Chapter 230: The Chameleon is the Badge of Politics (K4)
Chapter 229 – The Chameleon is the Badge of Politics (4K4)
As night fell, today’s London 1, Apsley House was lit up.
Although there was no one in Britain whose name was louder than that of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, the number of people participating in today’s banquet was not too large.
Perhaps it was because the number of people invited by the Duke was relatively small, or perhaps everyone was busy drawing a line in the sand with the former Prime Minister who had stepped down because of his opposition to the Parliamentary Reform Act, in short, the number of people attending the banquet was a little bit lukewarm compared to the large banquet hall.
Arthur stood in front of the window and watched the rain, which was darkened by the night, the finger-sized raindrops smashing the lights on the side of the road and causing them to sway.
He watched as a lone pedestrian stepped over the streetlight, his boots crashing into a puddle and splashing up a muddy spot, his figure soon disappearing into the rain with no end in sight.
Standing just behind Arthur, the Red Devil whispered, “Arthur, see? When it rains, even the shadows are absent. So if you don’t want to be abandoned, remember to walk in the sunshine all the time.
Why do you need to come into this muddy water, your reputation on the Whig side is also on the rise, and hanging out with Wellington at this time won’t do you any good. The position of director of the London Police Intelligence Service, can’t you still not exchange your heart?”
Hearing this, Arthur just glanced at the Red Devil, “I’m just here for a meal, Agares, why are you so bothered?”
“Is that so?” The Red Devil raised an eyebrow, “You have to know that your behavior today may have an impact on your experience in the next ten years, not everyone possesses the belly to tolerate others, especially for the Whigs who have returned to the ruling position after a thirty year absence.”
Arthur simply read, “If it’s just seeking a position, you can go all the way. But if it’s about trying to make something happen, then you need to balance all sides. Britain is not France, so there is no such thing as which faction will be thwarted when they step down. Even in France, it won’t take long for the faction that was thwarted to make a comeback, and that time may be ten years, or twenty years, but it will never be because someone says I don’t like it, and what he doesn’t like disappears from the world, not even if it’s God. God hates the devil so much, but Agareth, aren’t you alive and well now?”
When the red devil heard this, he just smiled gently, “Well, Arthur, since you are determined to do so, I won’t persuade you. But please be careful, you must not play yourself to death. Many people are just because they think they can do anything, and when they look back, they realize that they have already reached a situation where they have to die.
You may not believe it when you say it, but the greatest love that old thing God has for mankind is that he has given you foolish worms the equal right to die. Whether you’re the most devout believer or the most deviant atheist, everyone has only one life, and that’s perfectly fair.”
With those words, the Red Devil transformed into a pool of bubbles and disappeared into the hall.
When Arthur came back to his senses, he looked down only to realize that the glass of red wine he held in his hand was gone.
He shook his head and said, ”After all this talk, it’s still not about cheating some food? The Duke of Hell who commanded thirty-one demon legions is only so good.”
As soon as Arthur’s words fell, Dumas, who had been at the table surveying the pre-dinner desserts for all the guests to satiate their hunger and relieve their boredom, also circled back.
And accompanying Dumas was Vidocq, who had a gauze wrapped around his hand and had planned to plot to kidnap Dumas back home a few days ago.
Vidocq led Dumas to Arthur’s side and spoke in a lowered voice, “Come on, I’ve already informed Mr. Talleyrand in advance that he is willing to meet you.”
Arthur nodded, he and Vidocq walked along with each other while inquiring, “Is there anything we should pay attention to in a while?”
Vidocq thought for a moment and spoke, “Mr. Talleyrand is usually quite easygoing, but there is only one thing, he doesn’t like it when people mention his crippled leg. However, even if you mention it, as long as you don’t use offensive words, but rather make fun of it in a joking tone, Mr. Talleyrand usually won’t take it to heart.”
Dumas sniffed and bristled, “I reckon Louis XVI, Robespierre, Napoleon, Louis XVIII and the rest of them thought so back then.”
Vidocq stood outside the door of the recreation room, holding the doorknob with one hand and patting Dumas on the shoulder with the other, “Come on, Alexandre, it’s just a bunch of dead people, what’s the point of talking about them? But you have to understand that Mr. Talleyrand is alive now. And I have to be fair, you’re a young man, so you haven’t lived through those times, and Mr. Talleyrand is obviously a lot nicer to live with than these people you mentioned.”
With that, Vidocq knocked on the door, then pushed his way in and introduced himself, “Your Excellency, Mr. Dumas and Mr. Hastings have come to visit.”
Arthur stood in the doorway and peered inside, he had thought that this group of great men who had crisscrossed Europe must be talking about something of immense importance over glasses of red wine, however the sight in the recreation room left him feeling a little puzzled.
He only saw a few old men sitting around the card table playing poker, if not for their clothes and costumes each one of the most expensive, change the old man’s shirt and the last life in the park to see the old man playing chess is no different.
Talleyrand raised his head and looked at them, then threw out a Jack and said: ”Come in and sit down, it’s just canceling a wanted notice, what’s the big deal? Who hasn’t been wanted by the government when they were young? Vidocq, wasn’t it the same for me and you?”
Hearing this, Vidocq’s old face blushed in embarrassment as he corrected himself, “Your Excellency, I have long since reformed, I am now a good citizen of France.”
Talleyrand surveyed the card table as he spoke, “Good citizens can’t do police work well, let alone the security department.”
Vidocq was sweating as he listened and he complimented, “Your Excellency, I’m not a man of your intelligence, so you might as well not embarrass me while you take your time with Mr. Dumas and Mr. Hastings.”
With that, Vidocq gently brought the door closed and ran outside for a smoke.
Having lost a target, Talleyrand quickly shifted his sights to Dumas.
He patted the empty stool beside him and said, “Sit down, I know you young people have good health, but there is no need to show off in front of an old man like me.”
Dumas looked a bit stubborn, although he promised Arthur to have a good talk with Talleyrand, but when he came to the front, he couldn’t let go of the lump in his heart.
After all, the collapse of the French Republic, not less than Talleyrand’s share of the credit.
Of course, with the corresponding, Napoleon’s defeat is the same.
Arthur looked at him in this manner, just shook his head, and then pressed his friend to sit on the bench, he helplessly laughed: “Your Excellency, don’t be offended, the French republicans, you should know.”
Talleyrand just smiled at his words, “It’s nothing, Alexander is just like his father. But I must say, Alexander, I don’t like your father, but I don’t hate you yet.”
Dumas didn’t want to talk to Talleyrand, but when he heard this, he couldn’t help but turn his head and ask, “Why?” Talleyrand hit another pair of fives, “I have always believed that you cannot trust a man who was not a republican before he was thirty, nor should you trust a man who is still a republican after he is thirty. You are now in the former category, and your father is in the latter.”
Alexander echoed the words as he asked, “What …… is this about?”
Arthur sniffed and simply opened his mouth to add on Talleyrand’s behalf, “Because those who are not republicans before the age of thirty have no conscience, while those who remain republicans after thirty have no brains.”
Talleyrand couldn’t stop laughing as he sniffed and spoke at his old friends at the card table, “See, I told you that good citizens don’t make good policemen.”
Hearing this, Dumas couldn’t help but frown as he rushed at Arthur and asked, “So do you have a conscience?”
Hearing this, Arthur neither said yes nor no, he just calmly shot back, “Alexander, fishing for law enforcement is my job. Would you like to join Scotland Yard?”
Talleyrand was so amused by the two of them that he even put down the poker in his hand as he spoke, “Originally, when Vidocq told me that he had discovered a talent in Scotland Yard, the first thing that came to my mind was Fouche, that bastard with neither conscience nor feelings, but now it seems that you and Fouche are simply not the same at all.
If you were Fouche, you would have tied up Alexander, the fat boy, and made a private deal with us. But unlike Fouche it’s also quite good, after all, the situation in Britain and France is different, maybe a guy like you can get along here better than him.”
The friends on the sidelines sniffed and cooed, “Young man, you’re in luck today! Our Mr. Talleyrand, up to now, the success rate of his prophecies is one hundred percent, he said that Napoleon would fall, and Napoleon fell, he said that Robespierre would not be able to achieve anything, and Robespierre lost his head. Talleyrand, you were a bishop when you were young; did God tell you these things?”
Talleyrand snickered as well, “Of course, it was God who told me. You guys probably don’t know that back then when they chose me to be the prelate, I warned them: sooner or later you will regret it! At that time, the guys thought I was trying to scare them, but now they know how powerful they are.”
The friends sniffed and teased, “Really? And what language do you use when you talk to God?”
Talleyrand laughed out loud and said, “Spanish, of course. Don’t you all remember the words of Charles V? To communicate with God I speak Spanish, with women I speak Italian, with men I speak French, and with my horse I speak German.”
Arthur sniffed and added, “Communicating with the devil is not so troublesome, whether it is English, French or German, you just have to speak human.”
As soon as Arthur’s words left his mouth, they were met with another round of laughter.
Although Arthur didn’t know why this group of people were laughing, he was just stating a fact, yet it was always taken as a joke.
Agares, who was leaning against the rec room card table eating a sugar snap pea, heard this and simply spoke up, “It’s actually fine if you don’t speak human, the monkey and I can communicate just the same. I mean, if you’re willing to admit you’re a monkey.”
Arthur glanced at him and was about to speak when Dumas, sitting next to him, finally couldn’t hold his tongue.
He spoke up, “I’d like to ask a question.”
Talleyrand raised his eyebrows and said, “Go ahead, since I’m willing to meet you, I’m not afraid to talk to you about problems. I’ve had questions everywhere in my life, and I don’t have one more question from you. However, I guess what you’re going to ask is nothing more than those, why did I betray Napoleon, or why did I rebel against the Republic? My mouth is actually peeling from all these things, so which one are you planning to ask?”
“I’m willing to hear both, if you’re willing to answer.”
Talleyrand sighed with one hand resting on the card table, “Originally, at today’s banquet, I wanted to say something cheerful. But since you insist on hearing it, I’ll tell you.
Regarding the Republic, I expressed it in 1792 – the old monarchical beliefs collapsed, but the new ideas of freedom were not widely accepted, and I saw that France would be plunged into a sea of blood, a beastly time when there would be no justice, only violence.
The facts also prove my opinion, and I can say to you with all seriousness that you stand well before me because it is Talleyrand who sits before you. If it were Robespierre sitting here now, your head would have moved by this time.”
Dumas frowned: “I am a republican.”
“Wow, really?”
Talleyrand laughed, “Danton, Marat, Brissot, Ebel, Desmoulins, and so on, all of these men were republicans, and even Robespierre himself, who was guillotined. Do you dislike me because I object to their killing so indiscriminately?”
When Dumas heard this, he held his tongue for half a day, and finally spoke, “I think that with your ability you might be able to correct them.”
Talleyrand just shook his head, “Perhaps you still overestimate me, I have always felt that when making choices and taking a side, the first thing to understand is whether or not the side that suits us is enough to allow us to achieve victory, without such assurance, getting involved would be madness. And at that point, it was clear that the group was going crazy, and whichever side you got involved in was asking for your own demise.”
“So that’s why you ran abroad during that time?”
“Absolutely.”
“And what about your subsequent betrayal of Napoleon?”
Hearing this, Talleyrand simply spoke, “I didn’t betray Napoleon, but rather Napoleon betrayed France, I warned him not to launch an expedition against Russia, but he was insistent on doing so, bringing the entire French nation to extinction. In that case, is there anything wrong with me finding a way back for the entire population of France in advance?
Napoleon left France with a large number of orphans and widows, collapsed state finances, and a shabby domestic economy, while I at least secured for France at the Congress of Vienna the surrender terms of no cession of land, no reparations, and no return of the spoils of war that had been plundered before. I wouldn’t have wanted to take credit for it so much, but Alexander, if you have to say how much Napoleon benefited France, I disagree.
But you’re a young man, so I don’t blame you for not having lived through that tumultuous period. I’ve seen too many people who claimed to be able to save France in this past half century. But what did they bring to France in the end? Have you really thought about it seriously?
Those thirty years were filled with capriciousness and moralizing, but behind all that moralizing was an endless career of brutal killing. No one cared about the people who starved to death, the families of soldiers killed in action could not receive their pensions, the streets of the cities were full of weeds, and there were always wars being fought but no one was really winning.
For those thirty years, France was always being saved by all kinds of people for all kinds of reasons, and I got used to it a long time ago. But it’s good that that time is over, but, Alexander, this next statement of yours is important, and you’d better think it over before you answer. Are you going to tell me that you are prepared to be next?”
(End of chapter)