Chapter 312: Don’t Generate Electricity Here.

Chapter 310: Don’t Generate Electricity Here
When Faraday heard Arthur’s words, he was first slightly stunned, and then he immediately realized what matter Arthur was talking about.

He held his forehead and shook his head helplessly, ”I almost forgot what your job is. You’re a police officer, and Scotland Yard is under the jurisdiction of the Home Office, right? So Viscount Melbourne not only sent a bunch of affairs officers, but even got you over as a lobbyist?”

Arthur clarified in a serious manner, “You misunderstand, I only just found out about this from those clerks. Moreover, I never intended to persuade you to forgive Viscount Melbourne, you have your own methods and principles. You have your own way of doing things and your own principles. From the moment you entered the field of scientific research, everything you have done has been correct.

Sir David was so hard on you, yet you never held a grudge, and even built his mausoleum out of your meager savings after his death, and converted his laboratory into a memorial at the Royal Society. I can’t see into a person’s heart, but I can see into a person’s behavior.

You will certainly not have any problems. If you have had a conflict with Viscount Melbourne, then surely he has gone too far. You are justified in being angry with him, and I support you one hundred percent in this matter.”

Arthur’s words caught Faraday off guard, he originally thought that Arthur would definitely put in a good word for Viscount Melbourne, but he didn’t expect Arthur to actually do the opposite, and didn’t even put in half a good word for his competent minister.

Faraday hastily waved his hand and said: ”Arthur, I am glad that you can support me. But, I am not as perfect as you say. All in all, this matter ends here. Since it has passed, let it pass. Let’s not mention it again in the future.”

“Of course, I’ll listen to you.”

As Arthur spoke, he reached his hand into his pocket and fished out a check, placing it squarely on the lab table in front of Faraday, “Mr. Faraday, that’s it for today then. These days Mr. Wheatstone is soaking in the Royal Society’s laboratory, I haven’t seen him for a while, and I kinda miss him. So, here’s to bidding you farewell and wishing you a happy life.”

Arthur turned around, he tugged at the pleated edges of his shirt’s chest and raised his eyebrows lightly as a confident smile of unknown significance appeared on his face.

Agares, who was lying horizontally on the lab table, saw this and just trimmed his nails while shaking his head and counting down, “Three, two, one ……”

“Arthur, wait!” Faraday’s voice sounded behind Arthur.

Agareth let out a sigh, and without knowing whether it was in appreciation or nonchalance, the red devil spoke, “What a born devil.”

Arthur adjusted his expression and turned around with a flourish and asked, “You have something else for me?”

Faraday held up the check with a serious face, “Arthur, is there something you forgot to take with you?”

Arthur shook his head seriously, “I’m sure I didn’t, Mr. Faraday, that check was meant for you, it’s the fruit of your labor, how can I take it for myself?”

Faraday looked at Arthur, his frown getting tighter and tighter, “Arthur, you’re a very fine young man, and I appreciate you very much. It is for this reason that I do not wish to ruin our friendship over such a small matter. While you’re at it, take this check back and return it to the person who gave it to you, and let’s pretend that nothing has happened, okay?”

Hearing this, Arthur retorted with the same seriousness, “Mr. Faraday, there’s no way I’m returning this check to Mr. Rothschild. Besides, the Astley Theatre’s performances are so successful because of all the instruments and chemicals you provided, it’s only right that he, as the organizer, should pay you, so why would you want to save a banker’s money for him?”

“This is what Mr. Rothschild is paying me for?”

Faraday started, then shrugged it off, “I appreciate his kindness. But I didn’t put much effort into the show. As for those instruments and chemicals, although some of them were made by me, they all belong to the collective property of the Royal Society. Moreover, you used them carefully after lending them out and didn’t damage their usability, so naturally you don’t need to pay compensation. As for the chemicals …… the most reimbursement for the material money on the line, a little bit of liquid carbon dioxide is just a little bit of liquid carbon dioxide, how it is not worth three hundred pounds.”

Arthur sniffed with righteous indignation, “Mr. Faraday, since Mr. Rothschild is willing to pay so much, it means that your product deserves this price. You are a scientist, but you don’t understand economics. The price of an item is determined by the market, if someone is willing to pay a high price for it, then it is reasonable to sell it at a high price.

It’s like the tea we drink all the time. If you buy tea in the Orient, you can buy a basket of it for a few pence. But if you go to Covent Garden Market, you can get a tin for sixpence. And if you go to the Twinings Tea Shop, they’ll give you a shilling in weights and scales, and they won’t give you more than a little bit of ground tea.

Besides, I am sorry that the Viscount of Melbourne has treated you so ill. I must admit that a scientific annuity of three hundred pounds a year is no small sum, but he is mistaken if he can make you yield with it. You are worth far more than he thinks you are, and more than you think you are. Any chemical made by Faraday’s hands can change hands and sell for hundreds or thousands of times its price, and that is the best way you can return the favor to him!”

Seeing how angry Arthur was, Faraday rushed to pacify him, “Arthur, don’t be so agitated. There is no animosity between Viscount Melbourne and me, and it’s not a matter of money. I’m not short of money, I’m not bothered by rent, the Royal Society has provided me with a free two-bedroom suite, and on top of that I get a fixed salary of 80 pounds a year. The Royal Society also subsidizes some of the money for materials if I want to start new research. I’m the son of a blacksmith, and my father never imagined that his son could actually live the life he does now. I’ve lived better than most people, and materially I’ve been really very content.”

Arthur sniffed and pretended to be dumbfounded, “Ah …… you …… so it wasn’t the money issue that created the conflict between you and Viscount Melbourne?”

Faraday also froze, “Over money? Arthur, what do you think the conflict between him and I arose because of?”

Arthur pretended to be embarrassed and opened his mouth, “I …… think that the subsidy of three hundred pounds does not match your value at all, if the council does not want to issue subsidies can not be issued, to give you subsidies, how to issue a three thousand pounds per year is right.”

Faraday was made to laugh and cry by Arthur’s words, “Arthur, three hundred pounds and three thousand pounds are both the same to me. I’m not short of money and I don’t want to accept government subsidies, they should use the money for something more useful. As for Viscount Melbourne, I need him to give me not three hundred pounds, but a formal and dignified apology.”

As soon as Faraday’s words fell out of his mouth, Arthur immediately pinched his words to take advantage of the situation, and he opened his mouth to ask, “Would it be too cheap to forgive Viscount Melbourne with just an apology?”

Faraday persuaded, “Arthur, you’re taking things too seriously. This matter has been a matter of apology since the beginning, and Viscount Melbourne must be reviewed for his arrogant attitude. Beyond that, I need nothing.”

Hearing this, the Red Devil on the side laughed so hard that he slapped his thighs and said, “The dam has opened up of its own accord, so it looks like the Mudskipper is going to take advantage of the situation.”

Arthur glanced at him, then whirled around and patted his chest to assure Faraday, “You can rest assured, although I don’t carry as much weight in the scientific community as you do. Even in Scotland Yard, it’s just an insignificant little policeman, but I will definitely bring your words to Viscount Melbourne. He will either apologize to you, or he will accept my resignation. He’ll always have to choose one of those two things anyway.”

At the end of his words, Arthur did not give Faraday the chance to continue to stay, and rushed out of the laboratory with a single stride.

Behind him, only Faraday’s dissuasive voice was left behind, “Arthur, don’t be impulsive, it’s really not a big deal!”

Arthur ran all the way, the bandage on his neck shaking upside down.

Until he ran a long distance away, he stopped under a big tree and took out his pipe and held it in his mouth.

The sound of a match across the phosphorus surface rang out, accompanied by a sound of inhalation and exhalation, under the tree rose a curl of white smoke.

“Done.”

Arthur took two puffs of his cigarette and was thinking of going back to explain the situation to a few of the clerks, but his feet had just crossed the corner when he noticed that the clerks were now gathered around a lady nodding and asking for a closer look.

And that lady, Arthur looked somewhat familiar. Although she wore a not too conspicuous floral dress today, the iconic dove blood red ring shining on her knuckles still made Arthur recognize her immediately.

That was none other than Viscount Melbourne’s sister, one of Viscount Palmerston’s lovers – Lady Cowper.

Lady Cowper asked, “Is Mr. Faraday willing to reconcile?”

The clerks replied in a sweaty voice.

“He …… we have asked for his forgiveness very sincerely, but …… Mr. Faraday, he is unusually strong and says he has no intention of compromising.”

“You also know, scientists usually have some quirks …… placed on Mr. Faraday’s body, mainly reflected in the unusually stubborn temper, living like a donkey.”

Hearing this, Mrs. Cowper raised her fan to cover her mouth, her eyes full of anger: “You are simply too rude! How can you compare the greatest scientist in all of Britain and the most cultured gentleman of the Royal Society to a donkey?!”

Clerk Bart also realized that his mouth had slipped, and he hurriedly apologized, “I’m sorry, ma’am! It was my analogy that was faulty, I meant that Mr. Faraday’s nature was almost Scots-like. But don’t worry, we have just sent someone else to continue to persuade him, I believe that our colleague will have a solution.”

Arthur stepped forward and spoke at the right time, “Mr. Barth, it is fortunate that you did not compare Mr. Faraday to a Scottish donkey. If I had known that you regarded him in that light, I would have said nothing to persuade him on your behalf.”

Mrs. Cowper was a little surprised to see Arthur, “Mr. Hastings? What are you doing here …… Wow, I almost forgot, besides being an upright police officer, you are also a talented scientific researcher.”

Arthur took off his hat and smiled in greeting, “Good afternoon, ma’am. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, and you still look so radiant.”

When Mrs. Cowper saw Arthur’s reddish black eyes, she only felt that her irritable mood had calmed down quite a bit.

“I am also delighted to see you again. Mr. Hastings, your manners are as good as ever. Just now they said that someone else had gone to persuade Mr. Faraday, and that person who took on the heavy responsibility, wouldn’t that be ……”

Arthur smiled and nodded, “Madam, your intelligence and beauty are simply indistinguishable. A lady like you usually brings good luck to loved ones and partners, so this time Mr. Faraday has decided to forgive Viscount Melbourne.”

“Oh, my God!”

Lady Cowper folded both hands and pressed them to her chest, “Mr. Hastings, I heard William say earlier that Scotland Yard is important enough to be half the Home Office. I didn’t believe it then, but now it seems that all he said was true. I really don’t know how to thank you in William’s place, look at the good work he’s done, Mr. Faraday certainly wouldn’t have been so quick to take the heat off if you hadn’t stepped in to help.”

Arthur smiled and spoke up, “Ma’am, it was no big deal, it was just a show of hands. However, Mr. Faraday also said that he forgave His Excellency the Viscount with a precondition. He demanded that His Excellency the Viscount must solemnly apologize to him before doing so.”

Mrs. Cowper, who was well aware that her brother was stuck in the swamp, agreed in a single breath with hardly much thought, “It is only right. Even if you don’t mention it, I will have William apologize to Mr. Faraday. He may be careless when Parliament is in session, but he must not treat a highly respected and distinguished man in such a manner, either to Mr. Faraday or to you.”

Arthur had been wondering how to mention the apology to Viscount Melbourne, and when Mrs. Cowper took the initiative at this point, he naturally had no reason to refuse.

Arthur once again took off his hat and thanked him, “Madam, your attitude of respect for science is simply unheard of. What you have done for Mr. Faraday, I will truthfully convey to her. So, I won’t take up any more of your time, we’ll talk again when we next meet.”

Mrs. Cowper sniffed and took the initiative to extend her hand towards Arthur, who subconsciously was about to extend his bandaged right hand to take it.

Agareth leaned against the tree trunk and yawned as he reminded, “Wrong!”

Arthur shivered in shock and hurriedly switched to his left hand to catch Mrs. Cowper’s palm and kiss it gently, then said goodbye and turned around.

It was a good thing, though, that the other woman didn’t realize the true nature of this little tidbit.

Mrs. Cowper just looked at Arthur’s back with relief and walked away, and only at the end of the day lifted her fan to cover her mouth and smiled.

“It’s just a kissing hand salute, actually will still be shy, nowadays such young people can be too rare. Outstanding appearance, outstanding talent and a good eloquence, is not a nobleman, but has a nobleman’s demeanor. Obviously a scientific researcher, but has a poetic attitude. Too bad, if he has a prominent father, even just a baronet, I will definitely recommend him to attend the Queen Charlotte Ball next year, to meet those aristocratic and famous families who have just come of age, it’s such a pity ……”

Arthur walked around the corner of the walkway and took a sharp, deep breath with his back against the wall.

In just a week’s time, he had already put on so many stage plays in a row, I’m afraid that even the most popular actors in London are not as intensive as his rehearsals.

He took out the handkerchief in his pocket and wiped the sweat, and was thinking of taking a break, but before he could catch his breath, his afterglow glimpsed his friends gathered outside the front window of a small building not far in front of him.

Dumas and the others were looking in and exclaiming their surprise.

“My God!”

“Is that Mr. Wheatstone? Do I simply hardly recognize him?”

“Is that Charles Wheatstone? I’d believe it if you covered his face and told me he was Elder Carter!”

And the apprentices of the Royal Society, each with a sweat on his forehead, shouted at the top of their voices toward the window, “Stop it now! Mr. Wheatstone, you stop the electricity, none of us are going in!”

Arthur went to the window and looked in, and though it was only a glance, the visual impact it brought to him was unparalleled; it was a light he had never seen before. The electric light shone on Arthur’s face, lighting up his face hidden in the shadow of his hat.

Arthur was silent for a few moments before he finally managed to speak at Wheatstone in the room, “Charles, take my advice, you can do anything you want, except don’t generate electricity here.”

(End of chapter)