Therecameapauseinthecourses。Helookedathercritically。
　　Shewasveryhandsomelydressedinawalkingcostumeofdove-colouredgrey。Theostrichfeatherswhichdroopedfromherlargehatwerealmostpriceless。Shehadtheundeniableairofbeingapersonofbreeding。Butshewaspalereventhanusual，herhair，notwithstandingitscarefularrangement，gavesignsofbeingalittlethininfront。Therewerewrinklesatthecornersofhereyes。Sheknewthesethings，butsheborehisinspectionwithindifference。
　　“Iwonder，“hesaidreflectively，“whatwemenseeinyou。Youhaveplentyofadmirers。TheysaythatGreftongothimselfshotoutatthefrontbecauseyoutreatedhimbadly。Yet-youarenotmuchtolookat，areyou？“
　　Shelaughedathim。Herswasneverapleasantlaugh，butthistimeitwasatleastnatural。
　　“Howdiscriminating，“shedeclared。“Iamanuglywoman，andmenoftasteusuallypreferuglywomen。ThenIamalwayswelldressed。
　　Iknowhowtowearmyclothes。AndIhaveashockingreputation。
　　Areallywickedwoman，IonceheardpiousoldLadySurbitoncallme！
　　Dearoldthing！Itdidmenoendofgood。ThenIhavetheverygreatadvantageofnevercaringforanyonemorethanafewdaystogether。Menfindthatannoying。“
　　“Youhaveviolentfancies，“heremarked，“andstrangeones。“
　　“Perhaps，“sheadmitted。“Theyconcernnooneexceptmyself。“
　　“ThisSouspenniercraze，forinstance！“
　　Shenodded。
　　“Well，youcan’tsaythatI’mnothonest。Itispositivelymyonlyvirtue。Iadorethetruth。Iloathealie。Thatisonereason，Idaresay，whyIcanonlybarelytolerateyou。Youareashocking-agrossliar。“
　　“Muriel！“
　　“Oh，don’tlookatmelikethat，“sheexclaimedirritably。“Youmusthearthetruthsometimes。Andnow，pleaserememberthatI
　　cametolunchwithyoutohearaboutyourvisitthismorning。“
　　ThePrincegnawedhismoustache，andthelightinhiseyeswasnotapleasantthingtosee。Thiswomanwithherrecklesslife，heroddfascination，herbrusquehatredofaffectations，wasaconstanttormenttohim。Ifonlyhecouldoncegetherthoroughlyintohispower。
　　“Myvisit，“hesaid，“waswhollysuccessful。Itcouldnotwellbeotherwise。LucillehasreturnedtoDorsetHouse。SouspennierisconfoundedaltogetherbyalittlerevelationwhichIventuredtomake。Hespokeofanappeal。Ilethimknowwithwhomhewouldhavetodeal。Ilefthimnervelessandcrushed。Hecandonothingsavebyopenrevolt。Andifhetriesthat-well，therewillbenomoreofthiswonderfulMr。Sabin。“
　　“Altogetheratriumphtoyou，“sheremarkedscornfully。“Oh，I
　　knowthesortofthing。But，afterall，mydearFerdinand，whatoflastnight。Ihatethewoman，butsheplayedthegame，andplayeditwell。Wewerefooled，bothofus。AndtothinkthatI-“
　　Shebrokeoffwithashortlaugh。ThePrincelookedathercuriously。
　　“Perhaps，“hesaid，“youhadsomeideaofconsolingthedesolatehusband？“
　　“PerhapsIhad，“sheansweredcoolly。“Itdidn’tcomeoff，didit？
　　Ordermesomecoffee，andgivemeacigarette，myfriend。Ihavesomethingelsetosaytoyou。“
　　Heobeyedher，andsheleanedbackinthehighchair。
　　“Listentome，“shesaid。“IhavenothingwhatevertodowithyouandLucille。IsupposeyouwillgetyourrevengeonSouspennierthroughher。Itwon’tbelikeyouifyoudon’ttry，andyououghttohavethegameprettywellinyourownhands。ButIwon’thaveSouspennierharmed。Youunderstand？“
　　Heshruggedhisshoulders。
　　“Souspennier，“hesaid，“musttakecare。Ifheoverstepstheboundshemustpaythepenalty。“
　　Sheleanedforward。Therewasalookinherfacewhichheknewverywell。
　　“YouandIunderstandoneanother，“shesaidcoolly。“Ifyouwantmeforanenemyyoucanhaveme。VerylikelyIshalltellyoubeforelongthatyoucandowhatyoulikewiththeman。ButuntilIdoitwillbeverydangerousforyouifharmcomestohim。“
　　“Itisnouse，“heanswereddoggedly。“Ifheattackshemustbesilenced。“
　　“Ifheattacks，“sheanswered，“youmustgivemetwenty-fourhoursclearnoticebeforeyoumoveahandagainsthim。Afterwards-well，wewilldiscussthat。“
　　“Youhadbetter，“hesaid，lookingatherwithanuglygleaminhiseyes，“persuadehimtotakeyouforalittletourontheContinent。
　　Itwouldbesafer。“
　　“Ifhewouldcome，“shesaidcoolly，“Iwouldgoto-morrow。Buthewon’t-justyet。Nevermind。YouhaveheardwhatIwantedtosay。
　　Nowshallwego？Iamgoingtogetsomesleepthisafternoon。
　　EverybodytellsmethatIlooklikeaghost。“
　　“WhynotcometoGrosvenorSquarewithme？“heleaningalittleacrossthetable。“PatoffshallmakeyousomeRussiantea，andafterwardsyoushallsleepaslongasyoulike。“
　　“Howidyllic！“sheanswered，withafaintsarcasticsmile。“Itgoestomyhearttodeclinesocharminganinvitation。But，totellyouthetruth，itwouldboremeexcessively。“
　　Hemutteredsomethingunderhisbreathwhichstartledthewaiterathiselbow。Thenhefollowedheroutoftheroom。Shepausedforafewmomentsintheporticotofinishbuttoninghergloves。
　　“Manythanksformylunch，“shesaid，noddingtohimcarelessly。
　　“I’msureI’vebeenadelightfulcompanion。“
　　“Youhavebeenaverytormentingone，“heansweredgloomilyashefollowedheroutontothepavement。
　　“YoushouldtryLucille，“shesuggestedmaliciously。
　　Hestoodbyhersidewhiletheywaitedforhercarriage，andlookedathercritically。Herslim，elegantfigurehadneverseemedmoreattractivetohim。Eventheinsolenceofhertoneandmannerhadanoddsortoffascination。Hetriedtoholdforamomentthefingerswhichgraspedherskirt。
　　“Ithink，“hewhispered，“thatafteryouLucillewouldbedull！“
　　Shelaughed。
　　“ThatisbecauseLucillehasmoralsandaconscience，“shesaid，“andIhaveneither。But，dearme，howmuchmorecomfortablyonegetsonwithoutthem。No，thankyou，Prince。Mycoupeisonlybuiltforone。Remember。“
　　Sheflunghimacarelessnodfromthewindow。ThePrinceremainedonthepavementuntilafterthelittlebroughamhaddrivenaway。
　　Thenhesmiledsoftlytohimselfasheturnedtofollowit。
　　“No！“hesaid。“Ithinknot！IthinkthatshewillnotgetourgoodfriendSouspennier。Weshallsee！“
　　Abarelyfurnishedman’sroom，comfortable，austere，scholarly。
　　Therefugeofabusyman，tojudgebythepilesofbooksandpaperswhichlitteredthelargeopenwriting-table。Thereweredespatchboxesturnedupsidedown，aseaofparchmentandfoolscap。Inthemidstofitallamandeepinthought。
　　Avisitor，enteringwiththefreedomofanoldacquaintance，laidhishanduponhisshoulderandgreetedhimwithanairofsuppressedenthusiasm。
　　“Planningthecampaign，eh，Brott？OristhatahandbooktoCourtetiquette？Youwillneeditwithintheweek。Thereareallsortsofrumoursattheclubs。“
　　Brottshookhimselffreefromhisfitofapatheticreflection。Hewouldnothavedaredtotellhisvisitorwherehisthoughtshadbeenforthelasthalfhour。
　　“Somehow，“hesaid，“IdonotthinkthatlittletriptoWindsorwillcomejustyet。TheKingwillneversendformeunlessheiscompelled。“
　　Hisvisitor，anex-CabinetMinister，apronouncedRadicalandalifelongfriendofBrott’s，shruggedhisshoulders。
　　“Thattime，“hesaid，“isverycloseathand。HewillsendforLetheringhamfirst，ofcourse，andgreatpressurewillbebroughttobearuponhimtoformaministry。Butwithoutyouhewillbehelpless。Hehasnottheconfidenceofthepeople。“
　　“Withoutme，“Brottrepeatedslowly。“YouthinkthenthatIshouldnotacceptofficewithLetheringham？“
　　Hisvisitorregardedhimsteadilyforamoment，open-mouthed，obviouslytakenaback。
　　“Brott，areyouinyourrightsenses？“heaskedincredulously。“Doyouknowwhatyouaresaying？“
　　Brottlaughedalittlenervously。
　　“Thisisagreatissue，Grahame，“hesaid。“IwillconfessthatI
　　aminanundecidedstate。Iamnotsurethatthecountryisinasufficientlyadvancedstateforourpropaganda。Isthisreallyouropportunity，orisitonlytheshadowofwhatistocomethrownbefore？Ifweshowourhandtoosoonallislostforthisgeneration。Don’tlookatmeasthoughIwereinsane，Grahame。
　　RememberthatthecountryisonlyjustfreefromalongeraofConservativerule。“
　　“Thebetterouropportunity，“Grahameansweredvigorously。“Twodecadesofpuppetgovernmentareenervating，Iadmit，buttheyonlypavethewaymoresurelytotheinevitablereaction。Whatisthematterwithyou，Brott？Areyouill？Thisisthegreatmomentofourlives。YoumustspeakatManchesterandBirminghamwithinthisweek。Glasgowisalreadypreparingforyou。Everythingandeverybodywaitsforyourjudgment。GoodGod，man，it’smagnificent！
　　Where’syourenthusiasm？WithinamonthyoumustbePrimeMinister，andwewillshowtheworldthewaytoanewera。“
　　Brottsatquitestill。Hisfriend’swordshadstirredhimforthemoment。Yetheseemedthevictimofacuriousindecision。Grahameleanedovertowardshim。
　　“Brott，oldfriend，“hesaid，“youarenotill？“
　　Brottshookhishead。
　　“Iamperfectlywell，“hesaid。
　　Grahamehesitated。
　　“Itisadelicatethingtomention，“hesaid。“PerhapsIshallpasseventheboundsofouroldcomradeship。Butyouhavechanged。
　　Somethingiswrongwithyou。Whatisit？“
　　“Thereisnothing，“Brottanswered，lookingup。“Itisyourfancy。
　　Iamwellenough。“
　　Grahame’sfacewasdarkwithanxiety。
　　“Thisisnoidlecuriosityofmine，“hesaid。“Youknowmebetterthanthat。Butthecausewhichisnearermyheartthanlifeitselfisatstake。Brott，youarethepeople’sman，theirpromisedredeemer。Thinkofthem，thetoilers，theoppressed，God’schildren，groaningundertheiniquitouslawsofgenerationsofevilstatesmanship。Itisthedawnoftheirnewday，theirfacesareturnedtoyou。Man，can’tyouhearthemcrying？Youcan’tfailthem。Youmustn’t。Idon’tknowwhatisthematterwithyou，Brott，butawaywithit。Freeyourself，man。“
　　Brottsighedwearily，butalreadytherewasachangeinhim。Hisfacewashardening-thelinesinhisfacedeepened。Grahamecontinuedhastily-eagerly。
　　“Publicmen，“hesaid，“arealwaysatthemercyofthehalfpennypress，butyouknow，Brott，yourappearancesoofteninSocietylatelyhassetmen’stongueswagging。Thereisnoharmdone，butitistimetostopthem。Youarerighttowanttounderstandthesepeople。Youmustgodownamongstthem。IthasbeenslumminginMayfairforyou，Iknow。Buthavedonewithitnow。Itisthesepeoplewearegoingtofight。Letitbeopenwar。LetthemhearyourprogrammeatGlasgow。Wedon’twantanotherFrenchRevolution，butitisgoingtobewaragainstthedrones，fierce，mercilesswar！
　　Youmustbreakwiththem，Brott，onceandforever。Andthetimeisnow。“
　　Brottheldouthishandacrossthetable。Noonebutthisonemancouldhavereadthestruggleinhisface。
　　“Youareright，Grahame。Ithankyou。Ithankyouasmuchforwhatyouhaveleftunsaidasforwhatyouhavesaid。Iwasafooltothinkofcompromising。Letheringhamisanervelessleader。Weshouldhavegonepotteringonforanothersevenyears。ThankGodthatyoucamewhenyoudid。Seehere！“
　　Hetossedhimoveraletter。Grahame’scheekpaledasheread。
　　“Already！“hemurmured。
　　Brottnodded。
　　“Readit！“
　　Grahamedevouredeveryword。Hiseyeslitupwithexcitement。
　　“Myprophecyexactly，“heexclaimed，layingitdown。“ItisasI
　　said。Hecannotformtheministrywithoutyou。Hisletterisabject。Hegiveshimselfaway。Itisanentreaty。Andyouranswer？“
　　“Hasnotyetgone，“Brottsaid。“Youshallwriteityourselfifyoulike。Iamthankfulthatyoucamewhenyoudid。“
　　“Youwerehesitating？“Grahameexclaimed。
　　“Iwas。“。