Chapter 2401 - 317: York’s First Devotion

I know how to gamble with my head, as long as it’s still on my shoulders, I won’t flinch.

— Arthur Hastings

At midnight, Hyde Park was silent.

The standalone villa not far from the Hyde Park Victoria Gate was the London residence of British citizen Arthur Hastings.

Despite the fact that he himself seemed not to prefer the title of British citizen, if such a term were to be applied to his head, he hoped to add some dignified adjectives on top, such as upright, reliable, kind, gentle...

Of course, if you wish to please him, and want to make an effort for this gentleman, adding a "most" before the adjectives is definitely right.

Those familiar with Sir Arthur know that his life always has ups and downs, like the ebb and flow of tides.

And this time, he evidently stands again at the crossroads of fate.

Only compared to the inevitable resignation from London last time, this time he clearly has tightly grasped fate in his own hands.

The last time he had such a right was when he planned to resign from the patrol job and sail around the world with Eld.

Although that was eight years ago, there are some subtle commonalities between those two resignations.

History is a strange loop, always repeating what has already happened, just like the fate of Arthur Hastings.

When he put forward his resignation eight years ago, Tom and Tony both firmly believed that their friend Arthur Hastings would surely find a more upscale job after completing a global voyage, acquiring more favorable treatment than a street patrolman.

And now, eight years later, Tom and Tony have not at all updated their old views, and their almost blind trust in this sentiment has spread throughout the Royal Greater London Police Department.

Just like the report that Charles Rowan submitted to the Police Commissioner Committee after Arthur’s resignation where the Home Office consulted on successors: "Arthur Hastings has made mistakes in many places, he made enormous errors, this is indisputable. I even think that before he voluntarily submitted his resignation, the Home Office should have taken action against him. However, I must say, in the British police system, the only one who can succeed Arthur Hastings is Arthur Hastings."

No one can deny Arthur Hastings’s immense influence in the British police system, and even from very early times, he had already become a totemic figure at Scotland Yard, and as experienced old officers of Scotland Yard took up positions at the local police stations for career advancement, they carried such a recognition nationwide.

His fame stretches from Ireland to Scotland, from Wales to England, from Paris to Gottingen, St. Petersburg, known by all...

In almost every "Police Enforcement Manual" of the British local police stations, one can see the shadow of Arthur Hastings.

More importantly, compared to when Arthur resigned in 1832 with a low-profile approach, this time the police department’s staunch support of Sir Arthur clearly doesn’t involve any moral burden, nor public opinion pressure.

As for potential political pressure?

Since former Minister Charles Rowan and current Minister Richard Mayne have both unequivocally stood on the same side on Sir Arthur’s resignation, the assistant commissioners at Scotland Yard have no reason to abandon the former boss who brought countless honors, power, and funding to Scotland Yard.

As for the more than four thousand patrolmen at the grassroots level?

They never consider such matters of political pressure, nor need to.

How many shillings does the Treasury give them a week?

Is it worth it to follow the Whig Government’s steps, speaking those insincere words contrary to conscience?

Most patrolmen’s attitude towards this matter is no different from ordinary London citizens, they all approach the incident from a simple moral perspective.

Although many citizens believe Sir Arthur’s resignation is purely because of guilt, no Scotland Yard patrolman can believe that a retired officer willing to hold a memorial ceremony for the wronged Officer Robert Cali under great pressure, a noble gentleman who still sponsors Cali’s widow and children to this day, a loyal knight who has stood up for this country countless times in crises, would desecrate a lady’s reputation.

Sir Arthur is not Ledley King!

Moreover, if the knight would please, he could completely resolve the issue through normal means, why resort to such a low act?

So, no matter what others say, at least in Scotland Yard, no, in the entire British police system’s perception, even if Sir Arthur truly did something, it must be because there are unspeakable difficulties unknown.

Nowadays, not only does the Home Office not empathize with the knight’s difficulties, they instead let him resign, isn’t this framing a loyal national servant?

According to the officers’ view, Sir Arthur’s resignation can only imply that Jacobin elements have infiltrated the government!

The traitors have exposed themselves!

Viscount Melbourne is one, and also Palmerston!

Only, for most officers, although they are aggrieved about Arthur’s resignation, life still needs to go on, the streets still need patrolling.

For many, this is just adding some conversation pieces to their meals, just their stance differs from some citizens.