Chapter 466: Afraid of Wolves in Front and Tigers Behind

The dazzling crystal chandeliers of the Kaidaosai Mansion hang down from the high dome, illuminating the golden hall like daylight.

The symphony orchestra is located in the center of the stage in the hall. The musicians are dressed in uniform uniforms. On the left is the string section equipped with violins, violas and cellos, and the woodwind section composed of trumpets, tubas and French horns. On the right is the brass section with flutes, piccolo, oboe, clarinet and other instruments, and the percussion section composed of timpani, drums, cymbals and triangles.

And the focus of everyone's eyes is gathered in the center of the moon surrounded by stars, focusing on the handsome young man sitting on the German Bechstein piano decorated with griffins.

Franz Liszt's fingers jump between the keys, and the fierce and undulating melody pours out like a storm cloud.

One of Mozart's three major symphonies, "Symphony No. 41 in C major 'Jupiter'", this is the theme song of tonight that he carefully selected.

For the guests who love music, this symphony alone makes their trip tonight worthwhile.

For those ladies who love Liszt, Liszt's cold face and flowing long hair alone have made them unable to extricate themselves, and his wonderful performance is the icing on the cake.

Although the ladies still pretended to be calm, the deformed and wrinkled handkerchiefs in their palms had already betrayed their mood at the moment.

However, not everyone was convinced by Liszt's passionate performance, because there were many famous musicians present today.

The conductor of the symphony orchestra was another popular young piano master in Paris - Hector Berlioz. Although Berlioz's popularity could not be compared with Liszt, it did not prevent him from having some loyal fans.

What's more, everyone knew that in the men's lounge at this time, there was another famous Parisian heartthrob waiting for the stage. Frederic Chopin, if you ask why the ladies in Paris are so keen to support the Polish Restoration Movement, the name of Frederic Chopin is the only reason for them to support Poland, and it is definitely the biggest reason.

After Chopin, Henry Hertz, the best salon music performer in France, appeared. The finale was left to Daniel Auber, the dean of the Paris Conservatory of Music. As for the finale, it naturally belonged to Mr. Carl Czerny, Beethoven's favorite student.

Chopin once asked Arthur tonight whether he wanted to compete with these great pianists who were famous in Europe. After all, there were not many opportunities to compete with so many masters at one time.

But for Arthur, just hearing this series of difficult names was enough to give him a headache. Performing on the same stage was really a bit like showing off in front of Guan Gong and running away in front of the French army.

However, although Arthur declined Chopin's invitation to perform on the same stage, in order not to spoil his fun, Arthur still proposed that he was willing to play the violin accompaniment for these piano masters.

Since accepting the violin given by Wheatstone, Arthur would practice a few pieces whenever he had time, and he even hired a teacher to teach him. Although his level is definitely not as strong as those professionals, it is still enough to fill in the symphony orchestra.

But why did Arthur still not appear in the center of the stage in the end?

That's because when Arthur borrowed the violin from the symphony orchestra, he chatted with the other party casually.

The fourteen-year-old kid told him that his hometown was Cologne, Prussia, and he just came to Paris with his father and two brothers to study this year, and enrolled in the Paris Conservatory at the beginning of the year.

Oh, by the way, I forgot to say that his name is Jacques Offenbach.

So, in order not to discourage this young man who has just started out, Arthur generously decided to give him this performance opportunity.

Anyway, the performance is perfect, what's the saying? Success doesn't have to be mine.

In front are Liszt, Chopin, Czerny and Offenbach, and behind are Arago, Poisson and Gay-Lussac.

After thinking it over, Arthur decided that it was easier to stand in the middle and chat with Hugo, Balzac, Dumas and others.

After all, the guys in front and behind were much more perverted than the writers in the middle.

Arthur sat on the sofa and watched the guests step into the dance floor one by one. The men wore tight tuxedos with bright flowers on their chests, while the ladies wore long skirts with intricate patterns embroidered on the hems. Pearls and diamonds sparkled under the lights, complementing their exquisite makeup. They held fans or lace handkerchiefs, smiled softly, and spun lightly with their partners, performing the elegance and passion of the waltz.

However, compared with the dancing of gentlemen and ladies, Arthur appreciated the fragrance of flowers and the mellow aroma of champagne in the air more.

The servants shuttled between them, and various exquisite snacks and fine wines were placed on the tray. Arthur took a glass of light orange champagne and reached out to pull Dumas, who was looking for a dance partner, back.

However, the fat man had already been obsessed with sex. He turned around and slipped past Arthur, and bowed politely at the end.

"Sorry, Arthur, there are three important things in my life. The first is republicanism, the second is the friendship of friends, and the third is love everywhere.

During my time in London, I was almost addicted to friendship and republicanism. So, please allow me to use love to adjust it first."

If Arthur didn't know what kind of person this fat man was in private, he might really think he was a gentleman.

Faced with such a friend, Arthur could only light a cigar silently, exhaled a puff of smoke and said: "You'd better disappear from my sight immediately, otherwise I will go and inform the guards that there is a republican at the scene, and he has brought many friends to attend this banquet."

Dumas heard this and glared and said: "Damn it! Arthur, you can't do that! If you really say that, the guards will definitely think that I have explosives on me, and I am planning to work with the republicans to blow everyone up together."

Arthur lowered his head and smoked nonchalantly: "What are you afraid of? It's not like you haven't done this kind of thing before."

"Mr. Dumas, aren't you going to invite me to dance? Why are you standing there stupidly?"

Dumas heard his dance partner urging him, so he had to pull Vidocq, who was having a relationship with Paris Police Chief Risokela, to Arthur's side.

"Mr. Vidocq, please help look after my friend and teach him how to chase women. Look at him, he's already sick from holding it in."

After saying that, Dumas came running over: "Dear, can you dance the quadrille? I just learned it in London. This dance is much more interesting than the waltz."

Vidocq was very dissatisfied with being pulled to Arthur's side. Although he was a staff member persuaded to leave the Greater Paris Police Department, as the saying goes, a man is in his prime at 51. If Director Risoke agrees, Vidocq feels that he can still have a second spring in the Security Department.

But even though he was a little unhappy, Vidocq still didn't show it on his face. Because he had just seen that the first thing Director Risoke did when he arrived at the banquet was to toast Arthur.

As an old man who has been working in the Paris police for many years, Vidocq certainly understands what this means.

Or, Arthur didn't tell him the truth before, and he was probably not demoted but promoted on this trip to Hanover.

Or maybe this young man is hiding his family background. If he made a mistake in London as he said, then he was treated coldly by his elders in his family during his trip to Hanover. As long as he has a chance, he can always make a comeback in London.

When Victor thought of this, he couldn't help scolding himself for being stupid in his heart: "I know that it is not so easy to be a British knight. If he made a mistake, he could still get a knight's title. What else could it be if it's not the support of the elders in the family?"

However, Victor didn't intend to expose Arthur.

Although his acting was very poor, this young man might be the kind of person who likes to boast that he climbed up completely by his own ability?

Haha, except for his ability, he has zero capital, so this can only deceive himself.

Victor leaned against the wall beside Arthur as if nothing had happened. He glanced at it and found that there was a document in front of the young man.

Victor couldn't help cursing in his heart: "Hypocritical."

He smiled and said: "Brother, what are you looking at? Are the beauties in the book more beautiful than the ladies at the banquet?"

"No."

Arthur said: "I am just curious about the history of the Paris police, so I got this 18th-century French police science pioneering work "On Public Security". I have to say that before I read this book, I didn't expect that the definition of public security in Britain and France was so different."

"Hmm?" Victor took a sip of wine and said: "Are there any differences between the two sides?"

Arthur nodded slightly and said: "Public security is very different from the French police. Security means maintaining order in public spaces to protect the interests of the owners. Britain and France have no disagreement on this point.

But in terms of specific management, French public security includes: regulations on street width, length and layout. The setting of road signs, street lighting, street repair, sweeping and watering on hot days.

Consider how to build houses and how to live in them to ensure that they do not pose a threat to anyone. For example, people should not put flower pots on windowsills to prevent them from falling and hurting innocent people.

French police also have the right to accurately guide and popularize how to make, transport, process and sell food. How to slaughter livestock and package them. How to fish, including where to fish and what tools to use, and even how to pickle and preserve fish.

How to build a garden and what plants to grow in the garden. How to purchase and store firewood and charcoal. How to prevent floods. How to develop industry in the city. How to run a wine shop and a restaurant.

How to determine the hygiene standards of brothels and how to check the hygiene of prostitutes - in other words, all matters related to citizens' eating, maintaining health and ensuring safety fall within the scope of French public security. "

Victor shrugged and said: "In fact, we also need to build and regulate markets, and manage stock exchanges and firefighting in special periods. stations, veterinary schools and hospitals."

"This is incredible. Mr. Victor, do you know? If these powers of yours were placed in London, they would be divided into at least five or six departments.

Fishing is under the jurisdiction of the Fisheries Commission, urban construction is under the jurisdiction of the Town Planning Commission, and issuing pub licenses, which was originally the private domain of magistrates to make money, has now become the jurisdiction of the tax bureau. As for medical schools and hospitals, they are all supervised by the Lord Chancellor's Office.

If Scotland Yard also manages so many things, then we are probably not a subordinate agency of the Ministry of the Interior, but a peer agency. Our annual office expenses will not be only 300,000 pounds, but 3 million pounds. "

Vidocq laughed loudly when he heard this and said: "Brother, if you ask me, it's not that the police in Paris are powerful, but that Scotland Yard is too frustrated. You have to hide some information for fear of calling your superiors. The department knows. But in Paris, we started buying flies in large quantities as early as the 17th century.

I heard that Louis XV was very fond of reading secret police information. He really enjoyed the feeling of discovering ulterior and obscene secrets. In order to satisfy him, the Paris police at that time were very keen on catching adulterous priests and prominent nobles on the spot. "

Arthur asked: "Then the subsequent kings didn't have any interest in this aspect?"

"Later?" Vidoc thought for a moment and shook his head: "I don't know about the others, but His Majesty the King is keen on arresting those caricature cartoonists, especially those who like to draw ducks and pears."

"Why?"

Vidocq said mysteriously: "You will know when you see our King. While it is still early, are you sure you don't want to go find a lady to dance? Brother, don't be shy, girls in Paris are like Like a ball of fire, they look untouchable, but if you do..."

"How to say?"

Vidocq laughed strangely: "They will eat you whole alive."

When Arthur heard this, he was quite absent-minded: "Mr. Vidocq, to ​​be honest, I did find a very charming lady, but she is not French."

"Who?" Vidocq was about to walk away, but he came back after hearing this: "Brother, don't worry, I'm here, right?"

"Now that you've said that...how do you think I can deal with Mrs. Levine?"

"Mrs. Leven?" Vidocq was stunned at first, and then exclaimed: "Brother, you just joined Scotland Yard and you want to be the director of the department. You just got a knighthood, and you plan to enjoy the treatment like a duke! "

"Really?" Arthur sighed melancholy: "I don't think I can do it either. Being the director of Scotland Yard is not enough. The powers of the Grand Paris Police Department can barely satisfy her appetite."

"Can't you lower your standards a little? Mrs. Levin is certainly very nice, but young ladies are also very charming!"

Arthur didn't know how to explain it to Vidocq, and besides, this matter couldn't be explained. Who would have thought that his first job in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be to destroy other people's marriages?

But having said that, there is nothing that can continue to damage Mrs. Levin's marriage. Both of them keep the windows open all year round.

"This..." Arthur's sudden feelings put even a master in love like Vidocq in trouble.

After all, street players like him have never been qualified to participate in such high-end games.

When it comes to Mrs. Leven's lovers, the threshold for entry is important members of the cabinets of various countries. It is no exaggeration to say that as long as Mrs. Leven is willing, she can use her lovers to form the wisest government in Europe.

Vidocq was very pleased to see that his little brother had such lofty ambitions, but at the same time, he had to persuade Arthur to take his time step by step.

"Brother, Mrs. Levin is certainly a good choice, and I have no doubt that you have a chance to make her notice you in her busy schedule. However, if you really get involved with her, I'm afraid you won't be able to sleep peacefully in the future. . You should know that the one in Petersburg is already a little dissatisfied with Mrs. Levin?"

"Is there any correlation?"

"Well... of course." Vidocq persuaded him earnestly: "You should know that there are many spies in Paris. Some of them work for Austria, some for Prussia, some for Britain, and naturally some for Serving Russia.

I'm no longer in the security department, so I don't have to be shy about saying anything. From what I observed in the Ministry of Security, these distrusted powerful figures were often surrounded by spies from their own countries.

To give the simplest example, since the fall of Napoleon, even though members of their family have fled abroad, we have never been assured of them. Whether it was Napoleon's mother, his uncle Fesch, his brothers Lucien, Joseph and Louis, everyone in Napoleon's family was surrounded by at least three or five French spies.

Even when Napoleon was exiled to St. Helena, we sent a small team of more than ten people to secretly monitor him in case Napoleon came back from overseas again. And we not only monitor them personally, but also the attendants and chefs of the Napoleon family are under surveillance.

Unless you want to enjoy the experience of having Mr. Hugo monitor your pleasures, I advise you to stay away from them. This is not Britain, let alone your territory. France is full of murders and mysterious deaths. "

As soon as Vidocq finished speaking, he heard a delicate voice coming from behind him.

"Sir Hastings, have you not found a suitable dance partner by chance?"

Vidocq turned around and saw that it was a blond and blue-eyed lady. If he remembered correctly, this girl seemed to be the youngest daughter of the banker Mr. Draisaitl.

"Oh..." Vidocq showed a subtle smile: "Yes, our Arthur is not good at dealing with such occasions. If you don't mind, can you lead him in a dance?"