envoy in Druiysk made the corner of Gogol’s mouth twitch slightly.

Gogol was not afraid of Arthur, even if the guy had once yanked off his wig.

However, getting involved with such a troublemaker would undoubtedly add uncertainties to his situation.

Arthur had previously promised him that he would speak on Gogol’s behalf to Education Minister Uvarov, singing praises for the newly written “Little Russian History.”

But now it seemed, whether or not he had actually praised Gogol, at least judging by the current indifferent response of the Ministry of Education, Minister Uvarov clearly did not take the matter seriously.

This British Knight’s worth wasn’t as high as he imagined, or else he couldn’t even accomplish the small task of boasting.

If not, Gogol would not have braved the cold wind and snow to come to Moscow during Shrovetide, a festival meant for celebrating with family.

He thought that perhaps his friend, Moscow University Professor Mikhail Alexandrovich Maximovich, could be more helpful.

Though both were Little Russians, Maximovich’s luck was clearly much better than Gogol’s.

This guy stayed at Moscow University as a botany lecturer after graduating and was promoted to full professor at twenty-seven.

Gogol was running himself ragged for an associate professorship at Kyiv University, yet Maximovich, this young professor who only turned thirty this September, was nominated by Kyiv Inspector Brad Kay as a candidate for the first rector of Kyiv University.

Gogol was insanely jealous of Maximovich’s good fortune, but their friendship eventually diluted those feelings of jealousy.

Moreover, in the end, Gogol felt more anger than jealousy.

Because Brad Kay notified him that he couldn’t get the world history chair due to lack of historical achievements.

Yet on the other hand, Brad Kay gave the chair of the Kyiv University literature department to Maximovich, simply because Maximovich wanted it.

Indeed, Maximovich was quite an outstanding botany professor.

Moreover, he was an outstanding researcher of Little Russian folklore, having collected and compiled a vast amount of Little Russian songs and legends. If not for this shared interest, his relationship with Gogol would not have been so strong.

But, could a mere “Collection of Little Russian Songs” and “Ukrainian Folklore Notes” qualify someone to be a literature professor at Kyiv University?

Or perhaps the Kyiv Inspector thought that the exquisite writing style of Maximovich’s two natural philosophy works “Systematic Classification of Russian Plants” and “Botanical Notes” warranted consideration for a literature professorship?

Isn’t this a double standard?

Gogol was very resentful about this.

At home, he pondered over and over again, thinking that perhaps his own track record was the problem.

After all, Maximovich was a professor at Moscow University.

And what kind of university is Moscow University?

It’s one of the Top 2 in Russia, equivalent in Russia to Britain’s Oxford University and Germany’s Berlin University.

And Gogol?

Merely a lecturer at the Patriotic Nobility Women’s College.

Perhaps, in the eyes of Kyiv Inspector Brad Kay, the Patriotic Nobility Women’s College was just an enlarged version of a monastery school for young ladies, primarily a place for training noble women in court etiquette, language skills, and artistic taste, with cultural knowledge typically serving merely as auxiliary subjects.

How well could noble ladies learn history?

Didn’t they study cultural subjects just to read a few trendy French novels?

In such an environment, how high could the teaching level of a women’s school’s cultural lecturer be?

As the saying goes:

In the weeds, orchids cannot grow; vision that’s too good can’t make a Homer.

Thick hair doesn’t prove evolution, a straightforward character can’t depict Caesar.