The Shadow of Great Britain

At present, the Home Office has already set a price for him, while on Lord Brougham’s side it seems like the chaos after a tree falls.

Given this, Arthur thought it over and found it really hard to resist this tide of history, even if it is one that pushes from behind.

But such things aren’t surprising to this top history graduate from the University of London, who knows full well that history has always been a spiral ascent.

And now, the matter of the Poor Laws is evidently in the midst of such a spiral process.

Arthur was silent for a moment.

It wasn’t hesitation, but a deliberate pause.

He knew well that in such a moment, any overly quick response would seem like a pre-prepared speech.

”Your Majesty.” He finally spoke, his voice slightly lower and slower than before: ”If you allow me to speak frankly, your recent discomfort itself shows that you are not indifferent to these matters.”

Victoria paused slightly in surprise: ”You...”

”Many, when facing similar descriptions, would not feel troubled.” Arthur continued: ”They will either quickly give promises or simply divert the topic. The former often does not intend to fulfill it, the latter does not intend to even think about it. The reason you feel uneasy is that you realize every word you say will be perceived as a stance. For a monarch who has just begun to wield royal power independently, this should not be an easy matter.”

Victoria looked down at the corner of her desk: ”But I still feel... I was too useless that day. Mr. Dickens told me so much, yet I could only listen.”

”Your act of listening is itself very important.” Arthur replied: ”At least, it is far more important than you imagine. Your Majesty, forgive me for being blunt, but making these judgments is not easy. Every policy in this world has its pros and cons, and making choices among them is the responsibility of the ruler.”

”So what should I do?” she asked lightly, hesitantly: ”If I don’t think about them, it feels like evasion. But if I think about them all the time, it feels like I achieve nothing.”

Arthur looked at her, suddenly silent, seemingly pondering something.

Victoria raised her head to look at him: ”Sir Arthur? What happened to you?”

”Your Majesty.” Arthur suddenly asked: ”Do you truly wish to do something?”

After Arthur’s question fell, the study fell into a brief silence.

It wasn’t a nerve-wracking silence; it was more like an old maestro deliberately slowing the tempo, waiting for the other to reach the right place on their own.

Victoria did not immediately respond.

Her gaze moved from Arthur’s face to the few files still open on the desk. They were the reports she had reviewed today, with the edges of the paper slightly worn from her fingers tracing them repeatedly. She seemed to be weighing the gravity of the question, or perhaps simply striving to discern her own genuine impulse.

”I...” she finally spoke: ”Of course, I wish to make a difference. But I know well that some things cannot be done just because I wish to.”

Arthur nodded, as if acknowledging this judgment.

”Precisely, Your Majesty.” He said, ”And the reason I asked in this manner is not to have you issue any directive immediately, nor to make you take a position on any specific policy now. I merely wish to confirm one thing: do you wish to see some matters progress more slowly?”

”More slowly?”

”Indeed.” Arthur said, ”Not to deny them, nor to overthrow them, but to allow them to advance within the scope that reality permits, at a pace society can truly bear.”

He said this without mentioning the new Poor Laws or terms like ’slow execution,’ but Victoria was perceptive, soon realizing this was not an abstract question.

”If that were the case...” she frowned slightly: ”Wouldn’t that be tantamount to admitting that the law itself is flawed?”

Arthur gently shook his head.

”Quite the contrary, Your Majesty.”

The sinister York Pigman tossed ’pig feed’ saying: ”Acknowledging difficulties in execution doesn’t equate to denying the legitimacy of the legislation itself. The law was passed in Parliament, formed after rational discussion, and its principles are not wrong. But between principle and reality, there often lies a multitude of specific people.”

He lifted his gaze, looking at Victoria: ”What Mr. Dickens spoke to you about that day was precisely these people.”

Victoria exhaled gently, a breath carrying a bit of self-mockery not deliberately concealed: ”Yet even if I do so wish, what of it? I cannot let things happen according to my wishes simply because I desire so. Ultimately, these affairs must be left to the Cabinet for discussion. However, I find that the Cabinet seems unwilling to give me a clear answer on the Poor Laws.”

She gently shook her head: ”I always hear about ongoing evaluations, local complexity, and the need for more time to observe effects. On one hand, they assure me of the new law’s necessity. On the other, they are unwilling to tell me exactly how they plan to address the existing chaos. Sometimes, I cannot even discern whether they truly haven’t figured it out or simply don’t want me to hear an unflattering answer.”

”Your Majesty, precisely for these reasons did I dare to ask you that question just now.” Arthur paused slightly, as if gathering great courage, took a deep breath, and spoke: ”If I were to tell you that soon, you might not need to just rely on the Cabinet’s retellings to understand these matters... Would you consider that a good thing?”

Victoria was slightly stunned: ”What do you mean?”

”I will soon be leaving my current post.” Arthur said plainly yet solemnly: ”The Home Office has already approached me, hoping I would transition to the role of Permanent Under-Secretary at the Home Office.”

This time, Victoria was visibly taken aback.

”Permanent Under-Secretary?”

”Yes, Your Majesty.” Arthur nodded: ”Administratively, I will be directly in charge of policing operations and the daily execution and coordination of the Poor Laws. In other words, the chaos, friction, and discord you now see from the reports will, in the future, be presented in more raw, unvarnished forms on my desk.”

Victoria was momentarily silent.

She looked at Arthur: ”That will be a... very open-to-criticism position.”

”Indeed it will.” Arthur did not deny it: ”Especially regarding the Poor Laws, no matter what I do, I will be criticized. If executed too quickly, I’ll be deemed cold-hearted. If too slowly, I’ll be said to waver on upholding the law’s authority. Attempting to harmonize the pace of different regions might be viewed as condoning local insubordination.”

Victoria spoke softly: ”It sounds as if you have foreseen all this.”

”Because that is precisely what the Cabinet is currently avoiding.” Arthur replied: ”Their reluctance to provide you a clear answer isn’t due to a lack of judgment, but because any judgment, once voiced, implies bearing the consequences.”

Victoria seemed somewhat concerned: ”Aren’t you afraid of bearing responsibility?”

”Afraid?” He softly repeated the word, then lifted his head, his tone calm but allowing no further retreat: ”Your Majesty, of course, I am afraid.”

Victoria was slightly stunned once the words came out.

She evidently did not expect Arthur to admit this so straightforwardly.

”I am not one to revel in risks.” Arthur continued: ”I also know that the position of Permanent Under-Secretary leaves little room for an amicable exit. Should things go smoothly, it’s the Cabinet’s credit. Should they go awry, the blame typically falls on those responsible for execution. But, for this very reason, Your Majesty, I actually have little room for maneuver.”

”But precisely because of this, Your Majesty, I, in contrast, have little room for maneuver. If in the future, someone accuses me, saying I slowed things down or saying I failed to fully implement them, I will naturally bear it all.” He gave a slight smile, not a light-hearted one but extraordinarily candid: ”However, since in any case, one will be criticized and the responsibility borne on either side, I at least hope that the part I bear is worth bearing.”

Victoria raised her gaze to him, her expression notably becoming more serious.

”I don’t expect everyone to understand what I’m doing...” Arthur straightened up: ”nor do I expect newspapers, MPs, or those who fancy themselves moral representatives to cut me any slack. But if there is a standard I am willing to be accountable to, it shouldn’t be the sway of public opinion, nor the temporary expedients of the Cabinet...”

His gaze steadily fixed on Victoria: ”It ought to be the direction you, the Queen of this country, most wish to see.”