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〃It is perhaps for your sake；〃 she answered。 〃And as for the Prince
… well； you know； or you should know； for how much he counts with
me。〃
Mr。 Sabin glanced at her curiously。 She was a little flushed as
though with some inward excitement。 Her eyes were bright and soft。
Despite a certain angularity of figure and her hollow cheeks she was
certainly one of the most distinguished…looking women in the room。
〃You are so dense；〃 she whispered in his ear； 〃wilfully dense；
perhaps。 You will not understand that I wish to be your friend。〃
He smiled with gentle deprecation。
〃Do you blame me；〃 he murmured； 〃if I seem incredulous？ For I am
an old man； and you are spoken of always as the friend of my enemy；
the friend of the Prince。〃
〃I wonder；〃 she said thoughtfully； 〃if this is really the secret
of your mistrust？ Do you indeed fear that I have no other interest
in life save to serve Saxe Leinitzer？〃
〃As to that；〃 he answered； 〃I cannot say。 Yet I know that only a
few months ago you were acting under orders from him。 It is you
who brought Lucille from America。 It was through you that the first
blow was struck at my happiness。〃
〃Cannot I atone？〃 she murmured under her breath。 〃If I can I will。
And as for the present； well； I am outside his schemes now。 Let us
be friends。 You would find me a very valuable ally。〃
〃Let it be so；〃 he answered without emotion。 〃You shall help me；
if you will； to regain Lucille。 I promise you then that my gratitude
shall not disappoint you。〃
She bit her lip。
〃And are you sure；〃 she whispered； 〃that Lucille is anxious to be
won back？ She loves intrigue； excitement； the sense of being
concerned in important doings。 Besides … you must have heard what
they say about her … and Brott。 Look at her now。 She wears
her grass widowhood lightly enough。〃
Mr。 Sabin looked across the table。 Lucille had indeed all the
appearance of a woman thoroughly at peace with the world and herself。
Brott was talking to her in smothered and eager undertones。 The
Prince was waiting for an opportunity to intervene。 Mr。 Sabin
looked into Brott's white strong face； and was thoughtful。
〃It is a great power … the power of my sex；〃 Lady Carey continued；
with a faint； subtle smile。 〃A word from Lucille； and the history
book of the future must be differently written。〃
〃She will not speak that word；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 Lady Carey shrugged
her shoulders。 The subtlety of her smile faded away。 Her whole
face expressed a contemptuous and self…assured cynicism。
〃You know her very well；〃 she murmured。 〃Yet she and I are no
strangers。 She is one who loves to taste … no； to drink … deeply
of all the experiences of life。 Why should we blame her； you and
I？ Have we not the same desire？〃
Mr。 Sabin lit a cigarette。
〃Once； perhaps；〃 he remarked。 〃You must not forget that I am no
longer a young man。〃
She leaned towards him。
〃You will die young；〃 she murmured。 〃You are not of the breed of
men who grow old。〃
〃Do you mean to turn my head？〃 he asked her； with a humorous smile。
〃It would be easier；〃 she answered； 〃than to touch your heart。〃
Then Lucille looked across at them … and Mr。 Sabin suddenly
remembered that Reginald Brott knew them both only as strangers。
〃Muriel；〃 she said； 〃you are behaving disgracefully。〃
〃I am doing my best；〃 Lady Carey answered； 〃to keep you in
countenance。〃
The eyes of the two women met for a moment； and though the smiles
lingered still upon their faces Lady Carey at any rate was not able
to wholly conceal her hatred。 Lucille shrugged her shoulders。
〃I am doing my best；〃 she said； 〃to convert Mr。 Brott。〃
〃To what？〃 Lady Carey asked。
〃To a sane point of view concerning the holiness of the aristocracy；〃
Lucille answered。 〃I am afraid though that I have made very little
impression。 In his heart I believe Mr。 Brott would like to see us
all working for our living； school…teachers and dressmakers； and
that sort of thing； you know。〃
Mr。 Brott protested。
〃I am not even；〃 he declared； 〃moderately advanced in my views as
regards matters of your sex。 To tell you the truth； I do not like
women to work at all outside their homes。〃
Lady Carey laughed。
〃My dear；〃 she said to Lucille； 〃you and I may as well retire in
despair。 Can't you see the sort of woman Mr。 Brott admires？ She
isn't like us a bit。 She is probably a healthy； ruddy…cheeked
young person who lives in the country； gets up to breakfast to pour
out the coffee for some sort of a male relative； goes round the
garden snipping off roses in big gloves and a huge basket； interviews
the cook； orders the dinner； makes fancy waistcoats for her husband；
and failing a sewing maid； does the mending for the family。 You
and I； Lucille； are not like that。〃
〃Well； you have mentioned nothing which I couldn't do； if it seemed
worth while；〃 Lucille objected。 〃It sounds very primitive and
delightful。 I am sure we are all too luxurious and too lazy。 I
think we ought to turn over a new leaf。〃
〃For you； dear Lucille；〃 Lady Carey said with suave and deadly
satire； 〃what improvement is possible？ You have all that you could
desire。 It is much less fortunate persons； such as myself； to whom
Utopia must seem such a delightful place。〃
A frock…coated and altogether immaculate young man approached their
table and accosted Mr。 Sabin。
〃I beg your pardon； sir；〃 he said； 〃but the manager would be much
obliged if you would spare him a moment or two in his private room
as soon as possible。〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。
〃In a few minutes；〃 he answered。
The little party broke up almost immediately。 Coffee was ordered
in the palm court； where the band was playing。 Mr。 Sabin and the
Prince fell a little behind the others on the way out of the room。
〃You heard my summons？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked。
〃Yes！〃
〃I am going to be cross…examined as regards Duson。 I am no longer
a member of the Order。 What is to prevent my setting them upon
the right track？〃
〃The fact；〃 the Prince said coolly； 〃that you are hoping one day
to recover Lucille。〃
〃I doubt；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃whether you are strong enough to keep
her from me。〃
The Prince smiled。 All his white teeth were showing。
〃Come；〃 he said； 〃you know better than … much better than that。
Lucille must wait her release。 You know that。〃
〃I will buy it；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃with a lie to the manager here；
or I will tell the truth and still take her from you。〃
The Prince stood upon the topmost step of the balcony。 Below was
the palm court； with many little groups of people dotted about。
〃My dear friend；〃 he said； 〃Duson died absolutely of his own free
will。 You know that quite well。 We should have preferred that the
matter had been otherwise arranged。 But as it is we are safe；
absolutely safe。〃
〃Duson's letter！〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked。
〃You will not show it；〃 the Prince answered。 〃You cannot。 You
have kept it too long。 And； after all； you cannot escape from the
main fact。 Duson committed suicide。〃
〃He was incited to murder。 His letter proves it。〃
The Prince shrugged his shoulders。
〃By whom？ Ah； how your story would excite ridicule。 I seem to