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to persuade her to marry me。〃
A single lightning…like flash in Mr。 Sabine's eyes for a moment
disconcerted his host。 But； after all； it was gone with such
amazing suddenness that it left behind it a sense of unreality。
Mr。 Brott decided that after all it must have been fancy。
〃May I ask；〃 Mr。 Sabin said quietly； 〃whether the Countess appears
to receive your suit with favour？〃
Mr。 Brott hesitated。
〃I am afraid I cannot go so far as to say that she does；〃 he said
regretfully。 〃I do not know why I find myself talking on this
matter to you。 I feel that I should apologise for giving such a
personal turn to the conversation。〃
〃I beg that you will do nothing of the sort；〃 Mr。 Sabin protested。
〃I am； as a matter of fact； most deeply interested。〃
〃You encourage me；〃 Mr。 Brott declared； 〃to ask you a question … to
me a very important question。〃
〃It will give me great pleasure；〃 Mr。 Sabin assured him； 〃if I am
able to answer it。〃
〃You know；〃 Mr。 Brott said； 〃of that portion of her life concerning
which I have asked no questions； but which somehow； whenever I think
of it； fills me with a certain amount of uneasiness。 I refer to the
last three years which the Countess has spent in America。〃
Mr。 Sabin looked up； and his lips seemed to move； but he said
nothing。 Mr。 Brott felt perhaps that he was on difficult ground。
〃I recognise the fact；〃 he continued slowly； 〃that you are the
friend of the Countess； and that you and I are nothing more than
the merest acquaintances。 I ask my question therefore with some
diffidence。 Can you tell me from your recent； more intimate
knowledge of the Countess and her affairs； whether there exists
any reason outside her own inclinations why she should not accept
my proposals of marriage？〃
Mr。 Sabin had the air of a man gravely surprised。 He shook his
head very slightly。
〃You must not ask me such a question as that； Mr。 Brott；〃 he said。
〃It is not a subject which I could possibly discuss with you。 But
I have no objection to going so far as this。 My experience of the
Countess is that she is a woman of magnificent and effective will
power。 I think if she has any desire to marry you there are or
could be no obstacles existing which she would not easily dispose
of。〃
〃There are obstacles； then？〃
〃You must not ask me that；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； with a certain amount
of stiffness。 〃The Countess is a very dear friend of mine； and
you must forgive me now if I say that I prefer not to discuss her
any longer。〃
A hall servant entered the room； bearing a note for Mr。 Brott。 He
received it at first carelessly； but his expression changed the
moment he saw the superscription。 He turned a little away； and
Mr。 Sabin noticed that the fingers which tore open the envelope were
trembling。 The note seemed short enough； but he must have read it
half a dozen times before at last he turned round to the messenger。
〃There is no answer；〃 he said in a low tone。
He folded the note and put it carefully into his breast pocket。 Mr。
Sabin subdued an insane desire to struggle with him and discover；
by force； if necessary； who was the sender of those few brief lines。
For Mr。 Brott was a changed man。
〃I am afraid；〃 he said； turning to his guest； 〃that this has been a
very dull evening for you。 To tell you the truth； this club is not
exactly the haunt of pleasure…seekers。 It generally oppresses me
for the first hour or so。 Would you like a hand at bridge； or a
game of billiards？ I am wholly at your service … until twelve
o'clock。〃
Mr。 Sabin glanced at the clock。
〃You are very good；〃 he said； 〃but I was never much good at indoor
games。 Golf has been my only relaxation for many years。 Besides；
I too have an engagement for which I must leave in a very few
minutes。〃
〃It is very good of you；〃 Mr。 Brott said； 〃to have given me the
pleasure of your company。 I have the greatest possible admiration
for your niece； Mr。 Sabin； and Camperdown is a thundering good
fellow。 He will be our leader in the House of Lords before many
years have passed。〃
〃He is； I believe；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； 〃of the same politics as
yourself。〃
〃We are both；〃 Mr。 Brott answered； with a smile； 〃I am afraid
outside the pale of your consideration in this respect。 We are
both Radicals。〃
Mr。 Sabin lit another cigarette and glanced once more at the clock。
〃A Radical peer！〃 he remarked。 〃Isn't that rather an anomaly？ The
principles of Radicalism and aristocracy seem so divergent。〃
〃Yet；〃 Mr。 Brott said； 〃they are not wholly irreconcilable。 I have
often wished that this could be more generally understood。 I find
myself at times very unpopular with people； whose good opinion I am
anxious to retain； simply owing to this too general misapprehension。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled gently。
〃You were referring without doubt … 〃 he began。
〃To the Countess；〃 Brott admitted。 〃Yes； it is true。 But after
all；〃 he added cheerfully； 〃I believe that our disagreements are
mainly upon the surface。 The Countess is a woman of wide culture
and understanding。 Her mind； too； is plastic。 She has few
prejudices。〃
Mr。 Sabin glanced at the clock for the third time； and rose to his
feet。 He was quite sure now that the note was from her。 He leaned
on his stick and took his leave quietly。 All the time he was
studying his host； wondering at his air of only partially suppressed
excitement。
〃I must thank you very much； Mr。 Brott；〃 he said； 〃for your
entertainment。 I trust that you will give me an opportunity shortly
of reciprocating your hospitality。〃
The two men parted finally in the hall。 Mr。 Sabin stepped into his
hired carriage。
〃Dorset House！〃 he directed。
CHAPTER XVII
This little difference of opinion；〃 the Prince remarked； looking
thoughtfully through the emerald green of his liqueur；〃 interests
me。 Our friend Dolinski here thinks that he will not come because
he will be afraid。 De Brouillac； on the contrary； says that he
will not come because he is too sagacious。 Felix here； who knows
him best； says that he will not come because he prefers ever to
play the game from outside the circle； a looker…on to all
appearance； yet sometimes wielding an unseen force。 It is a
strong position that。〃
Lucille raised her head and regarded the last speaker steadily。
〃And I； Prince！〃 she exclaimed； 〃I say that he will come because
he is a man； and because he does not know fear。〃
The Prince of Saxe Leinitzer bowed low towards the speaker。
〃Dear Lucille；〃 he said； so respectfully that the faint irony of
his tone was lost to most of those present； 〃I； too； am of your
opinion。 The man who has a right； real or fancied； to claim you
must indeed be a coward if he suffered dangers of any sort to stand
in the way。 After all； dangers from us！ Is it not a little absurd？〃
Lucille looked away from the Prince with a little shudder。 He
laughed softly； and drank his liqueur。 Afterwards he leaned back
for a moment in his chair and glanced thoughtfully around at the
assembled company as though anxious to impress upon his memory all
who were present。 It was a little group； every member of which
bore a well…known name。 Thei