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Lady Carey laughed。
〃At least；〃 she said； 〃I think that the poor man has a right to
receive his conge from you。 You cannot break with him without a
word of explanation。 Perhaps … you may not find it so easy as it
seems。〃
Lucille swept around。
〃What do you mean？〃
Lady Carey shrugged her shoulders。
〃You are in a curious mood； my dear Lucille。 What I mean is obvious
enough。 Brott is a strong man and a determined man。 I do not think
that he will enjoy being made a fool of。〃
Lucille was indifferent。
〃At any rate；〃 she said； 〃I shall not see him。 I have quite made
up my mind about that。〃
〃And why not； Countess？〃 a deep voice asked from the threshold。
〃What have I done？ May I not at least know my fault？〃
Lady Carey rose and moved towards the door。
〃You shall have it out between yourselves；〃 she declared； looking
up； and nodding at Brott as she passed。 〃Don't fight！〃
〃Muriel！〃
The cry was imperative； but Lady Carey had gone。 Mr。 Brott closed
the door behind him and confronted Lucille。 A brilliant spot of
colour flared in her pale cheeks。
〃But this is a trap！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Who sent for you？ Why did
you come？〃
He looked at her in surprise。
〃Lucille！〃
His eyes were full of passionate remonstrance。 She looked nervously
from him towards the door。 He intercepted her glance。
〃What have I done？〃 he asked fiercely。 〃What have I failed to do？
Why do you look as though I had forced myself upon you？ Haven't I
the right？ Don't you wish to see me？〃
In Brott's face and tone was all the passionate strenuousness of a
great crisis。 Lucille felt suddenly helpless before the directness
of his gaze； his storm of questions。 In all their former intercourse
it had been she who by virtue of her sex and his blind love for her
had kept the upper hand。 And now the position was changed。 All
sorts of feeble explanations； of appeals to him； occurred to her
dimly； only to be rejected by reason of their ridiculous inadequacy。
She was silent…abjectly silent。
He came a little closer to her； and the strength of the man was
manifest in his intense self…restraint。 His words were measured；
his tone quiet。 Yet both somehow gave evidence of the smouldering
fires beneath。
〃Lucille；〃 he said； 〃I find you hard to understand to…day。 You
have made me your slave； you came once more into my life at its
most critical moment； and for your sake I have betrayed a great
trust。 My conscience； my faith； and although that counts for
little； my political career； were in the balance against my love
for you。 You know which conquered。 At your bidding I have made
myself the jest of every man who buys the halfpenny paper and
calls himself a politician。 My friends heap abuse upon me； my
enemies derision。 I cannot hold my position in this new Cabinet。
I had gone too far for compromise。 I wonder if you quite
understand what has happened？〃
〃Oh； I have heard too much；〃 she cried。 〃Spare me the rest。〃
He continued as though he had not heard her。
〃Men who have been my intimate associates for many years； and whose
friendship was dear to me； cross the road to avoid： meeting me； day
by day I am besieged with visitors and letters from the suffering
people to whom my word had been pledged； imploring me for some
explanation； for one word of denial。 Life has become a hell for me；
a pestilent； militant hell！ Yet； Lucille； unless you break faith
with me I make no complaint。 I am content。〃
〃I am very sorry；〃 she said。 〃I do not think that you have properly
understood me。 I have never made you any promise。〃
For a moment he lost control of himself。 She shrank back at the
blaze of indignation； half scornful； half incredulous； which lit up
his clear； grey eyes。
〃It is a lie！〃 ' he answered。 〃Between you and me it can be no
question of words。 You were always very careful of your pledges；
but there are limits even to your caution … as to my forbearance。
A woman does not ask a man who is pleading to her for her love to
give up everything else he cares for in life without hope of reward。
It is monstrous！ I never sought you under false pretenses。 I never
asked you for your friendship。 I wanted you。 I told you so plainly。
You won't deny that you gave me hope … encouraged me？ You can't
even deny that I am within my rights if I claim now at this instant
the reward for my apostasy。〃
Her hands were suddenly locked in his。 She felt herself being drawn
into his arms。 With a desperate effort she avoided his embrace。 He
still held her left wrist； and his face was dark with passion。
〃Let me go！〃 she pleaded。
〃Not I！〃 he answered； with an odd； choked little laugh。 〃You
belong to me。 I have paid the price。 I； too； am amongst the long
list of those poor fools who have sold their gods and their honour
for a woman's kiss。 But I will not be left wholly destitute。 You
shall pay me for what I have lost。〃
〃Oh； you are mad！〃 she answered。 〃How could you have deceived
yourself so？ Don't you know that my husband is in London？〃
〃The man who calls himself Mr。 Sabin？〃 he answered roughly。 〃What
has that to do with it？ You are living apart。 Saxe Leinitzer and
the Duchess have both told me the history of your married life。 Or
is the whole thing a monstrous lie？〃 he cried； with a sudden dawning
sense of the truth。 〃Nonsense！ I won't believe it。 Lucille！
You're not afraid！ I shall be good to you。 You don't doubt that。
Sabin will divorce you of course。 You won't lose your friends。 I … 〃
There was a sudden loud tapping at the door。 Brott dropped her
wrist and turned round with an exclamation of anger。 To Lucille it
was a Heaven…sent interposition。 The Prince entered； pale； and
with signs of hurry and disorder about his usually immaculate person。
〃You are both here；〃 he exclaimed。 〃Good！ Lucille； I must speak
with you urgently in five minutes。 Brott； come this way with me。〃
Lucille sank into a chair with a little murmur of relief。 The
Prince led Brott into another room； and closed the door carefully
behind him。
〃Mr。 Brott；〃 he said； 〃can I speak to you as a friend of Lucille's？〃
Brott； who distrusted the Prince； looked him steadily in the face。
Saxe Leinitzer's agitation was too apparent to be wholly assumed。
He had all the appearance of being a man desperately in earnest。
〃I have always considered myself one；〃 Brott answered。 〃I am
beginning to doubt； however； whether the Countess holds me in the
same estimation。〃
〃You found her hysterical； unreasonable； overwrought！〃 the Prince
exclaimed。 〃That is so； eh？〃
The Prince drew a long breath。
〃Brott；〃 he said； 〃I am forced to confide in you。 Lucille is in
terrible danger。 I am not sure that there is anybody who can
effectually help her but you。 Are you prepared to make a great
sacrifice for her sake … to leave England at once； to take her to
the uttermost part of the world？〃
Brott's eyes were suddenly bright。 The Prince quailed before the
fierceness of his gaze。
〃She would not go！〃 he exclaimed sharply。
〃She will；〃 the Prince answered。 〃She must！ Not only that； but
you will earn her eternal gratitude。 Listen； I