how different！ You raise your little finger； and the deed is done。 Superfluous people … like
myself … are removed like the hairs from
your chin。 But here intrigue seems indeed to exist only within the
pages of a shilling novel； or in a comic opera。 The gentleman with
a helmet there； who regards us so benignly； will presently earn a
shilling by calling me a hansom。 Yet in effect he does me a far
greater service。 He stands for a multitude of cold Anglo…Saxon
laws； adamant； incorruptible； inflexible … as certain as the laws
of Nature herself。 I am quite aware that by this time I ought to
be lying in a dark cellar with a gag in my mouth； or perhaps in
the river with a dagger in my chest。 But here in England； no！〃
The Prince smiled … to all appearance a very genial smile。
〃You are right； my dear friend；〃 he said； 〃yet what you say
possesses； shall we call it； a somewhat antediluvian flavour。
Intrigue is no longer a clumsy game of knife and string and bowl。
It becomes to…day a game of finesse。 I can assure you that I have
no desire to give a stage whistle and have you throttled at my feet。
On the contrary； I beg you to use my carriage； which you will find
in the street。 You will lunch at the Milan with Lucille； and I
shall retire discomfited to eat alone at my club。 But the game is
a long one； my dear friend。 The new methods take time。〃
〃This conversation；〃 Mr。 Sabin said to Lucille； 〃is interesting；
but it is a little ungallant。 I think that we will resume it at
some future occasion。 Shall we accept the Prince's offer； or shall
we be truly democratic and take a hansom。〃
Lucille passed her arm through his and laughed。
〃You are robbing the Prince of me；〃 she declared。 〃Let us leave
him his carriage。〃
She nodded her farewells to Saxe Leinitzer； who took leave of them
with a low bow。 As they waited at the corner for a hansom Mr。 Sabin
glanced back。 The Prince had disappeared through the swing doors。
〃I want you to promise me one thing；〃 Lucille said earnestly。
〃It is promised；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
〃You will not ask me the reason of my visit to this place？〃
〃I have no curiosity；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃Come！〃
CHAPTER XXVIII
Mr。 Sabin； contrary to his usual custom； engaged a private room at
the Milan。 Lucille was in the highest spirits。
〃If only this were a game instead of reality！〃 she said； flashing
a brilliant smile at him across the table； 〃I should find it most
fascinating。 You seem to come to me always when I want you most。
And do you know； it is perfectly charming to be carried off by you
in this manner。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled at her； and there was a look in his eyes which
shone there for no other woman。
〃It is in effect；〃 he said； 〃keeping me young。 Events seem to have
enclosed us in a curious little cobweb。 All the time we are
struggling between the rankest primitivism and the most delicate
intrigue。 To…day is the triumph of primitivism。〃
〃Meaning that you； the medieval knight； have carried me off； the
distressed maiden； on your shoulder。〃
〃Having confounded my enemy；〃 he continued； smiling； 〃by an
embarrassing situation； a little argument； and the distant view
of a policeman's helmet。〃
〃This；〃 she remarked； with a little satisfied sigh as she selected
an ortolan； 〃is a very satisfactory place to be carried off to。
And you；〃 she added； leaning across the table and touching his
fingers for a moment tenderly； 〃are a very delightful knight…errant。〃
He raised the fingers to his lips … the waiter had left the room。
She blushed； but yielded her hand readily enough。
〃Victor；〃 she murmured； 〃you would spoil the most faithless woman
on earth for all her lovers。 You make me very impatient。〃
〃Impatience； then；〃 he declared； 〃must be the most infectious of
fevers。 For I too am a terrible sufferer。〃
〃If only the Prince；〃 she said； 〃would be reasonable。〃
〃I am afraid；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered； 〃that from him we have not much
to hope for。〃
〃Yet；〃 she continued； 〃I have fulfilled all the conditions。 Reginald
Brott remains the enemy of our cause and Order。 Yet some say that
his influence upon the people is lessened。 In any case； my work is
over。 He began to mistrust me long ago。 To…day I believe that
mistrust is the only feeling he has in connection with me。 I shall
demand my release。〃
〃I am afraid；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃that Saxe Leinitzer has other reasons
for keeping you at Dorset House。〃
She shrugged her shoulders。
〃He has been very persistent even before I left Vienna。 But he must
know that it is hopeless。 I have never encouraged him。〃
〃I am sure of it；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃It is the incorrigible vanity
of the man which will not be denied。 He has been taught to believe
himself irresistible。 I have never doubted you for a single moment；
Lucille。 I could not。 But you have been the slave of these people
long enough。 As you say； your task is over。 Its failure was always
certain。 Brott believes in his destiny； and it will be no slight
thing which will keep him from following it。 They must give you
back to me。〃
〃We will go back to America；〃 she said。 〃I have never been so
happy as at Lenox。〃
〃Nor I；〃 Mr。 Sahin said softly。
〃Besides；〃 she continued； 〃the times have changed since I joined
the Society。 In Hungary you know how things were。 The Socialists
were carrying all before them； a united solid body。 The aristocracy
were forced to enter into some sort of combination against them。
We saved Austria； I am not sure that we did not save Russia。 But
England is different。 The aristocracy here are a strong resident
class。 They have their House of Lords； they own the land； and will
own it for many years to come； their position is unassailable。 It
is the worst country in Europe for us to work in。 The very climate
and the dispositions of the people are inimical to intrigue。 It is
Muriel Carey who brought the Society here。 It was a mistake。 The
country is in no need of it。 There is no scope for it。〃
〃If only one could get beyond Saxe Leinitzer；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。
She shook her head。
〃Behind him；〃 she said； 〃there is only the one to whom all reference
is forbidden。 And there is no man in the world who would be less
likely to listen to an appeal from you … or from me。〃
〃After all；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃though Saxe Leinitzer is our enemy；
I am not sure that he can do us any harm。 If he declines to
release you … well； when the twelve months are up you are free
whether he wishes it or not。 He has put me outside the pale。 But
this is not； or never was； a vindictive Society。 They do not deal
in assassinations。 In this country at least anything of the； sort
is rarely attempted。 If I were a young man with my life to live in
the capitals of Europe I should be more or less a social outcast； I
suppose。 But I am proof against that sort of thing。〃
Lucille looked a little doubtful。
〃The Prince；〃 she said； 〃is an intriguer of the old school。 I know
that in Vienna he has more than once made use of more violent means
than he would dare to do here。 And there is an underneath machinery
very seldom used； I believe； and of which none of us who are ordinary
members know anything at all； which gives him terrible powers。〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded grimly。
〃It was worked against me in America；〃 he said； 〃but I got the best
of it。 Here in England I do not believe that he would dare to use
it。 If so； I think that before now it would have been aimed at
Brott。 I have just read his Glasgow speech。 If he becomes
Premier it will lead to something like a revolution。〃
She sighed。
〃Brott is a clever man； and a strong man；〃 she said。 〃I am sorry
for him； but I do not believe that he will never become Prime
Minister of England。〃
Mr。 Sabin sipped his wine thoughtfully。
〃I believe；〃 he said； 〃that intrigue is the resource of those who
have lived their lives so quickly that they have found weariness。
For these things to…day interest me very little。 I am only anxious
to have you back again； Lucille； to find ourselves on our way to
our old home。〃
She laughed softly。
〃And I used to think；〃 she said； 〃that after all I could only keep
you a little time … that presently the voices from the outside world
would come whispering in your ears； and you would steal back again
to where the wheels of life were turning。〃
〃A man；〃 he answered； 〃is not easily whispered out of Paradise。〃
She laughed at him。
〃Ah； it is so easy；〃 she said； 〃to know that your youth was spent
at a court。〃
〃There is only one court；〃 he answered； 〃where men learn to speak
the truth。〃
She leaned back in her chair。
〃Oh； you are incorrigible；〃 she said softly。 〃The one role in life
in which I fancied you ill at ease you seem to fill to perfection。〃
〃And that？〃
〃You are an adorable husband！〃
〃I should like；〃 he said； 〃a better opportunity to prove it！〃
〃Let us hope；〃 she murmured； 〃that our separation is nearly over。
I shall appeal to the Prince to…night。 My remaining at Dorset
House is no longer necessary。〃
〃I shall come；〃 he said； 〃and demand you in person。〃
She shook her head。
〃No！ They would not let you in； and it would make it more
difficult。 Be patient a little longer。〃
He came and sat by her side。 She leaned over to meet his embrace。
〃You make patience；〃 he murmured； 〃a torture！〃
* * * * *
Mr。 Sabin walked home to his rooms late in the afternoon； well
content on the whole with his day。 He was in no manner prepared
for the shock which greeted him on entering his sitting…room。
Duson was leaning back in his most comfortable easy…chair。
〃Duson！〃 Mr。 Sabin said sharply。 〃What does this mean？〃
There was no answer。 Mr。 Sabin moved quickly forward； and then
stopped short。 He had seen dead men； and he knew the signs。 Duson
was stone dead。
Mr。 Sabin's nerve answered to this demand upon it。 He checked his
first impulse to ring the bell； and looked carefully on the table
for some note or message from the dead man。 He found it almost at
once … a large envelope in Duson's handwriting。 Mr。 Sabin hastily
broke the seal and read：
〃Monsieur； … I kill myself because it