“Perhapsnot，“headmitted。“Butyoumustrememberthatsuspicionisofitselfagrievousembarrassment。Nomanlikestofeelthatheisbeingsuspectedofmurder。Bythebye，isitknownwhomtheunfortunatepersonwas？“
“TheservantofaFrenchnoblemanwhoisstayinginthehotel，“Mr。
Brottremarked。“Iheardasmuchasthat。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。LadyCareyglancedathimmeaningly。
“YouhaveworriedthePrincequitesufficiently，“shewhispered。
“Changethesubject。“
Mr。Sabinbowed。
“Youareveryconsiderate-tothePrince，“hesaid。
“Itisperhapsforyoursake，“sheanswered。“AndasforthePrince-well，youknow，oryoushouldknow，forhowmuchhecountswithme。“
Mr。Sabinglancedathercuriously。Shewasalittleflushedasthoughwithsomeinwardexcitement。Hereyeswerebrightandsoft。
Despiteacertainangularityoffigureandherhollowcheeksshewascertainlyoneofthemostdistinguished-lookingwomenintheroom。
“Youaresodense，“shewhisperedinhisear，“wilfullydense，perhaps。YouwillnotunderstandthatIwishtobeyourfriend。“
Hesmiledwithgentledeprecation。
“Doyoublameme，“hemurmured，“ifIseemincredulous？ForIamanoldman，andyouarespokenofalwaysasthefriendofmyenemy，thefriendofthePrince。“
“Iwonder，“shesaidthoughtfully，“ifthisisreallythesecretofyourmistrust？DoyouindeedfearthatIhavenootherinterestinlifesavetoserveSaxeLeinitzer？“
“Astothat，“heanswered，“Icannotsay。YetIknowthatonlyafewmonthsagoyouwereactingunderordersfromhim。ItisyouwhobroughtLucillefromAmerica。Itwasthroughyouthatthefirstblowwasstruckatmyhappiness。“
“CannotIatone？“shemurmuredunderherbreath。“IfIcanIwill。
Andasforthepresent，well，Iamoutsidehisschemesnow。Letusbefriends。Youwouldfindmeaveryvaluableally。“
“Letitbeso，“heansweredwithoutemotion。“Youshallhelpme，ifyouwill，toregainLucille。Ipromiseyouthenthatmygratitudeshallnotdisappointyou。“
Shebitherlip。
“Andareyousure，“shewhispered，“thatLucilleisanxioustobewonback？Shelovesintrigue，excitement，thesenseofbeingconcernedinimportantdoings。Besides-youmusthaveheardwhattheysayabouther-andBrott。Lookathernow。Shewearshergrasswidowhoodlightlyenough。“
Mr。Sabinlookedacrossthetable。Lucillehadindeedalltheappearanceofawomanthoroughlyatpeacewiththeworldandherself。
Brottwastalkingtoherinsmotheredandeagerundertones。ThePrincewaswaitingforanopportunitytointervene。Mr。SabinlookedintoBrott’swhitestrongface，andwasthoughtful。
“Itisagreatpower-thepowerofmysex，“LadyCareycontinued，withafaint，subtlesmile。“AwordfromLucille，andthehistorybookofthefuturemustbedifferentlywritten。“
“Shewillnotspeakthatword，“Mr。Sabinsaid。LadyCareyshruggedhershoulders。Thesubtletyofhersmilefadedaway。Herwholefaceexpressedacontemptuousandself-assuredcynicism。
“Youknowherverywell，“shemurmured。“YetsheandIarenostrangers。Sheisonewholovestotaste-no，todrink-deeplyofalltheexperiencesoflife。Whyshouldweblameher，youandI？Havewenotthesamedesire？“
Mr。Sabinlitacigarette。
“Once，perhaps，“heremarked。“YoumustnotforgetthatIamnolongerayoungman。“
Sheleanedtowardshim。
“Youwilldieyoung，“shemurmured。“Youarenotofthebreedofmenwhogrowold。“
“Doyoumeantoturnmyhead？“heaskedher，withahumoroussmile。
“Itwouldbeeasier，“sheanswered，“thantotouchyourheart。“
ThenLucillelookedacrossatthem-andMr。SabinsuddenlyrememberedthatReginaldBrottknewthembothonlyasstrangers。
“Muriel，“shesaid，“youarebehavingdisgracefully。“
“Iamdoingmybest，“LadyCareyanswered，“tokeepyouincountenance。“
Theeyesofthetwowomenmetforamoment，andthoughthesmileslingeredstillupontheirfacesLadyCareyatanyratewasnotabletowhollyconcealherhatred。Lucilleshruggedhershoulders。
“Iamdoingmybest，“shesaid，“toconvertMr。Brott。“
“Towhat？“LadyCareyasked。
“Toasanepointofviewconcerningtheholinessofthearistocracy，“
Lucilleanswered。“IamafraidthoughthatIhavemadeverylittleimpression。InhisheartIbelieveMr。Brottwouldliketoseeusallworkingforourliving，school-teachersanddressmakers，andthatsortofthing，youknow。“
Mr。Brottprotested。
“Iamnoteven，“hedeclared，“moderatelyadvancedinmyviewsasregardsmattersofyoursex。Totellyouthetruth，Idonotlikewomentoworkatalloutsidetheirhomes。“
LadyCareylaughed。
“Mydear，“shesaidtoLucille，“youandImayaswellretireindespair。Can’tyouseethesortofwomanMr。Brottadmires？Sheisn’tlikeusabit。Sheisprobablyahealthy，ruddy-cheekedyoungpersonwholivesinthecountry，getsuptobreakfasttopouroutthecoffeeforsomesortofamalerelative，goesroundthegardensnippingoffrosesinbigglovesandahugebasket，interviewsthecook，ordersthedinner，makesfancywaistcoatsforherhusband，andfailingasewingmaid，doesthemendingforthefamily。YouandI，Lucille，arenotlikethat。“
“Well，youhavementionednothingwhichIcouldn’tdo，ifitseemedworthwhile，“Lucilleobjected。“Itsoundsveryprimitiveanddelightful。Iamsurewearealltooluxuriousandtoolazy。I
thinkweoughttoturnoveranewleaf。“
“Foryou，dearLucille，“LadyCareysaidwithsuaveanddeadlysatire，“whatimprovementispossible？Youhaveallthatyoucoulddesire。Itismuchlessfortunatepersons，suchasmyself，towhomUtopiamustseemsuchadelightfulplace。“
Afrock-coatedandaltogetherimmaculateyoungmanapproachedtheirtableandaccostedMr。Sabin。
“Ibegyourpardon，sir，“hesaid，“butthemanagerwouldbemuchobligedifyouwouldsparehimamomentortwoinhisprivateroomassoonaspossible。“
Mr。Sabinnodded。
“Inafewminutes，“heanswered。
Thelittlepartybrokeupalmostimmediately。Coffeewasorderedinthepalmcourt，wherethebandwasplaying。Mr。SabinandthePrincefellalittlebehindtheothersonthewayoutoftheroom。
“Youheardmysummons？“Mr。Sabinasked。
“Yes！“
“Iamgoingtobecross-examinedasregardsDuson。IamnolongeramemberoftheOrder。Whatistopreventmysettingthemupontherighttrack？“
“Thefact，“thePrincesaidcoolly，“thatyouarehopingonedaytorecoverLucille。“
“Idoubt，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“whetheryouarestrongenoughtokeepherfromme。“
ThePrincesmiled。Allhiswhiteteethwereshowing。
“Come，“hesaid，“youknowbetterthan-muchbetterthanthat。
Lucillemustwaitherrelease。Youknowthat。“
“Iwillbuyit，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“withalietothemanagerhere，orIwilltellthetruthandstilltakeherfromyou。“
ThePrincestooduponthetopmoststepofthebalcony。Belowwasthepalmcourt，withmanylittlegroupsofpeopledottedabout。
“Mydearfriend，“hesaid，“Dusondiedabsolutelyofhisownfreewill。Youknowthatquitewell。Weshouldhavepreferredthatthematterhadbeenotherwisearranged。Butasitiswearesafe，absolutelysafe。“
“Duson’sletter！“Mr。Sabinremarked。
“Youwillnotshowit，“thePrinceanswered。“Youcannot。Youhavekeptittoolong。And，afterall，youcannotescapefromthemainfact。Dusoncommittedsuicide。“
“Hewasincitedtomurder。Hisletterprovesit。“
ThePrinceshruggedhisshoulders。
“Bywhom？Ah，howyourstorywouldexciteridicule。Iseemtohearthelaughternow。No，mydearSouspennier，youwouldbargainformewithLucille。Lookbelow。Arewelikelytopartwithherjustyet？“
Inacorner，behindagiganticpalm，LucilleandBrottweretalkingtogether。LadyCareyhaddrawnOppermanalittledistanceaway。
Brottwastalkingeagerly，hischeeksflushed，hismannerearnest。
Mr。Sabinturneduponhisheelandwalkedaway。
Mr。Sabin，althoughhehadregisteredatthehotelunderhisaccustomedpseudonym，hadtakennopainstoconcealhisidentity，andwaswellknowntothepeopleinauthorityabouttheplace。Hewasreceivedwithalltherespectduetohisrank。
“YourGracewill，Itrust，acceptmymostsincereapologiesfordisturbingyou，“Mr。Hertz，themanager，said，risingandbowingathisentrance。“Wehavehere，however，anemissaryconnectedwiththepolicecometoinquireintothesadincidentofthisafternoon。
HeexpressedawishtoaskyourGraceaquestionortwowithaviewtorenderingyourGrace’sattendanceattheinquestunnecessary。“
Mr。Sabinnodded。
“Iamperfectlywilling，“hesaid，“toansweranyquestionsyoumaychoosetoputtome。“
Aplain，hard-featuredlittleman，inalongblackovercoat，andholdingahowlerhatinhishand，bowedrespectfullytoMr。Sabin。
“Iammuchobligedtoyou，sir，“hesaid。“MynameisJohnPassmore。
Wedonotofcourseappearinthismatterunlessthepost-mortemshouldindicateanythingunusualinthecircumstancesofDuson’sdeath，butitisalwayswelltobeprepared，andIventuredtoaskMr。Hertzheretoprocureformeyouropinionasregardsthedeathofyourservant。“
“Youhaveaskedme，“Mr。Sabinsaidgravely，“averydifficultquestion。“
Theeyesofthelittledetectiveflashedkeenly。
“Youdonotbelievethen，sir，thathediedanaturaldeath？“
“Idonot，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
Mr。Hertzwasstartled。Thedetectivecontrolledhisfeaturesadmirably。
“MayIaskyourreasons，sir？“
Mr。Sabinlightlyshruggedhisshoulders。
“Ihaveneverknownthemantohaveaday’sillnessinhislife，“
hesaid。“Further，sincehisarrivalinEnglandhehasbeenactinginastrangeandfurtivemanner，andIgatheredthathehadsomecauseforfearwhichhewasindisposedtotalkabout。“
“This，“thedetectivesaid，“isveryinteresting。“
“Doubtless，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“ButbeforeIsayanythingmoreImustclearlyunderstandmyposition。Iamgivingyoupersonallyafewfriendlyhints，intheinterestsofjusticeperhaps，butstillquiteinformally。IamnotinpossessionofanydefinitefactsconcerningDuson，andwhatIsaytoyouhereIamnotpreparedtosayattheinquest，beforewhichIpresumeImayhavetoappearasawitness。There，IshalldonothingmoresaveidentifyDusonandstatethecircumstancesunderwhichIfoundhim。“
“Iunderstandthatperfectly，sir，“themananswered。“Thelesssaidattheinquestthebetterintheinterestsofjustice。“
Mr。Sabinnodded。
“Iamglad，“hesaid，“thatyouappreciatethat。IdonotmindgoingsofarthenastotellyouthatIbelieveDusondiedofpoison。“
“Canyougivemeanyidea，“thedetectiveasked，“astothesource？“
“None，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“Thatyoumustdiscoverforyourselves。
Dusonwasamanofsilentandsecretivehabits，andithasoccurredtomemorethanoncethathemightpossiblybeamemberofoneofthoseforeignsocietieswhohavetheirheadquartersinSoho，andconcerningwhichyouprobablyknowmorethanIdo。“
Thedetectivesmiled。Itwasaveryslightflickerofthelips，butitattractedMr。Sabin’skeenattention。
“Yoursuggestions，“thedetectivesaid，“aremakingthiscaseaveryinterestingone。Ihavealwaysunderstood，however，thatreprisalsofthisextremenatureareseldomresortedtointhiscountry。
Besides，theman’spositionseemsscarcelytoindicatesufficientimportance-perhaps-“
“Well？“Mr。Sabininterjected。
“InoticethatDusonwasfoundinyoursitting-room。Itoccurstomeasapossibilitythathemayhavemetwithafateintendedforsomeoneelse-foryourself，forinstance，sir！“
“ButI，“Mr。Sabinsaidsmoothly，“amamemberofnosecretsociety，noramIconsciousofhavingenemiessufficientlyvenomoustodesiremylife。“
Thedetectivesatforamomentwithimmovableface。
“We，allofus，knowourfriends，sir，“hesaid。“Therearefewofusproperlyacquaintedwithourenemies。“
Mr。Sabinlitacigarette。Hisfingerswerequitesteady，butthismanwasmakinghimthink。
