shadow of britain

Chapter 572: Insects of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The best way to convince others of an opinion is to convince them that it comes from themselves.

—Alphonse Daudet

"Italian uniform?"

Although Schneider often showed below-average intelligence while at Nightingale Mansion, under normal circumstances, this capable official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not stupid at all.

If you consider the Italian military uniform and Arthur's notorious life experience, it is not difficult to guess what big news he has made.

Schneider's eyes widened, and even the fork in his hand slipped onto the plate: "There are Italian rioters in Göttingen?"

Arthur put his arms on the table, crossed his fingers and patiently explained, "August, I think what you just said is not rigorous from the perspective of classical literature."

"What's the more rigorous way of saying it?" Schneider's heart was in his throat.

Arthur cleared his throat and read out, "Based on responsibility, caution, and considerations of national interest, I believe that the group of people of questionable identity you just mentioned should not be labeled rioters, so as to avoid a decline in public confidence caused by unnecessary exposure of due process. However, frankly speaking, as the subject of our recent discussion, the true identity of these people is not shrouded in layers of mystery, but is just as the previously disclosed information has led you to imagine. The person we are discussing, if I speak frankly of the name of their leader, may scare you, because in my usual conversations with you, I always use special objects to refer to him."

"What special item?"

"Ten thousand pound business."

"Oh my God!" Schneider blurted out, slamming the table and standing up: "Giuseppe Garibaldi!"

Arthur looked a little guilty. "What's even more embarrassing and regrettable is that, from the perspective of mathematics and geodesy, the final distance between Garibaldi and his gang and the beer glass next to you is not suitable for statistics using the length units commonly used in astronomical research, railway construction and commercial navigation. But if we use measuring tools such as tailor's rulers, it would be too insulting to the greatness and seriousness of diplomatic work, as well as the great reputation established by the Foreign Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in its outstanding work over the past centuries..."

Schneider got angry when he heard this. He grabbed Arthur's shoulders and shook him vigorously, saying, "That's enough! Arthur, there's no need to play this game between us. You know where they are, right? Speak human language and tell the truth, okay?"

Arthur shook his head sadly, as if stating the facts required great courage: "August, it takes courage to listen to the truth, and it takes courage to tell the truth."

"Then show your courage!" Schneider clenched his fist and shook it vigorously, saying, "Former Superintendent, send out the mounted police, draw your sabers, load your gunpowder, fire, and attack!"

Arthur held his forehead with one hand and tapped the red brick wall of the cubicle with the other hand: "In the linguistic sense, people usually refer to this distance as next door."

When Schneider heard this, he felt his eyes go dark and he almost fell into the chair behind him due to lack of blood supply to his brain.

He took a few deep breaths, which slightly relieved the dizziness.

At the critical moment, August Schneider, the well-tested Assistant Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, quickly demonstrated his reliability, for which his colleagues in Whitehall had long praised him, and his outstanding decision-making ability, which combined British characteristics with German qualities.

Schneider swallowed, grasped Arthur's hand, and stared at the diner who was dining at the same table, as if he wanted to dispel the other party's hesitation with a firm look.

"Arthur, this is not a small matter, but it is definitely not a big matter either. It would be best if Garibaldi and his men died in Italy. If they were arrested in Italy, our old friend Mr. von Kromar would be responsible for dealing with them. But if he falls directly into Metternich's hands, the matter may not necessarily be exposed, but it will at least make it difficult for you, me and Mr. Kromar.

Fortunately, although things did not develop in the good direction we expected, they did not develop in a completely bad direction. He fled to Germany, but he went to Hanover, and to the small town of Göttingen. If we get rid of them here, no one will notice that a few foreigners died in Göttingen. "

Arthur caught a glimpse of the fierceness in Schneider's eyes, and inexplicably recalled the Golden Lion Hotel bombing that he had encountered when he went to Liverpool before.

Although Schneider has always denied that he was not directly involved in the bombing, if it was really carried out by him, Schneider probably also showed a similar expression when he was formulating the plan.

Arthur felt sick at the thought, and he didn't want Garibaldi's life.

He had no special feelings for Young Italy, and even disliked their leader Mazzini, whose slogans were so loud.

But Arthur still likes Garibaldi, a young sailor of the same age. For some reason, Arthur always feels that this sailor is very similar to Edmond Dantes, the protagonist of "The Count of Monte Cristo" before he turned evil, and he also has many qualities that Dantes does not have.

A passionate young man, he never intended to harm anyone. Although his actions were a little unreliable, even failure could not change his optimistic attitude. Whenever Arthur saw Garibaldi thanking him profusely for the 500 pounds, his remaining conscience would be severely tested.

Although Arthur considered himself not a moral gentleman, he at least did not do anything that would harm others and benefit himself. He had previously sold out Young Italy in order to save the royalist peasants in France, and the extra 2,500 pounds he earned was at most an unexpected gain.

Arthur did not possess the penny-pinching quality of a banker.

After all, for a person who has died once, for a person who already has a certain social status, money no longer has much worldly meaning. Not to mention, although he is not very rich, he is not short of money.

Compared with money, he cares more about friendship with friends, because Arthur knows very well how he lives his second life.

From a personal perspective, Arthur would not choose to kill Garibaldi in Göttingen, even if it was to avoid upsetting Dumas, who contributed one-sixth of his resurrection indicator.

But he won't put these lines on the table, because he has too many ways to make Snyder change his thinking.

Arthur took a deep breath, shook his head with a gloomy face and said, "August, just getting rid of Garibaldi won't solve the problem. Because there is another Mazzini in London who knows the secret. You can get rid of Garibaldi in Göttingen, but can you get rid of Mazzini in London?"

"Mazzini is in London?" Schneider's hairs stood up on the back of his hands when he heard this. "Damn it! When did that guy go to London?"

The news of Mazzini's arrival in London was like a bolt from the blue, an invisible lightning bolt that struck Schneider's head, so much so that even under the light of the kerosene lamp he could see the smoke rising from his head. Schneider immediately thought of countless possibilities, and he was particularly worried that Mazzini and other members of the Young Italy would go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to settle accounts with Viscount Palmerston.

If it were somewhere else, Schneider could kill Mazzini without mercy.

The irony was that as long as Mazzini stayed in London he was safe.

Because no one, whether it is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior or the lawless Royal Navy at sea, dares to act rashly in London.

Given the London media's tendency to believe everything they hear, and London citizens' love of gossip, even if the various departments on Whitehall Street did nothing dirty, they would make up a bunch of conspiracy theories based on hearsay.

If they really did it, and targeted a well-known leader of European liberal forces like Mazzini, Schneider could submit his resignation the next day and prepare to hire a lawyer to go to court.

As for whether Viscount Palmerston would keep him for the sake of maintaining the reputation of the department?
Ah!
Lord Palmerston's motto is well known in the Foreign Office: There are no permanent friends, only permanent interests.

Schneider colluded with others to embezzle department funds and also assassinated Mazzini to damage the department's reputation. And yet he wants Palmerston to take the blame?
Do not make jokes!
The minister was showing mercy for God's sake by not executing him immediately.

Schneider had forgotten the relaxing and enjoyable trip to Munich. At this moment, he felt that he was trapped in hell, with immortal bugs crawling all over his body and an unquenchable fire burning under his butt.

Arthur looked at Schneider, who was in despair, until he noticed that his lips had lost their color, and then he was sure that the time was right.

"But like you said, it's not that bad yet."

Arthur comforted him, "August, to be honest, I also wanted to kill Garibaldi at first. But then I realized that our only hope of survival lies in this young sailor."

"Huh?" Schneider raised his head suddenly: "What did you say?"

Arthur began, "Garibaldi thought I was a good man, an active liberal, and a generous supporter of the Italian Revolution. As for the problem of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' funds not arriving on time, I blamed it on the French bank founded by Mr. Dresset as planned. As we wished, French Minister of the Interior Thiers sealed up the bank suspected of being related to Young Italy after the expedition, but you and I both know that there is no record of financial transactions with Young Italy in the bank's account. Instead, there is a large transfer with Mr. von Cromar, the Cultural Counselor of the Austrian Embassy in Paris."

Schneider heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this: "I almost forgot about this. But it is still dangerous to let Mazzini go to London. If he tells the minister that Young Italy has not received even a penny, although Viscount Palmerston cannot conclude that we have embezzled the department's money, he will definitely be suspicious."

Arthur laughed and said, "So this is where Garibaldi comes in. To be honest, August, before Garibaldi left for Genoa, I gave him a private start-up fund of 500 pounds. It would be a bit unusual if not a penny of the Foreign Office funding went to them, but if part of the money has already been received, then..."

Schneider looked at Arthur, his eyes gradually widened, and then he suddenly grasped Arthur's hand and shook it vigorously: "My dear Arthur, you are always so foresighted. It seems that he does have a reason to live. He must know Mazzini's address in London. It would be even better if we forged his handwriting and sent a letter to Mazzini, and explained in the letter that part of the funds were intercepted by the French side."

Arthur waved his hand and said, "There are more interesting things than these. The most interesting thing is that Mr. Garibaldi is a sailor. He can't make a living by writing like Mazzini. So, after the revolution failed, he planned to raise funds for the revolution while sailing. But because the Kingdom of Sardinia signed extradition agreements with Austria, France, Prussia, Russia and other countries, his wish to stay in Europe and sail was almost impossible to achieve..."

Schneider's eyes lit up when he heard this and he said, "That's easy! We send him to America. It would be best if this guy and his friends never come back."

After saying this, Schneider pulled out his shiny Foreign Ministry badge from his pocket: "See the lion and unicorn on it? With this, not even Metternich can demand to inspect my carriage in Germany."

"Of course I understand what you mean." Arthur chuckled, "But just in case, I think it's best for you to go with the Duke of Sussex."

Schneider just recovered his breath and was about to drink some beer, but when he heard the Duke of Sussex, the beer he had just poured into his mouth spurted all over the wall: "What? You said His Royal Highness the Duke is also in Göttingen now?"

Arthur pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his collar, which was wet with beer. "August, I thought you knew who was on the invitation list for the European Conference on Electromagnetism."

Schneider thought anxiously for a while, but then he thought that although Arthur's idea was bad, it was still an absolutely safe option.

Although the possibility of the German police inspecting his carriage was very small, what if they ran into someone so ignorant?
If he was traveling abroad with the Duke of Sussex, then as long as the other party was not blind, he should have known that the convoy could not be inspected just by seeing the grand manner of the Duke's travel.

Schneider thought about it, considering the feasibility of this plan.

But in Arthur's opinion, since Schneider is already considering it, he will agree sooner or later.

Therefore, the main issue at present is no longer the situation of Garibaldi and others, but another issue.

Arthur took out a German newspaper from his bag and pushed it in front of Schneider. "Even if we resolve Viscount Palmerston's suspicion, from the police's point of view, if a person's life suddenly becomes wealthy and his spending becomes lavish, it is likely that he has just done something illegal. Therefore, we must find a reasonable way to become wealthy. August, you should know that I have a good relationship with Mr. Lionel Rothschild, and he often gives me some financial advice."

Schneider's smooth train of thought was suddenly interrupted by Arthur's words. His body, which had been trembling with fear and anxiety, calmed down. The face of this Assistant Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs showed a kind smile that only appeared when he was spending money at Nightingale Mansion.

"Oh, Arthur, why didn't you tell me about this earlier? What did Mr. Rothschild tell you?"

"Hmm..." Arthur pretended to be distressed and thought for a long time: "Lionel told me a lot, but you know I majored in history instead of economics, so I only wrote down one sentence."

"What?" Schneider raised the corners of his mouth and leaned forward, afraid of missing out on the secret of getting rich.

Arthur raised his glass and clinked it with his. “The 18th century was the century of canals, and the 19th century is the century of railways!”

(End of this chapter)