The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1423: Chapter 215: Old Friends in Moscow (Part 3)

Tver Street is not very far from Mokhovaya Street where Moscow University is located, about half a Russian mile away, taking less than ten minutes on foot.

Arthur disembarked in front of Moscow University mainly to see if this highest academic institution in Russia is as ridiculous as Herzen described.

According to Herzen, ever since Moscow University experienced several student movements, Tsar Nicholas I regarded it as a thorn in his side. To properly educate these restless students, the Tsar dispatched Russia’s most skilled writer in warfare, Major General Pisarev, to serve as the Academic Director of Moscow University.

And since Pisarev took charge, hardly a day passed without him tormenting the students.

He first required the students to collectively wear uniforms and carry sabers, under the guise of: militarized management to strengthen discipline.

Then the following year, he ordered students not to carry sabers, reasoning that: he feared the students poisoned by liberalism might use the sabers as weapons.

Throughout his four years as Academic Director, his most brag-worthy achievement wasn’t how many scientists, philosophers, or writers he cultivated.

Instead, it was due to a few poems and articles that dozens of students were sent to the Caucasus for military duty, and a few Polish students mysteriously disappeared because of a bust statue. As for the students who were expelled or advised to leave, there’s no need to detail them separately here.

Later, whether the Tsar thought Pisarev was too over-the-top or felt disappointed with his efforts to rectify Moscow University, no one knows.

In any case, Moscow University’s Academic Director was replaced by Duke Sergei Mikhailovich Golitsyn.

Speaking of this Duke Golitsyn, Blackwell might be more familiar than Arthur because he is Anastasia’s uncle, one of the five Dukes of the Golitsyn family.

Even though Russian Duke titles are widespread, regardless of how rampant titles are, the Golitsyn family’s accomplishment of five Dukes in one generation shows their power in Russia.

As one of the oldest and most prominent families in Russian history, the Golitsyn family stems from the Gediminid dynasty of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

The founder of the Golitsyn family is Narimantas, the second son of Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania, and their surname originates from the Lithuanian word ”Geležìs,” meaning Iron Hand.

Would using Iron Hand to grasp Moscow University be more effective than using Major General Pisarev’s long knife?

Arthur wouldn’t know.

At least in the eyes of Moscow University’s student Herzen, Iron Hand might be much gentler than a long knife, but compared to Hasting’s School Director at University of Gottingen, it’s like night and day.

After all, Hastings School Director is a certified expert scholar, understanding both academics and management, never interfering where unwarranted, but without hesitancy in matters he should handle. Most importantly, he maintains a close relationship with the students.

See how joyous Bismarck is sitting beside Hastings School Director?

But as for Iron Hand, that’s a story too much to tell.

Herzen felt he was simply not a normal person. When a professor stopped classes due to illness, he found it unreasonable, always disapproved, hence he ruled: if a professor cancels class, then it should sequentially fall to the next class’s teacher to substitute.

This rule might seem quite reasonable at first glance, but in practice, often it arises—Theology Professor Father Jernovski had to clinically lecture on gynecological ailments in hospitals, while Obstetrics Professor Richter had to explain how Holy Mother Mary conceived Jesus without fertilization.

Our Moscow University’s classes are truly cool!

Herzen sighed deeply standing on the second floor of his family’s mansion.

Nevertheless, despite the frequent dissatisfaction with one thing or another in university, he still quite missed university life and his classmates.

After graduation, everyone went their separate ways, some to St. Petersburg, some to various locales, while some, like him, became civil servants in Moscow.

As for the others...

They were exiled.

Though it is less than a year, Herzen feels he’s become much more worldly.

Perhaps not worldly, as most would call it maturity.

As a civil servant at the Moscow Land Office, it’s really hard not to grow mature.

However, he occasionally still shows an immature side.

Like his recent argument with Polevoy, editor of ”Moscow Telecommunications.”

Polevoy scoffed at Saint-Simonism, stating that believers of Saint-Simonism are mentally deranged, their visions are hollow Utopias, impeding national development.

Herzen charged that Polevoy had become the kind of backward conservative he spent a lifetime opposing.

These words clearly hurt Polevoy, who shook his head and said: ”Someday, a young man will repay you similarly for your lifelong efforts and hard work, sneeringly pointing at your nose: Get away, you are outdated.”

Although Herzen didn’t agree with Polevoy, he felt ashamed for hurting him.

Generally speaking, famed figures like Polevoy wouldn’t care about young people’s opinions, but he valued young people’s views and was willing to befriend insignificant students like Herzen.

This made Herzen feel a bit guilty.

He watched the bustling crowd outside bearing gifts, contemplating whether to buy something to apologize to Polevoy.

But the stubbornness of youth made it hard for him to back down, he felt apologizing would be conceding defeat.

Or...

Perhaps wait a few days more? Wait for him to calm down, then reconcile as before, with neither mentioning Saint-Simonism, as if nothing ever happened?

While Herzen was pondering how to manage interpersonal relations, suddenly, a lady servant in her forties gently knocked on his door: ”Young Master, Sir Arthur Hastings has arrived?”

”Sir Arthur Hastings? I don’t know this person, did he mistake...?” Herzen’s voice suddenly paused, he pushed open the window to look towards the door.

Arthur, leaning on his cane, spotted this drinking companion with whom he had a brief acquaintance, politely took off his hat to greet him: ”How unfortunate, Alexander, it seems you and I alike have neither a mother-in-law to visit nor anyone arranging a date for us.”

”The Herzen family mansion located on Tver Street in central Moscow”