The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1711: Chapter 65: The Queen’s Guide (Part 3)

”Alright.” Victoria exhaled and sat back: ”I will check the recent Royal Society membership list myself.”

”That’s part of learning.” Lady Leisen nodded with a smile: ”However, before delving into the list, shouldn’t we complete today’s remaining experiments first?”

”Of course.” Arthur returned to his usual demeanor: ”Your Highness, let’s observe the changes in current under different resistances... You see, when resistance increases, current decreases. If you want the current to increase, the resistance must be as small as possible. It’s like an election; if the Conservative Party gets more seats, the Whig Party must get fewer. And how do we adjust the resistance? Watch closely, it’s the function of this slider. Of course, if you like, you can call it Mr. Disraeli. Oh, this rheostat’s Disraeli is quite slippery...”

Victoria burst into laughter, even Lady Leisen slightly bowed her head, as if the initial light-hearted atmosphere had returned.

The lesson continued amid laughter and copper wires until the sunlight slid past the last piece of colored glass in Rose Hall, landing on the resistor in Arthur’s hand.

After class, just as Arthur was packing the equipment into a cloth bag and preparing to leave Rose Hall, he noticed Lady Leisen standing quietly by the door, as if she happened to pass by, or perhaps she had been waiting there.

”Sir Arthur.” She said in a calm tone: ”May we have a word?”

Arthur nodded, and she led him into the small library next door.

This was where Victoria had once learned to spell as a child, now only used for storing books and occasional tea parties.

The curtains of the library were half-drawn, sunlight streamed through the gap, falling on the carpet like a deliberately laid-out card.

Lady Leisen walked ahead, not directly asking Arthur to sit, but instead went to the fireplace, picked up a feather duster, and lightly brushed away the dust between two porcelain vases on the mantel.

”The lecture arrangements in Rose Hall seem to have become more rational lately.” She spoke leisurely, with a hint of reflection in her tone: ”I remember last winter around this time, Her Highness was still troubled by the conjugation of Latin verbs.”

Arthur placed the cloth bag filled with resistors on the back of a chair, and replied with a smile: ”Natural Philosophy is more interesting than Latin, at least there’s no need to worry about the distinctions between genitive and accusative.”

”But the distinction between genitive and accusative...” Leisen gently turned around: ”is one of the important bases for maintaining the dignity of this palace.”

This was spoken very lightly, almost as if mentioned in passing.

Lady Leisen’s tone rose slightly: ”Her Highness seems very interested in what you teach, but what concerns me more is that she is beginning to learn to view the world from another perspective.”

She paused, then continued: ”Not just electricity, nor merely the issue of Mr. Faraday’s salary, but she is beginning to question: How is this world truly sustained? Who adjusts these resistances? And who decides which forces can travel freely?”

Arthur did not immediately respond. He leaned against the cabinet by the window, his gaze sweeping over the row of leather-bound books, ”A Comprehensive Guide to National Finance,” ”British Yearbook,” ”On the Duties of Subjects”...

He finally spoke: ”It is a good thing that Her Highness is no longer content with being a mere symbol. Her awareness of the heavy burdens this country places on her shoulders is more precious than anything for the Crown Prince.”

A faint light flashed in Leisen’s eyes, yet she hadn’t expected Arthur to openly agree with this trend, which was precisely what she most hoped to hear.