“Butthisisatrap！“sheexclaimed。“Whosentforyou？Whydidyoucome？“
Helookedatherinsurprise。
“Lucille！“
Hiseyeswerefullofpassionateremonstrance。Shelookednervouslyfromhimtowardsthedoor。Heinterceptedherglance。
“WhathaveIdone？“heaskedfiercely。“WhathaveIfailedtodo？
WhydoyoulookasthoughIhadforcedmyselfuponyou？Haven’tI
theright？Don’tyouwishtoseeme？“
InBrott’sfaceandtonewasallthepassionatestrenuousnessofagreatcrisis。Lucillefeltsuddenlyhelplessbeforethedirectnessofhisgaze，hisstormofquestions。Inalltheirformerintercourseithadbeenshewhobyvirtueofhersexandhisblindloveforherhadkepttheupperhand。Andnowthepositionwaschanged。Allsortsoffeebleexplanations，ofappealstohim，occurredtoherdimly，onlytoberejectedbyreasonoftheirridiculousinadequacy。
Shewassilent-abjectlysilent。
Hecamealittleclosertoher，andthestrengthofthemanwasmanifestinhisintenseself-restraint。Hiswordsweremeasured，histonequiet。Yetbothsomehowgaveevidenceofthesmoulderingfiresbeneath。
“Lucille，“hesaid，“Ifindyouhardtounderstandto-day。Youhavemademeyourslave，youcameoncemoreintomylifeatitsmostcriticalmoment，andforyoursakeIhavebetrayedagreattrust。Myconscience，myfaith，andalthoughthatcountsforlittle，mypoliticalcareer，wereinthebalanceagainstmyloveforyou。Youknowwhichconquered。AtyourbiddingIhavemademyselfthejestofeverymanwhobuysthehalfpennypaperandcallshimselfapolitician。Myfriendsheapabuseuponme，myenemiesderision。IcannotholdmypositioninthisnewCabinet。
Ihadgonetoofarforcompromise。Iwonderifyouquiteunderstandwhathashappened？“
“Oh，Ihaveheardtoomuch，“shecried。“Sparemetherest。“
Hecontinuedasthoughhehadnotheardher。
“Menwhohavebeenmyintimateassociatesformanyyears，andwhosefriendshipwasdeartome，crosstheroadtoavoid:meetingme，daybydayIambesiegedwithvisitorsandlettersfromthesufferingpeopletowhommywordhadbeenpledged，imploringmeforsomeexplanation，foronewordofdenial。Lifehasbecomeahellforme，apestilent，militanthell！Yet，Lucille，unlessyoubreakfaithwithmeImakenocomplaint。Iamcontent。“
“Iamverysorry，“shesaid。“Idonotthinkthatyouhaveproperlyunderstoodme。Ihavenevermadeyouanypromise。“
Foramomenthelostcontrolofhimself。Sheshrankbackattheblazeofindignation，halfscornful，halfincredulous，whichlituphisclear，greyeyes。
“Itisalie！“’heanswered。“Betweenyouandmeitcanbenoquestionofwords。Youwerealwaysverycarefulofyourpledges，buttherearelimitseventoyourcaution-astomyforbearance。
Awomandoesnotaskamanwhoispleadingtoherforherlovetogiveupeverythingelsehecaresforinlifewithouthopeofreward。
Itismonstrous！Ineversoughtyouunderfalsepretenses。Ineveraskedyouforyourfriendship。Iwantedyou。Itoldyousoplainly。
Youwon’tdenythatyougavemehope-encouragedme？Youcan’tevendenythatIamwithinmyrightsifIclaimnowatthisinstanttherewardformyapostasy。“
Herhandsweresuddenlylockedinhis。Shefeltherselfbeingdrawnintohisarms。Withadesperateeffortsheavoidedhisembrace。Hestillheldherleftwrist，andhisfacewasdarkwithpassion。
“Letmego！“shepleaded。
“NotI！“heanswered，withanodd，chokedlittlelaugh。“Youbelongtome。Ihavepaidtheprice。I，too，amamongstthelonglistofthosepoorfoolswhohavesoldtheirgodsandtheirhonourforawoman’skiss。ButIwillnotbeleftwhollydestitute。YoushallpaymeforwhatIhavelost。“
“Oh，youaremad！“sheanswered。“Howcouldyouhavedeceivedyourselfso？Don’tyouknowthatmyhusbandisinLondon？“
“ThemanwhocallshimselfMr。Sabin？“heansweredroughly。“Whathasthattodowithit？Youarelivingapart。SaxeLeinitzerandtheDuchesshavebothtoldmethehistoryofyourmarriedlife。Oristhewholethingamonstrouslie？“hecried，withasuddendawningsenseofthetruth。“Nonsense！Iwon’tbelieveit。Lucille！
You’renotafraid！Ishallbegoodtoyou。Youdon’tdoubtthat。
Sabinwilldivorceyouofcourse。Youwon’tloseyourfriends。I-“
Therewasasuddenloudtappingatthedoor。Brottdroppedherwristandturnedroundwithanexclamationofanger。ToLucilleitwasaHeaven-sentinterposition。ThePrinceentered，pale，andwithsignsofhurryanddisorderabouthisusuallyimmaculateperson。
“Youarebothhere，“heexclaimed。“Good！Lucille，Imustspeakwithyouurgentlyinfiveminutes。Brott，comethiswaywithme。“
Lucillesankintoachairwithalittlemurmurofrelief。ThePrinceledBrottintoanotherroom，andclosedthedoorcarefullybehindhim。
“Mr。Brott，“hesaid，“canIspeaktoyouasafriendofLucille’s？“
Brott，whodistrustedthePrince，lookedhimsteadilyintheface。
SaxeLeinitzer’sagitationwastooapparenttobewhollyassumed。
Hehadalltheappearanceofbeingamandesperatelyinearnest。
“Ihavealwaysconsideredmyselfone，“Brottanswered。“Iambeginningtodoubt，however，whethertheCountessholdsmeinthesameestimation。“
“Youfoundherhysterical，unreasonable，overwrought！“thePrinceexclaimed。“Thatisso，eh？“
ThePrincedrewalongbreath。
“Brott，“hesaid，“Iamforcedtoconfideinyou。Lucilleisinterribledanger。Iamnotsurethatthereisanybodywhocaneffectuallyhelpherbutyou。Areyoupreparedtomakeagreatsacrificeforhersake-toleaveEnglandatonce，totakehertotheuttermostpartoftheworld？“
Brott’seyesweresuddenlybright。ThePrincequailedbeforethefiercenessofhisgaze。
“Shewouldnotgo！“heexclaimedsharply。
“Shewill，“thePrinceanswered。“Shemust！Notonlythat，butyouwillearnhereternalgratitude。Listen，Imusttellyouthepredicamentinwhichwefindourselves。ItplacesLucille’slifeinyourhands。“
“What？“
Theexclamationcamelikeapistolshot。ThePrincehelduphishand。
“Donotinterrupt。Letmespeak。Everymomentisveryvaluable。
YouheardwithoutdoubtofthesuddendeathattheCarltonHotel。
IttookplaceinMr。Sabin’ssitting-room。ThevictimwasMr。
Sabin’sservant。Theinquestwasthisafternoon。Theverdictwasdeathfromtheeffectofpoison。Thepolicearehotuponthecase。
Therewasnoevidenceastothepersonbywhomthepoisonwasadministered，butbyahideouscombinationofcircumstancesonepersonbeforemanyhourshavepassedwillbeunderthesurveillanceofthepolice。“
“Andthatperson？“Brottasked。
ThePrincelookedroundandloweredhisvoice，althoughtheroomwasempty。
“Lucille，“hewhisperedhoarsely。
Brottsteppedbackwardsasthoughhewereshot。
“Whatdamnedfolly！“heexclaimed。
“Itispossiblethatyoumaynotthinksodirectly，“SaxeLeinitzercontinued。“ThedayithappenedLucilleboughtthissamepoison，anditisarareone，fromamanwhohasabsconded。Anhourbeforethismanwasfounddead，shecalledatthehotel，leftnoname，butwentupstairstoMr。Sabin’sroom，andwasalonethereforfiveminutes，ThemandiedfromasinglegrainofpoisonwhichhadbeenintroducedintoMr。Sabin’sspecialliqueurglass，outofwhichhewasaccustomedtodrinkthreeorfourtimesaday。Alltheseareabsolutefacts，whichatanymomentmaybediscoveredbythepolice。
Addedtothatsheislivingapartfromherhusband，andisknowntobeonbadtermswithhim。“
Brottasgrippingthebackofachair。Hewaswhitetothelips。
“Youdon’tthink，“hecriedhoarsely。“Youcan’tbelieve-“
“No“thePrinceansweredquickly，“Idon’tbelieveanythingofthesort。IwilltellyouasmantothanthatIbelieveshewishedMr。
Sabindead。Youyourselfshouldknowwhy。Butno，Idon’tbelieveshewentsofarasthat。Itwasanaccident。Butwhatwehavetodoistosaveher。Willyouhelp？“
“Yes。“
“ShemustcrosstotheContinentto-nightbeforethepolicegetonthescent。AfterwardsshemustdoublebacktoHavreandtaketheBordlaiseforNewYorkonSaturday。OncethereIcanguaranteeherprotection。“
“Well？“
“Shecannotgoalone。“
“YoumeanthatIshouldgowithher？“
“Yes！Getherrightaway，andIwillemployspecialdetectivesandhavethematterclearedup，ifeveritcanbe。ButifsheremainshereIfearthatnothingcansaveherfromthehorrorofanarrest，evenifafterwardsWeareabletosaveher。Youyourselfriskmuch，Brott。Theonlyquestionthatremainsis，willyoudoit？“
“Atherbidding-yes！“Brottdeclared。
“Waithere，“thePrinceanswered。
SaxeLeinitzerreturnedtothemorning-room，andtakingthekeyfromhispocketunlockedthedoor。InsideLucillewaspalewithfury。
“What！Iamaprisoner，then！“sheexclaimed。“Howdareyoulockmein？Thisisnotyourhouse。Letmepass！Iamtiredofallthisstupidespionage。“
ThePrincestoodwithhisbacktothedoor。
“Itisforyourownsake，Lucille。Thehouseiswatched。“
Shesankintoalowchair，trembling。ThePrincehadalltheappearanceofamanhimselfseriouslydisturbed。
“Lucille，“hesaid，“wewilldowhatwecanforyou。Thewholethingishorriblyunfortunate。YoumustleaveEnglandto-night。
Murielwillgowithyou。Herpresencewillhelptodivertsuspicion。
OnceyoucanreachParisIcanassureyouofsafety。ButinthiscountryIamalmostpowerless。“
“ImustseeVictor，“shesaidinalowtone。“Iwillnotgowithout。“
ThePrincenodded。
“Ihavethoughtofthat。Thereisnoreason，Lucille，whyheshouldnotbetheonetoleadyouintosafety。“
“Youmeanthat？“shecried。
“Imeanit，“thePrinceanswered。“Afterwhathashappenedyouareofcourseofnofurtherusetous。Iaminclinedtothink，too，thatwehavebeensomewhatexacting。IwillsendamessengertoSouspenniertomeetyouatCharingCrossto-night。“
Shesprangup。
“Letmewriteitmyself。“
“Verywell，“heagreed，withashrugoftheshoulders。“Butdonotaddressorsignit。Thereisdangerinanycommunicationbetweenyou。“
Shetookasheetofnote-paperandhastilywroteafewwords。
“Ihaveneedofyourhelp。WillyoubeatCharingCrossattwelveo’clockpreparedforajourney-Lucille。“
ThePrincetooktheletterfromherandhastilyfoldeditup。
“Iwilldeliveritmyself，“heannounced。“Itwillperhapsbesafest。UntilIreturn，Lucille，donotstirfromthehouseorseeanyone。Murielhasgiventheservantsorderstoadmitnoone。
Allyourlife，“headded，afteramoment’spause，“youhavebeenalittlecrueltome，andthistimealso。Ishallpraythatyouwillrelentbeforeournextmeeting。“
Sherosetoherfeetandlookedhimfullintheface。Sheseemedtobefollowingoutherowntrainofthoughtratherthantakingnoteofhiswords。
“Evennow，“shesaidthoughtfully，“IamnotsurethatIcantrustyou。Ihaveagoodmindtofightorscreammywayoutofthishouse，andgomyselftoseeVictor。“
Heshruggedhisshoulders。
“Thefightingorthescreamingwillnotbenecessary，dearCountess，“hesaid。“Thedoorsareopentoyou。Butitisasclearasdaythatifyougotothehotelornearityouwillatonceberecognised，andrecognitionmeansarrest。Thereisalimitbeyondwhichonecannothelpawilfulwoman。Takeyourlifeinyourhandsandgoyourownway，ortrustinuswhoaredoingourbesttosaveyou。“
