按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
have misunderstood me。 I was perfectly happy in America。 I have
been perfectly miserable here。 I suppose that I have grown too old
for intrigues and adventures。〃
〃Too old； Lucille；〃 the Prince murmured； leaning a little towards
her。 〃Lucille； you are the most beautiful woman in London。 Many
others may have told you so； but there is no one； Lucille； who is
so devotedly； so hopelessly your slave as I。〃
She drew her hand away； and sat back in her corner。 The man's hot
breath fell upon her cheek； his eyes seemed almost phosphorescent
in the darkness。 Lucille could scarcely keep the biting words from
her tongue。
〃You do not answer me； Lucille。 You do not speak even a single
kind word to me。 Come！ Surely we are old friends。 We should
understand one another。 It is not a great deal that I ask from
your kindness … not a great deal to you； but it is all the
difference between happiness and misery for me。〃
〃This is a very worn…out game； Prince；〃 Lucille said coldly。 〃You
have been making love to women in very much the same manner for
twenty years； and I … well； to be frank； I am utterly weary of
being made love to like a doll。 Laugh at me as you will； my
husband is the only man who interests me in the slightest。 My
failure to…day is almost welcome to me。 It has at least brought
my work here to a close。 Come； Prince； if you want to earn my
eternal gratitude； tell me now that I am a free woman。〃
〃You give me credit；〃 the Prince said slowly； 〃for great generosity。
If I let you go it seems to me that I shall lose you altogether。
You will go to your husband。 He will take you away！〃
〃Why not？〃 Lucille asked。 〃I want to go。 I am tired of London。
You cannot lose what you never possessed … what you never had the
slightest chance of possessing。
The Prince laughed softly … not a pleasant laugh； not even a
mirthful one。
〃Dear lady；〃 he said； 〃you speak not wisely。 For I am very much
in earnest when I say that I love you； and until you are kinder
to me I shall not let you go。〃
〃That is rather a dangerous threat； is it not？〃 Lucille asked。
〃You dare to tell me openly that you will abuse your position；
that you will keep me bound a servant to the cause； because of
this foolish fancy of yours？〃
The Prince smiled at her through the gloom … a white； set smile。
〃It is no foolish fancy； Lucille。 You will find that out before
long。 You have been cold to me all your life。 Yet you would find
me a better friend than enemy。〃
〃If I am to choose；〃 she said steadily； 〃I shall choose the latter。〃
〃As you will；〃 he answered。 〃In time you will change your mind。〃
The carriage had stopped。 The Prince alighted and held out his
hand。 Lucille half rose； and then with her foot upon the step she
paused and looked around。
〃Where are we？〃 she exclaimed。 〃This is not Dorset House。〃
〃No； we are in Grosvenor Square；〃 the Prince answered。 〃I forgot
to tell you that we have a meeting arranged for here this evening。
Permit me。〃 But Lucille resumed her seat in the carriage。
〃It is your house； is it not？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。 My house assuredly。〃
〃Very well；〃 Lucille said。 〃I will come in when the Duchess of
Dorset shows herself at the window or the front door … or Felix； or
even De Brouillae。〃
The Prince still held open the carriage door。
〃They will all be here；〃 he assured her。 〃We are a few minutes
early。〃
〃Then I will drive round to Dorset House and fetch the Duchess。
It is only a few yards。〃
The Prince hesitated。 His cheeks were very white； and something
like a scowl was blackening his heavy； insipid face。
〃Lucille；〃 he said； 〃you are very foolish。 It is not much I ask of
you； but that little I will have or I pledge my word to it that
things shall go ill with you and your husband。 There is plain
speech for you。 Do not be absurd。 Come within； and let us talk。
What do you fear？ The house is full of servants； and the carriage
can wait for you here。〃
Lucille smiled at him … a maddening smile。
〃I am not a child；〃 she said； 〃and such conversations as I am forced
to hold with you will not be under your own roof。 Be so good as to
tell the coachman to drive to Dorset House。〃
The Prince turned on his heel with a furious oath。
〃He can drive you to Hell；〃 he answered thickly。
Lucille found the Duchess and Lady Carey together at Dorset House。
She looked from one to the other。
〃I thought that there was a meeting to…night；〃 she remarked。
The Duchess shook her head。
〃Not to…night；〃 she answered。 〃It would not be possible。 Genera1
Dolinski is dining at Marlborough House； and De Broullae is in
Paris。 Now tell us all about Mr。 Brott。〃
〃He has gone to Scotland；〃 Lucille answered。 〃I have failed。〃
Lady Carey looked up from the depths of the chair in which she was
lounging。
〃And the prince？〃 she asked。 〃He went to meet you！〃
〃He also failed；〃 Lucille answered。
CHAPTER XXVII
Mr。 SABIN drew a little breath； partly of satisfaction because he
had discovered the place he sought； and partly of disgust at the
neighbourhood in which he found himself。 Nevertheless； he descended
three steps from the court into which he had been directed； and
pushed open the swing door； behind which Emil Sachs announced his
desire to supply the world with dinners at eightpence and vin
ordinaire at fourpence the small bottle。
A stout black…eyed woman looked up at his entrance from behind the
counter。 The place was empty。
〃What does monsieur require she asked； peering forward through the
gloom with some suspicion。 For the eightpenny dinners were the
scorn of the neighbourhood； and strangers were rare in the wine
shop of Emil Sachs。
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃One of your excellent omelettes； my good Annette；〃 he answered；
〃if your hand has not lost its cunning！〃
She gave a little cry。
〃It is monsieur！〃 she exclaimed。 〃After all these years it is
monsieur！ Ab； you will pardon that I did not recognise you。 This
place is a cellar。 Monsieur has not changed。 In the daylight one
would know him anywhere。〃
The woman talked fast； but even in that dim light Mr。 Sabin knew
quite well that she was shaking with fear。 He could see the corners
of her mouth twitch。 Her black eyes rolled incessantly； but refused
to meet his。 Mr。 Sabin frowned。
〃You are not glad to see me； Annette！〃
She leaned over the counter。
〃For monsieur s own sake；〃 she whispered； 〃go！〃
Mr。 Sabin stood quite still for a short space of time。
〃Can I rest in there for a few minutes？〃 he asked； pointing to the
door which led into the room beyond。
The woman hesitated。 She looked up at the clock and down again。
〃Emil will return；〃 she said； 〃at three。 Monsieur were best out of
the neighbourhood before then。 For ten minutes it might be safe。〃
Mr。 Sabin passed forward。 The woman lifted the flap of the counter
and followed him。 Within was a smaller room； far cleaner and better
appointed than the general appearance of the place promised。 Mr。
Sabin seated himself at one of the small tables。 The linen cloth；
he noticed； was spotless； the cutlery and appointments polished and
clean。
〃This； I presume；〃 he remarked； 〃is not where you serve the
eightpenny table d'hote？〃
The woman shrugged her shoulders。
〃But it would not be possible；〃 she answered。 〃We have no customers
for that。 If one arrives we put together a few scraps。 But one must
make a pretense。 Monsieur understands？〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。
〃I will take；〃 he said； 〃a small glass of fin champagne。〃
She vanished； and reappeared almost immediately with the brandy in
a quaintly cut liqueur glass。 A glance at the clock as she passed
seemed to have increased her anxiety。
〃If monsieur will drink his liqueur and depart；〃 she prayed。 〃Indeed；
it will be for the best。〃
Mr。 Sabin set down his glass。 His steadfast gaze seemed to reduce
Annette into a state of nervous
panic。
〃Annette；〃 he said； 〃they have placed me upon the
list。〃
〃It…is true； monsieur；〃 she answered。 〃Why do you come here？〃
〃I wanted to know first for certain that they had ventured so far；〃
Mr。 Sabin said。 〃I believe that I am only the second person in
this country who has been so much honoured。〃
The woman drew nearer to him。
〃Monsieur；〃 she said； 〃your only danger is to venture into such
parts as these。 London is so safe； and the law is merciless。 They
only watch。 They will attempt nothing。 Do not leave England。
There is here no machinery of criminals。 Besides； the life of
monsieur is insured。〃
〃Insured？〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked quietly。 〃That is good news。 And
who pays the premium？〃
〃A great lady； monsieur！ I know no more。 Monsieur must go indeed。
He has found his way into the only place in London where he is not
safe。〃
Mr。 Sabin rose。
〃You are expecting； perhaps；〃 he said； 〃one of my friends from
the … 〃
She interrupted him。
〃It is true；〃 she declared。 He may be here at any instant。 The
time is already up。 Oh； monsieur； indeed； indeed it would not do
for him to find you。〃
Mr。 Sabin moved towards the door。
〃You are perhaps right；〃 he said regretfully； 〃although I should
much like to hear about this little matter of