shadow of britain

Chapter 108 France's First Offensive

Amidst a cloud of dust and smoke, Arthur helped the expensive French fat man walk up the stairs step by step to the deck.

And in Arthur's coat pocket, there was a white and clean receipt, which was the deposit that Fred got when he kidnapped someone - a bearer check for five hundred pounds from the Rothschild Bank.

While helping the fat man up, Arthur asked, "You really are not cheap, you have a deposit of [-] pounds, if you bring you back to Paris, the bounty I get is probably tempting even me. What is the identity of this fat French man? Why is he worth so much money?"

Hearing this, the fat French man couldn't help but glared at Arthur beside him: "Although I'm very polite, if you call me that derogatory title again, I will refuse to answer any questions!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I really shouldn't have used that derogatory prefix. It really lacks basic courtesy and respect."

Arthur realized that he had been rude, and he smiled apologetically: "So, fat man, what is your identity?"

When the French fat man heard this, his face turned red with anger, and he cursed: "So in the English dictionary, 'France' is more insulting than 'fat man'!"

Arthur nodded embarrassingly and said, "How can you reveal this secret? Well, since you don't like this name, I'll call you by your alias. Do you like me to call you 'Friday' or 'Robin'?" "Son'? I have to say, your alias is very strange. Only those who haven't read Robinson Crusoe don't know that you are making fun of them."

After hearing this, the French fat man just squeezed out a breath from his nasal cavity. He snorted and grabbed his collar.

"You don't understand, there is a meaning to my alias."

"Oh? Can I hear the detailed reason?"

The fat man glanced at Arthur and said, "Because my fate is the same as Robinson Robinson's. Because of unfortunate encounters, we all left the civilized world and came to a wild island where civilization cannot be seen."

When Arthur heard this, he couldn't help but stop, and stared at the Frenchman seriously.

He pursed his lips and said with a smile: "What you said, it seems that you don't read carefully. Don't you know that Robinson Crusoe was an English sailor? "Robinson Crusoe" is the representative work of the British writer Daniel Defoe ah!"

"Oh! Really? It seems that Robinson Crusoe is more unfortunate than I am, at least I have seen civilization!"

After finishing speaking, the Frenchman glared at Arthur angrily, then shook off Arthur's arm, and didn't want him to help him, but limped up on his own in a fit of anger.

Arthur grabbed the loose hair on his forehead and stroked it back. He laughed dumbly and said, "It's just a joke, why are you so angry? The French really can't afford it."

Agares sat on the edge of the stairs, and the Red Devil slapped his legs and laughed until tears came out.

"Arthur, you don't understand, this humble fat man has the highest aggressiveness in France for hundreds of years."

"Really?" Arthur shook his head and said, "If he wants to live in England, he'd better get rid of his bad temper. But I have to admit that in some respects he is even better than Napoleon, who is deeply loved by the French people." Great Emperor."

The Red Devil raised his eyebrows: "Give me an example."

"An example?"

Arthur stroked his wrinkled gloves, and said lightly: "For example, Napoleon was unable to set foot on the land of Great Britain until his death, but this fat man did. From this perspective, his attack is indeed stronger than Napoleon's." Sharper."

As soon as Arthur finished speaking, he chased after him with light steps, leaving only the sound of the red devil rolling on the ground laughing behind him.

"Arthur, you are the most aggressive person in the 19th century! If that fat man heard this, he would have to pounce on you and strangle you to death!"

When Arthur heard this, his footsteps stopped suddenly, and he sensed something wrong from Agares' words.

He thought about it: "You mean, this person has something to do with Napoleon? Could it be his relative? But if it is a relative, isn't the five hundred pounds deposit that the Frenchman gave for kidnapping someone a bit small?"

Agares looked at Arthur's suspicious expression, and said triumphantly, "Just guess, let me tell you, his relationship with Napoleon is not too far but not too close, anyway, with Napoleon No blood relationship. If you want to know, kill me a few more pirates."

Arthur stood in front of the hatch and glanced back at the red devil: "You are really full of business. Agares, what about your promise? What about your ability? Can't you answer all the mysteries in the world? Just For such a trivial matter, how many more lives do you have the nerve to ask me for?"

Just as Arthur has become immune to the words of the Red Devil, the Red Devil does not eat Arthur's excitement now.

He pushed his glasses, flipped through the heavy book in his hand, and said, "Arthur, you should save your energy. Today you have overkill, including Fred just now, you are on the Black Thorn A total of thirteen lives were taken from top to bottom. The three that got rich, just let me share the identity information of the Frenchman I told you, do you think it will work?"

Arthur ignored the red devil's invitation to trade, he pushed open the hatch and said, "Forget it, if you don't want to tell me, I'll ask him myself. The extra three will be stored with you first, remember to calculate the interest for me."

The Red Devil hurriedly closed the book upon hearing this, pointing at Arthur's back and cursing angrily.

"Arthur, Arthur! The strongest voice in Scotland Yard! Hastings force, the master of electromagnetism! The most aggressive in the 19th century! Hey! Fuck you, I call you! You will be the Messiah in the future Why are you not arrogant at all?!"

Arthur walked out of the hatch, and as far as he could see, they were all the sailors of the Blackthorn who were surrendered by the marines with their guns on their heads.

And the fat French man was leaning on the half-broken mast, clutching his sore waist.

Seeing Arthur coming, the marine commander twitched the corner of his mouth with a smile, and even the winding scar on his right cheek twisted along with it.

He stepped forward, took out the pipe in his pocket and handed it to Arthur.

He nodded and signaled Arthur to hold it, and then he took out a match from his pocket and lit it for him himself.

The commander put his arms around Arthur's shoulder with a smile: "Good job, brother! I haven't fought such a hearty boarding battle for a long time. The last time I fought so well was when I followed the 'Black Clown' on the coast of West Africa. When the ship hit the slave ship."

Arthur exhaled the smoke ring, breathed a sigh of relief, then handed the pipe back, signaling the commander to take a puff too.

He asked, "Is the slave trade rampant in West Africa?"

The commander took a sip, nodded, and said, "Isn't it? Portuguese, Spaniards, everyone. There is no way. No matter whether it is South America or North America, slaves are needed. As long as there is demand, there will be trade.

But thanks to these slave traders, we sailors who served in the slave fleet can usually make a few bucks from them.In addition to paying attention to infectious diseases such as malaria, the income is much higher than working in the local fleet. "

Having said that, the commander raised his head at the fat French man on the side again: "So, this is the person you want to bring back? As soon as he came out of the cabin, he blew French dirty mouth on the deck. Take care that he almost kicked him into the sea."

Arthur raised his eyebrows and asked, "You can kick him down, but do you know how to rescue a Frenchman who fell into the water?"

The commander shook his head regretfully and said, "Sorry, I really don't know about this."

When the marines passing by heard this, they couldn't help but whistled: "I don't know? It would be great if I didn't know!"

As soon as the few people finished speaking, there was a burst of laughter on the ship, and even the crew of the Black Thorn who surrendered couldn't help grinning.

The French fat man blushed and pointed at a group of people and cursed: "Be polite! I won't allow you to insult a noble French artilleryman like this!"

"Oh?" Arthur and the commander smiled side by side: "Artillery? Are you still a second lieutenant of French artillery? Graduated from the Paris Military Academy?"

The other marines also booed.

"Surname Bonaparte?"

"Napoleon?"

The fat man glanced at them with disdain, then straightened his clothes, and proudly announced loudly with his hands behind his back and his head held high.

"Hmph! I am very honored to inform you that standing in front of you is:
Glory to the righteous citizens of France,

Former scribe at the Secretariat of the Duke of Orleans,

The republican fighters who accompanied the army to storm the Illery Palace in the July Revolution,
When the rebel army was short of ammunition, he was ordered to open the arsenal of Soissons and Raphael when he was in danger, thus laying the cornerstone of the victory of the revolution.

The great example of the French Republic who was personally received and commended by General Lafayette,
A librarian in Paris and a captain in the French army,

He also served as the deputy commander of the Fourth Artillery Company of the French National Guard,
A heroic exile who was persecuted for instigating the second revolution for adhering to republican views, spreading republican speeches, refusing to recognize the tyrant King Louis Philippe,
Unyielding, tenacious, indomitable, Your Excellency Alexander Dumas! "

(End of this chapter)