“IamafraidIcannotgosofarastosaythatshedoes，“hesaidregretfully。“IdonotknowwhyIfindmyselftalkingonthismattertoyou。IfeelthatIshouldapologiseforgivingsuchapersonalturntotheconversation。“
　　“Ibegthatyouwilldonothingofthesort，“Mr。Sabinprotested。
　　“Iam，asamatteroffact，mostdeeplyinterested。“
　　“Youencourageme，“Mr。Brottdeclared，“toaskyouaquestion-tomeaveryimportantquestion。“
　　“Itwillgivemegreatpleasure，“Mr。Sabinassuredhim，“ifIamabletoanswerit。“
　　“Youknow，“Mr。Brottsaid，“ofthatportionofherlifeconcerningwhichIhaveaskednoquestions，butwhichsomehow，wheneverIthinkofit，fillsmewithacertainamountofuneasiness。IrefertothelastthreeyearswhichtheCountesshasspentinAmerica。“
　　Mr。Sabinlookedup，andhislipsseemedtomove，buthesaidnothing。Mr。Brottfeltperhapsthathewasondifficultground。
　　“Irecognisethefact，“hecontinuedslowly，“thatyouarethefriendoftheCountess，andthatyouandIarenothingmorethanthemerestacquaintances。Iaskmyquestionthereforewithsomediffidence。Canyoutellmefromyourrecent，moreintimateknowledgeoftheCountessandheraffairs，whetherthereexistsanyreasonoutsideherowninclinationswhysheshouldnotacceptmyproposalsofmarriage？“
　　Mr。Sabinhadtheairofamangravelysurprised。Heshookhisheadveryslightly。
　　“Youmustnotaskmesuchaquestionasthat，Mr。Brott，“hesaid。
　　“ItisnotasubjectwhichIcouldpossiblydiscusswithyou。ButIhavenoobjectiontogoingsofarasthis。MyexperienceoftheCountessisthatsheisawomanofmagnificentandeffectivewillpower。Ithinkifshehasanydesiretomarryyouthereareorcouldbenoobstaclesexistingwhichshewouldnoteasilydisposeof。“
　　“Thereareobstacles，then？“
　　“Youmustnotaskmethat，“Mr。Sabinsaid，withacertainamountofstiffness。“TheCountessisaverydearfriendofmine，andyoumustforgivemenowifIsaythatIprefernottodiscussheranylonger。“
　　Ahallservantenteredtheroom，bearinganoteforMr。Brott。Hereceiveditatfirstcarelessly，buthisexpressionchangedthemomenthesawthesuperscription。Heturnedalittleaway，andMr。Sabinnoticedthatthefingerswhichtoreopentheenvelopeweretrembling。Thenoteseemedshortenough，buthemusthavereadithalfadozentimesbeforeatlastheturnedroundtothemessenger。
　　“Thereisnoanswer，“hesaidinalowtone。
　　Hefoldedthenoteandputitcarefullyintohisbreastpocket。Mr。
　　Sabinsubduedaninsanedesiretostrugglewithhimanddiscover，byforce，ifnecessary，whowasthesenderofthosefewbrieflines。
　　ForMr。Brottwasachangedman。
　　“Iamafraid，“hesaid，turningtohisguest，“thatthishasbeenaverydulleveningforyou。Totellyouthetruth，thisclubisnotexactlythehauntofpleasure-seekers。Itgenerallyoppressesmeforthefirsthourorso。Wouldyoulikeahandatbridge，oragameofbilliards？Iamwhollyatyourservice-untiltwelveo’clock。“
　　Mr。Sabinglancedattheclock。
　　“Youareverygood，“hesaid，“butIwasnevermuchgoodatindoorgames。Golfhasbeenmyonlyrelaxationformanyyears。Besides，ItoohaveanengagementforwhichImustleaveinaveryfewminutes。“
　　“Itisverygoodofyou，“Mr。Brottsaid，“tohavegivenmethepleasureofyourcompany。Ihavethegreatestpossibleadmirationforyourniece，Mr。Sabin，andCamperdownisathunderinggoodfellow。HewillbeourleaderintheHouseofLordsbeforemanyyearshavepassed。“
　　“Heis，Ibelieve，“Mr。Sabinremarked，“ofthesamepoliticsasyourself。“
　　“Weareboth，“Mr。Brottanswered，withasmile，“Iamafraidoutsidethepaleofyourconsiderationinthisrespect。WearebothRadicals。“
　　Mr。Sabinlitanothercigaretteandglancedoncemoreattheclock。
　　“ARadicalpeer！“heremarked。“Isn’tthatratherananomaly？TheprinciplesofRadicalismandaristocracyseemsodivergent。“
　　“Yet，“Mr。Brottsaid，“theyarenotwhollyirreconcilable。Ihaveoftenwishedthatthiscouldbemoregenerallyunderstood。Ifindmyselfattimesveryunpopularwithpeople，whosegoodopinionIamanxioustoretain，simplyowingtothistoogeneralmisapprehension。“
　　Mr。Sabinsmiledgently。
　　“Youwerereferringwithoutdoubt-“hebegan。
　　“TotheCountess，“Brottadmitted。“Yes，itistrue。Butafterall，“headdedcheerfully，“Ibelievethatourdisagreementsaremainlyuponthesurface。TheCountessisawomanofwidecultureandunderstanding。Hermind，too，isplastic。Shehasfewprejudices。“
　　Mr。Sabinglancedattheclockforthethirdtime，androsetohisfeet。Hewasquitesurenowthatthenotewasfromher。Heleanedonhisstickandtookhisleavequietly。Allthetimehewasstudyinghishost，wonderingathisairofonlypartiallysuppressedexcitement。
　　“Imustthankyouverymuch，Mr。Brott，“hesaid，“foryourentertainment。Itrustthatyouwillgivemeanopportunityshortlyofreciprocatingyourhospitality。“
　　Thetwomenpartedfinallyinthehall。Mr。Sabinsteppedintohishiredcarriage。
　　“DorsetHouse！“hedirected。
　　Thislittledifferenceofopinion，“thePrinceremarked，lookingthoughtfullythroughtheemeraldgreenofhisliqueur，“interestsme。OurfriendDolinskiherethinksthathewillnotcomebecausehewillbeafraid。DeBrouillac，onthecontrary，saysthathewillnotcomebecauseheistoosagacious。Felixhere，whoknowshimbest，saysthathewillnotcomebecauseheprefersevertoplaythegamefromoutsidethecircle，alooker-ontoallappearance，yetsometimeswieldinganunseenforce。Itisastrongpositionthat。“
　　Lucilleraisedherheadandregardedthelastspeakersteadily。
　　“AndI，Prince！“sheexclaimed，“Isaythathewillcomebecauseheisaman，andbecausehedoesnotknowfear。“
　　ThePrinceofSaxeLeinitzerbowedlowtowardsthespeaker。
　　“DearLucille，“hesaid，sorespectfullythatthefaintironyofhistonewaslosttomostofthosepresent，“I，too，amofyouropinion。Themanwhohasaright，realorfancied，toclaimyoumustindeedbeacowardifhesuffereddangersofanysorttostandintheway。Afterall，dangersfromus！Isitnotalittleabsurd？“
　　LucillelookedawayfromthePrincewithalittleshudder。Helaughedsoftly，anddrankhisliqueur。Afterwardsheleanedbackforamomentinhischairandglancedthoughtfullyaroundattheassembledcompanyasthoughanxioustoimpressuponhismemoryallwhowerepresent。Itwasalittlegroup，everymemberofwhichboreawell-knownname。Theirhost，theDukeofDorset，inwhosesplendidlibrarytheywereassembled，was，ifnotthepremierdukeoftheUnitedKingdom，atleastoneofthosewhosemanyhereditaryofficesandancientfamilyentitledhimtoaforemostplaceinthearistocracyoftheworld。RaouldeBrouillac，CountofOrleans，boreanamewhichwasscarcelyabsentfromasinglepageofthemartialhistoryofFrance。ThePrinceofSaxeLeinitzerkeptupstillasemblanceofroyaltyintheStatewhichhisancestorshadruledwithdespoticpower。LadyMurielCareywasayoungerdaughterofaducalhouse，whichhadmorethanonceintermarriedwithRoyalty。Theothers，too，hadtheirclaimstobeconsideredamongstthegreatestfamiliesofEurope。
　　ThePrinceglancedathiswatch，andthenatthebridgetablesreadysetout。
　　“Ithink，“hesaid，“thatalittlediversion-whatdoesourhostesssay？“
　　“Twosetscanstartatleast，“theDuchesssaid。“LucilleandI
　　willstayout，andtheCountdeBrouillacdoesnotplay。“
　　ThePrincerose。
　　“Itisagreed，“hesaid。“Duke，willyouhonourme？FelixandDolinskiareourancientadversaries。Itshouldbeaninterestingtrialofstrength。“
　　Therewasageneralmovement，are-arrangementofseats，andalittlebuzzofconversation。Thensilence。Lucillesatbackinagreatchair，andLadyCareycameovertoherside。
　　“Youarenervousto-night，Lucille，“shesaid。
　　“Yes，Iamnervous，“Lucilleadmitted。“Whynot？Atanymomenthemaybehere。“
　　“Andyoucare-somuch？“LadyCareysaid，withahardlittlelaugh。
　　“Icaresomuch，“Lucilleechoed。
　　LadyCareyshookoutherambersatinskirtandsatdownuponalowdivan。Sheheldupherhands，smallwhitehands，ablazewithjewels，andlookedatthemforamomentthoughtfully。
　　“HewasverymuchinearnestwhenIsawhimatSherry’sinNewYork，“sheremarked，“andhewasaltogethertoocleverforMr。
　　Horserandourfriendsthere。Afteralltheirtalkandboastingtoo。Why，theyareignorantoftheveryelementsofintrigue。“
　　Lucillesighed。
　　“Here，“shesaid，“itisdifferent。ThePrinceandheareancientrivals，andRaouldeBrouillacisnolongerhisfriend。Muriel，I
　　amafraidofwhatmayhappen。“
　　LadyCareyshruggedhershoulders。
　　“Heisnofool，“shesaidinalowtone。“Hewillnotcomeherewithamagistrate’swarrantandapolicemantobackitup，norwillheattempttoturnthethingintoanAdeiphidrama。Iknowhimwellenoughtobesurethathewillattemptnothingcrude。Lucille，don’tyoufinditexhilarating？“
　　“Exhilarating？Butwhy？“
　　“Itwillbeagameplayedthroughtotheendbymasters，andyou，mydearwoman，aretheinspiration。Ithinkthatitismostfascinating。“
　　Lucillelookedsadlyintothefire。
　　“Ithink，“shesaid，“thatIamwearyofallthesethings。Iseemtohavelivedsuchaverylongtime。AtLenoxIwasquitehappy。
　　OfmyownwillIwouldneverhaveleftit。“
　　LadyCarey’sthinlipscurledalittle，herblueeyeswerefullofscorn。Shewasnotaltogetherapleasantwomantolookupon。Hercheekswerethinandhollow，hereyesalittletooprominent，somehiddenexpressionwhichseemedattimestoflitfromonetotheotherofherfeaturessuggestedasensualitywhichwasalittleincongruouswithhersomewhatangularfigureandgenerallycolddemeanour。Butthatshewasawomanofcourageandresourcehistoryhadproved。
　　“Howidyllic！“sheexclaimed。“Positivelymedieval！Fancylivingwithonemanthreeyears。“
　　Lucillesmiled。