shadow of britain

Chapter 206 Tsarist Russian Secret Service (4K4)
If you ask an Englishman, where do the rich people in London live?

Then he will tell you that the rich people in London live in the West End.

But if the answer had been from a true old Londoner, he would have narrowed it down a bit.

Old London will tell you: "Only those mud-legged upstarts gather in places like Kensington, Chelsea, and Notting Hill, while the real old London aristocrats usually live in Mayfair."

As the old Londoners said, Mayfair, as the earliest wealthy district developed in London, not only has convenient transportation conditions, but also has the most luxurious and high-end commercial art district in London.

Regent's Crescent, Sotheby's Auction House, Royal Academy of Arts, of course, among them are the three major shopping districts in London - Burlington Arcade, famous for selling high-end jewelry and luxury goods, and famous for making high-end clothing The world-renowned Piccadilly Avenue, and Bond Street, which is dominated by antique art appreciation.

A large number of high-end commercial real estate not only attracted a large number of aristocrats with strong spending power to settle here, but also led to the establishment of a number of foreign embassies in this area. The Russian Empire's embassy in the UK is one of them.

As the wife of Earl Levin, the Russian ambassador to the UK, Mrs. Levin's residence is naturally located in the embassy.

This embassy area, which was heavily guarded in the past, naturally raised its security level during the London meeting. Although it was already dusk, the military police standing guard in front of the embassy still did not dare to relax their vigilance.

Where the military and police didn't notice, Arthur was slowly circling the embassy in a public carriage.

And beside Arthur, sat the Royal Navy cartographer Elder who was holding a triangular ruler, looked up at the embassy from time to time, and drew the topographical structure of the embassy one by one. Khan's imp Pinkerton.

According to Arthur's understanding of the history of British architectural development, since the outbreak of many large-scale epidemics in London in the 18th century, the concept of ventilation has quickly spread in the UK, and high-end residences such as embassies must be equipped with large wooden buildings. bellows and vents.

And when the carriage turned around the embassy for the third time, Arthur finally found an inconspicuous square hole behind the eaves of the back door of the embassy. Judging from its size of nearly half a meter wide, this should be the air vent. wrong.

A vent of this size is mostly inaccessible to adults, but if it is replaced by a child who is stunted due to malnutrition, it should be barely accessible.

Arthur pointed to the vent, lowered his voice and asked Pinkerton, "That's what I mentioned to you. Have you ever done this kind of work before?"

Pinkerton looked at the vent, and it took a long time before he nodded slowly: "I... I used to sweep chimneys for others, and this vent looks similar to a chimney. I should be able to climb in. It's just that ..."

"But what?" Arthur asked softly: "Aaron, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask them now. It's better to say it now than to get stuck in the vent after the operation starts. Even if you think this operation will fail, You should also say it straight, and while there is still time, I can think of other ways."

When Pinkerton heard this, he quickly waved his hands and said, "No, sir, you misunderstood me. I'm not retreating. I just want to know that no one is lighting a bonfire under this vent, right? I used to sweep chimneys for others. I was most afraid of this at the time. In order to urge us to finish the work as soon as possible, some hosts would directly light a fire under the chimney. Once the choking smoke rose, I would have nowhere to run. There are several children in our house who are like this Was smoked to death alive."

Elder, who was drawing a picture, heard Pinkerton's statement and couldn't help but cursed: "Did those idiot employers drink too much water from the Thames River? When you were sweeping the chimney, he set fire underneath? This is not the same as intentional murder." There is no difference, right?"

Pinkerton just smiled reluctantly: "It's all helpless, sir. The children who can sweep the chimney either have their parents dead, or they are the kind whose parents are better than dead. If it is smoked to death, no one will care, and the employer can solve the problem by paying a sum of money."

When Pinkerton said this, he couldn't help lowering his head again, and he thought of his current situation again.

Seeing his appearance, Arthur just held his hand on his head and shook it vigorously: "Aaron, I'm sorry to hear what happened to your fellow chimney workers, but I can't do anything about it, at least for the time being. But Just because I can't do justice for them doesn't mean I can't cover you. You have to remember that you are now my man, an employee of the Office of Temporary Survey and Statistics in the London area.

Against you is against me, against me is against Scotland Yard and the University of London, against Scotland Yard and the University of London is against the Home Office and the Chancery, against the Home Office and the Chancery is the whole United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland against.

I don't allow anyone to pose a threat to the life of my little guy, or even if we step back ten thousand steps, if something bad happens to you one day, even if I can't save you, I will definitely send the murderer's family to hang , on this point, you have to have confidence in me. "

After finishing speaking, Arthur stretched out his little finger of his right hand to Pinkerton. Pinkerton was taken aback for a moment, and then remembered the life experience of Arthur that Police Officer Tom had told him in the past few days. Immediately filled with courage.

He also stretched out his little finger and hooked it with Arthur and pulled it lightly. The thumbs of the two pressed together hard. In the children's innocent and simple language of behavior, this represented the official establishment of the oath between them.

Pinkerton took off the new felt hat Arthur had just bought for him, with a smile on his face: "Sir, I believe in you."

Elder couldn't help whistling when he heard what Arthur said, and he joked: "Arthur, what you said made my heart move. If I can't get along someday, I might as well vote for you." What a pity, you are the superintendent of Scotland Yard, the officers and sailors of the Royal Navy dream of being a superior like you, if the commander of the fleet and the leadership of the Admiralty are willing to cover them like you, even if they are at the same time as the navy of all Europe Let’s go to war, and we are confident that we will win.”

When Arthur heard this, he just joked: "Come on, Elder, although I don't know the Royal Navy, I know that their goal of building an army is to be able to deal with wars with four maritime powers at the same time. If Scotland Yard With such strong strength, do I still think about whether to sneak in through the vents to steal things? I just need to wave my big hand, and General Codrington’s naval guns can wipe out the Russian embassy until the smoke clears. , I’ll just go in and pick up things from the main entrance.”

Elder shrugged and said: "If you are willing to take the responsibility for General Codlington, he may really agree to help you in this way. After all, the Ottoman Turkish fleet is like paper in front of him. Boom Maybe he doesn't need to do such a small thing as opening the Russian embassy. You can ask General Kirkland, who is unemployed at home, to do it. After all, he is thinking about using bomb ships to attack the enemy. It's the most professional."

Arthur just smiled, he patted Pinkerton on the shoulder, and patiently explained to him: "I brought you here today to let you observe the nearby terrain first. I know you are a serious 'craftsman' , you are so consummately skilled that even old Eugene of St. Giles would have admired you. If it hadn't been so, I wouldn't have thought of you in this matter.

Of course, I asked you to do this job, not to let you die.Unlike the chimney, there was no campfire underneath it, and it would normally lead to a wooden blower that would speed up the air.But I don't know what room the blower is placed in, and how far the room where the blower is placed is from the bedroom where the information may be stored.

So today, your task is to crawl in along the vents when I enter the embassy later to find out the situation outside.I will try my best to help you attract the attention of the embassy staff, so you have enough time to figure out these things, take your time and don't worry.

Even if no valuable information is collected, it's no big deal. Although this mission is important, it doesn't have to be completed, so safety comes first. "

Arthur didn't take him out of the car until he confirmed that Pinkerton understood what he said.

He first looked around at the passers-by around, and then, taking advantage of no one's attention, he picked up Pinkerton and jumped into the back door of the embassy. He supported the little devil's buttocks, and stepped on the window sill to send him into the vent. He jumped out again.

Arthur lit a pipe outside the wall, smoking while watching Pinkerton's butt disappear at the end of the vent, until he was no longer seen, Arthur then picked up the phonograph at his feet and walked away When he arrived at the main entrance of the embassy, ​​he smiled and handed out his business card to the military police standing guard.

"Please inform Mrs. Levin that Arthur Hastings is coming to visit."

Unexpectedly, the military police with muskets on their backs didn't even look at the business card. He just stared at Arthur's face for a while before he laughed and said.

"I didn't expect that the Hastings Mrs. Levin mentioned was really you. Please come in, Mrs. is meeting guests inside, and you should be able to see her right away when you go there."

Seeing that the military and police actually knew him, Arthur couldn't help asking curiously, "Who are you?"

The military police didn't say much, he just stood at attention and saluted: "The murder case was handled beautifully, I am very glad to have fought side by side with you. At the same time, please allow me to express my gratitude to you in person, because My brother's body was also dug out by those ground mice, and you gave me a good chance to take revenge."

Arthur just smiled slightly when he heard this, and he also remembered who the other party was at this time: "I also thank you for your dedication, as far as I know, there is not a single coward in the Fifth Royal Guards, Welling The Dunton Guard is not in vain."

The military police made way for Arthur with a smile: "Superintendent Hastings, please pass."

Arthur nodded in return, and then walked into the embassy. In fact, it is an embassy, ​​but it is more like a luxurious private residence.

An outside garden, accompanied by a stone-paved walkway, and several marble statues were erected on both sides of the walkway as decoration.

It's just that some of these stone sculptures have already been completed, some have only carved half of the body, and some of them look like they have just started, but a rough outline has been drawn on the brick surface with a pen outside.

It seems that these statues may not be made by professional stonemasons, but the hands-on work of stone carving enthusiasts.

He looked up at the marble statues, then at the color of the gravel road under his feet, and seemed to understand something instantly.

Sure enough, geniuses are always in the minority. No matter what period it is, people's food addiction is always the main theme.

Arthur thought about these things, and quickly jumped over the tens of meters of gravel trails, and walked up the steps to the front hall supported by four three-meter-high stone pillars.

Two embassy military attaches with Tsarist Russian military uniforms, long swords around their waists, and beards standing chatting by the door saw the guests. He questioned Arthur in exotic English.

Fortunately, the interrogation did not last too long, and the military attache who went back to report the letter returned soon.

He said: "Mr. Hastings, please wait a moment. The head maid said that Mrs. Levin is putting on makeup, you can go to the lounge and sit for a while."

When Arthur heard this, he remembered what the military police who stood guard at the door had said to him.

Isn't Mrs. Levin receiving guests?Why are you wearing makeup?
However, Arthur did not directly express the question, but smiled and took out the tin box containing the shredded tobacco from his pocket, and asked, "Would you like some of this? Tobacco produced in Santo Domingo, West Indies, The taste is quite pure. The tobacco there is generally used to make cigars, if I hadn’t had a friend who worked on the plantation there, a little policeman like me wouldn’t be able to get such a good thing.”

The two military officers originally planned to refuse, but when they heard that the tobacco was produced in the West Indies, after a little hesitation, they readily agreed: "Then we will not be polite."

Arthur handed over the iron box, and after a while, he saw a burst of smoke outside the front hall of the embassy.

While smoking a cigarette, the bearded military officer gave a thumbs up and praised: "It is indeed much stronger than Russian shredded tobacco, and our place is not suitable for growing tobacco."

Another bearded military officer who spoke half-baked English had nothing to say and laughed: "Sir, you said you are a policeman? What a coincidence, I can also be regarded as a policeman. of."

Arthur heard this, took two puffs of cigarettes and asked, "Really? Are you a police officer of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs?"

The bearded man waved his hand: "You know Russia quite well. I used to be a member of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but a few years ago when the department was reformed, I was transferred from the Ministry of Internal Affairs."

"Really? Then I have to congratulate you." Arthur joked: "The police are not easy to do. Even if you are transferred to other departments to clean up, you can be regarded as a promotion."

"Hahaha!" Arthur's words reached the heart of the bearded man, and he also joked: "I would rather I was a cleaner. You may not know that after the departmental reform, my job It’s harder than ever to do it.”

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Why?" The bearded man spit out a big puff of smoke: "Of course it's because I entered the third hall of the fucking imperial office. Although I mainly deal with documents now, there are too many fucking documents."

The third hall of the imperial office?
When Arthur heard the name, the smile on his face suddenly became brighter.

It seems that the rough-looking bearded military officer in front of him is really not lying, he and Arthur are indeed walking together.

The third hall of the imperial office, perhaps the name sounds too polite and incomprehensible.

In Russia, the local people usually call it - the Tsar's special police.

(End of this chapter)