Mr。Sabinwasforamomentveryseriousindeed。Theadvicegiveninsuchamannerwasfullofforebodingstohim。Thelinesfromthecornersofhismouthseemedgravenintohisface。
　　“Felix，“hesaidslowly，“IamsometimesconsciousofthefactthatIampassingintothatperiodoflifewhichwecalloldage。Myambitionsaredead，myenergiesareweakened。FormanyyearsIhavetoiled-thetimehascomeforrest。OfallthegreatpassionswhichIhavefeltthereremainsbutone-Lucille。Lifewithoutherisworthnothingtome。Iamwearyofsolitude，IamwearyofeverythingexceptLucille。HowthencanIlistentosuchadvice？
　　FormeitmustbeLucille，orthatlittlejourneyintothemists，fromwhichonedoesnotreturn。“
　　Felixwassilent。Thepathosofthisthingtouchedhim。
　　“Iwillnotdisputetherightofthosewhohavetakenherfromme，“
　　Mr。Sabincontinued，“butIwantherback。Sheisnecessarytome。
　　Mypurse，mylife，mybrainsaretheretobethrownintothescales。
　　Iwillbuyher，orfightforher，orrejointheirranksmyself。ButIwantherback。“
　　StillFelixwassilent。Hewaslookingsteadfastlyintothefire。
　　“Youhaveheardme，“Mr。Sabinsaid。
　　“Ihaveheardyou，“Felixanswered。“Myadvicestands，“
　　“Iknownow，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“thatIhaveahardtaskbeforeme。
　　Theyshallhavemeforafriendoranenemy。Icanstillmakemyselffeltaseither。Youhavenothingmoretosay？“
　　“Nothing！“
　　“Thenletuspartcompany，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“ortalkofsomethingmorecheerful。Youdepressme，Felix。LetDusonbringuswine。
　　Youlooklikeadeath’shead。“
　　Felixrousedhimself。
　　“Youwillgoyourownway，“hesaid。“NowthatyouhavechosenI
　　willtellyouthis。Iamglad。Yes，letDusonbringwine。Iwilldrinktoyourhealthandtoyoursuccess。Therehavebeentimeswhenmenhaveperformedmiracles。Ishalldrinktothatmiracle。“
　　Dusonbroughtalsoaletter，whichMr。Sabin，withanodtowardsFelix，opened。ItwasfromHelene。
　　“15ParkLane，London，“ThursdayMorning。
　　“MyDEARUNCLE，-
　　“Iwantyoutocometoluncheonto-day。ThePrincessdeCatelanishere，andIamexpectingalsoMr。Brott，theHomeSecretary-ouronegreatpolitician，youknow。ManypeoplesaythatheisthemostinterestingmaninEngland，andmustbeournextPrimeMinister。
　　Suchpeopleinterestyou，Iknow。Docome。
　　“Yourssincerely，“HELENE。“
　　Mr。Sabinrepeatedthenametohimselfashestoodforamomentwiththeletterinhishand。
　　“Brott！Whatanameforastatesman！Well，hereisyourhealth，Felix。Idonotoftendrinkwineinthemorning，but-“
　　Hebrokeoffinthemiddleofhissentence。TheglasswhichFelixhadbeenintheactofraisingtohislipslayshattereduponthefloor，andalittlestreamofwinetrickledacrossthecarpet。
　　Felixhimselfseemedscarcelyconsciousofthedisaster。Hischeekswerewhite，andheleanedacrossthetabletowardsMr。Sabin。
　　“Whatnamedidyousay-whatname？“
　　Mr。Sabinreferredagaintotheletterwhichheheldinhishand。
　　“Brott！“herepeated。“HeisHomeSecretary，Ibelieve。“
　　“Whatdoyouknowabouthim？“
　　“Nothing，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“Myniece，theCountessofCamperdown，asksmetomeethimto-dayatluncheon。Explainyourself，myyoungfriend。Thereisafreshglassbyyourside。“
　　Felixpouredhimselfoutaglassanddrankitoff。Butheremainedsilent。
　　“Well？“
　　Felixpickeduphisglovesandstick。
　　“YouareaskedtomeetMr。Brottatluncheonto-day？“
　　“Yes。“
　　“Areyougoing？“
　　“Certainly！“
　　Felixnodded。
　　“Verygood，“hesaid。“Ishouldadviseyoutocultivatehisacquaintance。Heisaveryextraordinaryman。“
　　“Come，Felix，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Youowemesomethingmorelucidinthewayofexplanations。Whoisbe？“
　　“Astatesman-successful，ambitious。HeexpectstobePrimeMinister。“
　　“AndwhathaveItodowithhim，orhewithme？“Mr。Sabinaskedquietly。
　　Felixshookhishead。
　　“Icannottellyou，“hesaid。“YetIfancythatyouandhemaysometimebedrawntogether。“
　　Mr。Sabinaskednomorequestions，buthepromptlysatdownandacceptedhisniece’sinvitation。WhenhelookedroundFelixhadgone。HerangthebellforDusonandhandedhimthenote。
　　“Mytownclothes，Duson，“heordered。“Iamlunchingout。“
　　Themanbowedandwithdrew。Mr。Sabinremainedforafewmomentsindeepthought。
　　“Brott！“herepeated。“Brott！Itisasingularname。
　　Sothiswastheman！Mr。Sabindidnotneglecthisluncheon，norwasheeverforamomentunmindfulofthegrey-headedprincesswhochattedawaybyhissidewithallthevivacityofherraceandsex。
　　ButhewatchedMr。Brott。
　　Amanthis！Mr。Sabinwasajudge，andheappraisedhimrightly。
　　Hesawthroughthatcourteousgenialityoftoneandgesture；theready-madesmile，althoughitseemednaturalenough，didnotdeceivehim。Underneathwasamanofiron，square-jawed，nervous，forceful。Mr。Brottwasprobablyatthattimetheablestpoliticianofeitherpartyinthecountry。Mr。Sabinknewit。
　　Hefoundhimselfwonderingexactlyatwhatpointoftheirlivesthismanandhewouldcomeintocontact。
　　AfterluncheonHelenebroughtthemtogether。
　　“Ibelieve，“shesaidtoMr。Brott，“thatyouhavenevermetmyUNCLE。MayImakeyouformallyacquainted？UNCLE，thisisMr。
　　Brott，whomyoumustknowagreatdealabouteventhoughyouhavebeenawayforsolong-theDucdeSouspennier。“
　　ThetwomenbowedandHelenepassedon。Mr。Sabinleaneduponhisstickandwatchedkeenlyforanysignintheother’sface。Ifheexpectedtofindithewasdisappointed。Eitherthismanhadnoknowledgeofwhohewas，orthosethingswhichweretocomebetweenthemwereasyetunborn。
　　Theystrolledtogetheraftertheotherguestsintothewintergardens，whichweretheenvyofeveryhostessinLondon。Mr。Sabinlitacigarette，Mr。Brottregretfullydeclined。Heneithersmokednordrankwine。Yethewasdisposedtobefriendly，andselectedaseatwheretheywerealittleapartfromtheotherguests。
　　“Youatleast，“heremarked，inanswertoanobservationofMr。
　　Sabin’s，“arefreefromthetyrannyofpolitics。Iamassuming，ofcourse，thatyourcountryunderitspresentformofgovernmenthaslostitsholduponyou。“
　　Mr。Sabinsmiled。
　　“Itisadoubtfulboon，“hesaid。“ItistruethatIampracticallyanexile。RepublicanFrancehasnoneedofme。HadIbeenasoldierIcouldstillhaveremainedapatriot。Butforonewhoseleaningsweretowardspolitics，neithermyfatherbeforemenorI
　　couldbeofservicetoourcountry。Youshouldbethankful，“hecontinuedwithaslightsmile，“thatyouareanEnglishman。Noconstitutionintheworldcanoffersomuchtothepoliticianwhoisstrongenoughandfearlessenough。“
　　Mr。Brottglancedtowardshistwinklingeyes。
　　“Doyouhappentoknowwhatmypoliticsare？“heasked。
　　Mr。Sabinhesitated。
　　“Yourviews，Iknow，areadvanced，“hesaid。“FortherestIhavebeenabroadforyears。Ihavelosttouchalittlewithaffairsinthiscountry。“
　　“Iamafraid，“Mr。Brottsaid，“thatIshallshockyou。Youareanaristocratofthearistocrats，Iademocratofthedemocrats。
　　ThepeoplearetheonlymasterswhomIown。TheyfirstsentmetoParliament。“