Mr。Sabinleanedbackinhiscarriage，andafrownoffaintperplexitycontractedhisforehead。
IfIwereayoungerman，“hemurmuredtohimself，“Imightbelievethatthiswomanwasreallyinearnest，aswellasbeingSaxeLeinitzer’sjackal。WewerefriendlyenoughinParisthatyear。
Sheisunscrupulousenough，ofcourse。Alwayswithsomeoddfancyforthegrotesqueorunlikely。Iwonder-“
Hepulledthecheck-string，andwasdriventoCamperdownHouse。A
greatmanypeoplewerecomingandgoing。Mr。SabinfoundHelene’smaid，andlearntthathermistresswasjustgoingtoherroom，andwouldbealoneforafewminutes。Hescribbledafewwordsonthebackofacard，andwasatoncetakenuptoherboudoir。
“MydearUNCLE，“Heleneexclaimed，“youhavearrivedmostopportunely。Wehavejustgotridofafewdinnerpeople，andwearegoingontoCarmarthenHousepresently。Takethateasy-chair，please，and，lightacigarette。Willyouhavealiqueur？Wolfendonhassomeoldbrandywhicheveryoneseemstothinkwonderful。“
“Youareverykind，Helene，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Icannotrefuseanythingwhichyouofferinsocharmingamanner。ButIshallnotkeepyoumorethanafewminutes。“
“Weneednotleaveforanhour，“Helenesaid，“andIamdressedexceptformyjewels。Tellme，haveyouseenLucille？Iamsoanxioustoknow。“
“IhaveseenLucillethisevening，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
“AtDorsetHouse！“
“Yes。“
Helenesatdown，smiling。
“Dotellmeallaboutit。“
“Thereisverylittletotell，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
“Sheiswithyou-shereturnsatleast！“
Mr。Sabinshookhishead。
“No，“heanswered。“SheremainsatDorsetHouse。“
Helenewassilent。Mr。Sabinsmokedpensivelyamomentortwo，andsippedtheliqueurwhichCamperdown’sownservanthadjustbroughthim。
“Itisveryhard，Helene，“hesaid，“tomakeyoualtogetherunderstandthesituation，fortherearecertainphasesofitwhichIcannotdiscusswithyouatall。IhavemademyfirstefforttoregainLucille，andithasfailed。Itisnotherfault。Ineednotsaythatitisnotmine。Butthestrugglehascommenced，andintheendIshallwin。“
“Lucilleherself-“Helenebeganhesitatingly。
“Lucilleis，Ifirmlybelieve，asanxioustoreturntomeasIamanxioustohaveher，“Mr。Sabinsaid。
Helenethrewupherhands。
“Itisbewildering，“sheexclaimed。
“Itmustseemsotoyou，“Mr。Sabinadmitted。
“IwishthatLucillewereanywhereelse，“Helenesaid。“TheDorsetHouseset，youknow，althoughtheyareverysmartandveryexclusive，haveasomewhatpeculiarreputation。LadyCarey，althoughsheissuchabrilliantwoman，saysanddoesthemostinsolent，themostamazingthings，andthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzergoeseverywhereinEuropebythenameoftheRoyallibertine。Theyarepowerfulenoughalmosttodominatesociety，andwepoorpeoplewhoabidebytheconventionsareabsolutelynowherebesidethem。
Theythinkthatwearebourgeoisbecausewehavevirtue，andprehistoricbecausewearenotdecadent。“
“TheDuke-“Mr。Sabinremarked。
“Oh，theDukeisquitedifferent，ofcourse，“Heleneadmitted。
“HeisafanaticalTory，verystupid，veryblindtoanythingexcepthisbelovedPrimroseLeague。HowhecametolendhimselftothevagariesofsuchasetIcannotimagine。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
“C’estlafemmetoujours！“heremarked。“HisGraceis，Ifear，henpecked，andtheDuchessherselfisthesportofclevererpeople。
Andnow，mydearniece，Iseethatthetimeisgoing。IcametoknowifyoucouldgetmeacardfortheballatCarmarthenHouseto-night。“
Helenelaughedsoftly。
“Veryeasily，mydearUNCLE。LadyCarmarthenisWolfendon’scousin，youknow，andaverygoodfriendofmine。Ihavehalfadozenblankcardshere。ShallIreallyseeyouthere？“
“Ibelieveso，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
“AndLucille？“
“Itispossible。“
“ThereisnothingIsupposewhichIcandointhewayofintervention，oranythingofthatsort？“
Mr。Sabinshookhishead。
“LucilleandIarethebestoffriends，“heanswered。“Talktoher，ifyouwill。Bythebye，isthattwelveo’clock？Imusthurry。
Doubtlessweshallmeetagainattheball。“
ButCarmarthenHousesawnothingofMr。Sabinthatnight。
Mr。Sabinfromhisseatbehindagiganticpalmwatchedheregressfromthesupper-roomwithalittlegroupoffriends。
Theycametoahaltinthebroadcarpetedwayonlyafewfeetfromhim。LadyCarey，inawonderfulgreengown，herneckandbosomablazewithjewels，seemedtobemakingherfarewells。
“ImustgoinandseetheDeLausanacs，“sheexclaimed。“TheyareintheblueroomsuppingwiththePortugueseAmbassador。IshallbeatCarmarthenHousewithinhalfanhour-unlessmyheadachebecomesunbearable。Aurevoir，allofyou。Good-bye，Laura！“
Herfriendspassedontowardsthegreatswingdoors。LadyCareyretracedherstepsslowlytowardsthesupper-room，andmadesomelanguidinquiriesoftheheadwaiterastoamissinghandkerchief。
ThenshecameagainslowlydownthebroadwayandreachedMr。Sabin。
Herosetohisfeet。
“Ithankyouverymuchforyournote，“hesaid。“Youhavesomething，Ibelieve，tosaytome。“
Shestoodbeforehimforamomentinsilence，asthoughnotunwillingthatheshouldappreciatethesoftsplendourofhertoilette。Thejewelswhichencircledherneckwerepricelessanddazzling；thesoftmaterialofhergown，themostdelicateshadeofseagreen，seemedtofoamaboutherfeet，awonderfultriumphofallegoricdressmaking。
Shesawthathewasstudyingher，andshelaughedalittleuneasily，lookingallthetimeintohiseyes。
“Shockinglyoverdressed，ain’tI？“shesaid。“WeweregoingstraighttoCarmarthenHouse，youknow。Comeandsitinthiscornerforamoment，andordermesomecoffee。Isupposethereisn’tanylesspublicplace！“
“Ifearnot，“heanswered。“Youwillperhapsbeunobservedbehindthispalm。“
Shesankintoalowchair，andheseatedhimselfbesideher。Shesighedcontentedly。
“Dearme！“shesaid。“Domenlikebeingrunafterlikethis？“
Mr。Sabinraisedhiseyebrows。
“Iunderstood，“hesaid，“thatyouhadsomethingtosaytomeofimportance。“
Sheshotaquicklookupathim。
“Don’tbehorrid，“shesaidinalowtone。“OfcourseIwantedtoseeyou。Iwantedtoexplain。Givemeoneofyourcigarettes。“
Helaidhiscasesilentlybeforeher。Shetookoneandlitit，watchinghimfurtivelyallthetime。Themanbroughttheircoffee。
Theplacewasalmostemptynow，andsomeofthelightswereturneddown。
“Itisverykindofyou，“hesaidslowly，“tohonourmebysomuchconsideration，butifyouhavemuchtosayperhapsitwouldbebetterifyoupermittedmetocalluponyouto-morrow。Iamafraidofdeprivingyouofyourball-andyourfriendswillbegettingimpatient。“
“Bothertheball-andmyfriends，“sheexclaimed，acertainstrainednoteinhertonewhichpuzzledhim。“I’mnotobligedtogotothething，andIdon’twantto。I’veinventedaheadache，andtheywon’tevenexpectme。Theyknowmyheadaches。“
“Inthatcase，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“Iamentirelyatyourservice。“
Shesighed，andlookedupathimthroughalittlecloudoftobaccosmoke。
“Whatawonderfulmanyouare，“shesaidsoftly。“Youacceptdefeatwiththegraceofavictor。Ibelievethatyouwouldtriumphaseasilywithashrugoftheshoulders。Haven’tyouanyfeelingatall？Don’tyouknowwhatitisliketofeel？“
Hesmiled。
“Webothcome，“hesaid，“ofahistoricrace。Ifancestryisworthanythingitshouldatleastteachustogoaboutwithoutpinningourheartsuponoursleeves。“
“Butyou，“shemurmured，“youhavenoheart。“
Helookeddownuponherthenwithstillcoldfaceandsteadyeyes。
“Indeed，“hesaid，“youaremistaken。“
Shemoveduneasilyinherchair。Shewasverypale，exceptforafaintspotofpinkcolourinhercheeks。
“Itisveryhardtofind，then，“shesaid，speakingquickly，herbosomrisingandfalling，hereyesalwaysseekingtoholdhis。
“To-nightyouseewhatIhavedone-Ihave，sentawaymyfriends-andmycarriage。Theymayknowmehere-youseewhatIhaverisked。AndIdon’tcare。Youthoughtto-nightthatIwasyourenemy-andIamnot。Iamnotyourenemyatall。“
Herhandfellasthoughbyaccidentuponhis，andremainedthere。
Mr。Sabinwasverynearlyembarrassed。Heknewquitewellthatifshewerenothisenemyatthatmomentshewouldbeveryshortly。
“Lucille，“shecontinued，“willblamemetoo。Icannothelpit。
Iwanttotellyouthatforthepresentyourseparationfromherisacertainthing。Sheacquiesces。Youheardher。Sheisquitehappy。Sheisattheballto-night，andshehasfriendstherewhowillmakeitpleasantforher。Won’tyouunderstand？“
“No，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
Shebeatthegroundwithherfoot。
“Youmustunderstand，“shemurmured。“YouarenotlikethesefoolsofEnglishmenwhogotosleepwhentheyaremarried，andwakeinthedivorcecourt。ForthepresentatleastyouhavelostLucille。
Youheardherchoose。She’sattheballto-night-andIhavecomeheretobewithyou。Won’tyou，please，“sheadded，withalittlenervouslaugh，“showsomegratitude？“
TheinterruptionwhichMr。Sabinhadprayedforcameatlast。Themusicianshadleft，andmanyofthelightshadbeenturneddown。
Anofficialcameacrosstothem。
“Ibegyourpardon，sir，“hesaid，addressingMr。Sabin，“butweareclosingnow，unlessyouareaguestinthehotel。“
“Iamstayinghere，“Mr。Sabinanswered，rising，“butthelady-“
LadyCareyinterruptedhim。
“Iamstayingherealso，“shesaidtotheman。
Hebowedatonceandwithdrew。Sheroseslowlytoherfeetandlaidherfingersuponhisarm。Helookedsteadilyawayfromher。
“Fortunately，“hesaid，“Ihavenotyetdismissedmyowncarriage。
Permitme。“
Mr。Sabinleanedheavilyuponhisstickasheslowlymadehiswayalongthecorridortohisrooms。Thingsweregoingillwithhimindeed。Hewasnotusedtothefearofanenemy，butthememoryofLadyCarey’swhitecheeksandindrawnlipsasshehadenteredhiscarriagechilledhim。Heronelook，too，wasathreatworsethananywhichherlipscouldhaveuttered。Hewasgettingoldindeed，hethought，wearily，whendisappointmentweighedsoheavilyuponhim。AndLucille？Hadheanyrealfearsofher？Hefeltalittlecatchinhisthroatatthebarethought-inamoment’ssingularclearnessofperceptionherealisedthatifLucillewereindeedlosttheworldwasnolongeraplaceforhim。Sohisfeetfellwearilyuponthethicklycarpetedfloorofthecorridor，andhisfacewasunusuallydrawnandhaggardasheopenedthedoorofhissitting-room。
Andthen-atransformation，amazing，stupefying。ItwasLucillewhowassmilingawelcomeuponhimfromthedepthsofhisfavouriteeasy-chair-Lucillesittingoverhisfire，anovelinherhand，andwearingadelightfulrose-pinkdressing-gown。Someofherbelongingswerescatteredabouthisroom，givingitadelicateairoffemininity。Thefaintodourofherfavouriteandonlyperfumegavetoherundoubtedpresenceawonderfulsenseofreality。
Sheheldoutherhandstohim，andthebroadsleevesofherdressing-gownfellawayfromherwhiteroundedarms。Hereyeswerewonderfullysoft，thepinkuponhercheekswastheblushofagirl。
“Victor，“shemurmured，“donotlooksostupefied。DidyounotbelievethatIwouldriskatleastalittleforyou，whohaveriskedsomuchforme？Onlycometome！Makethemostofme。
AllsortsofthingsaresuretohappendirectlyIamfoundout。“
Hetookherintohisarms。Itwasoneofthemomentsofhislifetime。
“Tellme，“hemurmured，“howhaveyoudaredtodothis？“
Shelaughed。
“YouknowthePrinceandhisset。Youknowthewaytheybribe。
Intrigueseverywhere，newandoldoverlapping。Theyhavereallysomereasonforkeepingyouandmeapart，butasregardsmyothermovements，Iamfreeenough。Andtheythought，Victor-don’tbeangry-butIletthemthinkitwassomeoneelse。AndIstoleawayfromtheball，andtheythink-nevermindwhattheythink。
Butyou，Victor，aremyintrigue，you，mylove，myhusband！“
Thenallthefatigueandalltheweariness，diedawayfromMr。
Sabin’sface。Oncemorethefireofyouthburnedinhisheart。
AndLucillelaughedsoftlyasherlipsmethis，andherheadsankuponhisshoulder。
