## Chapter 108: The First Offensive of France
A cloud of dust and smoke swirled around Arthur as he helped the expensive French fat man step by step up the stairs to the deck.
Arthur’s jacket pocket held a clean, white receipt – a deposit for the Frenchman’s kidnapping, a blank check for five hundred pounds from Rothschild Bank.
As he assisted the man upwards, Arthur asked, “You’re not cheap. Five hundred pounds just to tie you up! If we take you back to Paris, the reward would be enough to make me drool. What’s your identity, this French fatty? Why are you worth so much?”
The French man couldn’t help but glare at Arthur, “Despite my politeness, if you continue using that derogatory term, I refuse to answer any questions!”
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir. I shouldn’t have used that prefix. It lacks basic courtesy and respect.”
Arthur realized his mistake and apologized with a smile, “So, Fatty, what is your identity?”
The Frenchman’s face flushed red with anger, “So, in the English dictionary, is ‘French’ more insulting than ‘Fatty’?”
Arthur nodded sheepishly, “How could you expose this secret? Well, since you don’t like that term, I’ll call you by your alias. Do you prefer ‘Friday’ or ‘Robinson’? I have to say, your alias is quite strange. Only those who haven’t read ‘Robinson Crusoe’ would not know you’re making fun of them.”
The Frenchman only snorted and tugged at his collar, “You don’t understand. There’s meaning behind my alias.”
“Oh? Can I hear the details?”
The Frenchman glanced at Arthur and recited, “Because my fate is like Robinson’s. Due to unfortunate circumstances, we were both separated from the civilized world and landed on a savage island where civilization is unseen.”
Arthur stopped walking, stared intently at the Frenchman, and smiled, “You’re not paying attention when you read. Don’t you know Robinson was an English sailor? ‘Robinson Crusoe’ is the masterpiece of English author Daniel Defoe!”
“Oh! Really? Then Robinson is more unfortunate than me. At least I’ve seen civilization!”
The Frenchman glared at Arthur, then shoved Arthur’s arm away, refusing his help and limping upwards in a huff.
Arthur brushed his messy hair back and chuckled, “Just a joke. Why get so angry? The French really can’t take a joke.”
Agareus sat on the edge of the stairs, the Red Devil clapping his legs and laughing until tears streamed down his face.
“Arthur, you don’t understand. This inconspicuous fat man possesses the highest level of aggression France has seen in centuries.”
“Really?” Arthur shook his head, “Then if he wants to live in England, he better change his temper. But I have to admit, he’s even stronger than Napoleon Bonaparte, who is revered by the French people, in some ways.”
The Red Devil raised an eyebrow, “What aspects? Give me an example.”
“An example?”
Arthur smoothed his wrinkled gloves and said calmly, “For example, Napoleon never set foot on Great Britain until his death, but this fat man did. From this perspective, his attack is indeed sharper than Napoleon’s.”
Arthur finished his words, took a light step and chased after the Frenchman, leaving behind the Red Devil’s rolling laughter.
“Arthur, you are the strongest attack of the 19th century! If the fat man hears this, he’d probably jump on you and strangle you!”
Arthur paused, noticing something amiss in Agareus’ words.
He pondered, “You mean this guy has some connection to Napoleon? Could he be a relative? But if he’s a relative, wouldn’t five hundred pounds be a bit low for a French ransom?”
Agareus looked at Arthur’s suspicious expression and smugly said, “Just guess. I’ll tell you, his relationship with Napoleon is neither too close nor too distant. Anyway, he’s not related to Napoleon. If you want to know, get me a few more pirate lives.”
Arthur ignored the Red Devil’s offer and pushed open the cabin door, “Forget it, you don’t want to tell me, I’ll ask him myself. The extra three lives are with you. Remember to calculate the interest.”
The Red Devil quickly closed his book, pointing at Arthur’s back and scolding, “Arthur, Arthur! The strongest voice of Scotland Yard! Master of electromagnetism, Hastings the Forceful! The strongest attack of the 19th century! Hey! You damn bastard, I’m talking to you! How can you, someone destined to be a Messiah, be so ungenerous?!”
Arthur stepped out of the cabin door. As far as his eyes could see, all the Blackthorn crew were disarmed and surrendering under the muzzles of the marines.
The French fat man leaned against a broken mast, clutching his sore waist.
The marine commander saw Arthur and grinned, even the scar on his right cheek twitched.
He walked over, pulled out his pipe and offered it to Arthur.
He nodded, motioning for Arthur to take it, then pulled out a match and lit it for him.
The commander laughed and put his arm around Arthur’s shoulder, “Good job, brother! I haven’t fought such a satisfying boarding battle in a long time. The last time I had so much fun was when I was fighting slave ships on the coast of West Africa with the ‘Black Jester’.”
Arthur puffed a smoke ring, sighed, then handed the pipe back to the commander, gesturing for him to have a puff.
He asked, “Is the slave trade in West Africa rampant?”
The commander took two puffs and nodded, “Of course! Portuguese, Spanish, all sorts of people. There’s no way around it, both South America and North America need slaves. As long as there’s demand, there’s trade.
But thanks to these slave traders, we sailors who worked on slave ships usually made a fortune from them. Besides being careful of malaria and other contagious diseases, the income is much higher than in the home fleet.”
At this point, the commander pointed to the French fat man, “So, this is the guy you’re taking back? He just came out of the cabin and started cursing in French on the deck. I almost kicked him overboard before I realized what was going on.”
Arthur raised an eyebrow and asked, “You could have kicked him overboard, but do you know how to rescue a drowning Frenchman?”
The commander shook his head in regret, “Sorry, I really don’t know.”
A marine passing by heard this and whistled, “Don’t know? That’s great!”
The few words instantly sparked laughter on the ship, even the disarmed Blackthorn crew couldn’t help but grin.
The French fat man flushed red and pointed at the crowd, “Be more respectful when you talk to me! I won’t allow you to insult a noble French artilleryman!”
“Oh?” Arthur and the commander laughed side by side, “Artilleryman? You wouldn’t be a French artillery lieutenant, would you? Graduated from the Paris Military Academy?”
The other marines joined in the teasing.
“Last name Bonaparte?”
“Called Napoleon?”
The fat man disdainfully glanced at them, then smoothed his clothes, put his hands behind his back, held his head high and proudly announced:
“Humph! I am honored to inform you that standing before you is:
A righteous citizen of glorious France,
Former copyist for the Duke of Orleans’ Secretariat,
A Republican warrior who stormed the Tuileries Palace with the army during the July Revolution,
A combat hero who, when the insurgents were short of ammunition, took the initiative to open the arms depots of Soissons and La Fère, thus laying the foundation for the victory of the revolution,
A great example of the French Republic, personally received and commended by General Lafayette,
Former librarian of the Paris Library and captain of the French Army,
Deputy commander of the Fourth Artillery Company of the French National Guard,
A brave exile persecuted for his adherence to Republicanism, spreading Republican ideas and refusing to recognize the status of the usurper King Louis-Philippe, accused of inciting a second revolution,
Unyielding, strong-willed, tenacious, Alexander Dumas, Esquire!”
(End of Chapter)