## Chapter 156: Unorganized Crime
The carriage swayed gently, Arthur holding the box containing the phonograph in his arms. In his hand, he clutched a freshly recorded disc, crafted from tin, wax, and wood.
This disc, far from the prized, intricate vinyl records of the future worth thousands each, had an astonishingly short lifespan. According to Wheatstones’s estimation, this hastily made disc, a prototype of sorts, could only play around twenty times before its sound quality degraded.
Though confident in his ability to create something better, Wheatstones knew it wouldn’t be ready for Sunday’s dinner party.
Despite its crude, rushed construction, the disc filled Arthur with excitement. He had initially thought it remarkable that Wheatstones could even create a rudimentary phonograph in a week.
He had clearly underestimated Charles Wheatstones’s mastery of acoustics and the hands-on skills and creativity of this British young scientist from a family of instrument makers, who seamlessly blended new inventions with musical instruments.
Eld, sitting opposite Arthur, was still reeling from the shock of hearing the phonograph play the piano piece for the first time.
“This… this is a truly remarkable invention! To be able to capture a person’s voice, good heavens, I always thought only God could accomplish such a feat.” Eld muttered, “With this phonograph, I suppose musicians will be out of work from now on?”
Arthur replied, “You should worry about your next sea training instead of musicians.”
Eld raised an eyebrow, “Arthur, by the way, I know you understand art, but I had no idea you could play the piano. When did you learn this?”
Arthur glanced at the Red Devil sitting by the window. Agareus, in a stylish black tailcoat acquired from somewhere, hummed a tune, his eyes closed, arms swaying like a whip. It was as if he wasn’t sitting by the window but standing in the golden hall of Vienna.
Arthur sighed, “You’d believe me if I said I just started learning?”
Eld looked unconvinced, “Come on, Arthur. If you could play to this level after just starting, it can only mean you have an unmatched musical talent. They shouldn’t have spent a fortune going to Vienna to find Beethoven for the composition of ‘Wellington’s Victory,’ the British piece commemorating the victory of the Battle of Victoria. They should have gone straight to the countryside of Yorkshire and found you.”
Arthur couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, “That wouldn’t work.”
“Why?”
Arthur said, “Because playing the piano is a killer. Eld, I remember the Battle of Victoria was in 1813, I was three years old at the time. A three-year-old kid couldn’t handle such a big deal.”
Eld pursed his lips, “Doesn’t everything require effort? But, not being a musician doesn’t seem like a big deal. You’re a Scotland Yard Inspector at a young age, living in a detached six-room house with two living rooms near Hyde Park. Even General Codrington’s dinner party requires you to be present. So, in comparison, most 20-year-old musicians are doing poorly compared to you.”
Eld, having said that, nonchalantly lit his pipe, crossed his legs, and started to concern himself with Arthur’s love life.
“You’re 20 years old. Getting married might be a bit early, but you still need to consider it carefully. If you hook up with a girl from a noble family, you can soar to new heights with the backing of her family.”
Arthur couldn’t help but tease, “Eld, that doesn’t sound like you. You always said you wanted to make your own world. It’s only been a year, and your life path has completely changed. It’s one thing for your ‘Royal Navy bloodline’ to awaken, but now you’re even considering choosing a partner with wealth and background?”
Eld didn’t care about any of that. He said, “Arthur, you don’t understand. You need to seize opportunities when they arise. You’ve solved so many big cases at Scotland Yard. If the same achievements were on a nobleman, he might already be working in the Home Office. But you’re still at Scotland Yard. What does that tell you? It means you lack background.
Besides, even if you don’t like it, you can always play along. In London’s social circles, many people rise to power and wealth by playing this game.”
Seeing Eld’s ‘don’t be too young’ expression, Arthur played along, “Are all the upper-class social circles in London playing this kind of game?”
Sure enough, Eld was excited when he heard this.
He whispered, “You’re asking the right person. Do you know Emma Hart, Nelson’s mistress, Lady Hamilton?
Arthur felt a sense of familiarity when he heard the name, as if the Red Devil had mentioned it before, “I’ve only heard of her.”
Eld was thrilled to see that Arthur didn’t know and enthusiastically introduced her.
“Lady Hamilton is a legend in London’s high society. Lady Hamilton was originally a commoner. Her father was a blacksmith, her mother was a maid, and she herself used to do odd jobs like cleaning and babysitting. She even almost fell victim to a man’s deception and became a prostitute.
But her fate changed when she met Lord Charles Grenville. Lord Grenville was captivated by her beauty and took her home, teaching her about upper-class clothing, manners, and even hiring tutors for her in literature and art.
Under Lord Grenville’s cultivation, Emma Hart made her debut at a social gathering and became an instant sensation. Soon, she became the undisputed ‘First Beauty of England’ in the circle.
Just when everyone thought Emma Hart would be with Lord Grenville, the nobleman, to pay off his enormous debts, transferred her to his uncle, Sir William Hamilton. Emma naturally became Lady Hamilton.”
Arthur frowned, “But how did she end up with Nelson?”
Eld replied, “That’s because Sir Hamilton was appointed British ambassador to Naples, so Emma naturally went with him. She skillfully utilized the social skills she learned in London and quickly became a favorite among the Neapolitan upper class.
At that time, Nelson had just defeated the French Navy at the Nile River mouth in Egypt and was promoted to commander of the Mediterranean Fleet. They met in Naples and fell in love at first sight, their relationship developing rapidly. Sir Hamilton, instead of blaming them, generously returned to London with them.”
Arthur’s eyelids twitched, “Are you sure? I know mistresses are common these days, but publicly exposing such behavior, I doubt many Britons would accept it.
After all, our late King George IV was constantly attacked by the media for wanting a divorce. Even some members of Parliament were speaking out for Queen Caroline.
Even if Sir Hamilton didn’t mind, wouldn’t the London tabloids attack Nelson and Emma?”
Eld scoffed, “If anyone else did it, they would be buried in the mud. But that’s Horatio Nelson, the soul of the Royal Navy! If Nelson were still alive, even the Duke of Wellington wouldn’t be able to completely suppress him. What could our former King do compared to him?”
Arthur asked, “What about after the Battle of Trafalgar? Without Nelson, Lady Hamilton’s fate wouldn’t be so good.”
Eld nodded, “You’ve guessed right. Before the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson was still a man, but after he died in Trafalgar, he became a heroic symbol of Britain. Such a hero cannot have any flaws. So, for Nelson’s reputation, Lady Hamilton was quickly abandoned by London’s social circles. Everyone treated her like air, and her name and story became a taboo subject.”
Arthur asked, “Isn’t that a failed case? Why are you telling me about her?”
“There are successful ones!”
Eld said, “The most typical example of female success is Harriet Wilson. She relied on her relationships with a bunch of people and made a fortune in high society. Even after her retirement, she continued to serialize her past love affairs in newspapers.
As long as those former lovers didn’t pay up, she would expose their names and quirks in her love stories. If they paid enough, she would even sing their praises.
The most successful male case in recent years is Viscount Palmerston, Henry Temple. Although there is no concrete evidence, many people say that Viscount Palmerston has had affairs with at least three of the seven main sponsors of the Almacks Club.
If it weren’t for the help of these ladies, Viscount Palmerston wouldn’t have been able to navigate social circles and the political world so smoothly, nor would he have been accepted by the Whigs after leaving the Tories.”
Arthur had heard the name ‘Almacks Club’ before. As for the title ‘Viscount Palmerston,’ it was written in textbooks, impossible to avoid.
He suddenly became interested and asked, “Can you tell me more about the inside story? For example, the seven female sponsors of the Almacks Club, or Palmerston.”
Eld, thinking Arthur had finally come to his senses, patted Arthur on the shoulder, “Arthur, you’ve finally understood. You can’t rely on yourself to become a big shot.”
“Of course.” Arthur smiled and patted the box in his arms, “Of course I can’t rely on myself alone, I also need to rely on the recording.”
Eld was taken aback by his words, “Recording? What are you trying to do?”
“Nothing.”
Arthur smiled and replied, “Eld, you wouldn’t think the invention of the phonograph is just for a dinner party or to listen to a piece of music, would you? If possible, I hope it can become a powerful tool for our Scotland Yard, or even LPS, to combat organized crime.”
Eld was startled by Arthur’s thoughts, “Arthur, you wouldn’t be thinking of treating Whig and Tory MPs as organized crime, would you?”
Arthur didn’t answer directly, just shrugged and smiled, “Eld, our responsibilities include combating unorganized crime.”
As the carriage carrying Arthur and Eld drove away, Charles Wheatstones lingered at the door, reluctant to leave.
Sunlight shone on Wheatstones’s face, his hand covering his brow, beaded with sweat, his face filled with disbelief, “My God! What was that Mr. Hastings played just now?”
(End of Chapter)