SGB Chapter 302

## Chapter 302: A Calculated Ignorance (4K7)

The wind howled, rain lashed down, and thunder roared.

Lightning illuminated the London streets, turning the rain-soaked cobblestones into a river of shimmering silver.

Louis Bonaparte, a black umbrella shielding him from the downpour, stood beneath the canopy of a large, rain-drenched camphor tree. He tilted his head upwards, peering through the dense foliage at the nearby apartment building that overlooked Hyde Park’s Speaker’s Corner.

The windows of the building were wide open, revealing a man with a bandaged arm, sipping tea from a white porcelain cup and enjoying a biscuit. Despite his injuries, his appetite seemed unaffected.

Louis shook his wet hair and, with a heavy thud of his riding boots, approached the apartment building. He walked through the garden, overflowing with onions, garlic, and various spices, and entered the building. He climbed the stairs to the second floor.

The door to Arthur’s room was slightly ajar, a deliberate invitation for Louis.

Stepping inside, Louis found the small room sparsely furnished with a bed, a table, a teapot set, a gramophone, and a few books.

Arthur, his shoulders speckled with raindrops, smiled and asked, “How’s your first day in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department?”

Louis chuckled wryly, “It’s tougher than I imagined. Endless paperwork, investigation reports, and countless errands. You said this position could be handled by a dog, and I believed you. Now, looking back, I think you were just being modest.”

Arthur poured a cup of tea and, walking towards Louis, offered it to him. “You find it difficult because you’re still unfamiliar with the process. Do as I say, and I guarantee you’ll have a smooth and enjoyable week while I’m out on sick leave.”

“I knew there must be some tricks to it,” Louis said, putting down his teacup and taking out a pen and paper to jot down notes. “Arthur, tell me.”

Arthur leaned against the table, arms crossed. “To excel at this job, you need to know how to choose the right people for the right tasks. For cases involving investigations, delegate them to Charles Field, the chief inspector. He’s a master of chemistry and crime scene investigation, quick-witted, and meticulous. Even in the entire Scotland Yard, there’s no one better than him at detective work.

For those tasks that require strict adherence to regulations, like arresting suspects confirmed by Field or detaining accused debtors, those should be handled by Tom.

And for those tasks that are mere formalities, can be done half-heartedly, or are ambiguous and potentially risky – like the department’s recent crackdown on the entertainment industry – those are for Tony.”

Arthur continued, “Of course, since most criminal cases originate from the East End, we occasionally need to coordinate with the local police district for investigations.

As you know, the East End is full of scoundrels, including some of those responsible for maintaining order in the area. As the acting head, I bet they won’t take you seriously.

So before anything else, you need to greet Inspector Jones of the Tower Hamlets district and inform him that I need his full cooperation. I don’t want to come back in a week to find a mountain of backlogged cases.

Of course, sometimes the department or other inspectors need our help with some shady business in the East End that can’t be openly discussed. If it’s not too excessive, you can agree to it. But for such tasks, you need someone with a sharp mind, flexible methods, and a knack for action. There’s a young man in Whitechapel called Ridley, a progressive youth. Give him the job, and you’ll soon get a satisfying answer.”

Arthur took a sip of his tea. “That’s about it for the Criminal Investigations Department. If something comes up that’s beyond their capabilities, you can come straight to me.”

Louis Bonaparte, biting his pen cap, looked up with furrowed brows. “So, is there anything for me to do?”

“Anything to do?” Arthur put a friendly arm around Louis’s shoulder, urging him to sit down. “Of course! Louis, your job is crucial, more important than all of them combined!”

Louis asked, “Really? What do I need to do?”

Arthur cleared his throat and said, “You should know that this fiscal year is coming to an end. When next spring comes, Parliament will review the public budget for each department. So, the Home Office will finalize the departmental budget before the opening of Parliament next year. And Scotland Yard, as a subordinate department of the Home Office, needs to submit our requirements before the Home Office finalizes its budget.

To be precise, Scotland Yard will finalize the budget application report by mid-December. So, Louis, for this week, you’ll have a lot of meetings. Your job is simple to say but difficult to do. I want you to cry poverty at every meeting, cry poverty to the Home Secretary in internal meetings, and cry poverty to the Home Office in high-level police meetings.

Tell them about all the great things we’ve done this year, all the cases we’ve solved. Tell them that without the Criminal Investigations Department, London will turn into a bloodbath, with arsonists and murderers running rampant in the city and beyond. We need better equipment, more personnel, and higher-quality training. Ultimately, we need more funding, which means money.”

Louis listened, scratching his head with his hat in his hand. “But isn’t that a bit exaggerated? The Criminal Investigations Department has indeed solved many cases this year, but those with significant societal impact… like the Harrison case?”

“No, don’t mention Harrison. He screwed us over, and the Home Office won’t like that. Besides, Harrison is currently under investigation, and the whole incident has barely been suppressed. There’s no need to bring it up again.”

Arthur took a sip of tea and said, “Louis, I think you can emphasize yourself more. Well… I mean, the Criminal Investigations Department has not only solved cases this year but also, through these cases, discovered some talents like you.”

Louis heard this and said with a strange expression, “Will the Home Office like that?”

“I don’t know. Whether they like it or not, you can create that atmosphere for the department.”

Arthur pretended to be oblivious. “But I think they’ll be interested in your last name. Louis, you understand, sometimes the amount of funding depends entirely on the whim of those lazy asses in the Home Office. Besides being indifferent to work, those lazy asses have a wide range of interests. They love everything from gossip about the ladies’ bedrooms to bizarre street rumors, or the latest installment of ‘The Englishman.’ Louis, you’ve been featured in the Times a few times this year. You can be confident in this area.”

Louis could only rub his temples helplessly. “Alright… if this really could make the Home Office generously grant us more funds, like replacing our Colt revolvers, I’d be willing to try. Arthur, speaking of which, is your gun available on the market?”

Arthur said, “It’s definitely not available on the market for now. But if Scotland Yard’s request for collective Colt revolver upgrades is approved by the Home Office, then Samuel Colt will have the money to build his first production line at the beginning of the next fiscal year. By then, you’ll be able to meet the gun on the market.”

Louis shook his head. “No, I’m not talking about the mass-produced ones. I mean, what if I wanted to ask Mr. Colt to make a custom-made one like yours?”

Arthur replied, “Then you might have to wait in line. Even though Samuel has been working overtime, he’s been overwhelmed with custom orders ever since the duel. But since you’re so willing to sacrifice yourself for the department and request funds from Scotland Yard and the Home Office, I can mention it to Samuel, like letting you jump the queue or something.”

Louis heard this and could only gasp in surprise. “Arthur.”

Arthur took a sip of his tea. “What’s wrong?”

Louis propped his head on the table with one hand. “Mr. Wheatstone was right. You’re a bit of a bad guy sometimes. But compared to Fouché of France, you’re a bit cute in your badness. How do you manage to do bad things without being as annoying as Fouché?”

“It’s simple,” Arthur said, putting down his teacup. “Just play within the rules. In Britain, bending the rules is normal, and no one will hold you accountable for it. In fact, some loopholes are intentionally left for people to exploit. As for the harm caused by bending the rules, it’s predictable beforehand, so everyone just scolds you a bit. But if you’re like Fouché, breaking the rules and acting like you don’t care, it’s not just a matter of scolding.”

“Alright,” Louis said, taking out a few recordings from his briefcase and placing them on the table. “I brought the loopholes you requested today, Mr. Wheatstone worked day and night to make them. Hopefully, the equipment we’ve pre-installed in the box at the Astley Theatre will help with next year’s funding request, or… at least help us add a few more cases to our work report.”

Arthur saw the records and a smile spread across his face.

During the duel at the Astley Theatre, he wasn’t concerned about the outcome of the duel, nor did he worry about the success of Chopin’s London debut. The King’s sword was completely unexpected.

What he cared most about were these records in his hands.

The pre-duel publicity attracted numerous bigwigs. Although Arthur didn’t know what they discussed, even ordinary family matters would be beneficial for enriching the archives of the Intelligence Bureau.

After all, Arthur always wanted to deepen his ‘understanding’ of these influential figures who could sway British policy, although unfortunately, this understanding was usually one-sided.

Louis stood up and stretched. He leaned out of the window and looked out. “Speaking of which, Arthur, why did you use funds to rent this house as a contact point? The rent in Mayfair isn’t cheap. You spent a lot of money for just a small room. The cost-effectiveness is a bit low.”

Arthur skipped the gramophone needle, placing the record on the turntable. “If you mean comfort, then yes, the cost-effectiveness is indeed low. But the Intelligence Bureau didn’t rent this place for living. Haven’t you noticed what you can see from the window? Hyde Park’s Speaker’s Corner. That’s why the bureau rented it.

The Criminal Investigations Department makes a living by solving cases, while the Intelligence Bureau makes a living by gathering information. I certainly can’t submit records to the Home Office as the achievements of the Intelligence Bureau. So, I have to show them something. You’ve lived in London for a while. You should know who usually gathers at Speaker’s Corner, right?”

Louis sat on the windowsill and said, “I’ve heard about it. I heard that the place has a different face every moment. Maybe they’re singing praises for the government in the morning, but by noon, they’re already making sarcastic remarks. By the afternoon, they’re practically wanting to set Westminster Palace on fire.”

“More than that. If you stay there long enough, you’ll definitely develop schizophrenia.”

“How so?”

Arthur said, “The merchants’ representatives from the East say our government is controlled by greedy nobles and corrupt clergymen. It’s a shameful country representing feudalism and backwardness.

The workers’ representatives from the West say the government is in the hands of financiers and factory owners. It’s a wicked country representing the interests of big bankers and merchants.

The representatives of the small citizens from the South embrace Malthus’s population theory. They attack the government’s decision to appease those who try to get something for nothing. They think it’s absurd. Britain collects 8.6 million pounds in poor relief tax every year to rescue those lazy bastards, which only creates more poverty and undermines the work ethic of those who are proud to have a job.

The clergymen from the North insist that low social morality is the root of all evils. They call on people to return to the church, to pray, repent, and recite the Bible every day. In this situation, only the merciful God can save Britain.”

Louis looked out the window. “Seems like we’re not lucky today. It’s raining, and there’s no audience, so even the representatives from the East, West, South, and North are all absent.”

Arthur shook his head. “Not all of them are absent. The representatives of the night are always there, rain or shine. And their supporters are more steadfast than the audiences from the East, West, South, and North. No matter the wind or rain, as long as it’s dusk, the moon climbs the branches, this place will always be lively.”

Louis asked curiously, “You mean?”

Arthur leaned against the window, holding his teacup. “What else could it be? It’s the nightingales, of course. Hyde Park is also a key area for their business. All the parks in London are basically like this. And because Scotland Yard has been cracking down on the atmosphere recently, the girls have fewer places to go. So the traffic around Hyde Park has increased by several times compared to usual.”

“Ah…” Louis suddenly realized. “But… if we know this, why not make Hyde Park a key surveillance area?”

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “It’s simple. Because Hyde Park is in the West End, and it’s a bustling area in the West End. If we’re talking from the perspective of an upright gentleman, Scotland Yard needs to crack down on the atmosphere, but we can’t completely block the girls’ livelihoods. London can’t suddenly create tens of thousands of jobs. They need to eat, after all.

If we’re talking from a less upright perspective, there are many people living near Hyde Park who are influential in British politics. Many of them are old and lecherous. We have to give them some leeway. If we block all the places, unless these guys take the initiative, Scotland Yard doesn’t have the will to make trouble for them.

At least until the next fiscal year’s budget is approved by Parliament, we’ll temporarily coexist peacefully with them. After all, those who are dissatisfied with the ubiquity of nightingales are the clergymen. Although they also have significant social influence, the passage of bills depends mainly on the nobles and merchants who constitute the majority in Parliament.”

Louis laughed and asked, “So you think you agree with the opinion that Britain is a wicked country representing the interests of big bankers and merchants?”

Arthur shrugged. “I don’t know. I only know that whoever makes the policies, it represents them. And the members of the British Parliament are constantly changing. So, who knows?”

Just as Arthur was speaking, there was a knock on the door.

Louis opened the door, revealing a woman he had never seen before. She was wearing a white dress with floral patterns.

“Please… is Mr. Arthur Hastings here? I… I’m here to apply for a maid position.”

(End of Chapter)