shadow of britain

Chapter 31 The Chaotic Absolute Neutral

Dickens, too, was startled to see Arthur's outburst.

But this was not Arthur's sudden whim, he had been in this world for nearly five years.

In five years, he walked through the country roads of Yorkshire, attended the atheist college on Gower Street in London, walked through the noisy Royal Theater, and went deep into the darkest and darkest corners of the East End of London.

In York, he saw the luxurious manors of the nobles, and overlooked the magnificent York Minster, which was built in 627 AD, from afar.

But he also saw that in the muddy wheat fields during the rainy season, farm laborers braved the heavy rain to harvest grain in shoes and socks with their toes exposed, just to keep the last bit of negligible income.

The textile machine in the family workshop is running, creaking and creaking, but a woman who is ingenious and ingenious can only make half a meter of fabric in a day.

And in the spinning mill built by the river, the hard work of the women can be defeated in just a moment.

In London, he has seen the London docks in April and September, the peak shipping season.

There are dock workers carrying big bags everywhere. They carry bags containing hundreds of catties of tea and spices, and they move the goods down the board with heavy steps. Looking from a distance, they seem to be in groups Team of ants.

I have also seen the bleakness of the port in winter. Thousands of laborers gathered in front of a few cargo ships.

He didn't want to see these things, but as long as he was still living in this world, some things just couldn't escape.

Whig?
Tories?
From Arthur's point of view, it was just a surrogate name.

What is the difference between them?

I am sorry.

He really can't tell.

There are many house rules at Scotland Yard.

But there is only one Arthur is sticking to out of sincerity.

Scotland Yard police should remain politically neutral at all times, neither Whig nor Tory.

He has no doubts about this.

He was smoking a cigarette in silence, and his mood, which had been sorted out with great difficulty in the past two days, fell into a dead silence again.

Seeing his appearance, Dickens couldn't help putting his shoulders on his shoulders and said, "Arthur, are you interested in hearing my story?"

Arthur glanced at him and knocked the ashes from his pipe to the ground.

"I've read your articles many times, but it's the first time I've heard your stories."

Dickens said with a smile: "You may not believe it, but my family was quite good when I was a child. Although it is not rich, it can be said to be well-off. My father is a staff member of the Military Supply Department of the Admiralty, and my mother also came from a middle-class family. .

Although my father went bankrupt later because of his debts, the conditions of our family soon declined.

But as the second child among eight children, I was lucky enough to go to school in my early years and receive a certain level of education.

I remember when I was about 12 years old, my father was put in debtors' prison because he couldn't pay his debts.

He wrote to his family in prison to ask for money, but the family had no money left, so it didn't take long for my mother and several of our brothers and sisters to be imprisoned together.

But I was lucky. At that time, I was working as a child laborer in a shoe polish workshop, so the creditor let me continue to work there to pay off the debts of the family, and the judge did not let me be imprisoned.

After a few months, my father borrowed a sum of money from relatives, and my family was finally released from prison.

After that, I worked part-time to pay off my debts while studying in middle school.

At the age of 14, because of my good memory and good handwriting, I got an opportunity. I joined the British News Agency and was sent to the Parliament as an interviewer.

I thought life would get better like this, but not long after, our family was kicked out by the landlord for not paying rent, and I dropped out of school.

After that, I did a lot of work. I sold newspapers, helped others with chores, and worked as a street worker.

With unremitting efforts, I got another opportunity to be an apprentice in a law firm.

I learned some basic legal knowledge there, and I learned shorthand, which helped me get myself a job as a court clerk, and I went on to work as a tabloid reporter. part time.

Then, I met you, Arthur.

I don't know how there is such a handsome person like you in this world?
Your speech that day really touched me, you said a lot of things I wanted to say, you did everything I wanted to do.

For a long time, I have endured this world and my fate silently. I think this may be the ordeal I am destined to suffer.

I thought it was just me, until I found out that many of the gentlemen and ladies on the jury thought so too.

Everyone is dissatisfied with this world, with those nonsense legal provisions, but only you dare to stand up in court and present all this in front of everyone.

I don't say this because I want to flatter you, the new Inspector, or because I want to flatter you for something.

Arthur, you are a good man, you are really a good man.

You obviously, you obviously didn't have to do those things, but you just did it.

I tell you so much, just want to tell you that those things you do are not in vain.

Arthur, there are many things that you can't understand, and everyone can't understand, but it's not your fault, this world is like this.

Maybe you haven't changed much, but you've at least made an effort.

So don't feel bad and don't blame yourself.

At least you changed the fate of some people, including little Adam and me.

Seriously, I still think you are God sent me, you got my article published in The Times, you made me...you made me a lot of money...

You, you let me pay off the debts of the family, and the rest can be used for my younger brothers and sisters to study.

I am very grateful to you, I really appreciate you very much. "

When Dickens said this, his words were already a little choked up, and the tears in the corners of his eyes flowed down his cheeks like a stream.

He raised his hand to wipe away his tears, and said with a smile: "I'm sorry, I obviously wanted to comfort you, but instead I made myself cry.

I just want to learn to do what you did, that's why I'm in this place, and if it weren't for you, I wouldn't even be able to keep my own interview script.

Arthur, I'm such a useless reporter and I may never be as good as you are. "

Arthur looked at Dickens' tearful smile and shook his head slightly.

After all, the young man standing in front of him is just a young man. He doesn't have the profound thoughts decades later, nor does he have the insight to see through everything. What he has is just a fiery beating heart. heart of.

but……

For one person, this is probably enough.

After all, he, the guy who commented on Dickens, was just a 20-year-old kid.

He took off his bowler hat and put it on Dickens's head, covering his tearful eyes.

"Although Elder is out of touch, he is really right about one thing. You are still far from a great writer."

Dickens's eyes were covered, and his expression could not be seen clearly, but through the corner of his mouth, he could see his gentle smile.

"Arthur, a person like me may never be a great writer in my life."

"No." Arthur denied, "It's just people like you who are most likely to become a great writer. Before I leave, let me give you a word."

"What?"

Arthur patted him on the shoulder lightly: "No matter what others say or do, I must be a good person myself. Just like a piece of emerald, or gold, or purple robe, it's not because of how noble they are, but I want to keep my natural radiance."

After speaking, Arthur got up and left the scene with a calm pace.

Dickens quickly stood up, and he asked in a loud voice, "Did you say that?"

Arthur didn't stop with his back to Dickens. He put one hand in his pocket and waved his hand high with the other.

"I can't say anything that good. Read more of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, kid!"

Dickens thought about it thoughtfully, and after a while, he remembered the hat that Arthur put on his head.

"Arthur, your hat!"

Arthur finally stopped at this moment, he struggled for a while, then gritted his teeth and replied.

"No, it's just a two-shilling hat for you!"

Seeing this, the Red Devil snickered and said, "Just to look handsome, are you tired?"

Arthur glanced at him: "It's not to be handsome, I dedicate it to the new century."

(End of this chapter)