HisHighness，thePrinceofSaxeLeinitzer！“
Dusonstoodawayfromthedoorwithalowbow。ThePrince-inthebuttonholeofwhosefrock-coatwasalargebunchofRussianviolets，passedacrossthethreshold。Mr。Sabinroseslowlyfromhischair。
“Ifear，“thePrincesaidsuavely，“thatIamanearlyvisitor。
Icanonlythrowmyselfuponyourindulgenceandpleadtheurgencyofmymission。“
HisarrivalappearedtohaveinterruptedalatebreakfastoftheContinentalorder。ThesmalltableatwhichLucilleandMr。Sabinwereseatedwascoveredwithrosesandseveraldishesofwonderfulfruit。AcoffeeequipagewasbeforeLucille。Mr。Sabin，dressedwithhisusualpeculiarcareandlookingtenyearsyounger，hadjustlitacigarette。
“Wehavebeenanticipatingyourvisit，Prince，“Mr。Sabinremarked，withgrimcourtesy。“Canweofferyoucoffeeoraliqueur？“
“Ithankyou，no，“thePrinceanswered。“Iseldomtakeanythingbeforelunch。Letmebegthatyoudonotdisturbyourselves。WithyourpermissionIwilltakethiseasy-chair。So！Thatisexcellent。
Wecannowtalkundisturbed。“
Mr。Sabinbowed。
“Youwillfindme，“hesaid，“anexcellentlistener。“
ThePrincesmiledinanamiablemanner。HiseyeswerefixeduponLucille，whohaddrawnherchairalittleawayfromthetable。
Whatotherwomanintheworldwhohadpassedherfirstyouthcouldsitthusintheslantingsunlightandremainbeautiful？
“Iwillaskyoutobelieve，“thePrincesaidslowly，“howsincerelyIregretthisunavoidableinterferenceinadomestichappinesssotouching。Nevertheless，IhavecomefortheCountess。ItisnecessarythatshereturnstoDorsetHousethismorning。“
“Youwillobligeme，“Mr。Sabinremarked，“byrememberingthatmywifeistheDuchessedeSouspennier，andbysoaddressingher。“
ThePrincespreadouthishands-adeprecatinggesture。
“Alas！“hesaid，“forthepresentitisnotpossible。UntilthelittleaffairuponwhichwearenowengagedisfinallydisposedofitisnecessarythatLucilleshouldbeknownbythetitlewhichshebearsinherownright，orbythenameofherlatehusband，Mr。
JamesB。Peterson。“
“Thatlittleaffair，“Mr。Sabinremarked，“is，Ipresume，thematterwhichyouhavecometoexplaintome。“
ThePrincesmiledandshookhishead。
“Explain！MydearDuke，thatisnotpossible。ItisnotwithinyourrightstoaskquestionsortorequireanyexplanationastoanythingwhichLucilleisrequiredtodobyus。Youmustrememberthatourclaimuponhercomesbeforeyours。Itisaclaimwhichshecannotevadeordeny。Andinpursuanceofit，Countess，I
deeplyregrethavingtotellyouthatyourpresenceatDorsetHousewithinthenexthourisdemanded。“
Lucillemadenoanswer，butlookedacrossthetableatMr。Sabinwithalittlegrimace。
“Itisacomedy，“shemurmured。“Afterall，itisacomedy！“
Mr。Sabinfingeredhiscigarettethoughtfully。
“Ibelieve，“hesaid，“thattheDuchessrealisesherresponsibilitiesinthismatter。Imyselfhavenowishtodenythem。Asordinarymemberswearebothpledgedtoabsoluteobedience。
IthereforeplacenoembargouponthereturnofmywifetoDorsetHouse。Buttherearecertainconditions，Prince，thatconsideringthespecialcircumstancesofthecaseIfeelimpelledtopropose。“
“Icanrecognise，“thePrincesaid，“noconditions。“
“Theyareveryharmless，“Mr。Sabincontinuedcalmly。“Thefirstisthatinafriendlyway，andofcourseundertheinviolablelawofsecrecy，youexplaintomeforwhatpartLucilleiscastinthislittlecomedy；thenextthatIbeallowedtoseeheratreasonableintervals，andfinallythatsheisknownbyherrightfulnameasDuchessedeSouspennier。“
TheforcedurbanitywhichthePrincehadassumedfellawayfromhimwithoutwarning。Thetoneofhisreplywasalmostasneer。
“Irepeat，“hesaid，“thatIcanrecognisenoconditions。“
“Itisperhaps，“Mr。Sabincontinued，“thewrongwordtouse。Wesubmittoyourauthority，butyouandIarewellawarethatyourdiscretionarypowersarelarge。Iaskyoutousethem。“
“AndI，“thePrincesaid，“refuse。LetmeaddthatIintendtopreventanyrecurrenceofyourlittleadventureoflastnight。
Lucilleshallnotseeyouagainuntilhertaskisover。Andasforyou，mydearDuke，Idesireonlyyourabsence。Idonotwishtohurtyourfeelings，butyournamehasbeenassociatedinthepastwithtoomanyfailurestoinspireuswithanyconfidenceinengagingyouasanally。Countess，acarriagefromDorsetHouseawaitsyou。“
ButLucillesatstill，andMr。Sabinroseslowlytohisfeet。
“Ithankyou，Prince，“hesaid，“forthrowingawaythemask。
Fightingisalwaysbetterwithoutthebuttons。ItistruethatI
havefailedmorethanonce，butitisalsotruethatmyfailureshavebeenmoremagnificentthanyourwaddleacrosstheplainoflife。
Asforyourpresentauthority，Ichallengeyoutoyourfacethatyouareusingittogainyourprivateends。WhatIhavesaidtoyouI
shallrepeattothosewhoseplaceisaboveyours。LucilleshallgotoDorsetHouse，butIwarnyouthatIholdmylifeaslightthingwhereherwelfareisconcerned。Yourhandisupontheleverofagreatorganization，Iamonlyaunitintheworld。YetIwouldhaveyourememberthatmorethanonce，Prince，whenyouandIhavemetwiththeoddsinyourfavourthevictoryhasbeenmine。Playthegamefairly，andyouhavenothingtofearfrommebuttheopenoppositionIhavepromisedyou。Bringbuttheshadowofeviluponher，misuseyourpowerbuteversoslightlyagainsther，andIwarnyouthatIshallcountthefewyearsoflifelefttomeatrifle-oflessthannoaccount-untilyouandIcryquits。“
ThePrincesmiled，afat，good-naturedsmile，behindwhichthemalicewasindeedwellhidden。
“Come，come，mydearSouspennier，“hedeclared。“Thisisunworthyofyou。Itispositivelymelodramatic。ItremindsmeoftheplaysofmyFatherland，andofyourownAdelphiTheatre。Weshouldbemenoftheworld，youandI。Youmusttakeyourdefeatswithyourvictories。IcanassureyouthatthewelfareoftheCountessLucilleshallbemyspecialcare。“
Lucilleforthefirsttimespoke。Sherosefromherchairandrestedherhandsaffectionatelyuponherhusband’sshoulder。
“DearVictor，“shesaid，“rememberthatweareinLondon，and，needIadd，haveconfidenceinme。ThePrinceofSaxeLeinitzerandI
understandoneanother，Ibelieve。Ifwedonotitisnotmyfault。
MypresencehereatthismomentshouldprovetoyouhoweagerlyI
shalllookforwardtothetimewhenourseparationisnolongernecessary。“
Shepassedawayintotheinnerroomwithalittlefarewellgesturetenderandregretful。Mr。Sabinresumedhisseat。
“Ibelieve，Prince，“hesaid，“thatnogoodcancomeofanyfurtherconferencebetweenyouandme。Weunderstandoneanothertoowell。
MightIsuggestthereforethatyoupermitmetoring？“
ThePrincerosetohisfeet。
“Youareright，“hesaid。“Thebandyingofwordsbetweenyouandmeisawasteoftime。Wearebothofustoooldatthegame。Butcome，beforeIgoIwilldoyouagoodturn。IwillprovethatI
aminagenerousmood。“
Mr。Sabinshruggedhisshoulders。
“Ifanythinginthisworldcouldinspiremewithfear，“heremarked，“itwouldbethegenerosityofthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzer。“
ThePrincesighed。
“Youalwaysmisunderstandme，“hemurmured。“However，Iwillprovemywords。Youspokeofanappeal。“
“Certainly，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“Iintendtoimpeachyouformakinguseofthepowersentrustedtoyouforyourownprivateends-inotherwords，formakinganarbitrarymisuseofyourposition。“
ThePrincenodded。
“Itisverywellput，“hesaid。“Ishallawaittheresultofyourappealinfearandtrembling。IconfessthatIamverymuchafraid。
But，comenow，Iamgoingtobegenerous。Iamgoingtohelpyouonalittle。Doyouknowtowhomyourappealmustbemade？“
“TotheGrandDuke！“Mr。Sabinreplied。
ThePrinceshookhishead。
“Ahme！“hesaid，“howlongindeedyouhavebeenabsentfromtheworld。TheGrandDukeisnolongertheheadofourlittleaffair。
ShallItellyouwhohassucceededhim？“
“Icaneasilyfindout，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
“Ah，butIwarnedyouthatIwasinagenerousmood，“thePrincesaid，withasmile。“Iwillsaveyouthetrouble。WithyourpermissionIwillwhisperthenameinyourear。Itisnotonewhichwementionlightly。“
Hesteppedforwardandbenthisheadforamoment。Afterwards，ashedrewback，thesmileuponhislipsbroadeneduntilheshowedallhisteeth。Itwasaveritabletriumph。Mr。Sabin，takenwhollybysurprise，hadnotbeenabletoconcealhisconsternation。
“Itisnotpossible，“heexclaimedhoarsely。“Hewouldnotdare。“
ButinhisheartheknewthatthePrincehadspokenthetruth。
Afterall，“saidthePrince，lookingupfromthewinelist，“whycannotIbesatisfiedwithyou？Andwhycannotyoubesatisfiedwithme？Itwouldsavesomuchtrouble。“
LadyCarey，whowasslowlyunwindingthewhiteveilfromherpicturehat，shruggedhershoulders。
“Mydearman，“shesaid，“youcouldnotseriouslyexpectmetofallinlovewithyou。“
ThePrincesippedhiswine-acabinethockofrarevintage-andfounditgood。Heleanedovertowardshiscompanion。
“Whynot？“heasked。“Iwishthatyouwouldtry-inearnest，I
mean。Youarecapableofgreatthings，Ibelieve-perhapsofthegreatpassionitself。“
“Perhaps，“shemurmuredderisively。
“Andyet，“hecontinued，“therehasalwaysbeeninourlove-makingatouchofamateurishness。Itisanawkwardword，butIdonotknowhowbettertoexplainmyself。“
“Iunderstandyouperfectly，“sheanswered。“Icanalso，Ithink，explainit。ItisbecauseInevercaredarapaboutyou。“
ThePrincedidnotappearaltogetherpleased。Hecurledhisfairmoustache，andlookeddeprecatinglyathiscompanion。Shehadsomuchtheairofawomanwhohasspokenthetruth。
“MydearMuriel！“heprotested。
Shelookedathiminsolently。
“Mygoodman，“shesaid，“whateveryoudodon’ttryandbesentimental。YouknowquitewellthatIhaveneverinmylifepretendedtocarearapaboutyou-excepttopassthetime。Youarealtogethertooobvious。Veryyounggirlsandveryoldwomenwouldraveaboutyou。Yousimplydon’tappealtome。PerhapsI
knowyoutoowell。Whatdoesitmatter！“
Hesighedandexaminedasaucecritically。TheywerelunchingatPrince’salone，atasmalltablenearthewall。
“Yourtaste，“heremarkedalittlespitefully，“wouldbeconsideredatriflestrange。Souspenniercarrieshisyearswell，buthemustbeanoldman。“
Shesippedherwinethoughtfully。
“Oldoryoung，“shesaid，“heisaman，andallmylifeIhavelovedmen，-strongmen。Tohavehimhereoppositetomeatthismoment，mine，belongingtome，theslaveofmywill，Iwouldgive-well，Iwouldgive-ayearofmylife-mynewtiara-anything！“
“Whatapity，“hemurmured，“thatwecannotmakeanexchange，youandI，Lucilleandhe！“
“Ah，Lucille！“shemurmured。“Well，sheisbeautiful。Thatgoesformuch。Andshehasthegrandair。But，heavens，howstupid！“
“Stupid！“herepeateddoubtfully。
Shedrummednervouslyuponthetableclothwithherfingers。
“Oh，notstupidintheordinaryway，ofcourse，butyetafool。I
shouldliketoseemanordeviltryandseparateusifIbelongedtohim-untilIwastiredofhim。Thatwouldcome，ofcourse。Itcomesalways。Itisthehideouspartoflife。“
“Youlookalways，“hesaid，“alittletoofarforward。Itisamistake。Afterall，itisthepresentonlywhichconcernsus。“
“Admirablephilosophy，“shelaughedscornfully，“butwhenoneisboredtodeathinthepresentonemustlookforwardorbackwardforconsolation。“
Hecontinuedhislunchinsilenceforawhile。
“Iamrebuked！“hesaid。
