shadow of britain

Chapter 888 Sir Arthur Hastings, an old friend of the Belgian people

The last whistle of the steam locomotive was drowned out by the echoes deep in the rails. Arthur stood on the platform of the carriage, not yet fully recovered from the long and bumpy ride.

He looked around and saw that although the platforms at Brussels train station weren't wide, they were much more orderly than the half-finished carriage sheds on the outskirts of Paris. The sheds were built of red bricks and cast iron trusses, and the crisscrossing tracks gleamed like mercury in the sunlight. A Belgian tricolor flag was planted diagonally on the roof of the platform, fluttering in the gentle breeze.

Not far away, a stone pavilion bearing the words "Brussels Telegraph Station" is nestled in a corner of the platform. Through the blinds, two uniformed telegraph operators can be seen operating the buttons, one end of which is a telegraph line leading to Mechelen to the north, while the other end is a thick wire that runs through the wall and connects to the hub station behind the city hall.

On the casing of that telegraph machine, Arthur could still vaguely see the factory number he recognized; it was the third batch of equipment delivered by the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company to the Belgian government in April of this year.

Arthur smiled faintly, took off his white gloves from his fingertips, and looked past the crowd and piles of luggage, catching a gray-blue figure at the far end of the platform.

The man was slightly older than him. His clothes were not fancy, but they had a bureaucratic neatness and sophistication. He was tall and thin with a handsome face.

He was taking off his hat and looking around, occasionally taking out his pocket watch to check the time, as if he were waiting for someone.

Their eyes met in the air, and the man nodded slightly before striding toward Arthur.

"Sir Arthur Hastings?" The voice was gentle, with an accent almost in standard British English, but the words carried a hint of the caution and patience of a government official.

Arthur nodded and took his hand: "And you are?"

“Jules van Pratt, Liaison Officer of the Belgian Royal Secretariat.” The man replied with a smile, “I am here to welcome Your Excellency into the city.”

At this point, Van Pratt, as if worried that Arthur might misunderstand, added, "Normally, if you were visiting in an official capacity, the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would handle it. But since you are traveling in a private capacity this time, His Majesty the King has entrusted your itinerary to our Royal Secretariat."

Upon hearing this, Arthur raised an eyebrow slightly, but the smile didn't linger on his face for long. He casually stuffed the gloves into the inner pocket of his coat: "I see. Please convey my gratitude to His Majesty Leopold for his kindness."

"The carriage is ready. If you don't mind, please stay at the Bellevue Hotel tonight. It's not far from the Royal Palace and won't be too conspicuous, making it a good place for you to rest well on your first night after arriving. His Majesty will receive you at Laken Palace later. The time of the meeting has not yet been officially confirmed, but it certainly won't be too late."

As soon as Van Pratt finished speaking, he turned slightly to the side and gave a wink to the several entourage members standing ramrod straight behind him.

The youngest attendant immediately stepped forward, picked up the dusty leather suitcase from Arthur's feet, and held it steadily in his hand.

The other person said apologetically, "If you have any other luggage, we can send it to your hotel. The hotel has already sent someone to pick you up once in advance. The rest of your belongings will be delivered to your room before dinner. Your entourage has also been arranged to stay at the Bellevue Hotel."

The Belvedere Hotel is a regular choice for the Belgian government to entertain important foreign guests. Built in the mid-18th century, the hotel is part of a complex built after the Caudenburg Palace was burned down in 1731. It was used as a guesthouse for royal guests for a long time in the early 19th century and was converted into a luxury hotel.

The list of military and political figures who have been hosted by this hotel is endless. Napoleon once dined here, and the Duke of Wellington met with his staff here a few days before the Battle of Waterloo. Former King Jerome Bonaparte of Westphalia and former Queen Julie Bonaparte of Spain also stayed here briefly.

Due to its long-standing reputation and its extremely advantageous location adjacent to the Royal Place in Brussels and Leopold's residence, Laken Palace, it was renovated after Belgium's independence and became the official hotel for receiving foreign envoys, the king's private guests, and high-ranking military officers.

Even Leopold I's coronation ceremony was held here on July 21, 1831.

Arthur was indeed quite satisfied with this kind of accommodation.

He nodded slightly and pointed to the suitcase that his attendant was carrying, saying, "This is all the luggage I have. I didn't bring anything else, so I won't trouble you."

The attendant was taken aback, as if he hadn't understood. He looked down at the leather suitcase, where the leather corners had been worn down to a shallow mark, and there were several scratches on the lock from long-term use.

He hesitated for a moment, then repeated, "Your spare clothes, documents, toiletries... don't you need them forwarded?"

“I’m not moving house,” Arthur said calmly, as if it were a common occurrence, after all, it wasn’t the first time he’d been asked this question. “There’s only this one box. As for the entourage, they’re still in France. They should be able to get to Brussels tomorrow, but they might not stay at the Bellevue Hotel, because they may have to go to telegraph stations throughout Belgium for some technical supervision.”

Van Pratt didn't react much to these words, but the two young attendants standing beside him had rather strange expressions.

Although they didn't say anything, they still regarded Arthur as an oddball.

Logically speaking, in the European high society of the 1830s, especially for guests from countries with complex court cultures like England and France, even on private visits, they would inevitably bring along several attendants, such as personal valet and private secretary.

In addition, at least one trunk of clothing for the evening should be prepared, such as tailcoats, brooches, and lined gloves. A separate trunk of toiletries, spice jars, and emergency medicines should also be included. Some more particular nobles would also bring cooking utensils and tableware for their accompanying chefs.

Sir Arthur Hastings, however, appeared to have just finished dinner and gone for a stroll, carrying only an English overcoat and an old leather trunk. He had neither a personal valet nor a private secretary. His so-called late-arriving attendants were more like technical experts from the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company than attendants.

If Van Pratt hadn't already known that Arthur would be traveling alone to Brussels, he might have mistaken Arthur for some conman from Paris.

In reality, Arthur's situation was even worse than they imagined.

Even his supposedly late-arriving entourage wasn't actually a technical expert; they were simply Alexandre Dumas and Elder, who hadn't gotten out of bed the night before due to heavy drinking. They weren't in Belgium for technical supervision, of course; they were just there for fun. That's why Arthur was reluctant to let them stay at the Bellevue Hotel.

Because, although Arthur and the Belgians had a good relationship, it didn't mean the Belgians would relax their surveillance of a foreign friend like him. While those two going out to philander wasn't a big deal, it was still unseemly, and if they ran into any trouble along the way, it would be a huge embarrassment for him.

Van Pratt took a barely perceptible breath. Although Arthur's unpretentious travel seemed to make his work easier, he still preferred to let Arthur trouble him more with the reception task, which was personally assigned by Leopold I: "If your entourage arrives tomorrow, could you please inform the Royal Secretariat? His Majesty hopes that everything you do in Brussels will proceed without incident."

“Of course,” Arthur said. “I will arrange for them to report to the secretariat.”

Van Pratt was slightly relieved upon hearing this. He simply gestured for Arthur to proceed to the carriage, saying, "Please, sir, aboard. The inn has prepared a room, and His Majesty has personally selected the menu for dinner, and has also instructed the chef to prepare an English breakfast. We hope you will find it agreeable."

Outside the train station, a four-wheeled enclosed carriage was quietly parked at the street corner. The carriage wheels were polished to a shine, the body was black with a polished paint finish, and the horse harness was shiny silver. Two accompanying cavalrymen stood beside the carriage, with sabers at their waists and pistols tucked into their pockets. Their military caps were pulled low, and they looked expressionless.

Although Arthur had anticipated that Leopold might give him some special treatment, the meticulous arrangements made for everything still moved him.

But being moved is one thing, and being grateful is another; for politicians, gratitude cannot be just empty words.

Arthur pondered for a long time, wondering what else he had that Leopold might be interested in.

Ultimately, it boils down to Arthur's influence over his niece, perhaps with the addition of the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company.

Arthur reached out and grabbed the brass-covered handle by the carriage door, then boarded.

Van Pratt sat opposite him, reached out and lifted a corner of the curtain, pointed to the telegraph lines outside the station and said, "The equipment at the Brussels telegraph station was originally the first batch of test models transferred from London. Later, after His Majesty saw the demonstration line of the English Electromagnetic Telegraph Company in Leuven, he immediately approved the purchase of the entire universal system."

“I heard that the telegraph line in Belgium was laid to Mechelen last month, and the extension line at the port of Antwerp should also be completed by the end of this year,” Arthur said softly, his tone relaxed and nonchalant. “Compared to those politicians in Paris and postal bureaucrats in London, His Majesty Leopold is clearly more like someone who truly understands the value of modern communication.”

Van Pratt smiled: “His Majesty has always valued the cooperative projects between our government and the Imperial Publishing Company, which not only involve the construction of telegraph technology but also the business of publishing distribution. Last month, we just conducted a preliminary crackdown on pirate booksellers in Brussels, many of whom were organizers involved in infringing on your company’s legitimate publishing rights. If you would be so kind as to spare some time from your busy schedule to cooperate with the Brussels police in their investigation.”

“That does surprise me a bit.” Arthur leaned back upon hearing this. “When I was in Paris, I heard that Brussels’ printing industry was always thriving, and you could find all kinds of books there… Piracy was practically a characteristic of the city. If His Majesty the King hadn’t personally given his approval, I really wouldn’t have imagined that you would mobilize the police force for a London publishing company.”

Van Pratt smiled slightly, his tone still humble and polite: "Your Excellency is quite right. Piracy is indeed deeply rooted in Brussels, and if it were merely from the perspective of economic development, the Belgian government shouldn't have taken such drastic measures. But since pirated books involve His Majesty's international reputation, which is of concern, the police naturally have to intervene. However..."

He paused slightly, as if somewhat embarrassed: "After all, this involves your company's interests. Only with your confirmation and cooperation can it be considered legitimate."

Arthur casually asked, "Did those pirates just pirate works published by the Empire?"

“Of course, others were also pirated.” Van Pratt coughed. “However, cracking down on piracy has to be done step by step. The pirated works of Imperial Publishing Company were the first targets of the crackdown in Brussels. As for other companies, those are things to be considered in later batches.”

Hearing this, Arthur became even more certain that Leopold must have something to ask of him.

Because anyone who isn't an idiot can tell that Van Pratt's words are practically telling Arthur that the Brussels police's anti-piracy campaign is a one-off event.

Moreover, if it were merely a copyright dispute, Belgium could have handled it on its own under the guise of "rectifying the publishing industry," without needing to be so cautious.

Van Pratt's statement, "I'm sharing your burdens but I need your approval," is far too humble.

However, since they've already put it this way, it would be impolite not to respond.

Moreover, Sir Arthur Hastings' desire to eliminate Brussels' pirates is nothing new.

“I understand.” Arthur nodded. “Please convey my gratitude to the Brussels police. If they need any evidence or written explanations, I will arrange for them to be sent from London. If they require the cooperation of the London police, I will do my best to assist them.”

Van Pratt's eyes lit up with relief when he heard Arthur agree, and he immediately chimed in, "That's wonderful. Rest assured, the Brussels police will handle this matter properly and won't cause you any trouble."

“In that case, I will trouble you all.” Arthur bowed slightly as a polite thank you, then looked up again: “However, I would like to ask about something more important. When will His Majesty Leopold have time to see me?”

Van Pratt smiled and agreed, “I understand your feelings. In fact, His Majesty instructed us to prepare for your audience when he learned of your arrival in Brussels. However, given that you are coming in a private capacity, we still need to coordinate the court schedule to ensure everything is conducted in a proper manner. His Majesty specifically instructed that you should rest a bit before the audience and not be overworked on the day of your arrival. According to the current arrangements, His Majesty can receive you at Laken Palace as early as tomorrow afternoon. As for the exact time, I need to go back to the palace to confirm it later. If there are any changes, I will personally inform you at the Bellevue Hotel.”

Arthur understood Van Pratt's unspoken meaning: he needed to return to the palace and report to Leopold about what they had discussed in the carriage that day. Since their conversation had gone so smoothly, it was almost certain that Arthur would see Leopold tomorrow.

However, if Arthur had just rejected the Brussels police's "kind offer," then the meeting might have to be postponed.

(End of this chapter)