## Chapter 171: The Discerning Eye of Hastings
Arthur, holding the gramophone, stood on the stage with a smile, introducing it to the gentlemen and ladies who were too surprised to speak.
“As you can see and hear, this is a gramophone. As the name suggests, its function is to record sound onto this disc that is currently spinning on the machine. Of course, it can also play back the recorded sound.”
“The piece you are currently hearing is a Paganinni étude, ‘La Campanella,’ which I recorded using a special recording piano that can be connected to the gramophone at Mr. Charles Wheatstone’s music shop.”
“Of course, due to the size of the disc, the gramophone’s recording range is currently limited to about 4 to 5 minutes, and after a while, you need to rewind the spring. However, I believe that with Mr. Wheatstone’s intelligence, he will solve these problems sooner or later.”
Elder, who had already learned about this new invention, chuckled and added, “Indeed, Mr. Wheatstone can’t say he can’t solve these problems, even if he wanted to.”
He then pointed his index finger and thumb at Arthur, mimicking a pistol.
The guests were astonished by this invention, exclaiming in awe.
“My God! What kind of principle is this? Recording human voices? I always thought only God could do something like this! Has He finally shared the secrets of the world with us?”
“Who exactly is this Charles Wheatstone? Why have I never heard of him before?”
“Mr. Hastings, is this a young scientist you’ve recently discovered? Like how Sir Davy discovered Faraday, and Mr. Faraday discovered you?”
“Great Britain is becoming more and more beautiful thanks to natural philosophy researchers like you and Mr. Faraday who are willing to promote others. Thank you, Mr. Hastings, and thank God, may He continue to bless you in the future!”
“By the way, where is Mr. Wheatstone’s music shop? How much does it cost to buy a gramophone and a disc?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the gentlemen and ladies present were immediately interested in purchasing one.
The gramophone itself was already a novel invention, but coupled with a piano piece adapted from Paganinni’s masterpiece, “La Campanella,” they would pay any price to get one for themselves.
Just owning such a machine before anyone else wouldn’t simply mean they could listen to music anytime, it would be proof of their passion for new scientific technology.
If they placed it in their own banquet salon, wouldn’t it shock all their friends?
And their friends’ shock would mean a wave of envy, meaning their home was simply more fashionable than everyone else’s!
For these gentlemen and ladies who were active in social circles, nothing could satisfy their vanity more than the envious eyes of others.
At this time, most of the gentlemen and ladies were focused on asking Arthur about the purchase location and price, but some guests who were passionate about music discovered a blind spot in Arthur’s words.
Lady Codrington, with sweat on her forehead, said, “Wait, Mr. Hastings, you just said that this gramophone can only record for five minutes at most?”
Arthur nodded slightly. He thought Lady Codrington was dissatisfied with the recording length, so he gently defended the gramophone, “That’s true for now, but five minutes is enough to record quite a few pieces.”
Lady Codrington quickly waved her hand, “No, no, you misunderstood me. I’m not questioning this great new invention. I… I… What am I thinking? Mr. Hastings, I really shouldn’t doubt you!
To be honest, when I heard you play that étude, I noticed that this ‘La Campanella’ is a simplified version of Mr. Paganinni’s ‘La Campanella.’ At the time, I thought you had to shorten some of the rapid changes in the ‘La Campanella’ because the original was too difficult.
Now it seems you shortened the piece to accommodate this gramophone!”
Mr. Mauchelley, standing beside Arthur, also realized the subtlety after Lady Codrington’s reminder.
He was too surprised by the new invention and had forgotten this crucial point.
“This…” Mauchelley’s expression became complex. He cautiously asked, “Mr. Hastings, can you increase the difficulty?”
Arthur thought about the price of this “La Campanella” at the Devil’s and smiled reluctantly, “Actually, there’s not much room for improvement.”
“You can actually increase it?!”
Following Mr. Mauchelley’s roar, many guests, as if they had agreed beforehand, slapped their foreheads. A series of crisp sounds echoed, almost shattering the ballroom windows.
Mauchelley thought about it and finally couldn’t help but speak, “Mr. Hastings, I wonder if you’d be interested in joining the London Philharmonic Society? We’re currently setting up the association’s third symphony orchestra. I sincerely invite you to become its pianist and conductor.”
Arthur, upon hearing this, immediately rejected it without even thinking, “Mr. Mauchelley, you are really overestimating me. As I said before, I’m a beginner, and the only piece I can play right now is this adaptation of ‘La Campanella,’ ‘La Campanella’.”
Although Arthur said this, Mauchelley didn’t believe him.
“Mr. Hastings, don’t be humble. Even if you’re a beginner, you can play this ‘La Campanella’ now. Even if you don’t improve at all in the future, you’ll be perfectly capable of learning most of the piano pieces currently available on the market.”
As soon as Mr. Mauchelley finished speaking, Lady Cowper, who had been smiling from the stage, also spoke.
“Mr. Hastings, I think Mr. Mauchelley is right. Or, to take a step back, even if you only play this one piece for the rest of your life, I’m willing to bring my friends to hear your concert. Mr. Paganinni’s skills are undoubtedly superb, but he is an Apennine musician after all. Compared to the two, I would rather support you, a native of our Great Britain.”
General Codrington, hearing this, also joked to his wife beside him, “I don’t want to wear the Paganinni hat you bought me, but if it’s embroidered with Hastings’ name, I might consider it.”
He then held his wife’s hand, pointed at the Paganinni silver chain on her wrist, and playfully asked, “By the way, Anna, perhaps you should consider getting a new piece of jewelry.”
General Kirkland, holding a glass of wine, joined in the fun, “Mr. Hastings, look, there are over ten guests here tonight. If you’re willing, you can already put our tickets in your pocket. Of course, General Sydney Smith probably won’t come. He’ll have to return to Paris soon.”
General Smith’s cheeks were flushed with alcohol. He was slightly drunk, “Nonsense! Kirkland! Whether I return to Paris or not depends on Mr. Hastings’ grace. As long as he doesn’t send Scotland Yard to throw me into debtor’s prison, I’m still willing to attend his concert.”
Kirkland, hearing this, finally confirmed that General Smith was truly drunk. He subtly mocked the old general who had been bullying him in the lounge before the banquet.
“It doesn’t matter, General Smith. Even if you go to debtor’s prison, you can still listen to the gramophone while you’re locked up.”
The crowd burst into laughter.
Before the laughter subsided, the mantis caught the cicada, and the yellow bird was behind. Elder, who had been bullied by Kirkland, spoke in a sinister tone.
“General Kirkland, you might have already recorded that sentence on the gramophone. If General Smith goes to debtor’s prison, do you really want to play it for him?”
Kirkland’s eyebrows shot up. He quickly turned to Arthur and said, “Mr. Hastings, you wouldn’t have really recorded that, would you? Please, for the sake of our friendship tonight, quickly cut that part.”
Arthur nodded seriously, “I need to check that. I almost forgot to tell you. Each disc has two sides. I’ll check now to see if I’ve recorded you on the other side of the disc.”
The guests were surprised, “This thing can actually record two things at the same time?”
“Both sides, five minutes per side, ten minutes total.”
“It seems this gramophone is better than I thought. Ten minutes is enough to record quite a few pieces.”
“General Kirkland, I think you should stop talking nonsense. You’re wasting such a good thing.”
Amid their discussions, Arthur moved the needle, flipped the disc over, and played it from the beginning.
The gentlemen and ladies held their breaths. After a burst of noise, a rustling sound of turning pages came from the gramophone’s copper horn.
Then, Arthur’s gentle voice sounded from the gramophone: “The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter One: The Ship Arrives at Marseilles. February 24, 1815. The watchman on the lookout tower at the breakwater signaled to the people, informing them that the three-masted ship, the Pharaon, had arrived at the port of Marseilles. It had set sail from Smyrna, passing through Trieste and Naples…”
Thank you to ‘Cute and Charming Villain Professor M’ for the alliance reward.
(End of Chapter)