Grahamelookedathiminwonder，andBrottfacedhimsturdily。
　　“Itseemsliketreasontoyou，Grahame！“hesaid。“Soitdoestomenow。Iwantnothinginthefuturetocomebetweenus，“hecontinuedmoreslowly，“andIshouldlikeifIcantoexpungethememoryofthisinterview。AndsoIamgoingtotellyouthetruth。“
　　Grahameheldouthishand。
　　“Don’t！“hesaid。“Icanforgetwithout。“
　　I3rottshookhishead。
　　“No，“hesaid。“Youhadbetterunderstandeverything。Thehalfpennypresstoldthetruth。Yetonlyhalfthetruth。Ihavebeentoalltheseplaces，wastedmytime，wastedtheirtime，fromapurelyselfishreason-tobeneartheonlywomanIhaveevercaredfor，thewoman，Grahame！“
　　“Iknewit，“Grahamemurmured。“Ifoughtagainstthebelief，I
　　thoughtthatIhadstifledit。ButIknewitallthetime。“
　　“IfIhaveseemedlukewarmsometimesoflate，“Brottsaid，“thereisthecause。Sheisanaristocrat，andmypoliticsarehatefultoher。Shehastoldmesoseriously，playfully，angrily。Shehasletmefeelitinahundredways。Shehasdrawnmeintodiscussionsandshowntheutmosthorrorofmyviews。Ihavecaredforherallmylife，andsheknowsit。AndIthink，Grahame，thatlatelyshehasbeentryingconstantly，persistently，totonedownmyopinions。Shehasletmeunderstandthattheyareabarbetweenus。Anditisahorribleconfession，Grahame，butIbelievethatIwaswavering。ThisinvitationfromLetheringhamseemedsuchawonderfulopportunityforcompromise。“
　　“Thismustnevergooutoftheroom，“Grahamesaidhoarsely。“Itwouldruinyourpopularity。Theywouldnevertrustyouagain。
　　“Ishalltellnooneelse，“Brottsaid。
　　“Anditisover？“Grahamedemandedeagerly。
　　“Itisover。“
　　TheDukeofDorset，whoentertainedforhisparty，gaveagreatdinnerthatnightatDorsetHouse，andtowardsitsclosethePrinceofSaxeLeinitzer，whowasalmosttheonlynon-politicalguest，moveduptohishostinresponsetoaneagersummons。TheDukewasperturbed。
　　“Youhaveheardthenews，SaxeLeinitzer？“
　　“Ididnotknowofanynews，“thePrinceanswered。“Whatisit？“
　　“BrotthasrefusedtojoinwithLetheringhaminformingaministry。
　　Itisrumouredeventhatacoalitionwasproposed，andthatBrottwouldhavenothingtodowithit。“
　　ThePrincelookedintohiswineglass。
　　“Ah！“hesaid。
　　“Thisisdisturbingnews，“theDukecontinued。Youdonotseemtoappreciateitssignificance。“
　　ThePrincelookedupagain。
　　“Perhapsnot，“hesaid。“Youshallexplaintome。“
　　“Brottrefusestocompromise，“theDukesaid。“Hestandsforaministryofhisownselection。Heavenonlyknowswhatmischiefthismaymean。Hisdoctrinesarethoroughlyrevolutionary。Heisaniconoclastwithageniusfordestruction。Buthehastheearofthepeople。Heisto-daytheirRienzi。“
　　ThePrincenodded。
　　“AndLucille？“heremarked。“Whatdoesshesay？“
　　“Ihavenotspokentoher，“theDukeanswered。“Thenewshasonlyjustcome。“
　　“Wewillspeaktoher，“thePrincesaid，“together。“
　　Afterwardsinthelibrarytherewasasortofinformalmeeting，andtheiropportunitycame。
　　“Soyouhavefailed，Countess，“herhostsaid，knittinghisgreybrowsather。
　　Shesmilinglyacknowledgeddefeat。
　　“ButIcanassureyou，“shesaid，“thatIwasverynearsuccess。
　　OnlyonMondayhehadvirtuallymadeuphismindtoabandontheextremepartyandcastinhislotwithLetheringham。WhathashappenedtochangehimIdonotknow。“
　　ThePrincecurledhisfairmoustache。
　　“Itisapity，“hesaid，“thathechangedhismind。Foronethingisverycertain。TheDukeandIareagreeduponit。ABrottministrymustneverbeformed。“
　　Shelookedupquickly。
　　“Whatdoyoumean？“
　　ThePrinceansweredherwithouthesitation。
　　“Ifonecoursefails，“hesaid，“anothermustbeadopted。Iregrethavingtomakeuseofmeanswhicharesomewhatclumsyandobvious。
　　Butourpronouncementonthisonepointisfinal。Brottmustnotbeallowedtoformaministry。“
　　Shelookedathimwithsomethinglikehorrorinhersoftfulleyes。
　　“Whatwouldyoudo？“shemurmured。
　　ThePrinceshruggedhisshoulders。
　　“Well，“hesaid，“wearenotquitemedievalenoughtoadopttheonlyreallysensiblemethodandremoveMr。Brottpermanentlyfromthefaceoftheearth。Weshouldstopalittleshortofthat，butIcanassureyouthatMr。Brott’shealthforthenextfewmonthsisamatterforgraveuncertainty。Itisapityforhissakethatyoufailed。“
　　Shebitherlip。
　　“DoyouknowifheisstillinLondon？“sheasked。
　　“HemustbeonthepointofleavingforScotland，“theDukeanswered。
　　“IfheoncemountstheplatformatGlasgowtherewillbenofurtherchanceofanycompromise。Hewillbecommittedirretrievablytohiscampaignofanarchy。“
　　“Andtohisowndisaster，“thePrincemurmured。
　　Lucilleremainedforamomentdeepinthought。Thenshelookedup。
　　“IfIcanfindhimbeforehestarts，“shesaidhurriedly，“Iwillmakeonelasteffort。“
　　Hepeeredforwardoverhisdeskatthetallgracefulfigurewhoseentrancehadbeensonoiseless，andwhosefootstepshadbeensolightthatshestoodalmostwithinafewfeetofhimbeforehewasevenawareofherpresence。Thenhissurprisewassogreatthathecouldonlygaspouthername。
　　“You！Lucille！“
　　Shesmileduponhimdelightfully。
　　“Me！Lucille！Don’tblameyourservant。IassuredhimthatIwasexpected，soheallowedmetoenterunannounced。Hisastonishmentwasadelightfultestimonytoyourreputation，bythebye。Hewasevidentlynotusedtotheseinvasions。“
　　Brotthadrecoveredhimselfbythistime，andifanyemotionstillremainedhewasmasterofit。
　　“Youmustforgivemysurprise！“hesaid。“Youhaveofcoursesomethingimportanttosaytome。Willyounotloosenyourcloak？“
　　Sheunfastenedtheclaspandseatedherselfinhismostcomfortablechair。Thefirelightflashedandglitteredonthesilverornamentsofherdress；herneckandarms，withtheirburdenofjewels，gleamedlikeporcelaininthesemi-darknessoutsidethehaloofhisstudentlamp。Andhesawthatherdarkhairhunglowbehindingracefulfoldsashehadonceadmiredit。Hestoodalittleapart，andshenotedhistravelingclothesandthevarioussignsofajourneyabouttheroom。
　　“Youmaybegladtoseeme，“sheremarked，lookingathimwithasmile。“Youdon’tlookit。“
　　“Iamanxioustohearyournews，“heanswered。“Iamconvincedthatyouhavesomethingimportanttosaytome。“
　　“Supposing，“sheanswered，stilllookingathimsteadily，“supposingIweretosaythatIhadnoobjectincominghereatall-thatitwasmerelyawhim？Whatshouldyousaythen？“
　　“Ishouldtaketheliberty，“heansweredquietly，“ofdoubtingtheevidenceofmysenses。“
　　Therewasamoment’ssilence。Shefelthisaloofness。Itawokeinhersomeoftheenthusiasmwithwhichthismissionitselfhadfailedtoinspireher。Thismanwasmeasuringhisstrengthagainsthers。
　　“Itwasnotaltogetherawhim，“shesaid，hereyesfallingfromhis，“andyet-nowIamhere-itdoesnotseemeasytosaywhatwasinmymind。“
　　Heglancedtowardstheclock。
　　“Ifear，“hesaid，“thatitmaysoundungallant，butincasethissomewhatmysteriousmissionofyoursisofanyimportanceIhadbetterperhapstellyouthatintwentyminutesImustleavetocatchtheScotchmail。“
　　Sheroseatoncetoherfeet，andswepthercloakhaughtilyaroundher。
　　“Ihavemadeamistake，“shesaid。“Besogoodastopardonmyintrusion。Ishallnottroubleyouagain。“
　　Shewashalf-wayacrosstheroom。Shewasatthedoor，herhandwasuponthehandle。Hewaswhitetothelips，hiswholeframewasshakingwiththeeffortofintenserepression。Hekeptsilence，tillonlyaflutterofhercloakwastobeseeninthedoorway。
　　Andthenthecrywhichhehadtriedsohardtostiflebrokefromhislips。
　　“Lucille！Lucille！“
　　Shehesitated，andcameback-lookingathim，sohethought，withtremblinglipsandeyessoftwithunshedtears。
　　“Iwasabrute，“hemurmured。“Ioughttobegratefulforthischanceofseeingyouoncemore，ofsayinggood-byetoyou。“
　　“Good-bye！“sherepeated。
　　“Yes，“hesaidgravely。“Itmustbegood-bye。Ihaveagreatworkbeforeme，anditwillcutmeoffcompletelyfromallassociationwithyourworldandyourfriends。Somethingwideranddeeperthananoceanwilldivideus。Somethingsowidethatourhandswillneverreachacross。“
　　“Youcantalkaboutitverycalmly，“shesaid，withoutlookingathim。
　　“Ihavebeendiscipliningmyself，“heanswered。
　　Sherestedherfaceuponherhand，andlookedintothefire。
　　“Isuppose，“shesaid，“thismeansthatyouhaverefusedMr。
　　Letheringham’soffer。“
　　“Ihaverefusedit，“heanswered。
　　“Iamsorry，“shesaidsimply。
　　Sherosefromherchairwithasuddenstart，begantodrawonhercloak，andthenletitfallaltogetherfromhershoulders。
　　“Whydoyoudothis？“sheaskedearnestly。“Isitthatyouaresoambitious？Youusednottobeso-intheolddays。
　　Helaughedbitterly。
　　“Youtoo，then，“hesaid，“canremember。Ambitious！Well，whynot？
　　TobePremierofEngland，tostandforthepeople，tocarrythroughtoitslogicalconsummationabloodlessrevolution，surelythisisworthwhile。Isthereanythingintheworldbetterworthhavingthanpower？“
　　“Yes，“sheanswered，lookinghimfullintheeyes。
　　“Whatisitthen？Letmeknowbeforeitistoolate。“
　　“Love！“
　　Hethrewhisarmsabouther。Foramomentshewaspowerlessinhisgrasp。
　　“Sobeitthen，“hecriedfiercely。“Givemetheone，andIwilldenytheother。Onlynohalfmeasures！Iwilldrinktothebottomofthecupornotatall。“
　　Sheshookherselffreefromhim，breathless，consumedwithanangertowhichshedarednotgivevoice。Foramomentortwoshewasspeechless。Herbosomroseandfell，abrightstreakofcolourflaredinhercheeks。Brottstoodawayfromher，whiteandstern。
　　“You-areclumsy！“shesaid。“Youfrightenme！“
　　Herwordscarriednoconviction。Helookedatherwithanewsuspicion。
　　“Youtalklikeachild，“heansweredroughly，“orelseyourwholeconductisafraud。FormonthsIhavebeenyourslave。Ihaveabandonedmyprinciples，givenyoumytime，followedatyourheelslikeatamedog。Andforwhat？Youwillnotmarryme，youwillnotcommityourselftoanything。Youareapastmistressintheartofbindingfoolstoyourchariotwheels。YouknowthatIloveyou-thattherebreathesonthisearthnootherwomanformebutyou。Ihavetoldyouthisinallsavewordsahundredtimes。Andnow-nowitismyturn。Ihavebeenplayedwithlongenough。Youarehereunbidden-unexpected。Youcanconsiderthatdoorlocked。
　　Nowtellmewhyyoucame。“