“IfIrefuse？“sheasked。
“Isendforthechiefofthepolice。“
“Shelookedhimupanddown，ameasured，mercilesssurvey。Hewasatall，bigman，butheseemedtoshrinkintoinsignificance。
“Youareacowardandabully，“shesaidslowly。“YouknowquitewellthatIaminnocentofanyknowledgeevenconcerningDuson’sdeath。ButIwouldsoonermeetmyfate，whateveritmightbe，thansuffereventhetouchofyourfingersuponmyhand。Yourpresenceishatefultome。Sendforyourchiefofthepolice。Stringyourliestogetherasyouwill。Iamsatisfied。“
Shelefthimandsweptfromtheroom，aspotofcolourburninginhercheeks，hereyeslitwithfire。Theprideofherracehadasserteditself。Shefeltnolongeranyfear。Sheonlydesiredtoseverherselfatonceandcompletelyfromallassociationwiththisman。Inthehallshesentforhermaid。
“Fetchmycloakandjewelcase，Celeste，“sheordered。“IamgoingacrosstotheBristol。Youcanreturnfortheotherluggage。“
“But，madam-“
“DoasIsayatonce，“Lucilleordered。
Thegirlhesitatedandthenobeyed。Lucillefoundherselfsuddenlyaddressedinaquiettonebyamanwhohadbeensittinginaneasy-chair，halfhiddenbyapalmtree。
“Willyoufavourme，madam，withamoment’sconversation？“
Lucilleturnedround。Sherecognisedatoncethemanwithwhomshehadconverseduponthesteamer。Inthequietestformofeveningdress，therewassomethingnoticeableintheman’sveryinsignificance。Heseemedalittleoutofhiselement。Lucillehadasuddeninspiration，Themanwasadetective。
“Whatdoyouwishtosay？“sheasked，halfdoubtfully。
“Ioverheard，“heremarked，“yourordertoyourmaid。Shehadsomethingtosaytoyou，butyougavehernoopportunity。“
“Andyou？“sheasked，“whatdoyouwishtosay？“
“Iwishtoadviseyou，“hesaid，“nottoleavethehotel。“
Shelookedathimdoubtfully。
“Youcannotunderstand，“shesaid，“whyIwishtoleaveit。I
havenoalternative。“
“Nevertheless，“hesaid，“Ihopethatyouwillchangeyourmind。“
“Areyouadetective？“sheaskedabruptly。
“Madamiscorrect！“
Theflushofcolourfadedfromhercheeks。
“Ipresume，then，“shesaid，“thatIamunderyoursurveillance？“
“Inasense，“headmitted，“itistrue。“
“Onthesteamer，“sheremarked，“youspokeasthoughyourinterestinmewasnotinimical。“
“Norisit，“heansweredpromptly。“Youareinadifficultposition，butyoumayfindthingsnotsobadasyouimagine。Atpresentmyadvicetoyouisthis:Goupstairstoyourroomandstaythere。“
Thelittlemanhadacompellingmanner。Lucillemadeherwaytowardstheelevator。
“Asamatteroffact，“shemurmuredbitterly，“Iamnot，Isuppose，permittedtoleavethehotel？“
“Madamputsthematterbluntly，“heanswered；“butcertainlyifyoushouldinsistuponleaving，itwouldbemydutytofollowyou。“
Sheturnedawayfromhimandenteredtheelevator。Thedoorofherroomwasslightlyajar，andshesawthatawaiterwasbusyatasmallroundtable。Shelookedathiminsurprise。Hewasarrangingplacesfortwo。
“Whogaveyouyourorders？“sheasked。
“Butitwasmonsieur，“themananswered，withalowbow。“Dinnerfortwo。“
“Monsieur？“sherepeated。“Whatmonsieur？“
“Iamtheculprit，“afamiliarvoiceansweredfromthedepthsofaneasy-chair，whosebackwastoher。“Iwasveryhungry，anditoccurredtomethatunderthecircumstancesyouwouldprobablynothavedinedeither。IhopethatyouwilllikewhatIhaveordered。
Theplovers’eggslookdelicious。“
Shegavealittlecryofjoy。ItwasMr。Sabin。
ThePrincedinedcarefully，butwithlessthanhisusualappetite。
Afterwardshelitacigaretteandstrolledforamomentintothelounge。Celeste，whowaswaitingforhim，glidedatoncetohisside。
“Monsieur！“shewhispered。“Ihavebeenhereforonehour。“
Henodded。
“Well？“
“MonsieurleDuchasarrived。“
ThePrinceturnedsharplyround。
“Who？“
“MonsieurleDucdeSouspennier。HecallshimselfnolongerMr。
Sabin。“
Adullflushofangrycolourrosealmosttohistemples。
“Whydidyounottellmebefore？“heexclaimed。
“Monsieurwasintherestaurant，“sheanswered。“Itwasimpossibleformetodoanythingbutwait。“
“Whereishe？“
“Alas！heiswithmadam，“thegirlanswered。
ThePrincewasveryprofane。Hestartedatoncefortheelevator。
InamomentortwohepresentedhimselfatLucille’ssitting-room。
Theywerestilllingeringovertheirdinner。Mr。Sabinwelcomedhimwithgravecourtesy。
“ThePrinceisintimetotakehisliqueurwithus，“heremarked，rising。“Willyoutakefinchampagne，Prince，orChartreuse？I
recommendthefinchampagne。“
ThePrincebowedhisthanks。Hewaswhitetothelipswiththeeffortforself-mastery。
“Icongratulateyou，Mr。Sabin，“hesaid，“uponyouropportunearrival。YouwillbeabletohelpLucillethroughtheannoyancetowhichIdeeplyregretthatsheshouldbesubjected。“
Mr。Sabingentlyraisedhiseyebrows。
“Annoyance！“herepeated。“IfearthatIdonotquiteunderstand。“
ThePrincesmiled。
“SurelyLucillehastoldyou，“hesaid，“oftheperilouspositioninwhichshefindsherself。“
“Mywife，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“hastoldmenothing。Youalarmme。“
ThePrinceshruggedhisshoulders。
“Ideeplyregrettotellyou，“hesaid，“thatthelawhasprovedtoopowerfulforme。IcannolongerstandbetweenherandwhatIfearmayproveamostunpleasantepisode。Lucillewillbearrestedwithinthehour。“
“Uponwhatcharge？“Mr。Sabinasked。
“ThemurderofDuson。“
Mr。Sabinlaughedverysoftly，verygently，butwithobviousgenuineness。
“Youarejoking，Prince，“heexclaimed。
“Iregrettosay，“thePrinceanswered，“thatyouwillfinditveryfarfromajokingmatter。“
Mr。Sabinwassuddenlystern。
“PrinceofSaxeLeinitzer，“hesaid，“youareacowardandabully。“
ThePrincestartedforwardwithclenchedfist。Mr。Sabinhadnoweapon，huthedidnotflinch。
“Youcanfrightenwomen，“hesaid，“withabogiesuchasthis，butyouhavenolongerawomantodealwith。YouandIknowthatsuchachargeisabsurd-butyoulittleknowthedangertowhichyouexposeyourselfbytriflingwiththissubject。Dusonleftaletteraddressedtomeinwhichheannouncedhisreasonsforcommittingsuicide。“
“Suicide？“
“Yes。Hepreferredsuicidetomurder，evenatthebiddingofthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzer。Hewroteandexplainedthesethingstome-andtheletterisinsafehands。ThearrestofLucille，mydearPrince，wouldmeantheruinofyouramiablesociety。“
“Thisletter，“thePrincesaidslowly，“whywasitnotproducedattheinquest？Whereisitnow？“
“ItisdepositedinasealedpacketwiththeEarlofDeringham，“
Mr。Sabinanswered。“Astoproducingitattheinquest-Ithoughtitmorediscreetnotto。Ileaveyoutojudgeofmyreasons。ButIcanassureyouthatyourfearsformywife’ssafetyhavebeenwhollymisplaced。ThereisnottheslightestreasonforhertohurryofftoAmerica。Wemaytakealittletriptherepresently，butnotjustyet。“
ThePrincemadeamistake。Helosthistemper。
“You！“hecried，“youcangotoAmericawhenyoulike，andstaythere。Europehashadenoughofyouwithyourhare-brainedschemesandfoolishfailures。ButLucilledoesnotleavethiscountry。Wehaveneedofher。Iforbidhertoleave。Doyouhear？InthenameoftheOrderIcommandhertoremainhere。“
Mr。Sabinwasquitecalm，buthisfacewasfullofterriblethings。
“Prince，“hesaid，“ifIbyanychancenumberedmyselfamongstyourfriendsIwouldwarnyouthatyouyourselfareatraitortoyourOrder。Youprostituteagreatcausewhenyoustooptouseitsmachinerytoassistyourownprivatevengeance。Iaskyouforyourownsaketoconsideryourwords。Lucilleismine-mineshewillremain，eventhoughyoushoulddescendtosomethingmoredespicable，morecowardlythanordinarytreason，towrestherfromme。Youreproachmewiththefailuresofmylife。Greattheymayhavebeen，butifyouattemptthisyouwillfindthatIamnotyetanimpotentperson。“
ThePrincewaswhitewithrage。ThesightofLucillestandingbyMr。Sabin’sside，herhandlightlyrestinguponhis，herdarkeyesfullofinscrutabletenderness，maddenedhim。Hewasfloutedandignored。Hewascarriedawaybyastormofpassion。Hetoreasheetofpaperfromhispocketbook，andunlockingasmallgoldcaseattheendofhiswatchchain，shookfromitapencilwithyellowcrayon。Mr。Sabinleanedovertowardshim。
“Yousignitatyourperil，Prince，“hesaid。“Itwillmeanworsethingsthanthatforyou。“
Forasecondhehesitated。Lucillealsoleanedtowardshim。
“Prince，“shesaid，“haveInotkeptmyvowsfaithfully？Think！
IcamefromAmericaatamoment’snotice；Ileftmyhusbandwithoutevenawordoffarewell；Ientereduponahatefultask，andthoughtothinkofitnowmakesmeloathemyself-Isucceeded。Ihavekeptmyvows，Ihavedonemyduty。Begenerousnow，andletmego。“
Thesoundofhervoicemaddenedhim。Apassionate，arbitraryman，towhomnothinginlifehadbeendenied，tobebaulkedinthisgreatdesireofhislatterdayswasintolerable。Hemadenoanswertoeitherofthem。HewroteafewlineswiththeyellowcrayonandpassedthemsilentlyacrosstoLucille。
Herfaceblanched。Shestretchedoutanunwillinghand。ButMr。
Sabinintervened。HetookthepaperfromthePrince’shand，andcalmlytoreitintofragments。ThereWasamoment’sbreathlesssilence。
“Victor！“Lucillecried。“Oh，whathaveyoudone！“
ThePrince’sfacelightenedwithaneviljoy。
“Wenow，Ithink，“hesaid，“understandoneanother。Youwillpermitmetowishyouaverypleasantevening，andaspeedyleave-taking。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
“Manythanks，mydearPrince，“hesaidlightly。“Makehasteandcompleteyourcharminglittlearrangements。Letmebegofyoutoavoidbunglingthistime。RememberthatthereisnotinthewholeofEuropeto-dayamanmoredangeroustoyouthanI。“
ThePrincehaddeparted。Mr。Sabinlitacigaretteandstoodonthehearthrug。Hiseyeswerebrightwiththejoyoffighting。
“Lucille，“hesaid，“Iseethatyouhavenottouchedyourliqueur。
Obligemebydrinkingit。Youwillfinditexcellent。“
Shecameovertohimandhunguponhisarm。Hethrewhiscigaretteawayandkissedheruponthelips。
“Victor，“shemurmured，“Iamafraid。Youhavebeenrash！“
“Dearest，“heanswered，“itisbettertodiefightingthantostandasideandwatchevilthings。Butafterall，thereisnofear。Come！
Yourcloakanddressingcase！“
