The Shadow of Great Britain-Chapter 672 - 328: Where is the Enemy_2

Harrison, upon hearing these words, felt like a frostbitten eggplant, utterly unable to lift his head.

Over the past few months, he had believed that all his misfortunes stemmed from the young Scotland Yard detective before him, only now did he realize that the conspiracy was deeper than he had initially thought.

Harrison covered his head, desperately trying to recall those in the know, but no matter how much he thought, the only emotions that emerged besides anger were helplessness.

It was then he sadly discovered that among those who knew the inside story, there seemed to be very few he could afford to provoke.

Harrison’s expression was a complex mix of emotions, but Arthur didn’t even bother to look up, methodically cutting his veal steak on the plate.

With the dinner knife, Arthur sliced through the steak, following the grain inch by inch and casually said with a smile, "Mr. Harrison, did you know? I really enjoy making friends. I have many friends—poets, novelists, pianists, stock traders, animal researchers, and even those who are animals themselves. I really enjoy befriending people with different life experiences. However, among all these groups, I choose never to befriend judges." freewёbnoνel.com

On hearing Arthur’s seemingly irrelevant interjection, Harrison suddenly frowned, sensing something but not quite sure what it was.

Leaning forward, Harrison asked softly, "May I ask why?"

"It’s quite simple."

Arthur put down his knife and fork and continued, "Because those who are judges are accustomed to the sense of control over others’ fates. If one inherently possesses a sense of justice, the impact might be minimal. However, if his will isn’t strong, having such a person as a judge could spell disaster.

"Even great men like Francis Bacon could be blinded by the allure of money and desire, let alone ordinary mortals. Moreover, although Bacon was corrupt and took bribes, one thing still laudable about him is that he earned his position as High Chancellor through his own efforts, rather than by betraying his family, especially not his wife."

Harrison narrowed his eyes: "You’re right, Detective Hastings. There’s indeed a reason why someone as young as you has reached such a position. Let me think, if I remember correctly, Bacon’s descent into corruption began when he was appointed as the Legal Advisor, the Deputy Attorney General of Britain, right?"

Arthur nodded with a smile, "You being elected as a Representative is also for a reason, given your wide range of knowledge. Of course, Bacon’s path to success can’t be replicated nowadays. Britain’s appointment system now is far more robust than in the 17th century. Not to mention a national Deputy Attorney General, even the candidates for Deputy Attorney General of the London jurisdiction are meticulously appointed by the honourable members of the Whig Party Cabinet."

Harrison, holding his wine glass, leaned back in his chair pondering Arthur’s words and suddenly scoffed, "No wonder then. I thought he and Viscount Melbourne were actually embroiled in an extramarital affair lawsuit. Turns out, it’s a matter of unevenly split booty and unfulfilled promises!"

Louis, who knew the whole story, gave Arthur a strange look and said, "Chief, is it really okay for you to say that?"

Before Arthur could respond, Harrison had already interjected, "What’s wrong with that? Mr. Hastings was merely discussing the principles of friendship with me."

Arthur rolled up the napkin around his neck and wiped his mouth, "Exactly, Mr. Harrison. It seems we do have some common ground after all. But having discussed the principles of friendship, perhaps it’s time we discussed the main issue?"

On hearing this, Harrison simply steeled his heart, for he had nothing left to lose anyway; even if he confessed everything, it wouldn’t matter much.

Moreover, he had specifically come to find Arthur today to clear himself of suspicion.

Harrison began, "Regarding that case of mine, the accidental death of the maid at my home, it indeed was an accident. But before I divulge the truth, I need you to promise not to pursue me further on this matter."

"As long as you can prove that you are not a murderer, I can, on behalf of Scotland Yard, exempt you from other minor charges."

"Really?"

Arthur nodded, "The words spoken by the British police are always upheld. Don’t forget the Burke gang murder and body-snatching case that occurred in Edinburgh two years ago. At that time, the Edinburgh police, struggling to find Burke’s whereabouts and leads in several other murder cases, offered a deal to another main culprit, William Hale, that if he could provide the whereabouts of Burke and several other bodies, they would pardon his death penalty sentence.

Despite the controversy over the police’s decision, and even as the citizens of Edinburgh massively protested against the police station, the authorities still arranged a special vehicle to send Hale off on a ship leaving the country. If they could keep their promise to a notorious serial killer like Hale, you have even less reason to worry about us reneging on our promise if you truly did not partake in a murder."

"This..."

Harrison pondered for a long while before hesitantly nodding, "Alright. Actually, the matter still needs to start with that evening when I returned home from attending a banquet. My friend, Judge George Norton, was so drunk that he was unconscious, so I let him ride in the carriage with me. Who knew that along the way, we would run into two other servants sent by my wife, one a chauffeur and the other a maid sent to deliver my coat. However, Norton was indeed very drunk that day; he mistook my housemaid for his wife, and started cursing at her and even threw a cushion at her from the carriage. The maid from my house was frightened, and while running, she tragically fell into the nearby river..."