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Grahame looked at him in wonder； and Brott faced him sturdily。
〃It seems like treason to you； Grahame！〃 he said。 〃So it does to
me now。 I want nothing in the future to come between us；〃 he
continued more slowly； 〃and I should like if I can to expunge the
memory of this interview。 And so I am going to tell you the truth。〃
Grahame held out his hand。
〃Don't！〃 he said。 〃I can forget without。〃
I3rott shook his head。
〃No；〃 he said。 〃You had better understand everything。 The
halfpenny press told the truth。 Yet only half the truth。 I have
been to all these places； wasted my time； wasted their time； from
a purely selfish reason … to be near the only woman I have ever
cared for； the woman； Grahame！〃
〃I knew it；〃 Grahame murmured。 〃I fought against the belief； I
thought that I had stifled it。 But I knew it all the time。〃
〃If I have seemed lukewarm sometimes of late；〃 Brott said； 〃there
is the cause。 She is an aristocrat； and my politics are hateful
to her。 She has told me so seriously； playfully； angrily。 She
has let me feel it in a hundred ways。 She has drawn me into
discussions and shown the utmost horror of my views。 I have cared
for her all my life； and she knows it。 And I think； Grahame； that
lately she has been trying constantly； persistently； to tone down
my opinions。 She has let me understand that they are a bar between
us。 And it is a horrible confession； Grahame； but I believe that
I was wavering。 This invitation from Letheringham seemed such a
wonderful opportunity for compromise。〃
〃This must never go out of the room；〃 Grahame said hoarsely。 〃It
would ruin your popularity。 They would never trust you again。
〃I shall tell no one else；〃 Brott said。
〃And it is over？〃 Grahame demanded eagerly。
〃It is over。〃
* * * * *
The Duke of Dorset； who entertained for his party； gave a great
dinner that night at Dorset House； and towards its close the
Prince of Saxe Leinitzer； who was almost the only non…political
guest； moved up to his host in response to an eager summons。 The
Duke was perturbed。
〃You have heard the news； Saxe Leinitzer？〃
〃I did not know of any news；〃 the Prince answered。 〃What is it？〃
〃Brott has refused to join with Letheringham in forming a ministry。
It is rumoured even that a coalition was proposed； and that Brott
would have nothing to do with it。〃
The Prince looked into his wineglass。
〃Ah！〃 he said。
〃This is disturbing news；〃 the Duke continued。 You do not seem to
appreciate its significance。〃
The Prince looked up again。
〃Perhaps not；〃 he said。 〃You shall explain to me。〃
〃Brott refuses to compromise；〃 the Duke said。 〃He stands for a
ministry of his own selection。 Heaven only knows what mischief
this may mean。 His doctrines are thoroughly revolutionary。 He is
an iconoclast with a genius for destruction。 But he has the ear of
the people。 He is to…day their Rienzi。〃
The Prince nodded。
〃And Lucille？〃 he remarked。 〃What does she say？〃
〃I have not spoken to her；〃 the Duke answered。 〃The news has only
just come。〃
〃We will speak to her；〃 the Prince said； 〃together。〃
Afterwards in the library there was a sort of informal meeting； and
their opportunity came。
〃So you have failed； Countess；〃 her host said； knitting his grey
brows at her。
She smilingly acknowledged defeat。
〃But I can assure you；〃 she said； 〃that I was very near success。
Only on Monday he had virtually made up his mind to abandon the
extreme party and cast in his lot with Letheringham。 What has
happened to change him I do not know。〃
The Prince curled his fair moustache。
〃It is a pity；〃 he said； 〃that he changed his mind。 For one thing
is very certain。 The Duke and I are agreed upon it。 A Brott
ministry must never be formed。〃
She looked up quickly。
〃What do you mean？〃
The Prince answered her without hesitation。
〃If one course fails；〃 he said； 〃another must be adopted。 I regret
having to make use of means which are somewhat clumsy and obvious。
But our pronouncement on this one point is final。 Brott must not
be allowed to form a ministry。〃
She looked at him with something like horror in her soft full eyes。
〃What would you do？〃 she murmured。
The Prince shrugged his shoulders。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃we are not quite medieval enough to adopt the
only really sensible method and remove Mr。 Brott permanently from
the face of the earth。 We should stop a little short of that； but
I can assure you that Mr。 Brott's health for the next few months is
a matter for grave uncertainty。 It is a pity for his sake that you
failed。〃
She bit her lip。
〃Do you know if he is still in London？〃 she asked。
〃He must be on the point of leaving for Scotland；〃 the Duke answered。
〃If he once mounts the platform at Glasgow there will be no further
chance of any compromise。 He will be committed irretrievably to
his campaign of anarchy。〃
〃And to his own disaster；〃 the Prince murmured。
Lucille remained for a moment deep in thought。 Then she looked up。
〃If I can find him before he starts；〃 she said hurriedly； 〃I will
make one last effort。〃
CHAPTER XXV
He peered forward over his desk at the tall graceful figure whose
entrance had been so noiseless； and whose footsteps had been so
light that she stood almost within a few feet of him before he was
even aware of her presence。 Then his surprise was so great that he
could only gasp out her name。
〃You！ Lucille！〃
She smiled upon him delightfully。
〃Me！ Lucille！ Don't blame your servant。 I assured him that I was
expected； so he allowed me to enter unannounced。 His astonishment
was a delightful testimony to your reputation； by the bye。 He was
evidently not used to these invasions。〃
Brott had recovered himself by this time； and if any emotion still
remained he was master of it。
〃You must forgive my surprise！〃 he said。 〃You have of course
something important to say to me。 Will you not loosen your cloak？〃
She unfastened the clasp and seated herself in his most comfortable
chair。 The firelight flashed and glittered on the silver ornaments
of her dress； her neck and arms； with their burden of jewels； gleamed
like porcelain in the semi…darkness outside the halo of his student
lamp。 And he saw that her dark hair hung low behind in graceful
folds as he had once admired it。 He stood a little apart； and she
noted his traveling clothes and the various signs of a journey
about the room。
〃You may be glad to see me；〃 she remarked； looking at him with a
smile。 〃You don't look it。〃
〃I am anxious to hear your news；〃 he answered。 〃I am convinced
that you have something important to say to me。〃
〃Supposing；〃 she answered； still looking at him steadily； 〃supposing
I were to say that I had no object in coming here at all … that it
was merely a whim？ What should you say then？〃
〃I should take the liberty；〃 he answered quietly； 〃of doubting the
evidence of my senses。〃
There was a moment's silence。 She felt his aloofness。 It awoke
in her some of the enthusiasm with which this mission itself had
failed to inspire her。 This man was measuring his strength against
hers。
〃It was not altogether a whim；〃 she said； her eyes falling from
his； 〃and yet … now I am here … it does not seem easy to say what
was in my mind。〃
He glanced towards the clock。
〃I fear；〃 he said； 〃that it may sound ungallant； but in case this
somewhat mysterious mission of yours is of any importance I had
better perhaps tell you that in twenty minutes I must leave to catch
the Scotch mail。〃
She rose at once to her feet； and swept her cloak haughtily around
her。
〃I have made a mistake；〃 she said。 〃Be so good as to pardon my
intrusion。 I shall not trouble you again。〃
She was half…way across the room。 She was at the door； her hand
was upon the handle。 He was white to the lips； his whole frame was
shaking with the effort of intense repression。 He kept silence；
till only a flutter of her cloak was to be seen in the doorway。
And then the cry which he had tried so hard to stifle broke from
his lips。
〃Lucille！ Lucille！〃
She hesitated； and came back … looking at him； so he thought； with
trembling lips and eyes soft with unshed tears。
〃I was a brute；〃 he murmured。 〃I ought to be grateful for this
chance of seeing you once more； of saying good…bye to you。〃
〃Good…bye！〃 she repeated。
〃Yes；〃 he said gravely。 〃It must be good…bye。 I have a great work
before me； and it will cut me off completely from all association
with your world and your friends。 Something wider and deeper than
an ocean will divide us。 Something so wide that our hands will
never reach across。〃
〃You can talk about it very calmly；〃 she said； without looking at
him。
〃I have been disciplining myself；〃 he answered。
She rested her face upon her hand； and looked into the fire。
〃I suppose；〃 she said； 〃this means that you have refused Mr。
Letheringham's offer。〃
〃I have refused it；〃 he answered。
〃I am sorry；〃 she said simply。
She rose from her chair with a sudden start； began to draw on her
cloak； and then let it fall altogether from her shoulders。
〃Why do you do t