Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 301 London's safety is as good as its air quality!

Lionel's brief tea with Robert Stephenson was originally just a minor episode in his trip to England.

However, he seriously overestimated the journalists' ethics, and the Daily Mail published their interview the following day.

The title is: The heart of the empire, and the breeding ground for evil—An interview with the author of A Study in Scarlet!
The article did not take anything out of context; it almost verbatim recounted the main parts of yesterday's conversation.

However, this title is a bit sensationalist.

Lionel muttered a curse under his breath: "That bastard..."

He had anticipated the controversy these words might cause, so he immediately packed his bags, checked out of the hotel, and headed straight for the London train station.

-----

As he predicted, the Daily Mail article caused an uproar in London almost instantly.

The first to react was the City Hall of London, which published a strongly worded rebuttal in The Times entitled “On London’s Security and Urban Development.”

The article begins with a condescending attitude, "praising" Mr. Sorel's imagination as a novelist.

But then he changed his tone, pointing out that "it is extremely dangerous and irresponsible to confuse the fictional darkness in literature with the real society."

The article emphasizes that London, as the heart of the British Empire, has a generally good security situation, and the police have been very effective in maintaining order and combating crime.

The so-called "breeding ground for evil" is purely an exaggeration by Lionel to promote his novel.

The article concludes by urging the public to "remain rational and not be misled by pessimistic rhetoric deliberately exaggerated for dramatic effect."

He firmly believed that "London's order and prosperity, like the cornerstone of the empire, are indestructible."

However, the general public in London, especially ordinary people in the East End, were completely unconvinced.

The day after the report was published, many agitated citizens gathered outside newsstands, loudly protesting against reporters from other newspapers who had come to investigate.

A shop owner who ran a grocery store in the East District waved his arms excitedly: "Exaggeration? That French gentleman couldn't be more right!"
My shop was broken into twice last month! The police? What can they do besides take a report? I'd rather rely on my watchdog than them!

A dockworker turned his pockets inside out and roared, "Mr. Sorel is absolutely right!"
I was robbed of three days' wages last week, in broad daylight! The police? By the time they leisurely strolled over, the robbers would have vanished!

A housewife living near Whitechapel complained with a worried look: "Safe? I don't even dare let my daughter go out after dark!"

Do the gentlemen of The Times know how much filth is hidden in those alleyways? They wouldn't even pass through here in their carriages!

One junior employee sarcastically remarked, "London's safety is as 'good' as the air in London!"
It's foggy outside, and foggy inside too; nobody can see anyone clearly, which makes it perfect for those scum to make their move!

These voices from the streets, disseminated through various evening newspapers, directly contradicted the city hall's rhetoric.

Amid this media storm, the Metropolitan Police, particularly the Criminal Investigation Department, which was at the center of the controversy, remained silent.

At number 4 Whitehall Square, in Colonel Howard Vincent's office, his secretary places several newspapers on his desk.

The secretary cautiously suggested, "Colonel, public opinion is very unfavorable to us. Should we issue a statement refuting Mr. Sorel's remarks?"

Upon hearing the words "issue a statement," Howard Vincent nearly jumped out of his chair: "What statement? Absolutely not!"

He pointed to a sentence in the interview: "Local sheriffs and police officers have long been overwhelmed. This isn't their problem, but an inevitable consequence of the times!"

"Refute? Refute what? Refute the reality of our manpower shortage, tight budget, and being overwhelmed? Or refute his claim of this 'inevitability of the times'?" Howard Vincent stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the bustling street below: "He's telling the truth. Our detectives are truly struggling on the front lines!"

He recalled the blueprint Lionel had drawn up a few days earlier; compared to those empty accusations, the young Frenchman at least offered a possibility.

Howard Vincent turned to his secretary and gave the order: "Keep quiet! Tell everyone that no one is allowed to give interviews to reporters!"
Coming forward to refute them now will only make the public think we're guilty and arrogant. Let those old men fight it out in the newspapers!
We have more important things to do!

------

Lionel has moved away from the eye of the storm, but not back to Paris.

On the morning the Daily Mail article was published, he and Arthur Conan Doyle boarded a train to Edinburgh.

Visiting Dr. Joseph Bell was one of the purposes of his trip, but Robert Stephenson, who broke his promise, simply brought the trip forward.

The train traveled smoothly along the northbound tracks, with the English countryside rushing past the window:
Rolling green hills, dotted with flocks of white sheep, a stone church occasionally gliding by, and farmhouses with smoke rising from their chimneys...

Lionel leaned back in his comfortable chair, gazing out the window, relaxed, with a few newspapers he had bought before boarding the train beside him.

He knew that some people regarded him as an "outspoken novelist," while others labeled him a "Frenchman who tarnished the glory of the empire."

But he had experienced this mixed reputation more than once, so he was completely unmoved.

Conan Doyle, sitting opposite him, seemed a little uneasy, constantly adjusting his bow tie.

Conan Doyle couldn't help but ask, "Leon, do you think Dr. Bell will like the gift we prepared?"

Lionel turned his gaze from the window and smiled at Conan Doyle: "Arthur, are you really only nervous about the gift?"

Conan Doyle turned his head to the side, somewhat embarrassed: "I...I really don't know how to explain my choice to him."

Lionel patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, “Relax. Dr. Bell is a scholar who values ​​reason and facts.”

He would be happy if he knew that we had applied his 'deductive method' in practice and saved more lives.

Conan Doyle nodded with a worried expression.

Just yesterday, he submitted his resignation to the Royal Hospital where he served as an assistant physician, intending to focus on being Lionel's literary assistant.

Especially after the "Sherlock Holmes Boys" were organized, he was regarded as a leader.

He will be responsible for organizing and summarizing all the data collected by the medical students, which will be a huge workload.

After a whole night of deliberation, he made the decision—his only worry was whether Dr. Joseph Bell would be disappointed in him.

Lionel hadn't expected Conan Doyle to be so resolute, submitting the report without even consulting him.

But there's no turning back now, and he could only accept this reality.

He turned his head again to admire the scenery outside the window, his tone leisurely: "Look how beautiful this scenery is. Compared to London, it's simply paradise."

Conan Doyle gradually calmed down and followed his gaze to the window—he had seen these views countless times, but this time was exceptionally different.

(That's all for tonight's three-chapter update. I'll take a break and resume extra chapters tomorrow.)

(End of this chapter)