shadow of britain

Chapter 630 The Tsar's Interest: Who is Arthur Hastings?

As the night deepened, the Imperial Garden in the Winter Palace was still as bright as day.

Due to the cold winter in St. Petersburg, the Imperial Garden was not built outdoors, but inside the Winter Palace.

The chandeliers inlaid with gold foil cast soft light among the lush green plants. The garden is planted with exotic flowers and plants brought from southern Russia to all over Europe. Occasionally, you can catch a glimpse of a few tropical plants, flowers and shrubs. The marble fountain in the center emits a faint mist, and the hazy mist permeates the surroundings, making people feel like they are in a fairyland.

Nicholas I walked slowly with his hands behind his back.

The soles of the Tsar's boots made a low sound as they stepped on the colorful mosaic path.

Behind him there were almost silent footsteps, and a figure slowly emerged into the light through the mist.

The dark black military uniform outlines this man's tall figure, his short black hair is neatly combed, the gold embroidery glows faintly under the soft light, the black boots on his feet do not make any unnecessary sounds, one of his hands is resting on the hilt guard engraved with the Imperial double-headed eagle, and the Order of St. Andrew on his chest not only proves his exploits on the battlefield, but also represents his identity as a loyal supporter of the Tsar.

Count Alexander Khristoforovich Benckendorff, General of the Russian Imperial Cavalry, Director of the Third Department of the Imperial Office of His Majesty the Tsar and Commander-in-Chief of the Military Police.

Benkendorf first approached the Tsar within ten steps, then paused, and then slowly took three steps forward. After standing still, he put his feet together, straightened his body, bowed his head deeply, clenched his right fist and lightly touched his chest, and then put it down steadily.

"Your Majesty." His voice was low and solemn, and he sounded as if he could not be shaken.

The Tsar did not turn around immediately, but joked with his most trusted minister in an almost inaudible tone of playfulness: "Benkendorf, has time brought you here?"

Hearing the Tsar's words, Benkendorf bowed his head again and said softly: "Yes, Your Majesty. I dare not delay your order."

Tsar Nicholas I stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the mist rising from the fountain in the distance. Suddenly, he tilted his head slightly and asked, "How is your sister doing recently?"

Benkendorf was slightly startled when he heard this sudden question.

He had not expected Nicholas I to mention Mrs. Leven.

Last year, when the news that Mrs. Lieven was unwilling to return to St. Petersburg with her husband reached the Winter Palace, Nicholas I did not get angry, but as a close minister of the Tsar, he could certainly feel the emperor's dissatisfaction. Mrs. Lieven's choice to stay in Paris was seen as an act of "escaping from the direct control of the Tsar."

Therefore, even though the Tsar did not take the initiative to ask, Benkendorf still wrote a private letter to his sister, asking her to stop fooling around.

But this heroine of European diplomacy apparently ignored her brother's warning. Years of living in London had made Mrs. Leven no longer an ordinary Russian aristocrat. Not only had she cheated in love, but her thoughts also showed signs of going off track.

Whether in London or Paris, her salons always attracted a large number of European liberal intellectuals and statesmen, although Mrs. Leven often made it clear to her brother in her letters that she invited these people only for cultural entertainment and the exchange of diplomatic intelligence.

But in Benkendorf's opinion, if there are too many salons like this, it will be difficult for his sister's thinking not to be affected.

Because he had seen Mrs. Leven emphasize the value of reform and freedom to him based on the Enlightenment thought in her letters home more than once.

According to reports sent back by Russian spies from Paris, it was mentioned more than once that Mrs. Leven's activities in the local area might seem too free and not obedient enough.

The reason why the Tsar did not take action against Mrs. Levin was, on the one hand, because he admired Mrs. Levin's influence in the diplomatic world, and on the other hand, he also wanted to take into account the feelings of the Benkendorf family and the Levin family, two powerful families in Russian political circles.

Among them, his brother Count Benckendorff was the director of the Third Bureau and the commander of the gendarmerie.

Mrs. Lieven's husband, Count Christoph von Lieven, is recognized as Russia's most outstanding ambassador. After retiring as Russia's minister to the United Kingdom, he is currently serving as the Inspector General of the Imperial Army, specifically responsible for military education and officer training.

As for Mrs. Lieven's elder brother-in-law, it was none other than Count Karl Andreas von Lieven, the Minister of Education who had just stepped down last year and was described by the Third Bureau as "shallow-minded", "ignorant" and "uneducated".

In the "Public Opinion Survey Report" evaluating the work of the central ministries, Count Benckendorff belittled his sister's brother-in-law as if he was sacrificing his own brother for the sake of justice.

Although as a relative, this may be too cruel.

But, perhaps this was Benkendorf's original intention?

Because at least the Tsar was very satisfied with the report, and he highly praised the work of the Third Bureau afterwards.

And the Tsar's satisfaction also brought greater power to the Third Bureau and its leader Benkendorf.

Although all departments were secretly cursing the Third Bureau and were always ready to catch their mistakes and fight back, at least on the surface, they had to attach great importance to the issues raised by the Third Bureau and take the initiative to report all the information they needed to the military police.

And when the Third Bureau makes rectification suggestions to these departments, if you don't want to get into trouble, you'd better listen carefully to the suggestions of these gendarmes.

The Second Department's work on compiling laws, the tariff protection system established by Finance Minister Conkling, the education system reform in 1828, the "official nationality theory" of Minister of National Education Uvarov, etc., all these imperial national policies can be seen in the role of the Third Bureau's "prescriptions".

As a good friend of the Tsar, the only person allowed to ride in the same carriage with the Tsar during his visits, and the current Executive Vice Tsar of the Russian Empire, Count Benckendorff naturally refused to give up his position second only to the Tsar.

Without compromising this premise, he was willing to cover up for his sister, but once Mrs. Leven violated this principle, then...

This is not the first time that Benkendorf has done such a thing as sacrificing his own relatives for the sake of justice.

"Your Majesty, thank you for your concern. Dorothea is still the same as always, serving as her banquet hostess in Paris. Her salon is still active, constantly attracting visits from European dignitaries and cultural celebrities."

Nicholas I was silent for a moment, his eyes not moving away from the fountain: "Paris... She seems to have a special liking for it, and she lingers there even more than St. Petersburg. Alas, sometimes I wonder if Dorothea was a man. As for women, it's not that there's anything wrong with ladies, but they always like to act on their emotions and can't be as calm as men."

When Count Benkendorf heard the Tsar's words, his eyes twitched slightly, but he quickly lowered his head to hide his emotions: "Your Majesty, Dorothea is indeed more inclined to use her own way to reach and influence people's hearts. However, she combines emotion and intelligence very well, and her identity as a woman also allows her to handle many difficult situations with ease."

The Tsar nodded slightly, as if to express his agreement. "I admit that she has this ability. It's like an innate talent that can never be acquired through acquired learning. First she shined in Vienna, and then in London for twenty years. Dorothea was always able to solve difficult problems. No one knows better than me how much useful information she has conveyed to Russia. Even some trivial matters and gossips that were previously considered useless are valuable when I look back now."

The Tsar took off his gloves and sat down on the bench by the fountain. He motioned Benckendorff to sit next to him. "Do you remember the phonograph that Dorothea brought me from London?" Benckendorff asked. "The Wheatstone one?"

"Yes, that one, and there are many records." The Tsar said, "One of them is Paganini Etudes: The Bells. I remember it was a work by Arthur Hastings, an emerging pianist in London."

"Is that song beautiful?" Benkendorf joked, "Maybe I should ask you to lend me the record."

"It sounds good? Maybe, but I don't have the good taste of Londoners." The Tsar commented: "I still prefer Orthodox sacred music. If you want that record, I can give it to you directly."

Benkendorf nodded slightly, with a hint of flattery in his tone: "Your Majesty's generosity is very grateful, but that is your treasured item, how can I take it away at will? It is enough for me to know your evaluation of it."

The Tsar crossed his legs and folded his hands on his knees: "That's a coincidence. I also want to know your opinion."

"To that piece of music?"

"No, it's about the performer of the piece." The Tsar clapped his gloves. "Among the British delegation that came to see me today, there is a new counselor who has just taken office. His name is also Arthur Hastings, the same name as the performer of "The Bells". I remember that in the report you submitted to me before, you said that this British counselor is a well-known pianist in London?"

After a brief thought, Benkendorf immediately remembered the several letters Mrs. Leven had written to him in recent years and the background investigation that the third bureau had just completed not long ago.

"You have a keen eye. They are indeed the same person. And pianist is only one of Arthur Hastings' identities. At the same time, he is also Faraday's research assistant and a well-known natural philosophy researcher. However, these are all his side jobs. His main job is a policeman, a senior police officer of the Royal London Metropolitan Police. After leaving the police department, he was appointed professor at the University of Göttingen last year for his outstanding contributions to science. He was appointed by William IV as the academic supervisor and special representative of the University of Göttingen, and served as a constitutional reform consultant for the Kingdom of Hanover."

Nicholas I originally thought that Arthur was just a reckless newcomer in diplomacy, but when he heard this long and luxurious resume, even the Tsar couldn't help but comment: "It sounds like this Sir Arthur Hastings is an all-round talent?"

Benkendorf nodded and said, "That's right. Dorothea mentioned this young man to me before. At that time, he was not very noticeable. He was just a middle-level cadre in the police department. But not long after, he was promoted rapidly. Even though he experienced the turbulent period from the Wellington Cabinet to the Grey Cabinet, neither the cabinet reshuffle nor the switching of the ruling party affected his growth. In less than four years, he went from an unknown street patrolman to the third-in-command of Scotland Yard. He can definitely be called a talented person."

Nicholas I asked with great interest: "Why is he number three? He is so young, he can wait until he becomes number one before changing careers and joining the diplomatic world."

"This was mainly due to the turmoil in the British parliamentary reform," Benkendorf explained. "The day before the vote on parliamentary reform, a large-scale riot broke out in London, and the young man Arthur Hastings calmly commanded the police to suppress the riot. Although this move won him the trust of the royal family and the government, it also brought him criticism from the newspapers. So, in order not to anger the British people, the king, who admired him very much, transferred him to Hanover to recuperate."

When Nicholas I heard this, his dissatisfaction with Arthur was relieved a lot. He praised him: "A loyal and reliable royalist, a pillar of the country who can be relied on. Although there is a difference of seven years, this young man, like you, has solved a problem that you solved in 1825. He killed the British Decembrists. If this young man was under my command, I would never be as weak as William IV. Surrender to newspaper reporters? This is impossible! Not only will I not send him to Poland or the border region, but I will insist on letting him stay in Russia, in St. Petersburg, and in Moscow. I will use him, even if his qualifications are too shallow to be the chief of police, I must at least let him be the commander of the Semyonovsky Guards. I have always complained to God that one Benckendorff is too few for Russia, if only I could be given a few more. However, William IV happened to have a young version of him, but he didn't know how to use him!"

Nicholas I still felt a little unsatisfied when he said this: "Then why did he come to Russia?"

Benkendorf began: "I wrote to Dorothea about this, and she told me an immature guess."

"What guess?"

"Arthur Hastings is the first graduate of the University of London and a disciple personally certified by Jeremy Bentham. Therefore, Dorothea speculated that Arthur Hastings was a figure created by Lord Brougham, the British Chief Justice, and Earl Daramore, the ambassador to Russia. Although she did not deny that he was an outstanding young man, given his civilian background, he would never have had such a smooth journey without the collective support of the group of British politicians who founded the University of London."

"Commoner?" Upon hearing this identity, Nicholas I pinched his beard and seemed to be thinking about something: "Alexei Samuilovich Greg..."

As soon as Benkendorf heard the name he knew what the Tsar was thinking.

Leaving aside the given name and patronymic, just looking at the surname 'Greg' you can tell that it is a genuine British surname.

In fact, this man's father, Samuel Gregg, was a commoner born in Scotland in 1735.

Like the early experiences of many British sailors, Samuel Gregg worked on his father's ship since he was a child. When he grew up, he joined the Royal Navy and grew into a junior officer.

After retiring from the Royal Navy, in 1764, the 39-year-old Greg took the initiative to join the poor Russian Navy and was awarded the rank of first-class captain.

In the subsequent Battle of Chesme and Battle of Hogland, Gregor stood out in the Imperial Navy with his excellent record. He was promoted to admiral in 1782 and served as commander-in-chief of the port of Kronstadt. During his tenure, he promoted the modernization of Russian ship design and naval training.

Because of his outstanding contributions, Samuel Gregg was not only awarded the title of Earl, but also enjoyed the title of "Father of the Russian Navy".

As for Alexei Samuilovich Gregor, as the son of the father of the navy, he was also an indispensable and important general in the Imperial Navy.

Alexei Gregor had already made his mark during the early wars of the anti-French coalition, and his performance in the two wars between Russia and the Ottoman Empire in 1806 and 1812 could be described as outstanding.

In 1813, after successfully completing the task of blockading Danzig, Alexei Greger was promoted to Vice Admiral of the Navy, and soon after became Commander of the Black Sea Fleet and Governor of Nikolayev and Sevastopol.

In the Seventh Russo-Turkish War that broke out in 1828, he successively captured the important cities of Anapa and Varna in the Ottoman Empire, and was promoted to admiral and deeply trusted by the Tsar.

Last year, he resigned from the position of commander of the Black Sea Fleet due to age reasons and was appointed a member of the State Council as a representative of the Imperial Navy.

The Tsar mentioned Greg at this time simply because he admired his talent. Just as he said, for Russia, talents like Benkendorf are always rare.

The Gregg family is far from the only example of British success in Russia.

If we go back in time, Robert Bruce, a close confidant of Peter the Great, who was promoted to Lieutenant General of Infantry and served as the first Governor of St. Petersburg, and his brother, founded the first mathematics and navigation school in Russia. James Bruce, a major general of artillery who was the main rebuilder and reformer of the Russian artillery and was rumored by the Russian people at that time to be proficient in "black magic", is also a typical representative.

The Tsar looked a little entangled. He suddenly stood up from the bench and asked, "Our British friends seem a little unhappy today, so I prepared shining medals for them. An outstanding figure like Count Daramo is naturally worthy of an Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. As for the others, they also deserve a third-class Order of St. Vladimir as a reward. However, for a young man like Sir Arthur Hastings, the weight of a third-class Order of St. Vladimir seems too light. My dear Alexander, do you have a more appropriate suggestion?"

Benkendorf thought for a moment and quickly gave his answer: "The Second Class Order of Saint Anne is the most appropriate. In the military field, this medal is mainly awarded to officers who have performed bravely in combat, especially regimental or brigade commanders. This matches the size of the police force commanded by Sir Arthur Hastings at Scotland Yard and his performance in the London riots. In the civilian field, this medal is mainly awarded to those who have performed well in diplomacy, law, education, etc., such as judges, scholars or diplomatic envoys. This is also very consistent with his identity and contributions to the fields of culture and science."

Nicholas I nodded with satisfaction: "Remember, when dealing with young people like this, we must be cautious in the third round and flexibly apply the methods and means used when dealing with Pushkin."

Benkendorf bowed his head slightly, put his fist on his chest and said, "As you command, Your Majesty."

(End of this chapter)