Chapter 97: I want the Tories dead.
Chapter 97: I Want the Tories Dead
A townhouse with an outside garden on the outskirts of London’s West End.
The servant on duty outside the carved black iron gate saw a carriage slowly approaching.
The wheels came to a sudden stop, and a gentleman with a large brimmed hat and a black tuxedo, carrying a fine gift, descended from the carriage.
His back looked wide, his waist was straight, and he walked as if he were in a marching formation, a posture that showed he had served in the army.
The servant saw the face of the visitor and hurriedly greeted him with a smile, he first took the gift from the other’s hand, then bowed slightly and said.
“Superintendent Clemens, Mr. Viscount has been waiting for a long time.”
Clemens straightened his straight vertical collar and nodded his head, “Please take me there.”
Led by the servant, the two of them walked through the garden walkway and into the villa’s parlor.
The parlor was not particularly large, but it was exquisitely and abundantly decorated, and a specimen of a deer’s head hung over the fireplace in sight, with a line of tags beneath it, which recorded that the head had been hunted in 1811 in Brolands.
Directly opposite the fireplace, on the other hand, were several sofas and an exotic-looking circular rug.
Just as Clemens was about to sit down, he suddenly realized with embarrassment that there was actually a pair of semi-transparent triangular panties with lace trim hidden in the crevice of the sofa.
From this style and design, it should have belonged to a lady with a low status.
Seeing this, the servant rushed forward and stowed the panties in his coat pocket, and he apologized politely to Clemens in embarrassment.
“As you know, Mr. Viscount has always been very charming, the ladies of the Ormac Club are very fond of him, and often hold reading salons here, so it’s only natural to leave some of his belongings behind once in a while.”
When Clemens heard the servant say this, he could only pretend to be confused as he nodded his head and said, “When His Excellency the Viscount served in the Ministry of War, he didn’t fail to take more care of the Close Guard Cavalry Regiment that I was a part of. You don’t need to explain so much to me, I am also considered his old subordinate ……”
Although Clemens didn’t dare to pry too much, he couldn’t help the gossiping mentality after all.
He secretly glanced at the staircase leading to the second floor and the door of the next room until he confirmed that the Viscount had not yet arrived, and only then did he boldly and carefully ask.
“However, although I know that His Excellency the Viscount is very popular with the noblewomen, but after all, he is also so old, and this time’s I don’t know if it’s ……”
Seeing that he was so curious, the servant could only look around in a mysterious manner, and then read in a low voice: “Princess Levine, the wife of the Russian ambassador ……”
“Ah ……” Clemens realized, “that makes sense then, I’ve heard of Princess Levine, my wife mentioned it to me, she said that the noblewomen of London privately refer to her as … …”
Clemens had just gotten to this point when the servant suddenly coughed violently, and the sensible police inspector hastened to stop talking.
As expected, he had just shut up when a familiar voice came from behind him.
“Clemens, what are you standing for? Feel free to find a place to sit.”
Clemens turned his head to see that it was a middle-aged man in civilian clothes who was wiping his wet hair with a bath towel.
After the man finished wiping his head, he handed the towel in his hand to a servant and casually found a sofa to sit down, looking at the frozen Clemens in disbelief, he asked, “Are you sick? Why do I feel that your spirit is not quite right today? Would you like some gin?”
Clemens’ heart sank slightly as he looked at him in this freshly showered state.
Princess Levine couldn’t have left yet, could she?
He hurriedly found a sofa with his back to the room and the stairs and sat upright, before he spoke, “Scotland Yard has been working too much lately, you should have seen it in the newspaper, right? The matter of the murder and body theft case has stirred up Scotland Yard.
Sir Peel was furious over it, and the Duke of Wellington even ordered the military and police to join in the action. The big guys were busy for a month before it was all over a while ago.”
The Viscount lifted the teapot on the table to pour tea while speaking, “Heh! Pierre just likes to compete on such insignificant trivialities, grabbing a hotspot and then making a strong momentum, trying to distract the public’s attention.
That little policeman who gave a speech in court before was, and so is this murder and theft case, more people die every day in the city of London, if he really wanted to crack down on this gang of corpse sellers, why did he push for the repeal of the Bloody Act before?
If I were to do this, I would have slaughtered all the body thieves. If I can’t touch the doctors, I can’t touch those grave-digging rats?
Hmph! Pierre is a combination of contradictions; on the one hand he’s soft-hearted, and on the other he wants to establish order. Where in heaven’s name is that good?”
Clemens couldn’t help but feel his heart tighten when he heard this.
The Viscount was about to take a sip from his teacup, but as soon as he raised his eyes he noticed Clemens’ subtle change in demeanor.
Thus, his action of drinking tea lurched as he held his teacup and asked, “Clemens, you’re not involved in this case, are you?” “No, of course not.” Clemens spoke, “As you also know, although I like wealth, but this little thing, I don’t see it yet.”
The Viscount stared at him for a while before putting down his teacup and said, “Alright, I believe you. But I still have to remind you that you are not particularly old and still have a promising future. The Tory party can’t hold out any longer, and when Wellington goes down, the Whig party will be able to come to power.
From my observation of the party and my understanding of the situation, once the Whigs come to power, the successor to the Prime Minister should be Earl Charles Grey.
I am on good terms with Earl Grey, and my position within the party is fairly secure, so I may be able to get a cabinet position from him, either in the Treasury or the Home Office, but of course, the one I personally hope to get the most is the Foreign Office.
But whichever position I end up getting, you should be promoted, as a reward for your loyalty and as a recognition of your unfailing support during my time in opposition.
Clemens, you’ve done a good job, and I’ve gotten a lot of important information out of you since I left the Cabinet.”
The Viscount lifted his teacup and clinked it with Clemens as he smiled and spoke, “To our benefit.”
Clemens was originally smiling as he was about to drink his tea, but when he heard these words his smile suddenly froze as he asked, “Your Excellency the Viscount, you are such a jokester, isn’t it usually said, ‘May our friendship’?”
The Viscount laughed softly as he shook his head, “Friendship is all vanity, only benefits are real. Clemens, you’ve followed me for so long, how come you still don’t understand my personality? For me, there are no eternal friends, only eternal interests.
If it weren’t for my personality, why would I have rebelled against the Tories? Wellington, Peel, George Canning, William Huskisson, they’re all too insensitive. A competent politician is one who should do what is advantageous, whether to the country or to himself.
They should have had to think ahead to this end when they were planning to elect someone within the party to challenge my seat as MP for Cambridge.
I am a man who is very vindictive, and whoever offends me, I will ensure that he does not live.”
Clemens reluctantly accompanied a smile as he concurred, “You are right, Lord Palmerston. I’m also here today precisely because I want to relieve you of your worries, and I’ve discovered an opportunity that can help you defeat Wellington’s cabinet.”
“Whoa? You found a way to sabotage the reconciliation between Wellington and Huskisson?”
Palmerston took a sip of tea and shook his head slightly, “With all due respect, that kind of hierarchy is not for you to get involved in. I tried Huskisson’s lips some time ago, and Wellington didn’t know what kind of mesmerizing soup he had given him, and it seems like he’s really planning to go back with the gang of his men.”
“It’s not Mr. Huskisson. The reconciliation ceremony between him and the Duke of Wellington, the defense of the ribbon cutting for the opening of the Manchester-Liverpool Railway is in the hands of Inspector Hastings, a close confidant of Sir Peel’s, and I can’t intervene enough to create a problem between them.”
Palmerston read to himself with one arm supported on the arm of the sofa.
“Hastings? That Arthur Hastings? He’s a fast climber, and Peel’s willing to give him such an important job. If I let him continue to work for a few years, I’m afraid that the position of the director of the Greater London Police Department will also be his, right?”
Hearing this, Clemens knew that Palmerston was knocking himself, he smiled and complimented, “I’m not worried about that, he has Sir Peel, don’t I still have you on my side? I can assure you that this item will be very valuable to you.”
Palmerston was instantly interested at his words, and he probed and asked, “What have you found?”
Clemens drew a document from the leather bag he carried with him and respectfully handed it over.
“If you please, this is the information I got from Fred. It took me a lot of effort to pry his metal mouth open, the kid recently took a big job from the French government and kidnapped a French republican to be shipped back.”
Palmerston took the document and scanned it, and couldn’t help but snap his fingers in delight: “This bastard Fred, I can’t imagine that he can still do such a good thing. It seems that the order I gave back then to order him to retire straight away was still a bit harsh, if I had known that this kid would be so productive now, I would have kept him on.”
Clemens smiled and said, “Your order was not considered harsh, and Fred had it coming. Although leading soldiers should be stricter, he directly whipped two recruits to death, such behavior is still too violent.”
Palmerston pursed his lips and nodded, “Fair enough.”
He stood up and patted Clemens on the shoulder, “It’s nothing without Fred, don’t I still have you here? Clemens, I want you to do whatever it takes to make sure Fred gets that Frenchman to Paris.
As long as he can pull this off, I guarantee that the next day the whole London press will be all over it. As soon as Wellington’s Cabinet collapses, whether I end up in the Foreign Office, the Home Office or the Treasury, I can get you a good position.
Well …… perhaps all these positions are too clerical for you. How about this, are you interested in taking back control of something related to military affairs, I will consider looking for someone to transfer you to the General Ordnance Directorate.
Although the General Ordnance Department doesn’t care about cavalry and infantry, they are also responsible for engineers and artillery.”
Hearing this, Clemens couldn’t help but have a hint of joy floating on his eyebrows as he rose to attention and saluted, “There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests!”
Palmerston sniffed, leaning back on the sofa with his teacup, he smiled gently, “Clemens, I’m optimistic about you.”
(End of chapter)