Mr。Sabinwalkedhometohisroomslateintheafternoon，wellcontentonthewholewithhisday。Hewasinnomannerpreparedfortheshockwhichgreetedhimonenteringhissitting-room。
Dusonwasleaningbackinhismostcomfortableeasy-chair。
“Duson！“Mr。Sabinsaidsharply。“Whatdoesthismean？“
Therewasnoanswer。Mr。Sabinmovedquicklyforward，andthenstoppedshort。Hehadseendeadmen，andheknewthesigns。Dusonwasstonedead。
Mr。Sabin’snerveansweredtothisdemanduponit。Hecheckedhisfirstimpulsetoringthebell，andlookedcarefullyonthetableforsomenoteormessagefromthedeadman。Hefounditalmostatonce-alargeenvelopeinDuson’shandwriting。Mr。Sabinhastilybrokethesealandread:
“Monsieur，-Ikillmyselfbecauseitiseasiestandbest。Thepoisonwasgivenmeforyou，butIhavenotthecouragetobecomeamurderer，orafterwardstoconcealmyguilt。Monsieurhasbeenagoodmastertome，andalsoMadamelaComtessewasalwaysindulgentandkind。ThemistakeofmylifehasbeenthejoiningthelowerorderoftheSociety。ThemoneywhichIhavereceivedhasbeenbutapoorreturnfortheanxietyandtroublewhichhavecomeuponmesinceMadamelaComtesseleftAmerica。NowthatI
seekshelterinthegraveIamfreetowarnMonsieurthatthePrinceofS。L。ishisdeterminedandmercilessenemy，andthathehasalreadymadeanunlawfuluseofhispositionintheSocietyforthesakeofprivatevengeance。IfmonsieurwouldmakeapowerfulfriendheshouldseektheLadyMurielCarey。
“Monsieurwillbesogoodastodestroythiswhenread。Mywillisinmytrunk。
“YourGrace’sfaithfulservant，“JulesDuson。“
Mr。Sabinreadthislettercarefullythroughtotheend。Thenheputitintohispocket-bookandquicklyrangthebell。
“Youhadbettersendforadoctoratonce，“hesaidtothewaiterwhoappeared。“Myservantappearstohavesufferedfromsomesuddenillness。Iamafraidthatheisquitedead。“
Youspoke，mydearLucille，“theDuchessofDorsetsaid，“ofyourdeparture。Isnotthatalittlepremature？“
Lucilleshruggedherbeautifulshoulders，andleanedbackinhercornerofthecouchwithhalf-closedeyes。TheDuchess，whowasveryAnglo-Saxon，wasaneasypersontoread，andLucillewasanxioustoknowherfate。
“Whypremature？“sheasked。“IwassentfortousemyinfluencewithReginaldBrott。Well，Ididmybest，andIbelievethatfordaysitwasjustachancewhetherIdidnotsucceed。However，asithappened，Ifailed。Oneofhisfriendscameandpulledhimawayjustashewaswavering。Hehasdeclaredhimselfnowonceandforall。AfterhisspeechatGlasgowhecannotdrawback。IwasbroughtallthewayfromAmerica，andIwanttogobacktomyhusband。“
TheDuchesspursedherlips。
“Whenonehasthehonour，mydear，“shesaid，“ofbelongingtosowonderfulanorganisationasthiswemustnotconsidertoocloselytheselfishclaimsoffamily。IamsurethatyearsagoIshouldhavelaughedatanyonewhohadtoldmethatI，GeorginaCroxton，shouldeverbelongtosuchathingasasecretsociety，eventhoughithadsomeconnectionwithsoharmlessandexcellentanorganisationasthePrimroseLeague。“
“Itdoesseemremarkable，“Lucillemurmured。
“Butlookwhatterribletimeshavecomeuponus，“theDuchesscontinued，withoutheedingtheinterruption。“WhenIwasagirlaRadicalwasapersonabsolutelywithoutconsideration。Nowallourgreatcitiesarehot-bedsofSocialismand-andanarchism。Thewholecountryseemsbandedtogetheragainstthearistocracyandthelandowners。Combinationamongstusbecameabsolutelynecessaryinsomeshapeorform。WhenthePrincecameandbegantodrophintsaboutthewaythespreadofSocialismhadbeencheckedinHungaryandAustria，andevenGermany，Iwasinterestedfromthefirst。
Andwhenhewentfurther，andspokeoftheSociety，itwasIwhopersuadedDorsettojoin。Dearman，heisveryearnest，butveryslow，andveryaversetoanythingatallsecretive。Iamsurethereflectionthatheisamemberofasecretsociety，evenalthoughitissimplyalinkingtogetherofthearistocracyofEuropeintheirowndefence，haskepthimawakeformanyanight。“
Lucillewasalittlebored。
“TheSociety，“shesaid，“isanadmirableoneenough，butjustnowIambeginningtofeelitalittleexacting。IthinkthatthePrinceexpectsagooddealofone。Ishallcertainlyaskformyreleaseto-night。“
TheDuchesslookeddoubtful。
“Release！“sherepeated。“Come，isthatnotratheranexaggeratedexpression？ItrustthatyourstayatDorsetHousehasnotinanywaysuggestedanimprisonment。“
“Onthecontrary，“Lucilleanswered；“youandtheDukehavebeenmostkind。ButyoumustrememberthatIhavehomeofmyown-andahusbandofmyown。“
“Ihavenodoubt，“theDuchesssaid，“thatyouwillbeabletoreturntothemsomeday。Butyoumustnotbeimpatient。IdonotthinkthatthePrincehasgivenupallhopesofReginaldBrottyet。“
Lucillewassilent。Soheremancipationwastobepostponed。Afterall，itwaswhatshehadfeared。ShesatwatchingidlytheDuchess’sknittingneedles。LadyCareycamesweepingin，wonderfulinablackvelvetgownandadisplayofjewelsalmostbarbaric。
“Onmywaytotheopera，“sheannounced。“TheMaddersonssentmetheirbox。Willanyofyougoodpeoplecome？Whatdoyousay，Lucille？“
Lucilleshookherhead。
“Mytoiletteisdeficient，“shesaid；，“andbesides，IamstayingathometoseethePrince。Weexpecthimthisevening。“
“You’llprobablybedisappointedthen，“LadyCareyremarked，“forhe’sgoingtojoinusattheopera。Runandchangeyourgown。
I’llwait。“
“AreyousurethatthePrincewillbethere？“Lucilleasked。
“Certain。“
“ThenIwillcome，“shesaid，“iftheDuchesswillexcuseme。“
TheDuchessandLadyCareywereleftaloneforafewminutes。Theformerputdownherknitting。
“Whydowekeepthatwomanhere，“sheasked，“nowthatBrotthasbrokenawayfromheraltogether？“
LadyCareylaughedmeaningly。
“BetteraskthePrince，“sheremarked。
TheDuchessfrowned。
“MydearMuriel，“shesaid，“Ithinkthatyouarewrongtomakesuchinsinuations。IamsurethatthePrinceistoomuchdevotedtoourcausetoallowanypersonalconsiderationstointervene。“
LadyCareyyawned。
“Rats！“sheexclaimed。
TheDuchesstookupherknitting，andwentonwithitwithoutremark。
LadyCareyburstoutlaughing。
“Don’tlooksoshocked，“sheexclaimed。“It’sfunny。Ican’thelpbeingabitslangy。Youdotakeeverythingsoseriously。OfcourseyoucanseethatthePrinceiswaitingtomakeafoolofhimselfoverLucille。Hehasbeentryingmoreorlessallhislife。“
“Hemayadmireher，“theDuchesssaid。“Iamsurethathewouldnotallowthattoinfluencehiminhispresentposition。Bythebye，sheisanxioustoleaveusnowthattheBrottaffairisover。
DoyouthinkthatthePrincewillagree？“
LadyCarey’sfacehardened。
“Iamsurethathewillnot，“shesaidcoolly。“Therearereasonswhyshemaynotatpresentbeallowedtorejoinherhusband。“
TheDuchessusedherneedlesbriskly。
“Formypart，“shesaid，“Icanseenoobjectinkeepingherhereanylonger。Mr。Brotthasshownhimselfquitecapableofkeepingheratarm’slength。Icannotseewhatfurtherusesheis。“
LadyCareyheardtheflutterofskirtsoutsideandrose。
“Therearewheelswithinwheels，“sheremarked。“MydearLucille，whatacharmingtoilette。Weshallhavetheladyjournalistsbesiegingusinourbox。Paquin，ofcourse。Good-night，Duchess。
Gladtoseeyou’regettingonwiththesocks，orstockings，doyoucallthem？“
Insolentaristocratic，nowandthenattractiveinsomestrangesuggestiveway，LadyCareysatinfrontoftheboxandexchangedgreetingswithherfriends。PresentlythePrincecameinandtookthechairbetweenthetwowomen。LadyCareygreetedhimwithanod。
“Here’sLucilledyingtoreturntoherlawfulhusband，“sheremarked。
“Oddthing，isn’tit？MostofthemarriedwomenIeverknewaredyingtogetawayfromtheirs。Youcanmakeherhappyormiserableinafewmoments。“
ThePrinceleanedoverbetweenthem，buthelookedonlyatLucille。
“IwishthatIcould，“hemurmured。“Iwishthatthatwerewithinmypower。“
“Itis，“sheansweredcoolly。“Murielisquiteright。Iammostanxioustoreturntomyhusband。“
ThePrincesaidnothing。LadyCarey，glancingtowardshimatthatmoment，wassurprisedatcertainsignsofdisquietudeinhisfacewhichstartledher。
“Whatisthematterwithyou？“sheaskedalmostroughly。
“Matterwithme？Nothing，“heanswered。“Whythisunaccustomedsolicitude？“
LadyCareylookedintohisfacefiercely。Hewaspale，andtherewasastrainedlookabouthiseyes。Heseemed，too，tobelistening。
>Fromoutsideinthestreetcamefaintlytotheirearsthecryofanewsboy。
“Getmeaneveningpaper，“shewhisperedinhisear。
Hegotupandleftthebox。Lucillewaswatchingthepeoplebelowandhadnotappreciatedthesignificanceofwhathadbeenpassingbetweenthetwo。LadyCareyleanedbackintheboxwithhalf-closedeyes。Herfingerswereclenchednervouslytogether，herbosomwasrisingandfallingquickly。Ifhehaddaredtodefyher！Whatwasitthenewsboyswerecalling？Whatajargon！WhydidnotSaxeLeinitzerreturn？Perhaps-hewasafraid！Herheartstoodstillforamoment，andalittlehalf-stifledcrybrokefromherlips。
Lucillelookedaroundquickly。
“Whatisthematter，Muriel？“sheasked。“Areyoufaint？“
“Faint，no，“LadyCareyansweredroughly。“I’mquitewell。Don’ttakeanynoticeofme。Doyouhear？Don’tlookatme。“
Lucilleobeyed。LadyCareysatquitestillwithherhandpressedtoherside。Itwasastiflingpain。Shewassurethatshehadheardatlast。“SuddendeathofavisitorattheCarltonHotel。“
Theplacewasbeginningtogoround。
SaxeLeinitzerreturned。Hisfacetoherseemedpositivelyghastly。
Hecarriedaneveningpaperinhishand。Shesnatcheditawayfromhim。Itwastherebeforeherinbold，blackletters:
“SuddendeathintheCarltonHotel。“
Hereyes，dimamomentago，suddenlyblazedfireuponhim。
“Itshallbealifeforalife，“shewhispered。“Ifyouhavekilledhimyoushalldie。“
Lucillelookedatthembewildered。Andjustthencameasharptapattheboxdoor。Nooneansweredit，butthedoorwassoftlyopened。
Mr。Sabinstooduponthethreshold。
“Pray，don’tletmedisturbyou，“hesaid。“Iwasunabletorefrainfrompayingyouabriefvisit。Why，Prince，LadyCarey！IcanassureyouthatIamnoghost。“
Heglancedfromonetotheotherwithadelicatesmileofmockerypartinghisthinlips。ForuponthePrince’sforeheadtheperspirationstoodoutlikebeads，andheshrankawayfromMr。
Sabinasfromsomeunholything。LadyCareyhadfallenbackacrossherchair。Herhandwasstillpressedtoherside，andherfacewasverypale。Anervouslittlelaughbrokefromherlips。
Mr。Sabinfoundafourthchair，andcalmlyseatedhimselfbyLucille’sside。ButhiseyeswerefixeduponLadyCarey。Shewasslowlyrecoveringherself，butMr。Sabin，whohadneverproperlyunderstoodherattitudetowardshim，waspuzzledattheairofintensereliefwhichalmostshoneinherface。
“Youseem-allofyou，“heremarkedsuavely，“tohavefoundthemusicalittleexciting。Wagnercertainlyknewhowtofindhiswaytotheemotions。OrperhapsIinterruptedaninterestingdiscussion？“
Lucillesmiledgentlyuponhim。
“Thesetwo，“shesaid，lookingfromthePrincetoLadyCarey，“seemtohavebeenafflictedwithasuddennervousexcitement，andyetIdonotthinkthattheyare，eitherofthem，verysusceptibletomusic。“
LadyCareyleanedforward，andlookedathimfrombehindthelargefanofwhitefeatherswhichshewaslazilyflutteringbeforeherface。
“Yourentrance，“shemurmured，“wasmostopportune，besidesbeingverywelcome。ThePrinceandIwereliterally-onthepointofflyingatoneanother’sthroats。“
Mr。Sabinglancedathisneighbourandsmiled。
“Youarecertainlyalittleoutofsorts，SaxeLeinitzer，“heremarked。“Youlookpale，andyourhandsarenotquitesteady。
Nerves，Isuppose。YoushouldseeDr。CarsoninBrookStreet。“
ThePrinceshruggedhisshoulders。
