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〃It would be easier；〃 she answered； 〃than to touch your heart。〃
Then Lucille looked across at them … and Mr。 Sabin suddenly
remembered that Reginald Brott knew them both only as strangers。
〃Muriel；〃 she said； 〃you are behaving disgracefully。〃
〃I am doing my best；〃 Lady Carey answered； 〃to keep you in
countenance。〃
The eyes of the two women met for a moment； and though the smiles
lingered still upon their faces Lady Carey at any rate was not able
to wholly conceal her hatred。 Lucille shrugged her shoulders。
〃I am doing my best；〃 she said； 〃to convert Mr。 Brott。〃
〃To what？〃 Lady Carey asked。
〃To a sane point of view concerning the holiness of the aristocracy；〃
Lucille answered。 〃I am afraid though that I have made very little
impression。 In his heart I believe Mr。 Brott would like to see us
all working for our living； school…teachers and dressmakers； and
that sort of thing； you know。〃
Mr。 Brott protested。
〃I am not even；〃 he declared； 〃moderately advanced in my views as
regards matters of your sex。 To tell you the truth； I do not like
women to work at all outside their homes。〃
Lady Carey laughed。
〃My dear；〃 she said to Lucille； 〃you and I may as well retire in
despair。 Can't you see the sort of woman Mr。 Brott admires？ She
isn't like us a bit。 She is probably a healthy； ruddy…cheeked
young person who lives in the country； gets up to breakfast to pour
out the coffee for some sort of a male relative； goes round the
garden snipping off roses in big gloves and a huge basket； interviews
the cook； orders the dinner； makes fancy waistcoats for her husband；
and failing a sewing maid； does the mending for the family。 You
and I； Lucille； are not like that。〃
〃Well； you have mentioned nothing which I couldn't do； if it seemed
worth while；〃 Lucille objected。 〃It sounds very primitive and
delightful。 I am sure we are all too luxurious and too lazy。 I
think we ought to turn over a new leaf。〃
〃For you； dear Lucille；〃 Lady Carey said with suave and deadly
satire； 〃what improvement is possible？ You have all that you could
desire。 It is much less fortunate persons； such as myself； to whom
Utopia must seem such a delightful place。〃
A frock…coated and altogether immaculate young man approached their
table and accosted Mr。 Sabin。
〃I beg your pardon； sir；〃 he said； 〃but the manager would be much
obliged if you would spare him a moment or two in his private room
as soon as possible。〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。
〃In a few minutes；〃 he answered。
The little party broke up almost immediately。 Coffee was ordered
in the palm court； where the band was playing。 Mr。 Sabin and the
Prince fell a little behind the others on the way out of the room。
〃You heard my summons？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked。
〃Yes！〃
〃I am going to be cross…examined as regards Duson。 I am no longer
a member of the Order。 What is to prevent my setting them upon
the right track？〃
〃The fact；〃 the Prince said coolly； 〃that you are hoping one day
to recover Lucille。〃
〃I doubt；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃whether you are strong enough to keep
her from me。〃
The Prince smiled。 All his white teeth were showing。
〃Come；〃 he said； 〃you know better than … much better than that。
Lucille must wait her release。 You know that。〃
〃I will buy it；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃with a lie to the manager here；
or I will tell the truth and still take her from you。〃
The Prince stood upon the topmost step of the balcony。 Below was
the palm court； with many little groups of people dotted about。
〃My dear friend；〃 he said； 〃Duson died absolutely of his own free
will。 You know that quite well。 We should have preferred that the
matter had been otherwise arranged。 But as it is we are safe；
absolutely safe。〃
〃Duson's letter！〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked。
〃You will not show it；〃 the Prince answered。 〃You cannot。 You
have kept it too long。 And； after all； you cannot escape from the
main fact。 Duson committed suicide。〃
〃He was incited to murder。 His letter proves it。〃
The Prince shrugged his shoulders。
〃By whom？ Ah； how your story would excite ridicule。 I seem to
hear the laughter now。 No； my dear Souspennier； you would bargain
for me with Lucille。 Look below。 Are we likely to part with her
just yet？〃
In a corner； behind a gigantic palm； Lucille and Brott were talking
together。 Lady Carey had drawn Opperman a little distance away。
Brott was talking eagerly； his cheeks flushed； his manner earnest。
Mr。 Sabin turned upon his heel and walked away。
CHAPTER XXXII
Mr。 Sabin； although he had registered at the hotel under his
accustomed pseudonym； had taken no pains to conceal his identity；
and was well known to the people in authority about the place。 He
was received with all the respect due to his rank。
〃Your Grace will； I trust； accept my most sincere apologies for
disturbing you；〃 Mr。 Hertz； the manager； said； rising and bowing at
his entrance。 〃We have here； however； an emissary connected with
the police come to inquire into the sad incident of this afternoon。
He expressed a wish to ask your Grace a question or two with a view
to rendering your Grace's attendance at the inquest unnecessary。〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。
〃I am perfectly willing；〃 he said； 〃to answer any questions you may
choose to put to me。〃
A plain； hard…featured little man； in a long black overcoat； and
holding a howler hat in his hand； bowed respectfully to Mr。 Sabin。
〃I am much obliged to you； sir；〃 he said。 〃My name is John Passmore。
We do not of course appear in this matter unless the post…mortem
should indicate anything unusual in the circumstances of Duson's
death； but it is always well to be prepared； and I ventured to ask
Mr。 Hertz here to procure for me your opinion as regards the death
of your servant。〃
〃You have asked me；〃 Mr。 Sabin said gravely； 〃a very difficult
question。〃
The eyes of the little detective flashed keenly。
〃You do not believe then； sir； that he died a natural death？〃
〃I do not；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
Mr。 Hertz was startled。 The detective controlled his features
admirably。
〃May I ask your reasons； sir？〃
Mr。 Sabin lightly shrugged his shoulders。
〃I have never known the man to have a day's illness in his life；〃
he said。 〃Further； since his arrival in England he has been
acting in a strange and furtive manner； and I gathered that he had
some cause for fear which he was indisposed to talk about。〃
〃This；〃 the detective said； 〃is very interesting。〃
〃Doubtless；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃But before I say anything more
I must clearly understand my position。 I am giving you personally
a few friendly hints； in the interests of justice perhaps； but still
quite informally。 I am not in possession of any definite facts
concerning Duson； and what I say to you here I am not prepared to
say at the inquest； before which I presume I may have to appear as
a witness。 There； I shall do nothing more save identify Duson and
state the circumstances under which I found him。〃
〃I understand that perfectly； sir；〃 the man answered。 〃The less
said at the inquest the better in the interests of justice。〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。
〃I am glad；〃 he said； 〃that you appreciate that。 I do not mind going
so far then as to tell you that I believe Duson died of poison。〃
〃Can you give me any idea；〃 the detective asked； 〃as to the source？〃
〃None；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃That you must discover for yourselves。
Duson was a man of silent and secretive habits； and it has occurred
to me more than once that he might possibly be a member of one of
those foreign societies who have their headquarters in Soho； and
concerning which you probably know more than I do。〃
The detective smiled。 It was a very slight flicker of the lips；
but it attracted Mr。 Sabin's keen attention。
〃Your suggestions；〃 the detective said； 〃are making this case a very interesting one。 I have
always understood； however； that reprisals
of this extreme nature are seldom resorted to in this country。
Besides； the man's position seems scarcely to indicate sufficient
importance … perhaps … 〃
〃Well？〃 Mr。 Sabin interjected。
〃I notice that Duson was found in your sitting…room。 It occurs to
me as a possibility that he may have met with a fate intended for
some one else … for yourself； for instance； sir！〃
〃But I；〃 Mr。 Sabin said smoothly； 〃am a member of no secret society；
nor am I conscious of having enemies sufficiently venomous to desire
my life。〃
The detective sat for a moment with immovable face。
〃We； all of us； know our friends； sir；〃 he said。 〃There are few of
us properly acquainted with our enemies。〃
Mr。 Sabin lit a cigarette。 His fingers were quite steady； but this
man was making him think。
〃You do not seriously believe；〃 he asked； 〃that Duson met with a
death which was intended for me？〃
〃I am afraid；〃 the detective said thoughtfully； 〃that I know no
more about it than you do。〃
〃I see；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃that I am no stranger to you。〃
〃You are very far from being that； sir；〃 the man answered。 〃A
few years ago I was working for the Government … and you were not
often out of my sight。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃It was perhaps judicious；〃 he remarked； 〃though I am afr