Chapter 23: Dreamy Reality
Chapter 23: Dreamy Reality
The middle-aged gentleman with a black bowler hat and gold monocle on his head saw that Arthur didn’t respond, so he repeated his question.
“Excuse me, is this Officer Arthur Hastings?”
Arthur slowly turned around as he noticed the familiar face of the other man.
“You asked for me?”
The middle-aged gentleman smiled as he removed the white glove on his right hand and extended his hand at Arthur, “Not looking for you, but waiting for you.”
Arthur held the other’s hand in a bit of a trance, “Have you been waiting for me for a long time?”
“Not long.” The middle-aged gentleman smiled, “Only two days, I thought you wouldn’t come back.”
“Two days?” Arthur asked, “What are you waiting for me for?”
The middle-aged gentleman waved at the servant behind him, and soon, a document was delivered to him.
The middle-aged gentleman smiled and lifted the document and shook it in front of Arthur, “Look, of course I’m here to send you a letter of thanks from the police.”
Hearing this, Arthur smiled helplessly, “You should know that I am no longer a police officer.”
“No harm done.”
After speaking, the middle-aged gentleman asked again, “If you don’t mind, can you come with me, I still have some gifts at the back that I wish to present to you together. Even though you have already decided to leave your job, I still wish to offer this thanks from the citizens of London for your fair law enforcement.”
Arthur was about to refuse, but the Red Devil suddenly surfaced again.
Agareth side-stepped, “Arthur, even if your ten pounds in savings can make it to America, you won’t have much left when you get there. Accept his gift, this is what you deserve! You still have to eat, I don’t want you to starve to death on the street, your level of villainy can be too hard to find these days.”
Arthur heard this and also felt that Agareth had a point.
So after hesitating for a moment, he accepted the middle-aged gentleman’s request.
“Thank you very much for your kind donation, I probably do need this gift now.”
The middle-aged gentleman just smiled, he didn’t say anything, but led Arthur to stand on the step platform heading to the second floor.
Just as Arthur felt puzzled, the middle-aged gentleman suddenly turned around and spoke at everyone behind him.
“Recently, the Adam Evans theft case, which is supervised by the Greater London Police Department, has received widespread attention from the citizens of London and the public of Great Britain.
The Times, the Manchester Guardian, and other well-known media outlets have published stories about the excellent performance of Scotland Yard’s Greenwich District Constable, Sergeant Arthur Hastings, in the Magistrate’s Court, and the citizens of London have praised Sergeant Arthur’s behavior.
Such behavior also led to extensive discussion among MPs in the House of Commons and calls for amendments to the Blood Act in the Supreme Court.
All of this was due to the tireless efforts of Sergeant Arthur Hastings.
Sergeant Arthur’s performance in the Magistrates’ Courts was exemplary, providing the public with an image of a just, honorable and responsible police officer.
He has perfectly adhered to the historic tradition and professional code of the Police Instructions that ‘the police are the public and the public are the police’.
This is precisely the goal that Scotland Yard has been tirelessly pursuing since its establishment.
Therefore ……”
The middle-aged gentleman announced aloud as he unfolded the document in his hand at the crowd.
“Robert Peel, Minister in Charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Supreme Administrator of Scotland Yard, hereby reads the 23rd Order of the Home Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for the current year.
After discussion in the Internal Executive Council of the Ministry of the Interior, combined with the joint recommendation of the Inspectors General of Police of the five major police districts of the Greater London Police Service, and respecting the strong voices of the general public of London.
After careful consideration, the Home Office has decided to exercise its powers under internal regulations to formally reject the application for resignation made in respect of Sergeant Arthur Hastings, Inspector of Police for the Greenwich District of the London Metropolitan Police. Arthur Hastings was promoted on merit to the rank of Inspector of Police for the Greenwich District of the East London Region of the London Metropolitan Police, with four Divisional Sergeants, 144 Sergeant Constables, and four Inspectorates, including RG1, RG2, RG3 and RG4.
This resolution is effective immediately from the date of the Executive Order.”
As soon as Sir Peel’s words left his mouth, the office hall erupted into a neatly organized standing ovation.
Arthur turned around in a trance, and he saw that his colleagues were all facing the direction he was in, each standing as if they were a sharp sword.
“Salute the Inspector of the Greater London Police, Arthur Hastings!”
There was a holler, and countless hands were raised to the tips of their brows in a neat, synchronized motion.
Arthur felt like his mind was in turmoil; even when he had faced Willox’s attack a moment ago, he had never been as weak as this, so weak that he had needed to hold on to the stair railing beside him in order to stand.
But even though he had run out of strength, he used the last ounce of energy in his body to raise his hand to his brow.
His salute was as standard as his colleagues’.
Sir Pierre smiled and handed the warrant in his hand to the dazed Arthur.
“Sergeant Arthur, if you don’t agree with our decision to reject your resignation application, you can also go to the civil court to sue the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Of course, I don’t really want to see that happen. In the best case scenario, I still hope that you will accept this warrant for the sake of me as your friend.”
A sergeant carrying a shoulder patch with three V symbols came up the steps and stood in front of Arthur, holding a brand new police uniform and a shoulder patch inlaid with three Bass star medallions.
He first saluted towards Arthur with a serious face, and then vibrated his voice.
“Welcome back to the force! Sir!”
Arthur’s hand hovered over the familiar police uniform, and after hesitating for a moment, he finally pressed his sweaty palm reassuringly on the Greater London Police Department’s emblem.
Seeing this, those police officers who stood at attention and saluted finally couldn’t hold back their inner excitement, and they cheered as they crushed and tore up the newspapers on the table and threw them all into the sky.
Newspaper fragments fell like snowflakes in every corner of the office.
But from the fragments of the newspaper, Arthur could still vaguely distinguish some of the news headlines and contents with difficulty.
–The conscience of Great Britain is beating at Scotland Yard.
–The glory of Great Britain, we are very fortunate to have such distinguished police officers
–Citizens of London Make Appeal to Keep Sergeant Arthur Hastings
–Police Officer Arthur as I see him, an interview with Charles Dickens, Clerk of the Court.
–The Duke of Sussex presents to the House of Commons the joint signatures of eight hundred jurors urging Parliament to complete as soon as possible the legislation for the revision of the Blood Code
–The House of Commons is expected to join the Supreme Court in a hearing seminar as soon as this week
— Home Secretary Robert Peel addresses the House of Commons: it’s time we made a change!
–Police Officer Arthur graduated from the University of London, that atheist college on Gower Street
–But no one was more of a pure believer than he was, and God was in his heart
–The Duke of Wellington, the iron Prime Minister, forced the King to obey his orders, and the Catholic Emancipation Bill was successfully voted through the House of Lords.
–Non-Patriarchs will have the same rights as Catholics and will be able to hold public office without hindrance.
–The civil war was canceled! All parties in Ireland say they will put aside their prejudices and work together to build a strong Britannia
-The King was so bereaved by the passage of the new bill that it was said that his cowardly cries could be heard all night long at Windsor Castle.
–Oxford bitterly criticized the Catholic Emancipation Bill, which they saw as a departure from the historical traditions of Great Britain
-Oxford angrily withdrew their support for Lord Peel in the House of Commons, because Lord Peel had broken his promise to hold the Emancipation Bill for them in Parliament.
–Sir Peel has officially changed his constituency from Oxford
–Sir Peel responds to Oxford’s accusation that while Catholic Emancipation is a great danger, the Civil War is an even greater one. He who maintains his preconceptions after circumstances have changed is but a slave to his own vanity. Non-Patriots can be equally virtuous and talented, as represented by Sergeant Arthur.
–The Duke of Wellington: I am grateful to my friend Peel for his support for the Bill, and he has done a great deal in the House of Commons.
Arthur looked at the unreal picture, and he could not help covering his forehead.
He muttered, “My God, am I really not dreaming here?”
(End of chapter)