ThePrincetouchedBrottonthearm。
“Willyoucomeroundtotheclub，andtakeahandatbridge？“hesaid。
Brottlaughedshortly。
“Iimagine，“hesaid，“thatIshouldbeanembarrassingguesttoyoujustnowat，saytheMallborough，orevenattheSt。James。
Ibelievethearistocracyarelookingforwardtothepossibilityofmycomingintopowerwithsomethingliketerror。“
“Iamnotthoroughlyversed；inthepoliticsofthiscountry，“thePrincesaid，“butIhavealwaysunderstoodthatyourviewswereverymuchadvanced。Dorsetsolemnlybelievesthatyouarepledgedtoexterminatethelargelandedproprietors，andIdonotthinkhewouldbesurprisedtohearthatyouhadaguillotineupyoursleeve。“
ThetwomenwerestrollingalongPallMall。ThePrincehadlitalargecigar，andwasapparentlyonthebestoftermswithhimselfandtheworldingeneral。Brott，onthecontrary，wasmostunlikehimself，preoccupied，andapparentlyillatease。
“TheDukeandhisclassare，ofcourse，mynaturalopponents，“Brottsaidshortly。“Bythebye，Prince，“headded，suddenlyturningtowardshim，andwithacompletechangeoftone，“itiswithinyourpowertodomeafavour。“
“Youhaveonlytocommand，“thePrinceassuredhimgood-naturedly。
“Myroomsareclosehere，“Brottcontinued。“Willyouaccompanymethere，andgrantmethefavourofafewminutes’conversation？“
“Assuredly！“thePrinceanswered，flickingtheendoffhiscigar。
“Itwillbeapleasure。“
Theywalkedontowardstheirdestinationinsilence。Brott’ssecretarywasinthelibrarywithahugepileoflettersandtelegramsbeforehim。HewelcomedBrottwithrelief。
“WehavebeensendingalloverLondonforyou，sir，“hesaid。
Brottnodded。
“Iambetteroutofthewayforthepresent，“heanswered。“Denymetoeverybodyforanhour，especiallyLetheringham。Thereisnothinghere，Isuppose，whichcannotwaitsolongasthat？“
Thesecretarylookedalittledoubtful。
“Ithinknot，sir，“hedecided。
“Verygood。Goandgetsomethingtoeat。Youlookfagged。AndtellHysontobringupsomeliqueurs，willyou！Ishallbeengagedforashorttime。“
Thesecretarywithdrew。Aservantappearedwithalittletrayofliqueurs，andinobediencetoanimpatientgesturefromhismaster，leftthemuponthetable。Brottclosedthedoorfirmly。
“Prince，“hesaid，resuminghisseat，“IwishedtospeakwithyouconcerningtheCountess。“
SaxeLeinitzernodded。
“Allright，“hesaid。“Iamlistening！“
“Iunderstand，“Brottcontinued，“thatyouareoneofheroldestfriends，andalsooneofthetrusteesofherestates。Ipresumethatyoustandtoherthereforetosomeextentinthepositionofanadviser？“
“Itisperfectlytrue，“thePrinceadmitted。
“I，too，amanoldfriend，asshehasdoubtlesstoldyou，“Brottsaid。“AllmylifeshehasbeentheonewomanwhomIhavedesiredtocallmywife。Thatdesirehasneverbeensostrongasatthepresentmoment。“
ThePrinceremovedhiscigarfromhismouthandlookedgrave。
“But，mydearBrott，“hesaid，“haveyouconsideredtheenormousgulfbetweenyour-views？TheCountessownsgreathereditaryestates，shecomesfromafamilywhichisalmostRoyal，sheherselfisanaristocrattothebackbone。Itisaclassagainstwhichyouhavedeclaredwar。Howcanyoupossiblycometogetheroncommonground？“
Brottwassilentforamoment。LookingathimsteadilythePrincewassurprisedatthechangeintheman’sappearance。Hischeeksseemedblanchedandhisskindrawn。Hehadlostflesh，hiseyeswerehollow，andhefrequentlybetrayedinsmallmannerismsanervousnesswhollynewandunfamiliartohim。
“Youspeakasamanofsense，Prince，“hesaidafterawhile。“Youareabsolutelycorrect。Thismatterhascausedmeagreatdealofanxiousthought。Tofalteratthismomentistolose，politically，allthatIhaveworkedforallmylife。Itistolosetheconfidenceofthepeoplewhohavetrustedme。Itisabetrayal，thethoughtofwhichisaconstantshametome。But，ontheotherhand，Lucilleisthedearestthingtomeinlife。“
ThePrince’sexpressionwaswhollysympathetic。Thederisionwhichlurkedbehindhekeptwhollyconcealed。Astrongmansoabjectlyinthetoils，andhetobechosenforhisconfidant！Itwasmelodramawithadashofhumour。
“IfIamtohelpyou，“thePrincesaid，“Imustknoweverything。
HaveyoumadeanyproposalstoLucille？Inplainwords，howmuchofyourpoliticalfutureareyoudisposedtosacrifice？“
“All！“Brottsaidhoarsely。“Allforacertaintyofher。Notonejotwithout。“
“Andshe？“
Brottsprangtohisfeet，whiteandnervous。
“ItiswhereIamatfault，“heexclaimed。“ItiswhyIhaveaskedforyouradvice，yourhelpperhaps。IdonotfinditeasytounderstandLucille。PerhapsitisbecauseIamnotwellversedinthewaysofhersex。Ifindherelusive。Shewillgivemenopromise。BeforeIwenttoGlasgowItalkedwithher。Ifshewouldhavemarriedmethenmypoliticalcareerwasover-thrownononesidelikeanoldgarment。Butshewouldgivemenopromise。
IneverythingsavethespokenwordsIcraveshehaspromisedmeherlove。Againtherecomesaclimax。InafewhoursImustmakemyfinalchoice。ImustdeclinetojoinLetheringham，inwhichcasetheKingmustsendforme，oracceptofficewithhim，andthrowawaytheonegreatchanceofthisgeneration。Letheringham’sCabinet，ofcourse，wouldbeamoderateLiberalone，aparagonofmilkandwaterineffectiveness。IfIgoinalonewemakehistory。Themomentofissuehascome。And，Prince，althoughIhavepleadedwithalltheforceandalltheearnestnessIknow，Lucilleremainselusive。IfIchooseforherside-shepromisesme-reward。Butitisvaguetome。Idon’t，Ican’tunderstand！Iwantherformywife，Iwantherfortherestofmylife-nothingelse。Tellme，isthereanybarriertothis？TherearenocomplicationsinherlifewhichIdonotknowof？Iwantyourassurance。Iwantherpromise。Youunderstandme？“
“Yes，Iunderstandyou，“thePrincesaidgravely。“Iunderstandmorethanyoudo。IunderstandLucille’sposition。“
Brottleanedforwardwithbrighteyes。
“Ah！“
“Lucille，theCountessofRadantz，isatthepresentmomentamarriedwoman。“
Brottwasspeechless。Hisfacewaslikeacarvedstoneimage，fromwhichthelifehadwhollygone。
“Herhusband-innameonly，letmetellyou，istheMr。Sabinwithwhomwehadsupperthisevening。“
“GreatGod！“
“Theirmarriagehadstrangefeaturesinitwhicharenotmyconcern，orevenyours，“thePrincesaiddeliberately。“Thetruthis，thattheyhavenotlivedtogetherforyears，theyneverwillagain，fortheirdivorceproceedingswouldlongagohavebeenconcludedbutforthecomplicationsarisingfromthedifferencebetweentheHungarianandtheAmericanlaws。Here，withoutdoubt，isthereasonwhytheCountesshashesitatedtopledgeherworddirectly。“
“Itiswonderful，“Brottsaidslowly。“Butitexplainseverything。“
Therewasaloudknockatthedoor。Thesecretaryappeareduponthethreshold。Behindhimwasatall，slimyoungmanintravelingcostume。
“TheKing’smessenger！“Brottexclaimed，risingtohisfeet。
ThePrincepresentedhimselfwithalowbow。Lucillehadacopyofthemorningpaperinherhand。
“Icongratulateyou，Countess，“hesaid。“Youprogressadmirably。
Itisagreatstepgained。“
Lucille，whowaslookingpaleandnervous，regardedhimwithanxiety。
“Astep！Butitiseverything。Iftheserumoursaretrue，herefusestheattempttoformaCabinet。HetakesasubordinatepositionunderLetheringham。Everypaperthismorningsaysthatifthisissohispoliticalcareerisover。Itistrue，isitnot？“
“Itisagreatgain，“thePrincesaidslowly。
“Butitiseverything，“Lucilledeclared，witharisingnoteofpassioninhertone。“Itwasmytask。Itisaccomplished。I
demandmyrelease。“
ThePrincewassilentforamoment。
“Youareinagreathurry，Lucille，“hesaid。
“WhatifIam！“sherepliedfiercely。“Doyousupposethatthislifeofliesanddeceitispleasanttome？Doyousupposethatitisapleasanttasktolureabravemanontohisruin？“
ThePrinceraisedhiseyebrows。
“Come，“hesaid，“youcanhavenosympathywithReginaldBrott，theswornenemyofourclass，aSocialist，ademagoguewhowouldparceloutourlandsinallotments，amanwhohaspledgedhimselftonothingmorenorlessthanarevolution。“
“Theman’sviewsarehatefulenough，“sheanswered，“butheisinearnest，andhowevermisguidedhemaybethereissomethingnobleinhisunselfishness，inhis，steadyfixednessofpurpose。“
ThePrince’sfaceindicatedhiscontempt。
“Suchmen，“hedeclared，“areonlyfittobecrushedlikeverminunderfoot。InanyothercountrysaveEnglandweshouldhavedealtwithhimdifferently。“
“Thisisallbesidethequestion，“shedeclared，“MytaskwastopreventhisbecomingPrimeMinister，andIhavesucceeded。“
ThePrincegaveventtoalittlegestureofdissent。“Yourtask，“
hesaid，“wentalittlefartherthanthat。Werequirehispoliticalruin。“
Shepointedtothepileofnewspapersuponthetable。
“Readwhattheysay！“sheexclaimed。“Thereisnotonewhodoesnotusethatpreciseterm。Hehasmissedhisopportunity。Thepeoplewillnevertrusthimagain。“
“That，atanyrate，isnotcertain，“thePrincesaid。“Youmustrememberthatbeforelonghewillrealisethathehasbeenyourtool。Whatthen？Hewillbecomemorerabidthanever，morealsotobefeared。No，Lucille，yourtaskisnotyetover。Hemustbeinvolvedinanopenandpublicscandal，andwithyou。“
Shewaswhitealmosttothelipswithpassion。
“Youexpectagreatdeal！“sheexclaimed。“Youexpectmetoruinmylife，then，togivemyhonouraswellasthesewearymonths，thisconstanthumiliation。“
“Youarepleasedtobemelodramatic，“hesaidcoldly。“Itisquitepossibletoinvolvehimwithoutactuallygoingtoextremes。“
“Andwhatofmyhusband？“sheasked。
’ThePrincelaughedunpleasantly。
“Ifyouhavenottaughthimcomplaisance，“hesaid，“itispossible，ofcourse，thatMr。Sabinmightbeunkind。Butwhatofit？Youareyourownmistress。Youareawomanoftheworld。Withouthimthereisaninfinitelygreaterfuturebeforeyouthanashiswifeyoucouldeverenjoy。“
“Youarepleased，“shesaid，“tobeenigmatic。“
ThePrincelookedhardather。Herfacewaswhiteandset。Hesighed。
“Lucille，“hesaid，“Ihavebeenverypatientformanyyears。Yetyouknowverywellmysecret，andinyourheartyouknowverywellthatIamoneofthosewhogenerallywinthethinguponwhichtheyhavesettheirhearts。Ihavealwayslovedyou，Lucille，butnevermorethannow。Fidelityisadmirable，butsurelyyouhavedoneyourduty。Heisanoldman，andamanwhohasfailedinthegreatthingsoflife。I，ontheotherhand，canofferyouagreatfuture。
SaxeLeinitzer，asyouknow，isakingdomofitsown，and，Lucille，IstandwellwiththeEmperor。TheSocialistpartyinBerlinarestrongandincreasing。Heneedsus。Whocansaywhathonoursmaynotbeinstoreforus？ForI，too，amoftheRoyalHouse，Lucille。
Iamhiskinsman。Heneverforgetsthat。Come，throwasidethisrestlessness。IwilltellyouhowtodealwithBrott，andthepublicity，afterall，willbenothing。Wewillgoabroaddirectlyafterwards。“
“Haveyoufinished？“sheasked。
“Youwillbereasonable！“hebegged。
