“AndwhatofReginaldBrott？“sheasked。
“Brott？“thePrincerepeatedimpatiently。“Whocareswhatbecomesofhim？Youhavemadehimseemafool，but，Lucille，totellyouthetruth，Iamsorrythatwedidnotleavethiscountryaltogetheralone。Thereisnotthesoilforintriguehere，orthepossibility。
Then，too，thepoliceserviceistoostolid，tooinaccessible。Andevenourfriends，forwhoseaidwearehere-well，youheardtheDuke。Thecast-ironSaxonidiocyoftheman。Thearistocracyherearewhattheycallbucolic。Itistheirownfault。TheyhaveintermarriedwithparvenusandAmericansforgenerations。Theyarearacebythemselves。Weothersmayshakeourselvesfreefromthem。
Iwouldworkinanycountryoftheglobeforthegoodofourcause，butneveragaininEngland。“
Lucilleshiveredalittle。
“Iamnotinthehumourforargument，“shedeclared。“Ifyouwouldearnmygratitudetakethatnotetomyhusband。HeistheonlymanIfeelsureof-whomIknowcanprotectme。“
ThePrincebowedlow。
“Itisourfarewell，Countess，“hesaid。
“Icannotpretend，“sheanswered，“toregretit。“
SaxeLeinitzerlefttheroom。Therewasapeculiarsmileuponhislipsashecrossedthehall。Brottwasstillawaitingforhim。
“Mr。Brott，“hesaid，“theCountessis，asIfeared，tooagitatedtoseeyouagainforthepresent，oranyoneelse。Shesendsyou，however，thismessage。“
Hetookthefoldedpaperfromhiswaistcoatpocketandhandedittotheotherman。Brottreaditthrougheagerly。Hiseyesshone。
“Sheacceptsthesituation，then？“heexclaimed。
“Precisely！Willyoupardonme，myfriend，ifIventureupononeotherword。Lucilleisnotanordinarywoman。Sheisnotintheleastlikethemajorityofhersex，especially，Imightadd，amongstus。Thefactthatherhusbandwaslivingwouldseriouslyinfluenceherconsiderationofanyotherman-asherlover。Thepresentcrisis，however，haschangedeverything。Idonotthinkthatyouwillhavecausetocomplainofherlackofgratitude。“
Brottwalkedoutintothestreetswiththehalfsheetofnote-papertwistedupbetweenhisfingers。Forthefirsttimeformonthshewasconsciousofadistinctandvividsenseofhappiness。Theterribleperiodofindecisionwaspast。Heknewnowwherehestood。
NorwashisimmediatedeparturefromEnglandaltogetherunpleasanttohim。Hispoliticalcareerwasshattered-friendsandenemieswerealikecoldtohim。Suchanactofcowardiceashis，suchpitifulshrinkingbackatthelastfatefulmoment，wasinexplicableandrevolting。EvenLetheringhamwasbarelycivil。ItwascertainthathisplaceintheCabinetwouldbeintolerable。Heyearnedforescapefromitall，andthemeansofescapewerenowathand。Inafteryearsheknewverywellthattheshadowofhisbrokentrust，thetortureofhismisusedopportunities，wouldstandforeverbetweenhimandthelight。Butatthatmomenthewasabletoclearhismindofallsuchdisquietingthoughts。HehadwonLucille-nevermindatwhatcost，atwhatperil！HehadwonLucille！
Hewasdeeplyengrossed，andhisnamewasspokentwiceinhisearbeforeheturnedround。Asmall，somewhatshabby-lookingman，withtiredeyesandmorethanaday’sgrowthofbearduponhischin，hadaccostedhim。
“Mr。Brott，sir。Awordwithyou，please。“
Brottheldouthishand。Neverthelesshistonewhenhespokelackedheartiness。
“You，Hedley！Why，whatbringsyoutoLondon？“
Thelittlemandidnotseemtoseethehand。Atanyratehemadenomotiontotakeit。
“Afewminutes’chatwithMr。Brott。That’swhatI’vecomefor。“
Brottraisedhiseyebrows，andnoddedinsomewhatconstrainedfashion。
“Well，“hesaid，“Iamonmywaytomyrooms。Wecantalkaswego，ifyoulike。Iamafraidthegoodpeopleupinyourpartoftheworldarenottoowellpleasedwithme。“
Thelittlemansmiledratherqueerly。
“Thatisquitetrue，“heansweredcalmly。“Theyhatealiarandaturn-coat。SodoI！“
Brottstoppedshortuponthepavement。
“Ifyouaregoingtotalklikethattome，Hedley，“hesaid，“thelessyouhavetosaythebetter。“
Themannodded。
“Verywell，“hesaid。“WhatIhavetosaywon’ttakemeverylong。
ButasI’vetrampedmostofthewayupheretosayit，you’llhavetolistenhereorsomewhereelse。Ithoughtyouwerealwaysonewholikedthetruth。“
“SoIdo！“Brottanswered。“Goon！“
Themanshuffledalongbyhisside。Theywereanodd-lookingpair，forBrottwasratheracarefulmanasregardshistoilet，andhiscompanionlookedlittlebetterthanatramp。
“Allmylife，“hecontinued，“I’vebeencalled’MadHedley，’or’Hedley，themadtailor。’Sometimesoneandsometimestheother。
Itdon’tmatterwhich。There’struthin，it。Iamabitmad。You，Mr。Brott，wereoneofthosewhounderstoodmealittle。Ihavebroodedagooddealperhaps，andthingshavegotmuddledupinmybrain。Youknowwhathasbeenatthebottomofitall。
“IbeganmakingspeecheswhenIwasaboy。Peoplelaughedatme，butI’vesetmanyaonea-thinking。I’mnoanarchist，althoughpeoplecallmeone。I’lladmitthatIadmirethemenwhosettheFrenchRevolutiongoing。IfsuchathinghappenedinthiscountryI’dbeoneofthefirsttojoinin。ButI’veneverhadatasteforbloodshed。I’dratherthethinghadbeendonewithout。Fromthefirstyouseemedtobethemanwhomighthavebroughtitabout。
Welistenedtoyou，wewatchedyourcareer，andwebegantohavehopes。Mr。Brott，thebodiesandsoulsofmillionsofyourfellow-creatureswereinthehollowofyourhand。Itwasyouwhomighthavesetthemfree。Itwasyouwhomighthavemadethisthegreatest，thefreest，thehappiestcountryintheworld。Notsomuchforusperhapsasforourchildren，andourchildren’schildren。
Wedidn’texpectahugesocialupheavalinaweek，orevenadecadeofyears。Butwedidexpecttoseethefirstblowstruck。Oh，yes，weexpectedthat。“
“Ihavedisappointedyou，Iknow，youandmanyothers，“Brottsaidbitterly。“IwishIcouldexplain。ButIcan’t！“
“Oh，itdoesn’tmatter，“themananswered。“Youhavebrokentheheartsofthousandsofsufferingmenandwomen-youwhomighthaveledthemintothelight，haveforgedanotherboltinthebarswhichstandbetweenthemandliberty。Sotheymustliveoninthedarkness，dull，dumbcreatureswithjustspiritenoughtospitandcurseatthesoundofyourname。ItwasthegreatesttrustGodeverplacedinoneman’shand-andyou-youabusedit。Theywereafraidofyou-thearistocrats，andtheyboughtyou。Oh，wearenotblindupthere-therearenewspapersinourpublichouses，andnowandthenonecanaffordahalf-penny。Wehavereadofyouattheirpartiesandtheirdances。Quiteoneofthemyouhavebecome，haven’tyou？But，Mr。Brott，haveyouneverbeenafraid？Haveyouneversaidtoyourself，thereisjusticeintheearth？Supposeitfindsmeout？“
“Hedley，youaretalkingrubbish，“J3rottsaid。“Uphereyouwouldseethingswithdifferenteyes。Letheringhamispledged。“
“Ifanymaneverearnedhell，“Hedleycontinued，“itisyou，Brott，youwhocametousadeliverer，andturnedouttobealyingprophet。
’Hell，’herepeatedfiercely，“andmayyoufinditswiftly。“
Theman’srighthandcameoutofhislongpocket。TheywereinthethickofPiccadilly，buthisactionwastooswiftforanyinterference。Fourreportsrangsuddenlyout，andthemuzzleoftherevolverwashelddeliberatelywithinaninchorsoofBrett’sheart。AndbeforeeventhenearestofthebystanderscouldrealisewhathadhappenedBrottlayacrossthepavementadeadman，andHedleywascalmlyhandingovertherevolvertoapolicemanwhohadsprangacrossthestreet。
“Becareful，officer，“hesaid，“therearestilltwochambersloaded。
Iwillcomewithyouquitequietly。ThatisMr。ReginaldBrott，theCabinetMinister，andIhavekilledhim。“
Foronce，“LadyCareysaid，withafaintsmile，“your’admirableCrichton’hasfailedyou。“
Lucilleopenedhereyes。Shehadbeenleaningbackamongsttherailwaycushions。
“Ithinknot，“shesaid。“OnlyIblamemyselfthatIevertrustedthePrinceevensofarastogivehimthatmessage。ForIknowverywellthatifVictorhadreceivedithewouldhavebeenhere。“
LadyCareytookupagreatpileofpapersandlookedthemcarelesslythrough。
“Iamafraid，“shesaid，“thatIdonotagreewithyou。IdonotthinkthatSaxeLeinitzerhadanydesireexcepttoseeyousafelyaway。Ibelievethathewillbequiteasdisappointedasyouarethatyourhusbandisnotheretoaidyou。SomeonemustseeyousafelyonthesteameratHavre。Perhapshewillcomehimself。“
“IshallwaitinParis，“Lucillesaidquietly，“formyhusband。“
“Youmaywait，“LadyCareysaid，“foraverylongtime。“
Lucillelookedathersteadily。“Whatdoyoumean？“
“Whatafoolyouare，Lucille。Iftootherpeopleitseemsalmostcertainonthefaceofitthatyouwereresponsibleforthatdropofpoisoninyourhusband’sliqueurglass，whyshoulditnotseemsotohimself？“
Lucillelaughed，buttherewasalookofhorrorinherdarkeyes。
“Howabsurd。IknowVictorbetterthantobelievehimcapableofsuchasuspicion。Justasheknowsmebetterthantobelievemecapableofsuchanact。“
“Really。Butyouwereinhisroomssecretlyjustbefore。“
“Iwenttoleavesomerosesforhim，“Lucilleanswered。“Andifyouwouldliketoknowit，Iwilltellyouthis。Ileftmycardtiedtothemwithamessageforhim。“
LadyCareyyawned。
“Aremarkablyfoolishthingtodo，“shesaid。“Thatmaycauseyoutroublelateron。Greatheavens，whatisthis？“
Sheheldtheeveningpaperopeninherhand。Lucilleleanedoverwithblanchedface。
“Whathashappened？“shecried。“Tellme，can’tyou！“
“ReginaldBrotthasbeenshotinPiccadilly，“LadyCareysaid。
“Ishehurt？“Lucilleasked。
“Heisdead！“
Theyreadthebriefannouncementtogether。Thedeedhadbeencommittedbyamanwhosereputationforsanityhadlongbeenquestioned，oneofBrott’sownconstituents。Hewasincustody，andfreelyadmittedhisguilt。Thetwowomenlookedatoneanotherinhorror。EvenLadyCareywasaffected。
“Whatahatefulthing，“shesaid。“Iamgladthatwehadnohandinit。“
“Areyousosurethatwehadn’t？“Lucilleaskedbitterly。“Youseewhatitsays。Themankilledhimbecauseofhispoliticalapostasy。
Wehadsomethingtodowiththatatleast。“
LadyCareywasrecoveringhersangfroid。
“Oh，well，“shesaid，“indirectinfluencesscarcelycount，oronemighttracethecausesofeverythingwhichhappensbacktoanabsurdextent。IfthismanwasmadhemightjustaswellhaveshotBrottforanything。“
Lucillemadenoanswer。Sheleanedbackandclosedhereyes。ShedidnotspeakagaintilltheyreachedDover。
Theyembarkedinthedrizzlingrain。LadyCareydrewalittlebreathofreliefastheyreachedtheircabin，andfelttheboatmovebeneaththem。
“Thankgoodnessthatwearereallyoff。Ihavebeenhorriblynervousallthetime。IftheyletyouleaveEnglandtheycanhavenosuspicionasyet。“
Lucillewasputtingonanulsterandcaptogooutondeck。
“Iamnotatallsure，“shesaid，“thatIshallnotreturntoEngland。Atanyrate，ifVictordoesnotcometomeinParisI
shallgotohim。“
“Whatbeautifultrust！“LadyCareyanswered。“MydearLucille，youaremorelikeaschool-girlthanawomanoftheworld。“
AstewardenteredwithatelegramforLucille。ItwasbandedinattheHaymarket，anhourbeforetheirdeparture。Lucillereadit，andherfaceblanched。“Ithankyouforyourinvitation，butIfearthatitwouldnotbegoodformyhealth-S。“
LadyCareylookedoverhershoulder。Shelaughedhardly。
“Howbrutal！“shemurmured。“But，then，Victorcanbebrutalsometimes，can’the？“
