shadow of britain

Chapter 13 Another Arthur

On the flat street of Whitehall Street, a black carriage was driving slowly.

The middle-aged gentleman was sitting in the carriage, flipping through a stack of documents in his hand.

And Mrs. Peel sat on the seat opposite him.

She smiled and said: "Oh! My dear, I really didn't expect that you would have time to come and see me to attend the trial today. Don't you work in the official residence at this time in the past?"

A middle-aged gentleman, or Sir Peel is better now.

He rubbed his sore temples and responded to his wife with a smile.

"How can the written documents in the official residence compare to your beautiful face? If I had a choice, I would rather sit here and watch you all day long."

Mrs. Peel's complexion was red, she was a little shy, but she still couldn't hide the smile in the corner of her eyes.

"Robert, we are all old couples, you don't need to play with me. You said that the document is not good-looking, so what is that thing you are holding in your hand?"

"This?" Sir Peel held up the document in his hand: "The personal data of Sergeant Arthur Hastings."

Mrs. Peel also became interested when she heard the name: "Have you also noticed that talented young police officer?"

"His performance today is too shining. Unless I am blind, it is difficult not to pay attention to him. Have you noticed that he is very similar to our other friend named Arthur, very similar."

Mrs. Peel thought for a moment: "I guess you mean the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley? Oh, dear, you must be confused.

Although Mr. Duke is also an upright gentleman with a sense of justice, he cannot be as gentle and gentle as Police Officer Arthur.

If Sergeant Arthur were replaced by the Duke of Wellington today, he would give the magistrate two whips before the trial. "

"Haha, dear, it's because you don't know him well enough.

The Duke of Wellington wasn't always so irascible, he was only like that when facing His Majesty the King.

He has emphasized to me countless times his principle of making friends. He can tolerate a person who is stupid or bad, but he cannot tolerate a person who is both stupid and bad. "

Mrs. Peel almost laughed outright when she heard this, but she wanted to laugh but felt it was impolite, so she took a handkerchief to cover her mouth.

"Does His Majesty know that you cabinet members are talking about him behind his back?"

Sir Peel raised his eyebrows playfully: "The few words I just said are independent and have no connection. Ma'am, there is nothing about His Majesty the King here."

"Robert, you really have a bad idea." Mrs. Peel's shoulders were trembling with laughter: "Okay, tell me about the similarities between the Duke of Wellington and Officer Arthur."

"Everyone knows what an excellent commander the Duke of Wellington is, he is a born war genius.

When everyone in the world thought that Napoleon would sweep Europe, it was he who told the world in the Battle of Waterloo who was more worthy of the title of conqueror.

From India to Iberia, to France and Holland, he was invincible and invincible.

Look at his honors, he is not only a field marshal of England, but also a field marshal of Russia, Austria, Prussia, Hannover, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands.

However, such a person who was born for war often complained to me. He said that the thing he hated most in his life was war. After every battle, he would say that this was the last time he went to the battlefield.

But when the country needs him, as long as he is pushed gently, he will stand up again and stand at the forefront of the war under fire. "

Mrs. Peel thought for a while and asked, "Do you think Officer Arthur is like this?"

"Of course." Sir Peel nodded with a smile: "And what I have to do now is just give him a little push."

Mrs. Peel agreed: "I also feel that Scotland Yard cannot lose such an excellent police officer. It is irresponsible to the public. However, has he decided to leave? How are you going to push him?"

Sir Peel opened the curtain of the carriage, pointed to the scenery outside and said, "My dear, don't you realize that this is not the way home?"

Mrs. Peel looked out, and outside the window was a four-story building with a red exterior wall and a green dome.

"The Admiralty Building? What are we doing here?"

Sir Peel said with a smile: "Officer Arthur told me just now that he plans to go to the Royal Navy to find another job.

But I think there are enough good people in the Royal Navy that there is no shortage of this one.

What's more, as Home Secretary in charge of Scotland Yard, I have no intention of letting go of my most distinguished police officer.

That's why I came here to talk to some old friends from the Admiralty.

Ma'am, you don't mind if I have a drink with them later, right? "

"Oh! Robert!" Mrs. Peel looked a little angry: "You have to go to work in the afternoon."

But Sir Peel already had a plan to deal with this: "I have finished my class today. Now the cabinet is still busy, and the only thing left is to go to Windsor Castle to meet His Majesty the Duke of Wellington."

"Duke of Wellington, what is he doing at Windsor Castle?"

Sir Peel shrugged his shoulders: "Anyway, I shouldn't be looking for a duel with His Majesty. Hmm...probably not."

……

At this moment, outside the audience hall of Windsor Castle.

Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, walked quickly down the steps without looking back.

Behind him, an angry and roaring old man chased after him.

The clothes on his upper body are extremely luxurious, a crimson cloak trimmed with gold, and paired with a silver-gray coat decorated with wheat tassels, it is obvious at a glance that it is expensive.

But the strange thing is that the old man's lower body is only covered with shorts that reach his thighs.

One can tell at a glance that the old man must be chasing him too fast, and he didn't even have time to change into a full set of formal clothes.

He roared at the Duke of Wellington: "Wellington! Stop!"

The Duke of Wellington stopped obediently, but he still didn't turn around.

His cold voice was like the north wind in December: "Your Majesty, is there anything else?"

That old man was none other than George IV, the fourth king of the Hanoverian dynasty in England.

George IV's eyes widened. He stretched out his trembling hand and said angrily, "What do you mean by the things you just handed over to me?"

The Duke of Wellington said: "It means literally. If you don't understand it, I can briefly repeat it for you."

He turned around, stood at the bottom of the steps and said to the king with his face up, "The parliament and the cabinet have been arguing for more than ten years for the liberation of Catholicism, and now they have finally reached a consensus. Catholic Emancipation Act.

This is a hard-won thing, and I don't plan to go to the parliament or the cabinet to re-draft it, because in that case, I will definitely fall into endless wrangling again.

So, you now have two options.

Or, you accept the first draft of the Catholic Emancipation Act that I just filed.And hereby assure the House of Commons and the Cabinet that you will not use your influence with the aristocracy of the House of Lords to block the passage of the Bill.

Or, you can also choose to accept the collective resignation of me and the other [-] members of the cabinet, and re-select a member of the majority party you trust to come to power to form a cabinet.

Or if you like, call a new election.Anyway, whoever cleans up this mess, I will never touch it again. "

When George IV heard this, he was so angry that his voice trembled: "Wellington, you, you!"

But Wellington obviously didn't care about the king's attitude, he said: "If you still consider yourself the legitimate monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, then approve the bill.

I am compelled to tell you here that, although I am as devout a Protestant as you are, the emancipation of the rest of the Catholic sects cannot be postponed any longer.

The kingdom is on the verge of civil war, and I have received reliable reports that if the bill is rejected, there will be a large-scale rebellion in Ireland.

I must therefore again remind you that I will not accept your offer to be Commander-in-Chief of the Army should a rebellion break out in Ireland.

As for how to choose, that is your right, you can figure it out yourself! "

After speaking, the Duke of Wellington flicked his sleeves and walked away.

George IV roared at his back: "Wellington, you! You! You! How dare you treat me like this!!!"

The attendants at the side hurried forward to help the old king who was about to fall from the steps, and they couldn't help but comfort him.

"Forget it, Your Majesty. Since he is not afraid of Napoleon, don't expect him to be afraid of you."

"I...I...ah!!!" George IV's eyes darkened and he fell to the ground.

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty!" The attendants shook the king's body, and when they found no response, they all panicked: "Quick, call the doctor!"

(End of this chapter)