Chapter 385: Mr. Hastings’ Charms

Chapter 381: Mr. Hastings Admires

Arthur fiddled with the report in his hand, and returned with a sigh of relief.

“An actress? How is it that I don’t seem at all surprised by this choice of Alexander’s. And it doesn’t seem to be the first time I’ve heard about actresses. When Mr. Vidocq was a rash boy, his lover was also an actress a few years his senior. Our former Prime Minister, Sir Canning, was even the son of an actress.”

Louis asked as he dragged out his chair and sat down across from Arthur, taking off his hat and tossing it on the table:
“But while there are a lot of stories about actresses, most of the stories don’t have very happy endings. Most of the actresses have had more emotional experiences and their minds are much more claustrophobic and deeper than the average girl.

Didn’t you say that before? Mr. Vidocq’s lover only teased him as an interesting little pet, and kicked him away when she got tired of playing with him.

As for Sir Canning’s mother, it was even worse. Sir Canning hadn’t seen her a few times since he was a child, which was probably one of the major reasons for his paranoid personality.

It’s fine if Alexander was just having a moment, but if he played himself into it, then I really don’t know what to say.”

Arthur casually responded as he tossed the papers towards the table.

“There’s absolutely no need for you to worry about that, Alexander isn’t as devoted as you think, if there’s really any woman who can make him fall in, then I’d really like to see what kind of stunning beauty she is. You don’t know, I haven’t seen him bring the same woman home in the last six months. His efficiency in this regard is practically the same as his writing speed.”

Hearing this, Louis couldn’t help but say enviously, “I’m not doubting Alexander’s charm, but he not only has to serialize novels and adapt scripts every day, but he also has to go and review the popular literature manuscripts of The Englishman, can’t he fill up his time with so much work? Is he magic? It’s amazing that he can find time to deal with so many women at once under these circumstances!”

“Yes, times are changing, so only those who can keep up with the times will be able to seize the lead. Viscount Palmerston is one, and Earl Lyndhurst is another, but they obviously haven’t noticed the most valuable thing yet.”

Arthur lifted his teacup and said, “I can’t wait for him to take all the widows in London, Alexander has done Scotland Yard an outstanding service in helping the poor. And he’s clearly enjoying it himself, which is a godsend, and I have no desire to change the status quo. The only downside is that Alexander’s tastes seem to have changed now that he’s rich. He is no longer interested in washerwomen and maids as he once was, and, as you say, he now likes actresses.”

Louis smiled broadly and shrugged his shoulders, “Arthur, if you let the newspaper reporters hear these words, your caricatured portrait will be on the front page of The Times tomorrow.”

Louis stifled a laugh and asked, “So you didn’t try to talk him down a little?”

Arthur spoke up, “I think you still don’t understand him well enough. If you have such a large group of lovers and have the same spending habits as Alexander, you would definitely need to work so hard too. He not only spends money on himself, but he also supports his current mistresses, his past mistresses, their families, and their children.

“That’s not so bad.” Arthur snickered, “I’m still on good terms with Mr. Thomas Barnes, the editor-in-chief of the Times, and at the very least I’ve supplied him with Mr. Harrison’s press material.”

“Persuade? Why would I advise?”

“The most valuable thing?”

“Are you really sure you are still on good terms with that Jupiter of the Times?”

Arthur sipped his tea and mused, “At the very least we are not on as bad terms as he is with Viscount Palmerston.”

Perhaps that was a big reason why he had recruited Mr. Disraeli into the Tory party. Although The Cockney was not known for its editorials, the fledgling Cockney was already indistinguishable from older literary magazines like Blackwood when it came to circulation per issue. You can never go wrong with investing in a major shareholder in The Brit at a time like this.”

Entering the door was an apprehensive looking Sergeant Tom, the little cobbler from Northumberland who was obviously still too uncomfortable with his new rank and duties.

Tom was more than happy about his rocketing promotion, he was rather terrified.

Arthur turned around and looked at his jittery old friend and joked, “The Bass Star badge is quite a match for you, but if you want to do a good job in the Intelligence Bureau’s Records Management Center, you can’t rely solely on the vocabulary you learned from Sunday school, you need to work hard at your studies.”

Louis returned, “Viscount Palmerston seems to have put a strict ban on Times reporters stepping through the doors of the Foreign Office. For the most part, he will now only express his views in his mouthpiece, the Morning Post. It’s a strange phenomenon, I have to say.

Tom put down the documents in his hand and sat on the chair and sighed, “Arthur …… me …… I will definitely learn well. But in the end, I am still a farmer in the bones, do this kind of paperwork, where I can compare to those grammar school out of high school students. Really can not, you …… either go and Luo Wan director to say a word, or transfer me back to the first line to do hard labor.”

Now there are at least dozens of households in the city of London that are relying on Alexander’s income from manuscripts to eat, which is also the fundamental reason why this fat man, who clearly earned a lot of money from “The Count of Monte Cristo,” is still penniless in his bank account.”

Whereas once upon a time a single word from ministers could determine whether a newspaper lived or died, now the situation seems to have been reversed. The attitude of the press can make or break a cabinet. It is no wonder that the Earl of Lyndhurst thinks that Thomas Barnes may be the most powerful man in England at present.

Arthur sniffed and took out a document from the drawer and threw it towards Tom: ”Don’t say these demoralizing words, whether you’re good or not, you can’t say it, I’m the one who will write your year-end evaluation report. However, Tom, you are right, you are indeed no better than a grammar school middle school student now.

“That’s true.”

Louis looked at Arthur, and just as he was about to ask Arthur what exactly he was talking about, the office door was suddenly pushed open.

So, in order to solve this problem, I’ve enrolled you in the police training course organized by the department in cooperation with the University of London. During the period of your participation in the training, the work of the records management center will be left to Louis for the time being. Of course, the training is not for you to touch the fish.

Because the training will not only be attended by our PIS people, other departments of Scotland Yard will also have middle-level police officers to participate in the training together. Therefore, while I am recommending you to attend the training course, I also hope that I can make a timely request of you, that is, your evaluation at the end of the training course should not be at least lower than your son’s.

I have already seen the report card of these two brats, Adam and Aaron, the two brats did very well in the school’s final exams, getting A’s in Greek and Latin, and the last time the two of them came to Scotland Yard to play, they also gave me a live recitation of a passage from Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, which really amazed me. Tom, you don’t want to admit that you have a lower level of intelligence than an eight or nine year old brat, do you?”

Tom’s face instantly reddened when he heard this, “How is that possible? I was weak in my heart because I didn’t have the opportunity to receive an education. Since I have the opportunity to go to the University of London to further my education, then I definitely have no problem with my work ability after studying.”

Arthur looked at this old buddy who finally hardened his heart and finally let out a sigh of relief.

Although Tom’s ability was not considered top-notch in Scotland Yard, to Arthur, what was most lacking in the Police Intelligence Bureau was not a capable cadre, but a guy like Tom who had a strong moral character.

In many key departments of the Intelligence Bureau, what Arthur needs is not a progressive young man who can make achievements, but an honest man who can withstand temptation and will not lay mines for him in the dark.

While listening to intelligence is important, keeping secrets is the foundation of everything.

Of course, Arthur’s need for honest people does not mean that progressive young people have no use in the Intelligence Bureau.

Thinking of this, Arthur opened his mouth and asked, “Has Ledley arrived yet?”

“I came over to inform you of this yet.” Tom turned his head and shouted at the door, “Ledley, come in.”

As soon as Tom’s words left his mouth, he heard a crisp, hard stomping sound from outside the door.

Sheriff Ledley King, Scotland Yard’s Progressive Young Man of the Year, jogged into the house with his fists clenched and raised to waist level with his belt, fists turned inward, elbows slightly inward together.

Watching him swing his arms in a single bound, it was as if he seemed to be not a Scotland Yard policeman, but a highly trained close-guard cavalryman.

Ledley stood at attention, snapped his legs up and turned around, saluted with his face toward Arthur, and said, “Ledley King, Police Secretary for the East London Region of the Greater London Constabulary’s Tawr Hamlets Police District, presents his compliments!”

Louis and Tom exchanged glances, both of them seeing a hint of an odd smile in the other’s eyes.

But Arthur was not half tempted to laugh, and he had heard a lot about this Ledley kid.

If said a little more elegant, that is, this kid enterprising, but because of the age is not big, lack of experience, so in some work methods still lack of consideration.

If you say a little more vulgar, that is, in order to get promoted and get rich by any means, not loyal to the Scotland Yard dishonest, not the same as the table, the public, deceiving the top and the bottom, engage in two-faced, do both sides, in the political and practical level of the Scotland Yard’s reputation in society has caused a lot of adverse effects. For what Ledley has done, an internal warning or a serious warning should be given. It does not preclude the imposition of a punishment of dismissal from the police force or probation, even to the extent of elevating it to the high-profile and severe punishment of dismissal from the police force.

Arthur lit his pipe and threw the matchbook on the desktop, he stared at Ledley for half a day and leisurely puffed out a puff of smoke.

“Ledley.”

“Here!”

Arthur lifted his hand slightly and raised his head at him, “Take it easy, there’s nothing else to call you over here today, just sit down.”

“Yes sir!”

Ridley moved a step across the room and sat upright.

If one were to judge from his decent, stalwart expression alone, which was practically impossible to pick out, it would probably be impossible for anyone to guess how much assholery the kid had done behind his back.

About how much of an asshole Ledley really was, Louis beside Arthur was very vocal about it.

After all, when Ledley’s first step to the throne, is from the first horse broke into the Regency Crescent House to arrest him, the Bonaparte family’s royal family.

Arthur clamped his pipe, lowered his head and flipped through the documents in front of him, and only the rustling sound of turning pages could be heard in the large office.

In the midst of a silence, Arthur’s hoarse voice broke the silence.

“Ledley, take off your epaulettes.”

Ledley was about to rise like a spring when he heard Arthur call him, but when he heard the second half of the sentence, his legs, which had just straightened, suddenly went limp again.

It was obviously such a stuffy room, but Ledley felt as if he had fallen into an ice hole.

He had thought that Arthur had called him over today with some good news, but he had never expected to be greeted with such a bolt from the blue no matter what.

“Am I …… sir …… hearing wrong?”

Arthur put down that document, looked up and asked, “What did you hear?”

“I ……” Ledley grinned his head straight up, “I heard …… you order me to take off my epaulettes? ”

“Well, you heard right.” Arthur got up and poured him a glass of wine and handed it to him, “You don’t look too well, a drink to slow you down?”

“Not at all, sir!” Ridley stood up and saluted, “Your orders, I am determined to carry them out!”

At the end of his words, Laidley snapped his fingers on the brief with a fierce determination and a clench of his teeth, only two swishes could be heard, and the Sergeant’s shoulder patch of three V’s had been consecrated in the palm of his hand.

Arthur looked at him and nodded slightly, then nonchalantly squeezed the two epaulettes in his hand, “Very good, Ledley, you carried out the orders well.”

Arthur turned around and pulled open the file cabinet drawer, casually sealing the shoulder patches that Ledley considered his lifeblood permanently.

However, before he could turn around, he heard Ledley’s voice ringing out behind him, “Sir, the order was carried out with determination, but I need a reason!”

“Reason?”

Arthur picked through the file cabinet and pulled out two long-prepared documents from it, and raised them at Ledley, “The reasons are all here, the one on the left represents your past, and the one on the right represents your future, it’s up to you to choose which one.”

“Past? Future?” Ridley frowned, he didn’t understand what Arthur meant, “Can’t I choose both?”

“Choose both? No, no way.”

Arthur leaned against the corner of the table with his glass propped up, “There’s no such precedent in Intelligence, and I don’t intend to set one, but as someone who’s been there before, I happen to have some insight into doing multiple choice questions, would you like to hear about it?”

Ridley pursed his lips, there was nothing left for him to worry about when it came down to it.

“It would be an honor to have your guidance.”

Arthur smiled at his words and spoke, “As a person from the past, I don’t advise you to choose the past, because what happened in the past, you know it by heart. You’re a smart person, so you don’t need to revisit to learn a lesson from the past. But the future, that’s different, the future represents unknown possibilities and new challenges and opportunities.”

“Challenges and opportunities?”

As soon as Ridley heard these two keywords, his dimmed gaze instantly lit up again, his heart thumped wildly, it was as if he had already guessed Arthur’s subtext, but before he could be happy about it, he still needed to get a hundred percent certainty from Arthur’s mouth.

“Long …… sir, I choose the future.”

Arthur smiled at his words and handed the document symbolizing the future to Ledley’s hand, “It seems everyone was right, Ledley, you’re really on the up and up. Since you chose the future, the past is written off.”

He raised his hand and threw the document symbolizing the past directly into the burning fireplace, accompanied by the orange firelight leaping, there was also Arthur’s glittering red eyes.

Under Arthur’s gaze, Ledley slowly unwrapped the pouch with shaking hands, and just as he drew out the corner of the document, the headline imprinted on his eyes shook Ledley to the core.

A Feasibility Proposal for the Establishment of the London Police Intelligence Bureau’s Special Apprehension Squad under the Greater London Police Department.

Ledley’s head snapped up.

Arthur was raising his glass to smile at him and congratulate him, ”Ledley, from today onwards, you have been drawn into the London Police Intelligence Bureau, with your rank header number changed from MPS to PIS, and placed under the serial jurisdiction of the Intelligence Bureau. When the transfer procedures are approved, remember to go to the Logistics Management Office to collect your new uniform and new epaulettes.

Of course, I have to say this up front. Transferring you here does not mean promotion, because you will face a very difficult task once you enter the Police Intelligence Bureau. I won’t make it difficult for you if you feel you’re not up to it. The Intelligence Bureau has always been very democratic in this regard, and I don’t want you to think that I’m forcing you to do a job you don’t like.”

Ledley’s entire body practically shook with excitement at hearing this, and he hurriedly stood at attention and saluted, fearing that the slightest hesitation would allow this opportunity to slip through his fingers, “Of course, Chief, I submit to democracy one hundred percent! Constable Ledley King, on call twenty-four hours a day, at your service!”

“Very well. In that case ……”

Arthur took the appointment papers he had just drafted this morning from his desk and gently blew the ink marks on them dry.

“Ledley, I, Arthur Hastings, Assistant Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police and Director of the London Police Intelligence Service, hereby formally authorize you to form the Police Intelligence Service’s Special Operations Division Five.”

(End of chapter)