TheDuchesslookedupfromherknitting。“Yourhusbandhassavedyouthejourney，“sheremarked，“evenifyouwereabletoworkuponthePrince’sgoodnaturetosuchanextent。“
　　Lucillestartedroundeagerly。
　　“Whatdoyoumean？“shecried。
　　“YourhusbandisinLondon，“theDuchessanswered。
　　Lucillelaughedwiththegaietyofachild。Likemagicthelinesfrombeneathhereyesseemedtohavevanished。LadyCareywatchedherwithpalecheeksandmalevolentexpression。
　　“Come，Prince，“shecriedmockingly，“itwasonlyaweekagothatyouassuredmethatmyhusbandcouldnotleaveAmerica。AlreadyheisinLondon。Imustgotoseehim。Oh，Iinsistuponit。“
　　SaxeLeinitzerglancedtowardstheDuchess。Shelaiddownherknitting。
　　“MydearCountess，“shesaidfirmly，“Ibegthatyouwilllistentomecarefully。Ispeaktoyouforyourowngood，andIbelieveImayadd，Prince，thatIspeakwithauthority。“
　　“Withauthority！“thePrinceechoed。
　　“Weall，“theDuchesscontinued，“lookuponyourhusband’sarrivalasinopportuneandunfortunate。Weareallagreedthatyoumustbekeptapart。Certainobligationshavebeenlaiduponyou。Youcouldnotpossiblyfulfilthemwithahusbandatyourelbow。Thematterwillbeputplainlybeforeyourhusband，asIamnowputtingitbeforeyou。Hewillbewarnednottoattempttoseeorcommunicatewithyouasyourhusband。Ifheoryoudisobeytheconsequenceswillbeserious。“
　　Lucilleshruggedhershoulders。
　　“Itiseasytotalk，“shesaid，“butyouwillnotfinditeasytokeepVictorawaywhenhehasfoundoutwhereIam。“
　　ThePrinceintervened。
　　“Wehavenoobjectiontoyourmeeting，“hesaid，“butitmustbeasacquaintances。Theremustbenointermissionorslackeninginyourtask，andthatcanonlybeproperlycarriedoutbytheCountessRadantzandfromDorsetHouse。“
　　Lucillesmotheredherdisappointment。
　　“Dearme，“shesaid。“YouwillfindVictoralittlehardtopersuade。“
　　Therewasamoment’ssilence。ThenthePrincespokeslowly，andwatchingcarefullytheeffectofhiswordsuponLucille。
　　“Countess，“hesaid，“ithasbeenourpleasuretomakeofyourtasksofaraspossibleaholiday。Yetperhapsitiswisertoremindyouthatunderneaththegloveisanironhand。Wedonotoftenthreaten，butwebrooknointerference。Wehavethemeanstothwartit。Ibearnoill-willtoyourhusband，buttoyouI
　　saythis。Ifheshouldbesomadastodefyus，toinciteyoutodisobedience，hemustpaythepenalty。“
　　Aservantentered。
　　“Mr。ReginaldBrottisinthesmalldrawing-room，yourGrace，“heannounced。“HeenquiredfortheCountessRadantz。“
　　Lucillerose。Whentheservanthaddisappearedsheturnedroundforamoment，andfacedthePrince。Aspotofcolourburnedinhercheeks，hereyeswerebrightwithanger。
　　“Ishallrememberyourwords，Prince，“shesaid。“Sofarfromminebeing，however，aholidaytask，itisoneofthemostwearisomeandunpleasantIeverundertook。Andinreturnforyourwarningsletmetellyouthis。Ifyoushouldbringanyharmuponmyhusbandyoushallanswerforitallyourdaystome。Iwilldomyduty。Becarefulthatyoudonotexceedyours。“
　　Shesweptoutoftheroom。LadyCareylaughedmockinglyatthePrince。
　　“PoorFerdinand！“sheexclaimed。
　　Hehadbeenkeptwaitinglongerthanusual，andhehadsomehowthefeelingthathisvisitwasill-timed，whenatlastshecametohim。
　　Helookedupeagerlyassheenteredthelittlereceptionroomwhichhehadgrowntoknowsowellduringthelastfewweeks，anditstruckhimforthefirsttimethatherwelcomewasalittleforced，hereyesalittleweary。
　　“Ihaven’t，“hesaidapologetically，“theleastrighttobehere。“
　　“Atleast，“shemurmured，“Imaybepermittedtoremindyouthatyouareherewithoutaninvitation。“
　　“Theworseluck，“hesaid，“thatoneshouldbenecessary。“
　　“Thisistheonehouroftheday，“sheremarked，sinkingintoalargeeasy-chair，“whichIdevotetorepose。HowshallIpreservemyfleetingyouthifyoubreakinuponitinthisruthlessmanner？“
　　“IfIcouldonlytruthfullysaythatIwassorry，“heanswered，“butIcan’t。Iamhere-andIwouldratherbeherethananywhereelseintheworld。“
　　Shelookedathimwithcurvinglips；andevenhe，whohadwatchedheroften，couldnottellwhetherthatcurvewasofscornormirth。
　　“Theytoldme，“shesaidimpressively，“thatyouweredifferent-awoman-hater，honest，gruff，alittlecynical。Yetthosearethespeechesofyoursaladdays。Whatadisenchantment！“
　　“Thethingswhichoneinventswhenoneisyoung，“hesaid，“comeperhapsfreshfromtheheartinlaterlife。Thewordsmaysoundthesame，butthereisadifference。“
　　“Come，“shesaid，“youareimproving。Thatatanyrateisingenious。
　　Supposeyoutellmenowwhathasbroughtyouherebeforefouro’clock，whenIamnotfittobeseen？“
　　Hesmiled。Sheshruggedhershoulders。
　　“Imeanit。Ihaven’teithermyclothesormymannersonyet。
　　Come，explain。“
　　“Imetamanwhointerestedme，“heanswered。“HecomesfromAmerica，fromLenox！“
　　Hesawherwhiten。Hesawherfingersclutchthesidesofherchair。
　　“FromLenox？Andhisname？“
　　“TheDukeofSouspennier！Hetakeshimselfsoseriouslythatheeventravelsincognito。AtthehotelhecallshimselfMr。Sabin。“
　　“Indeed！“
　　“Iwonderedwhetheryoumightnotknowhim？“
　　“Yes，Iknowhim。“
　　“Andinconnectionwiththisman，“Brottcontinued，“Ihavesomethinginthenatureofaconfessiontomake。Iforgotforamomentyourrequest。Ievenmentionedyourname。“
　　Thepallorhadspreadtohercheeks，eventoherlips。Yethereyesweresoftandbrilliant，sobrilliantthattheyfascinatedhim。
　　“Whatdidhesay？Whatdidheask？“
　　“Heaskedforyouraddress。Don’tbeafraid。Imadesomeexcuse。
　　Ididnotgiveit。“
　　Forthelifeofhimhecouldnottellwhethershewaspleasedordisappointed。Shehadturnedhershouldertohim。Shewaslookingsteadilyoutofthewindow，andhecouldnotseeherface。
　　“Whyareyoucuriousabouthim？“sheasked。
　　“IwishIknew。IthinkonlybecausehecamefromLenox。“
　　Sheturnedherfaceslowlyroundtowardshim。Hewasastonishedtoseethedarkringsunderhereyes，thewearinessofhersmile。
　　“TheDukeofSouspennier，“shesaidslowly，“isanoldandadearfriendofmine。WhenyoutellmethatheisinLondonIamanxiousbecausetherearemanyherewhoarenothisfriends-whohavenocausetolovehim。“
　　“Iwaswrongthen，“hesaid，“nottogivehimyouraddress。“
　　“Youwereright，“sheanswered。“Iamanxiousthatheshouldnotknowit。Youwillrememberthis？“Heroseandbowedoverherhand。
　　“Thishasbeenaselfishinterlude，“hesaid。“Ihavedestroyedyourrest，andIalmostfearthatIhavealsodisturbedyourpeaceofmind。Letmetakemyleaveandpraythatyoumayrecoverboth。“
　　Sheshookherhead。
　　“Donotleaveme，“shesaid。“Iamlow-spirited。YoushallstayandcheermeTherewasalightinhiseyeswhichfewpeoplewouldhaverecognised。
　　Sherosewithalittlelaughandstoodleaningtowardsthefire，herelbowuponthebroadmantel，tall，graceful，alluring。Hersoftcrimsongown，withitswealthofoldlace，fellaroundherinlinesandcurvesfullofgrace。Thepallorofherfacewasgonenow-thewarmthofthefireburnedhercheeks。Hervoicebecamesofter。