Chapter 301: Shocking Secret (K2)

Chapter 299 – Shocking Secret (4K2)

Inside a quiet box on the third floor of the Astori Amphitheater.

Only a clinking sound could be heard as Viscount Palmerston raised his wine glass high and gently clinked it with his female companion, Mrs. Levine, who had accompanied him today.

Mrs. Levine smiled and said thank you: “Henry, a year in office, you are really getting more and more comfortable in the foreign ministry. I have long seen that there exists a certain irresistible social charm in your body, and you have also well applied it to diplomatic work. Regardless of what others may say, I at least feel that you are the best Britannia has done in this position in recent decades, even better than Sir George Canning and Viscount Castlereagh, and that you have done everything in your power to avert a conflict between Britannia and Russia, and to bring a rare peace to Europe.”

Viscount Palmerston heard this and simply complimented the Tsarist Russian Ambassador’s wife and one of the hostesses of the Ormac Club in front of him with his own trademark smile.

“Dorothea, I could not have gotten to where I am today without the good advice you gave me. When I was deep in debt, it was you who stretched out a slender but strong arm to pull me out of the swamp. And when I was about to be abandoned by the Tories, it was you who pulled strings on my behalf on the side of the Whigs, allowing me, a little sailor who didn’t know what he was doing, to switch sides just in time before the raggedy ship was about to sink.

Dorothea, you are an angel to many, but to me you are a noble and unassailable muse. Not only do you know how to sing and dance, with steps that would be at home in an Ormac club. But compared to your intelligence, your elegant steps, which are the envy of countless ladies, are only red cherries to top off a buttercream.

Speaking of which, I must thank you once again, for if it were not for your help in building up my case at the Ormac Club, and the honorable Earl of Levene’s personal connections to the Prime Minister, Earl Grey, it would not have been possible to get me this position in the first place. I would not have been able to take the Foreign Secretary’s position as a junior member of the party who had not long changed his membership. Though the group has called me mercurial, no one has ever called me thin-skinned, and that’s a favor I’ll always keep in mind.”

Mrs. Levine looked at the stage play being put on, and suddenly raised her hand to rest her chin on the window, “The performances in the Astley Theatre today have been more interesting than I expected, whether it be the stage premieres of The Count of Monte Cristo and Pickwick’s Outlaws, or Mr. Hastings’ duel with Mr. Bertrand. As for Mr. Chopin’s playing, let alone his technique, it was really as good as I had heard in the rumors of the Russian court, if not better.”

Palmerston, too, chewed out the implication of Mrs. Levine’s words, and inquired politely, “Is Chopin well known in Russia?”

Mrs. Levine responded cryptically, “Yes, perhaps Chopin’s name is not quite so well known in Britain, but in Petersburg his name is as …… well …… perhaps closer to Mr. Hastings’ status in London . Since Chopin became famous very early in Poland, when His Honorable Majesty Alexander I visited Poland that year, he invited Chopin, who was only fifteen years old, to play in his concert.

His Majesty was so pleased that he took off a diamond ring he was wearing and gave it to Chopin as a token of his recognition and appreciation of his playing prowess. Since then, Chopin’s reputation has spread throughout Russia. I would have thought that such an illustrious man would have remained at the Petersburg Court, lying in the bosom of Mother Russia, to realize his musical talents, but I never expected to meet him in London today.”

In connection with the recent trend of opinion in the London press and the recent fervor of interest in Poland among the British public, Palmerston naturally understood Mrs. Levine’s meaning.

It was as if Mrs. Levine had praised him; a brilliant diplomat is one who can decipher countless meanings from plain, uninteresting words.

Palmerston smiled and responded, “I am aware that Russia and Poland are having a bit of a falling out over some skirmishes these days, and that there is more interest and zeal in the matter in British society than would otherwise be the case. I have made many efforts in Parliament to calm these feelings. But as you know, wasn’t it that Mr. Bernie Harrison who lent a helping hand to Mrs. Poland that was in the news recently?
Thomas Barnes, that jumped-up editor-in-chief of The Times, has taken advantage of the incident and is familiarly taking advantage of it again to turn up the heat on Poland once more. The Westminster Federation has also been protesting about Poland, although I think such protests are unwarranted and incomprehensible.

But after all, the Foreign Office can’t always screw with them, and I think it’s quite necessary to hold a concert to release their stress and discontent when necessary. I informed Earl Levine of this in an earlier informal conversation. A concert does not mean that Britain has shifted its position, the Foreign Office has absolutely no desire to attack our reliable ally, and your husband has been very reasonable in understanding that.”

Hearing this, Mrs. Levine twisted her head to stare at Palmerston with her watery black eyes and suddenly snorted out a laugh.

“Look at you, Henry, you must have had a busy time of it, keeping up at all times with fighting in Parliament and the Foreign Office. How is it that even talking to a weak woman like me, who doesn’t know anything about political diplomacy, has become such a serious and long-winded affair?”

Palmerston took off his hat and smiled back, “Dorothea, wasn’t I worried about upsetting you? Will I have the honor of dancing with you at the Ormac Ball next week?”

Mrs. Levine raised her hand to admire her emerald ring, “Originally, I had my dance partner already set. However, if it were you, the charming Henry, I wouldn’t mind a temporary change to accompany me for a waltz. But …… aren’t you afraid that Emily will be angry? She’s been trying to hog your permanent dance partner position now.”

Palmerston smiled back, “How could I? Emily knows how to handle these things, and besides, she’s having a salon at her house this weekend, so even if I had the desire to dance with her, she wouldn’t have the time.”

Mrs. Levine gently shook her head and said, “Emily has done her best for Earl Cowper, if not for the fact that she manages the Cowper family’s social circle, with Earl Cowper’s stuffy character, it is estimated that Earl Cowper would have been excluded from the mainstream political circle in Britain. But then again, if Emily hadn’t eloped on impulse when she was young, she could have married a more humorous and powerful husband.

She was too impulsive and too easily deceived by men, and back then she didn’t understand the nature of marriage. Trying to tie love and marriage together is a good thing that is usually hard to accomplish. If she had been as spontaneous as she is today, with her ability to manipulate her husband’s social circle a few decades earlier, she might have been the Prime Minister’s wife by now. Instead, she spent her days with the Earl of Cowper, who was a man of few words, a man of few words, and a man who blushed when he talked to the ladies.

It had been his luck to have met Emily, and if she hadn’t been so foolish that old Viscount Melbourne had wanted to find a husband to marry her off, Earl Cowper wouldn’t have been able to pick up the slack. But, then again, Emily’s family seems to be not an easy light.

Old Viscount Melbourne was a prodigal son when he was young, Emily’s mother, Mrs. Melbourne was a famous London socialite, trusted and loved by the late King George IV, if not for her, the old Viscount Melbourne would not have been crowned from an ordinary small Sir step by step to the position of Viscount.

And Emily’s sister-in-law, the younger Viscount Melbourne’s wife, the Duchess of Ponsonby, the story between the two of them is not to mention. When Lord Byron was still alive, the London street newspapers almost daily pointed to the Ponsonby and Lord Byron’s little gossip to live. Thinking back so much, the quiet and elegant Viscount Melbourne Jr. was rather an anomaly in their family.”

The ladies could never stop talking about gossip, and Palmerston was happy to divert the day’s conversation away from Poland, keeping it mysterious and closed was his usual political style, and a good way to protect himself and combat his opponents.

He’d rather have a few more gossips than want to reveal a few more of his views on foreign policy.

Viscount Palmerston opened his mouth, ”William is indeed an old unlucky man, with his doings and consistent demeanor, if he was born in a normal aristocratic family, he would definitely grow up to be a moral model that the clergy would be most happy to see. Treating people with gentleness, and being measured when confronting a lady, this is what he looks like to everyone. But …… Dorothea, you would be wrong if you really think of him as an ascetic ascetic.

William actually had quite a bit of fun when he was younger, and he was involved in a divorce lawsuit in his early years. But perhaps it was because of the subsequent public outcry over his wife’s affair with Byron, coupled with his unhappy marriage, that William’s edges were gradually smoothed out, and while he wasn’t obsessed with material contact, he was spiritually in need of emotional care more than any other man.

Happily, I recently realized that he seems to have found true love of his own. Since William met that lovely lady, his mental state is significantly better than before. As a friend, I am happy for him from the bottom of my heart.” “Wow?”

As expected, the topic thrown out by Viscount Palmerston instantly aroused Mrs. Levine’s curiosity.

She angrily accused Palmerston, “Henry, you know full well that I want to know about all of this, so why are you trying to sell me short?”

Palmerston smiled playfully, “It’s not that I’m trying to sell it, but I think that instead of me mouthing off here, I’d rather have you go around to the next box twice in person. Dorothea, as you know, I’ve always been very tight-lipped, and I don’t like spreading my friends’ secrets around.”

“You mean …… they are next door?” Mrs. Levine’s mouth was half-open, one hand over her lips, and her eyes round with surprise: “Viscount Melbourne and his intimate lover?”

“Ahem ahem ……” Viscount Palmerston coughed, “Dorothea, you can’t say that. William has always emphasized that he and the lady are innocent, and I believe in his credibility that their interactions are more like spiritual. As for whether it was physical or not, I guess only God knows for sure.”

Hearing this, Mrs. Levine raised her fan to cover half of her face, and her eyes narrowed into slits as she laughed, “Henry, you’re such a bad heart. So you sent me over there with the intention of letting me witness their falsehoods and then come back to give you a report? Come on, I’m not falling for your evil tricks, you’d better save those words for dealing with the council.”

Palmerston smiled and complimented, “My dear Dorothea, I told you, if you were a British man, I’d expect to be halfway around the world of British politics. In front of Prime Minister Dorothea, all these little tricks of mine have nowhere to hide.”

Mrs. Levine sniffed and gently leaned forward, lying on Palmerston’s chest, “That’s not necessarily true, you’re a guy who always hides his hand when it comes to things. I don’t believe you’ve exhausted all your tricks, and to punish you for your dishonesty, you’ll have to show me something new today.”

Mrs. Levine’s hand rubbed the side of Palmerston’s face, and with both eyes imploring, she said, “Henry, I don’t think it’s too much to ask, do you?”

Palmerston wrapped his arms around the beauty’s waist, and his breathing became ragged, “Dorothea, as you know, I never refuse a lady’s request. Although I don’t admit that I lied, but if you must see something new, then I must make something up for you now even if I rack my brain.”

The two of them were in a moment of love and fascination.

Suddenly, only a thud could be heard as the door of the box was kicked open.

This was followed by a roar that could be heard across the entire floor: “Caroline, you bitch, you lowly whore! I guessed you and Melbourne were doing these fly-by-night things!”

Viscount Palmerston winced in shock, and Mrs. Levine was so frightened by the sudden yell that she hid in the arms of her male companion, not even daring to show her face.

After a brief brain short-circuit, Palmerston finally came back to his senses.

He looked at Mr. Norton, the justice of the peace, who stood in the doorway and had come to catch him in the act of adultery, and surveyed him for half a day before he was sure that he did not know the man.

Viscount Palmerston clapped his hands and roared, “Who the hell are you, you scoundrel! Why did you force your way into my room?”

Norton through the dim lights in the room to see the old half a day, only to realize that he seems to be in the wrong place, and the other side of this face seems to seem to be somewhat familiar, is not someone else, it is the high-powered foreign minister.

Norton momentarily felt from the head to the feet of the cold, not easy to brew a good mood of anger was instantly suppressed, he awkwardly laughed twice: “I’m sorry, I seem to be in the wrong place.”

As he spoke, only a snap could be heard, and the door to the compartment was once again closed.

Viscount Palmerston was so furious that he lifted the hem of his coat and was about to draw his gun, and while he drew his gun he also roared at the door, “Asshole! Don’t run, you landlubber!”

But when he rushed to the door, the fellow who had crashed his good deed had already disappeared without a trace in the hallway.

The echoes of a few angry arguments between him and his companion still carried in the hallway.

“Bernie, didn’t you fucking say it was that one?”

“How the fuck should I know! I got word it was that one, maybe Viscount Melbourne bounced his ticket temporarily, or changed rooms?”

“Damn! I knew you didn’t get caught whoring around for no reason!”

“Fuck you, where do you think your brain is good for?!”

(End of chapter)