Chapter 647: Extensive Connections
The Moscow sky was just turning pale, and Sir Arthur Hastings had woken up in his mansion.
With the help of his servants, he put on formal clothes: a black tailcoat, a white bow tie, a carefully selected scarf and a pair of polished leather shoes.
After tidying up his clothes, the knight enjoyed a simple breakfast of tea, bread and butter, which was a little different from the customs of his hometown, but he gradually adapted to the local lifestyle.
When the clock struck ten, the butler announced that the secretary of Prince Golitsyn, the Governor of Moscow, had arrived.
"Please bring him in." Arthur said to the butler.
Sir Arthur walked to the reception room, which was ready for this meeting. The fire in the fireplace was warm and comfortable, and several candles illuminated the room. Fine china and silverware were placed on the table, and several paintings depicting English countryside scenes hung on the walls, coexisting harmoniously with Russian-style decorations.
Arthur first welcomed Zubkov in French and invited him to sit in a comfortable chair near the fireplace.
The servant came forward quickly and placed hot tea and some simple snacks on the low table between them.
The Duke's secretary put down the briefcase in his hand. His neatly combed shiny hair and neat black tailcoat made him look very capable.
Vasily Zubkov, an official who was highly appreciated by the Governor of Moscow, Duke Dmitry Golitsyn. Arthur had seen this name, which was specially marked in red and with a series of notes by the captain of the gendarmerie, on the "Official Title List" provided by Huett last night.
This secretary is considered a celebrity in Moscow. He studied in Paris. He is rich, smart, knowledgeable, quick-witted, open-minded, and has been imprisoned for the Decembrist incident. He was imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg for several years and was later released. Although imprisonment must be uncomfortable, it is better to be imprisoned there than in exile, and this experience in prison has also made him gain a reputation for freedom and progress without suffering too much.
After being released, Zubkov came to work for Duke Golitsyn.
Duke Dmitri Golitsyn prefers people with free and open minds. Since the Duke is not good at speaking Russian, if this person can speak fluent French, he will be more respected by him.
Zubkov, who studied in Paris, just meets these two conditions, so he soon became a big star in Moscow's political arena. In addition to serving as the governor's secretary, he also holds a prominent position in the Moscow judicial community. Recently, there are rumors that the current vacant Moscow Attorney General is likely to fall into Zubkov's hands.
If you want to understand a person's character, you need to get along with him for a long time. But if you want to understand a person's level of knowledge, a few simple conversations are enough.
After just a short chat, Zubkov's moving and calm conversation, his ability to quickly respond to all questions and give advice or solutions, immediately made Arthur understand why he is the first secretary in Moscow.
Even when not talking about business, Zubkov's insights on novels, papers, magazines, and poetry are very attractive. He can even talk about his diligent study of zoology when talking about hunting.
Although Arthur's knowledge of natural history is far less than his knowledge of history, fortunately he has a friend who is a famous naturalist - Mr. Charles Darwin.
Under Darwin's influence, although Arthur cannot say that he knows everything about animals and plants around the world, when talking about those interesting and rare species, he is not so ignorant.
When Zubkov learned that Arthur had a close personal relationship with Darwin, the zoology enthusiast could not help but show excitement.
Although Darwin was still drifting on the sea at this time, this prematurely bald guy was no longer the unknown young man in the field of natural history three years ago.
If you ask readers in London which book is the most popular in the "British" serial column, everyone may give a different answer depending on the reader's taste.
However, if readers were asked to choose their top three favorite serial books, the "Diary of the Voyage of the Beagle" compiled based on Darwin's letterhead would definitely appear on every reader's recommended book list.
This travelogue-like natural history book is not only of great research and educational value, but also very humorous and interesting, so it has a wide readership and is completely suitable for men, women, young and old.
Darwin's scientific reputation throughout Europe has also risen with the widespread dissemination of this book. The Royal Society has been discussing whether to grant him the lofty honor of being a member of the Royal Society on the first day Darwin returned to London after completing his global voyage.
Speaking of the spread of Darwin's name in Russia, it is inseparable from the tour lectures of Mr. Alexander Humboldt, President of the Berlin Academy of Sciences, at various universities in Russia a few years ago.
This German scholar, who was established by the Tsar as a role model for all Russian scientific researchers, listed Darwin's "Diary of the Voyage of the Beagle" as the first recommended book for Russian college students.
Of course, since "The Limey" has never cooperated with Russian publishers, except for a few genuine books purchased from the UK, most Russian readers see pirated books reprinted by Belgian pirates.
However, although Sir Arthur Hastings, shareholder of The Limey, had never received a single ruble from Russia, he still had to try to be generous in front of Mr. Zubkov.
"If Charles knew that there was such an enthusiastic reader like you in faraway Russia, I believe he would be very happy." Arthur joked, "Perhaps I should give you the specimens Charles sent me from South America, because, without a doubt, you can make better use of those animal and plant specimens than I can."
Zubkov was so happy to hear that Arthur was going to give him precious South American specimens, and they were the rare species discovered by Darwin, that he couldn't stop laughing: "You... I can't lie and say that I'm not interested in those specimens, but I can't accept your gifts for nothing. Let me know. If you are free someday, you can come to visit me. I also have some rare animal specimens from Siberia in my home. If you have any that you like, just let me know. I will definitely not be stingy."
Arthur does have a collecting habit, but this old spy is not very interested in animal specimens. He prefers to collect those secret collections that he can secretly appreciate in his head.
However, he still pretends to be very interested on the surface.
"Although it may not be good to take someone's love away, but..." Arthur asked as if he was in a dilemma: "But I have always wanted to see Siberian tigers and snowy owls, and I heard that Siberian irises are also very beautiful." Zubkov couldn't help but nod at Arthur when he heard this, and his eyes revealed an expression of "You are really knowledgeable": "I have both snowy owls and Siberian irises in my collection, but Siberian tigers..." Arthur thought that Zubkov was unwilling to pay so much when he heard him say this, so he quickly clarified: "I am not asking you for these things, I just want to see them." Zubkov even Lian waved his hands: "No, no, no, I'm not rejecting you. If I have a specimen of a Siberian tiger, it might be difficult for me to give it up, but the problem is actually worse than that. I don't have a collection of Siberian tigers. But I know someone who has one at home. If you want to see it, I can take you to his house. Mikhail Fyodorovich Orlov has one in his collection. If you want to offer a price for the specimen, he probably won't be willing to sell it, but if you just want to take a look, my friend will definitely not be stingy."
"Orlov?" Arthur, who was just strolling around, immediately became excited when he heard this surname.
In Russia, although there are many noble families, there are still a few who can be ranked at the top of the pyramid, and the Orlov family is one of them.
This is a Russian noble family that is as important as the Golitsyn family. During the reign of Catherine the Great, the Orlov family could even be called the most prominent family in Russia.
Because the five brothers of the Orlov family were the key figures who helped Catherine the Great launch a palace coup to ascend the throne. The second and third brothers, Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov and Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov, were so close to Catherine the Great that they slept in the same bed.
Because the Orlov family had made great contributions to the emperor, the five brothers naturally had a prosperous career in the future.
Among the five brothers, one was promoted to admiral of the navy, one was promoted to admiral of the cavalry, one was promoted to lieutenant general of artillery, and two were promoted to lieutenant generals of infantry. In addition, the five brothers successively served as ambassadors to France, ministers of the interior, commanders of the Mediterranean Fleet, governors-general of Moscow, and prosecutors-general.
The power of the Orlov family in Russia can be seen. There was even a rumor in Russia that the second brother, Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov, was the biological father of Paul I, the son of Catherine the Great.
As for Mikhail Fedorovich Orlov mentioned by Zubkov, his father is the fourth of the five Orlov brothers, Fedor Grigorievich Orlov.
If we talk about the other branches of the Orlov family, Arthur may not know them so well.
No mistake, one sentence, one post, one content, one 6, one 9, one book, one bar, take a look!
But Arthur had already found out about this branch of the fourth brother's family.
The reason is simple, because the most promising son of the fourth brother is Count Alexei Fedorovich Orlov, the current commander of the Black Sea Fleet who signed a secret agreement on behalf of Russia and the Ottoman Empire.
This veteran who joined the Russian Army in 1804 served as an adjutant of the "Holy King" Alexander I, and experienced the tragic defeat of the Battle of Austerlitz in the Napoleonic Wars, the bloody Battle of Borodino and the glory of entering Paris.
In the Decembrist uprising that broke out in Russia in 1825, Alexei, the commander of the Guards Cavalry Regiment, was the first general to lead his soldiers to the Winter Palace to protect the emperor.
And in the subsequent Seventh Russo-Turkish War, the suppression of the Warsaw Uprising, the St. Petersburg Cholera Riot and the Novgorod Military Settlement Uprising, he could be seen everywhere.
It is no exaggeration to say that if Benckendorff was the most trusted minister of Nicholas I, then Alexei Orlov was the second.
When Arthur thought of this, his occupational disease could not help but break out: "That Mikhail, he and Alexei Orlov are..."
Zubokov is not surprised by Arthur, because there are too many foreigners who are curious about this incident. Almost every diplomat visiting Moscow will ask this question more or less.
Moreover, this is not a special secret in Moscow.
"Yes, Mikhail is his brother."
Zubukov replied with a smile: "And one of the founders of the Association of Happiness (the predecessor of the party in December), when the party insurgents of the party in December in 1825, Mikhair stood on the white horse and stood on Among the young officers' teams, outside the gate of the Winter Palace is facing his brother and soldiers. Siberia, he was only sent back to his hometown to be surveillance, and after a few years, he was allowed to return to Moscow to live. Lonely studying political economics and natural philosophy, hoping to find a trace of comfort from these studies.
Speaking of this, Zubukov suddenly paused: "By the way, do you know about political economics? Everyone knows that the best economist is in the UK. The book "On Credit", if you are willing to help him in detail, it is really better. "
Arthur groaned for a while. Although he had a proud investment record in the capital market in London, he was not so arrogant to call himself an economist.
He said, "I don't know much about political economics, but if General Michail Ollov needs a staff, I can introduce him to my friend -Mr. John Mill "" "
Zubkov curiously: "Is this Mr. Mill's economy a high level of economics?"
"Hmm ... I personally think it is very high. Although his current reputation is not particularly large, you will hear the name spread throughout Europe sooner or later. Just tell you like this ..." Arthur gave an example: "He is the son of James Mirl, and several of his economics teachers are Thomas Malassas, David Lijiatu, and Mr. Jeremy Bianqin."
As soon as Zubkov heard these names, his chin almost fell to the ground: "My God! There are these academic Thai Dou as a mentor, let alone James Mell's son. Being a professor of political economy "" "" ""
Arthur's unpredictable connection and deep knowledge made Zubukov almost forget that he came to visit Arthur today. He wanted to make friends with Arthur. Seed looks very much like a good friend who spend time to maintain.
Zubkov put down the tea cup and eagerly invited: "Please forgive me for rudeness. Although I know you have always been humble, I know you have been the academic supervisor of the University of Gostegen, and you still have the kind of real talent. It is not just administrative affairs. You may not understand political economics, but you must know chemistry?
"Chemistry ..." Arthur didn't know what the medicine was sold in Zubkov's gourd, and he didn't dare to say too much: "I really understand it, after all, the work in the Scotland needs to be alarm to master a certain amount of masterpiece to master certainly. Chemical knowledge, you know, the case of murdering for chemicals today is more than the last century.
As soon as Zubkov patted his thigh, he couldn't say with a smile: "I know, I must take you to Mihayer Ollov to change. Only there are chemists like you. , Can he completely understand that his chemical name table is much worse than the French version of the chemical name table! When it comes to this, he can't help getting angry at us. What you say, you are not chemists. What do you know? Go, that's not the same. I will see if he has the courage to get angry at Michael Farad. "