“Shehasdonenothingsosensible，“theDukeanswereddrily。“ThefactswhichIhavejuststatedareknowntoeveryoneinthisroom。
Iperhapsknowlessthananyone。ButIknowenoughforthis。I
request，SaxeLeinitzer，thatyouwithdrawthenameofmyselfandmywifefromyourlistofmembers，andthatyouunderstandclearlythatmyhouseistobenomoreusedformeetingsoftheSociety，formalorinformal。And，further，thoughIregrettheapparentinhospitalityofmyaction，myfingerisnow，asyousee，uponthebell，andIventuretowishyouallaverygood-morning。Groves，“
headdedtotheservantwhoansweredthedoor，“thePrinceofSaxeLeinitzer’scarriageisurgentlyrequired。“
ThePrinceandLadyCareydescendedthebroadstepssidebyside。
Shewaslaughingsoftlybutimmoderately。ThePrincewaspalewithfury。
“Pompousoldass，“hemutteredsavagely。“Hemayhaveaworsescandalinhishousenowthanhedreamsof。“
Shewipedhereyes。
“HaveInotalwaystoldyou，“shesaid，“thatintrigueinthiscountrywasasheerimpossibility？Youmaylayyourplanseversocarefully，butyoucannotforeseesuchacontretempsasthis。“
“Idiot！“thePrincecried，“Oh，thedolt！Why，evenhiswifewasamazed。“
“Hemaybeallthosepleasantthings，“LadyCarey，said，“butheisagentleman。“
Hestoppedshort。ThefootmanwasstandingbythesideofLadyCarey’svictoriawitharugonhisarm。
“Lucille，“hesaidthoughtfully，“islockedinthemorning-room。
Sheisprostratewithfear。IftheDukeseeshereverythingisover。Uponmyword，IhaveagoodmindtothrowthisallupandcrosstoParisto-night。LetEnglandbreedherownrevolutions。
Whatdoyousay，Muriel？Willyoucomewithme？“
Shelaughedscornfully。
“I’dassoongowithmycoachman，“shesaid。
Hiseyebrowsnarrowed。Adull，purpleflushcrepttohisforehead。
“Yourwit，“hesaid，“isalittlecoarse。Listen！Youwishourfirstplantogothrough？“
“Ofcourse！“
“ThenyoumustgetLucilleoutofthathouse。Ifsheislefttheresheisabsolutelylosttous。Apartfromthat，sheisherselfnotsafe。Ourplanworkedouttoowell。SheisreallyindangerfromthisDusonaffair。“
ThelaughterdiedawayfromLadyCarey’sface。Shehesitatedwithherfootuponthestepofhercarriage。
“Youcangobackeasilyenough，“thePrincesaid。“YouaretheDuke’scousin，andyouwerenotincludedinhistirade。Lucilleisinthemorning-room，andhereisthekey。Ibroughtitawaywithme。
Youmusttellherthatallourplansarebroken，thatwehavecertainknowledgethatthepoliceareonthetrackofthisDusonaffair。GethertoyourhouseinPontStreet，andIwillberoundthisafternoon。Orbetterstill，takehertomine。“
LadyCareysteppedbackontothepavement。Shewasstill，however，hesitating。
“LeaveherwiththeDukeandDuchess，“thePrincesaid，“andshewilldinewithherhusbandto-night。“
LadyCareytookthekeyfromhishand。
“Iwilltry，“shesaid。“HowshallyouknowwhetherIsucceed？“
“Iwillwaitinthegardens，“heanswered。“Ishallbeoutofsight，butIshallbeabletoseeyoucomeout。IfyouarealoneIshallcometoyou。IfsheiswithyouIshallbeatyourhouseinanhour，andIpromiseyouthatsheshallleaveEnglandto-nightwithme。“
“PoorBrott！“shemurmuredironically。
ThePrincesmiled。
“Hewillfollowher。EveryonewillbelievethattheyleftLondontogether。Thatisallthatisrequired。“
LadyCareyre-enteredthehouse。ThePrincemadehiswayintothegardens。Tenminutespassed-aquarterofanhour。ThenLadyCareywithLucillereappeared，andsteppingquicklyintothevictoriaweredrivenaway。ThePrincedrewalittlesighofrelief。Helookedathiswatch，calledahansom，anddrovetohisclubforlunch。
Anotherman，whohadalsobeenwatchingDorsetRousefromthegardensforseveralhours，alsonotedLucille’sadventwithrelief。
HefollowedthePrinceoutandenteredanotherhansom。
“Followthatvictoriawhichhasjustdrivenoff，“heordered。
“Don’tlosesightofit。Doublefare。“
Thetrap-doorfell，andthemanwhippeduphishorse。
Mr。Sabinreceivedanearlyvisitorwhilststilllingeringoveraslightbutelegantbreakfast。Passmoreseatedhimselfinaneasy-chairandacceptedthecigarwhichhishosthimselfselectedforhim。
“Iamgladtoseeyou，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“ThisaffairofDuson’sremainsacompletemysterytome。Iamlookingtoyoutohelpmesolveit。“
Thelittlemanwiththeimperturbablefaceremovedhiscigarfromhismouthandcontemplateditsteadfastly。
“Itismysterious，“hesaid。“Therearecircumstancesinconnectionwithitwhichevennowpuzzlemeverymuch，verymuchindeed。TherearecircumstancesinconnectionwithitalsowhichIfearmaybeashocktoyou，sir。“
“Mylife，“Mr。Sabinsaid，withafaintsmile，“hasbeenmadeupofshocks。Afewmoreorlessmaynothurtme。“
“Duson，“thedetectivesaid，“wasatheartafaithfulservant！“
“Ibelieveit，“Mr。Sabinsaid。
“Hewasmuchattachedtoyou！“
“Ibelieveit。“
“Itispossiblethatunwittinglyhediedforyou。“
Mr。Sabinwassilent。Itwashiswayofavoidingaconfessionofsurprise。Andhewassurprised。“Youbelievethen，“hesaid，“afteramoment’spause，“thatthepoisonwasintendedforme？“
“CertainlyIdo，“thedetectiveanswered。“Dusonwas，afterall，avalet，apersonoflittleimportance。Thereisnoonetowhomhisremovalcouldhavebeenofsufficientimportancetojustifysuchextrememeasures。Withyouitisdifferent。“
Mr。Sabinknockedtheashfromhiscigarette。
“Whynotbefrankwithme，Mr。Passmore？“hesaid。“Thereisnoneedtoshelteryourselfunderprofessionalreticence。YourconnectionwithScotlandYardended，Ibelieve，sometimeago。Youarefreetospeakortokeepsilence。Dooneortheother。Tellmewhatyouthink，andIwilltellyouwhatIknow。Thatsurelywillbeafairexchange。Youshallhavemyfactsforyoursurmises。“
Passmore’sthinlipscurledintoasmile。“YouknowthatIhaveleftScotlandYardthen，sir？“
“Quitewell！Youareemployedbythemoften，Ibelieve，butyouarenotonthestaff，notsincetheaffairofNermanandthecodebook。“
IfPassmorehadbeencapableofreverence，hiseyeslookeditatthatmoment。
“Youknewthislastnight，sir？“
“Certainly！“
“Fiveyearsago，sir，“hesaid，“Itoldmychiefthatinyouthedetectivepoliceoftheworldhadlostonewhomusthavebeentheirking。Moreandmoreyouconvincemeofit。IcannotbelievethatyouareignorantofthesalientpointsconcerningDuson’sdeath。“
“Treatmeasbeingso，atanyrate，“Mr。Sabinsaid。
“Iampardoned，“Passmoresaid，“forspeakingplainlyoffamilymatters-myconcerninwhichisofcoursepurelyprofessional？“
Mr。Sabinlookedupforamoment，buthesignifiedhisassent。
“YouleftAmerica，“Passmoresaid，“insearchofyourwife，formerlyCountessofRadantz，whohadleftyouunexpectedly。“
“Itistrue！“Mr。Sabinanswered。
“MadamelaDuchesseonreachingLondonbecametheguestoftheDuchessofDorset，whereshehasbeenstayingsince。WhilstthereshehasreceivedmanyvisitsfromMr。ReginaldBrott。“
Mr。Sabin’sfacewasasthefaceofasphinx。Hemadenosign。
“Youdonotwasteyourtime，sir，overtheSocietypapers。YetyouhaveprobablyheardthatMadamelaDuchesseandMr。ReginaldBrotthavebeenwrittenaboutandspokenaboutasintimatefriends。Theyhavebeenseentogethereverywhere。Gossiphasbeenbusywiththeirnames。Mr。BrotthasfollowedtheCountessintocircleswhichbeforehercominghezealouslyeschewed。TheCountessiseverywhereregardedasawidow，andamarriagehasbeenconfidentlyspokenof。“
Mr。Sabinbowedhisheadslightly。Butofexpressiontherewasinhisfacenosign。
“Thesethings，“Passmorecontinued，“arecommonknowledge。Ihavespokenuptonowofnothingwhichisnotknowntotheworld。I
proceeddifferently。“
“Good！“Mr。Sabinsaid。
“Thereis，“Passmorecontinued，“intheforeigndistrictofLondonamannamedEmilSachs，whokeepsacurioussortofawine-shop，andsupplementshisearningsbydisposingatahighfigureofcertainrareanddeadlypoisons。AfewdaysagotheCountessvisitedhimandsecuredasmallpacketofthemostdeadlydrugthemanpossesses。“
Mr。Sabinsatquitestill。Hewasunmoved。
“TheCountess，“Passmorecontinued，“shortlyafterwardsvisitedtheserooms。AnhourafterherdepartureDusonwasdead。Hediedfromdrinkingoutofyourliqueurglass，intowhichafewspecksofthatpowder，invisiblealmosttothenakedeye，hadbeendropped。
AtDorsetHouseReginaldBrottwaswaitingforher。Heleftshortlyafterwardsinastateofagitation。“
“Andfromthesethings，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“youdraw，Ipresume，thenaturalinferencethatMadamelaDuchesse，desiringtomarryheroldadmirer，ReginaldBrott，firstleftmeinAmerica，andthen，sinceIfollowedherhere，attemptedtopoisonme“Thereis，“Passmoresaid，“agooddealofevidencetothateffect。“
“Here，“Mr。Sabinsaid，handinghimDuson’sletter，“issomeevidencetothecontrary。“
Passmorereadthelettercarefully。
“Youbelievethis，“heasked，“tobegenuine？“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
“Iamsureofit！“heanswered。
“Yourecognisethehandwriting？“
“Certainly！“
“Andthiscameintoyourpossession-how？“
“IfounditonthetablebyDuson’sside。“
“Youintendtoproduceitattheinquest？“
“Ithinknot，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
Therewasashortsilence。Passmorewasrevolvingacertainmatterinhismind-thinkinghard。Mr。Sabinwasapparentlytryingtomakeringsofthebluesmokefromhiscigarette。
“Hasitoccurredtoyou，“Passmoreasked，“towonderforwhatreasonyourwifevisitedtheseroomsonthemorningofDuson’sdeath？“
Mr。Sabinshookhishead。
“Icannotsaythatithas。“
“Sheknewthatyouwerenothere，“Passmorecontinued。“Sheleftnomessage。Shecamecloselyveiledanddepartedunrecognised。“
Mr。Sabinnodded。
“Therewerereasons，“hesaid，“forthat。Butwhenyousaythatsheleftnomessageyouaremistaken。“
Passmorenodded。
“Goon，“hesaid。
Mr。SabinnoddedtowardsagreatvaseofLaFrancerosesuponasidetable。
“Ifoundthesehereonmyreturn，“hesaid，“andattachedtothemthecardwhichIbelieveisstillthere。Goandlookatit。“
Passmoreroseandbentoverthefragrantblossoms。Thecardstillremained，andonthebackofit，inadelicatefemininehandwriting:
“Formyhusband，“withlovefrom“Lucille。“
Mr。Passmoreshruggedhisshoulders。Hehadnottheviceofobstinacy，andheknewwhentoabandonatheory。
“Iamcorrected，“hesaid。“Inanycase，amysteryremainsaswellworthsolving。WhoarethesepeopleatwhoseinstigationDusonwastohavemurderedyou-thesepeoplewhomDusonfearedsomuchthatsuicidewashisonlyalternativetoobeyingtheirbehests？“
Mr。Sabinsmiledfaintly。
“Ah，mydearPassmore，“hesaid，“youmustnotaskmethatquestion。
Icanonlyansweryouinthisway。Ifyouwishtomakethebiggestsensationwhichhaseverbeencreatedinthecriminalworld，torenderyourselfimmortal，andyourfameimperishable-findout！I
maynothelpyou，Idoubtwhetheryouwillfindanytohelpyou。Butifyouwantexcitement，theexcitementofadangerouschaseafteratremendousquarry，takeyourlifeinyourhands，goinandwin。
Passmore’switheredlittlefacelitupwithagleamofrareexcitement。
“Theseareyourenemies，sir，“hesaid。“Theyhaveattemptedyourlifeonce，theymaydoitagain。Assumetheoffensiveyourself。
Givemeahint。“
Mr。Sabinshookhishead。
“ThatIcannotdo，“hesaid。“Ihavesavedyoufromwastingyourtimeonafalsescent。Ihavegivenyousomethingdefinitetoworkupon。FurtherthanthatIcandonothing。“
Passmorelookedhisdisappointment，butheknewMr。Sabinbetterthantoarguethematter。
“Youwillnotevenproducethatletterattheinquest？“heasked。
“Noteventhat，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
Passmorerosetohisfeet。
