Arthur merely glanced at it and knew that the book was of good quality. This wasn't just because Balzac had helped in editing it, but because Victor's life story itself was legendary enough. Furthermore, he used exaggerated descriptions in many parts. Such a half-true detective story would definitely appeal to London readers.
Arthur closed the manuscript, roughly understanding Victor's intent: "So, after all this, you came to London today to talk business with me about publishing."
Victor, seeing Arthur's expression, knew that the publishing matters should be settled. He chuckled and said, "I don't want to discuss just this one book. Later this year, I'm planning to publish a new one. Its title is very trendy and eye-catching, called 'Criminals: A Physiological Analysis of Life and Language.' In it, I will publicly reveal all the famed criminals of the Paris underground society over the past century and detail their methods and the various slang used in the trade."
