The Shadow of Great Britain

Arthur, who had been observing coldly, finally spoke: ”Don’t be too quick to be upset, Eld, I have even worse news.”

”What’s the matter? Speak! Surely, there’s nothing that can be worse than being a gentleman!”

Arthur crossed his legs, his gloved hands resting on his knee: ”Due to your reckless rambling all over Paris these days, I regret to inform you that during the upcoming trip, you might not have the chance to be a gentleman.”

Eld’s eyes widened in shock, and he stood still, mouth agape as though a whole croissant could fit inside it.

He then suddenly slapped his thigh, letting out a heart-wrenching howl: ”What? Arthur! You damned cop! Are you telling me you want to strip me, strip your good friend, your good brother Eld Carter, of citizenship! Normal!! Rights?!!!”

While he was speaking, he lunged toward Arthur, almost knocking the wine bottle off the coffee table: ”The chance to be a gentleman is a fundamental human right! How can you revoke it with just one sentence? Are you trying to bring all your White Hall rules to Paris? This is not London! This is Paris! The air here is filled with freedom, champagne, and ladies! You can’t use those cold, rigid regulations to erase all the fun from my life! Arthur, don’t forget you’re the secretary-general of the Police Commissioner Committee, not the King of France!”

Great Dumas couldn’t help but burst into laughter, clutching his stomach: ”I never thought I’d live to see the day when you’d speak well of France.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow coolly at that, saying indifferently: ”Eld, I am certainly not the King of France, but if you continue to spout nonsense in Paris, I’ll have to show you the administrative efficiency of Scotland Yard.”

Perhaps it was the alcohol working on Eld’s brain, or maybe the air in Paris indeed had a special effect, Eld at that moment stood wobbling on the coffee table, yet stubbornly straightened his back.

He raised a silk scarf belonging to an actress, looking like he was waving the tricolor flag, his voice hoarse but resolute, carrying an undeniable boldness.

”Freedom! Freedom means anyone, whether a king or a second clerk from the Navy Department, has the right to sleep in naturally during Parisian mornings! This is human nature, this is right!

Equality! Equality is Liszt being praised in the concert hall, and I, Eld Carter, also enjoying the same applause in salons and theaters! Paris can’t have only one idol; Paris needs to give everyone a stage!

Brotherhood! Brotherhood is not indulgence nor depravity, but self-control! Last night, I didn’t overstep boundaries, didn’t take advantage of Miss Rachel, because I deeply understand that Paris needs a virtuous sailor, not a beast who goes crazy when drunk!”

Great Dumas heard this and couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration, standing to applaud: ”Eld, even though I hate to admit it, I must say, I misjudged you before. You are simply Nottingham’s Mirabeau, and if placed during the Great Revolution period, you’d definitely end up on the guillotine, and among the first batch.”

Arthur watched Eld standing on the coffee table, draped in gauze, chanting ”Freedom, Equality, Brotherly Love,” and couldn’t help but tap his knuckles on the armrest: ”Eld, I cannot deny your speech, after all, everyone has their pursuits. But if the Navy Department hears what you said today, do you realize how serious the offense is?”

The mere mention of the Navy Department had Eld sobering up like a monkey hearing a zoo keeper, immediately growing more honest.

He hurriedly tossed the scarf aside, putting on a sheepish grin as he approached Arthur: ”Oh, Arthur, my dear old classmate, you know me, I just like to say nice things for show, nothing serious, right? Please don’t let my earlier words reach the Navy Department, or Sir John Barrow will surely initiate a security investigation on me!”

Arthur switched his posture, still cross-legged: ”Security investigation? Eld, you’ve always done things by the book, what is there to fear about a security investigation?”

Eld’s face turned beet red, and he laughed awkwardly, attempting to keep it light: ”Indeed, nothing to fear about a security investigation. I’ve always acted correctly, never involved in anything shady in the accounts.”

At that point, he paused, lightly coughed, and casually glanced out the window: ”It’s just... you know, in our line of work, numerous processes are involved—contracts, warehouses, docks, contractors, and if any part is vaguely written, it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings during an investigation...”

Arthur calmly nodded: ”For example...”

Eld sweat profusely as he scrambled to defend himself: ”For example... this... uh... the books say there are five hundred rolls of cable, but only three hundred fifty rolls are physically in the dock. An outsider might think we’re missing merchandise as if someone pocketed those hundred fifty rolls. But just think, Arthur, the Royal Navy fleets sail around the world, Malta, Jamaica, Cape Town, and the process of supplying and transferring is inherently complex. Goods taking a trip across the seas, and paperwork failing to match the actual items—that’s quite normal.”