Lucillehadrecoveredherself。Shestoodbeforehim，whitebutcalm。
　　“Because，“shesaid，“Iamawoman。“
　　“Thatmeansthatyoucamewithoutreason-onimpulse？“heasked。
　　“Icame，“shesaid，“becauseIheardthatyouwereabouttotakeastepwhichmustseparateusforever。“
　　“Andthat，“heasked，“disturbedyou？“
　　“Yes！“
　　“Come，wearedrawingnearertogether，“hesaid，akindlinglightinhiseyes。“Nowanswermethis。Howmuchdoyoucareifthiseternalseparationdoescome？HereamIonthethresholdofaction。
　　UnlessIchangemymindwithintenminutesImustthrowinmylotwiththosewhomyouandyourOrderloatheanddespise。Therecanbenohalfmeasures。Imustbetheirleader，orImustvanishfromthefaceofthepoliticalworld。ThisIwilldoifyoubidme。Butthepricemustbeyourself-wholly，withoutreservation-yourself，bodyandsoul。“
　　“Youcare-asmuchasthat？“shemurmured。
　　“Askmenoquestions，answermine！“hecriedfiercely。“Youshallstaywithmehere-orinfiveminutesIleaveonmycampaign。“
　　Shelaughedmusically。
　　“Thisispositivelydelicious，“sheexclaimed。“Iambeingmadelovetoinmedievalfashion。Othertimesothermanners，sir！Willyoulistentoreason？“
　　“Iwilllistentonothing-saveyouranswer，yesorno，“hedeclared，drawingonhisovercoat。
　　Shelaidherhanduponhisshoulder。
　　“Reginald，“shesaid，“youarelikethewhirlwind-andhowcanI
　　answeryouinfiveminutes！“
　　“Youcananswermeinone，“hedeclaredfiercely。“WillyoupaymypriceifIdoyourbidding？Yesorno！Thepriceisyourself。Now！
　　Yesorno？“
　　Shedrewonherowncloakandfastenedtheclaspwithshakingfingers。Thensheturnedtowardsthedoor。
　　“Iwishyougood-byeandgoodfortune，Reginald，“shesaid。“I
　　daresaywemaynotmeetagain。Itwillbebetterthatwedonot。“
　　“Thisthenisyouranswer？“hecried。
　　Shelookedaroundathim。Wasithisfancy，orwerethosetearsinhereyes？Orwasshereallysowonderfulanactress？“
　　“Doyouthink，“shesaid，“thatifIhadnotcaredIshouldhavecomehere？“
　　“Tellmethatinplainwords，“hecried。“ItisallIask。“
　　Thedoorwassuddenlyopened。Grahamestooduponthethreshold。
　　HelookedbeyondLucilletoBrott。
　　“Youmustreallyforgiveme，“hesaid，“butthereisbarelytimetocatchthetrain，Brott。Ihaveahansomwaiting，andyourluggageison。“
　　Brottanswerednothing。Lucilleheldoutherhandstohim。
　　“Yesorno？“heaskedherinalowhoarsetone。
　　“Youmust-givemetime！Idon’twanttoloseyou。I-“
　　Hecaughtuphiscoat。
　　“Coming，Grahame，“hesaidfirmly。“Countess，Imustbegyourpardontenthousandtimesforthisabruptdeparture。Myservantswillcallyourcarriage。“
　　Sheleanedtowardshim，beautiful，anxious，alluring。
　　“Reginald！“
　　“Yesorno，“hewhisperedinherear。
　　“Givemeuntilto-morrow，“shefaltered。
　　“Notonemoment，“heanswered。“Yes-now，thisinstant-orIgo！“
　　“Brott！Mydearman，wehavenotasecondtolose。“
　　“Youhear！“hemuttered。“Yesorno？“
　　Shetrembled。
　　“Givemeuntilto-morrow，“shebegged。“Itisforyourownsake。
　　Foryourownsafety。“
　　Heturnedonhisheel！Hismutteredspeechwasprofane，butinarticulate。HesprangintothehansombyGrahame’sside。
　　“Euston！“thelattercriedthroughthetrap-door。“Doublefare，cabby。WemustcatchtheScotchman。“
　　Lucillecameoutafewmomentslater，andlookedupanddownthestreetasherbroughamdrovesmartlyup。Thehansomwasfastdisappearinginthedistance。Shelookedafteritandsighed。
　　Lucillegavealittlestartofamazementassherealisedthatshewasnotaloneinthebrougham。Shereachedoutforthecheck-cord，butastronghandheldhers。
　　“MydearLucille，“afamiliarvoiceexclaimed，“whythisalarm？Isityournervesoryoureyesightwhichisfailingyou？“
　　Herhanddropped。Sheturnedtowardshim。
　　“Itisyou，then，Prince！“shesaid。“Butwhyareyouhere？Idonotunderstand。“
　　ThePrinceshruggedhisshoulders。
　　“Itissosimple，“hesaid。“WeareallveryanxiousindeedtoheartheresultofyourinterviewwithBrott-andapartfromthat，Ipersonallyhavetoofewopportunitiestoactasyourescorttoletachancegoby。Itrustthatmypresenceisnotdispleasingtoyou？“
　　Shelaughedalittleuneasily。
　　“Itisatanyrateunnecessary，“sheanswered。“ButsinceyouarehereImayaswellmakemyconfession。Ihavefailed。“
　　“Itisincredible，“thePrincemurmured。
　　“Asyouwill-butitistrue，“sheanswered。“Ihavedonemyverybest，orrathermyworst，andtheresulthasbeenfailure。Mr。
　　Brotthasagreatfriend-amannamedGrahame，whoseinfluenceprevailedagainstmine。HehasgonetoScotland。“
　　“Thatisseriousnews，“thePrincesaidquietly。
　　Lucilleleanedbackamongstthecushions。
　　“Afterall，“shedeclared，“wearealloutofplaceinthiscountry。
　　Thereisnoscopewhateverforsuchschemesandintriguesasyouandalltherestofthemdelightin。InFranceandRussia，eveninAustria，itisdifferent。Theworkingofallgreatorganisationthereisunderground-itiseasyenoughtomeetplotbycounterplot，tosuborn，todeceive，toundermine。Buthereallthegreatgamesoflifeseemtobeplayedwiththecardsuponthetable。Wearehopelesslyoutofplace。Icannotthink，Prince，whatillchanceledyoutoevercontemplatemakingyourheadquartersinLondon。“
　　ThePrincestrokedhislongmoustache。
　　“Thatisallverywell，Lucille，“hesaid，“butyoumustrememberthatinEnglandwehaveverylargesubscriptionstotheOrder。
　　Thesepeoplewillnotgoonpayingfornothing。TherewasameetingoftheLondonbranchafewmonthsago，anditwasdecidedthatunlesssomepracticalworkwasdoneinthiscountryallEnglishsubscriptionsshouldcease。Wehadnoalternativebuttocomeoverandattemptsomething。Brottisofcoursethebetenoireofourfriendshere。Heisdistinctlythemantobestruckat。“
　　“Andwhatevilstrokeoffortune，“Lucilleasked，“inducedyoutosendforme？“
　　“Thatisaverycruelspeech，dearlady，“thePrincemurmured。
　　“Ihope，“Lucillesaid，“thatyouhaveneverforamomentimaginedthatIfindanypleasureinwhatIamcalledupontodo。“
　　“Whynot？Itmustbeinteresting。YoucanhavehadnosympathywithBrott-ahopelessplebeian，averyparagonofAnglo-Saxonstupidity？“
　　Lucillelaughedscornfully。
　　“ReginaldBrottisaman，atanyrate，andanhonestone，“sheanswered。“ButIamtooselfishtothinkmuchofhim。ItismyselfwhomIpity。Ihaveahome，Prince，andahusband。I
　　wantthemboth。“
　　“Youamazeme，“thePrincesaidslowly。“Lucille，indeed，youamazeme。Youhavebeenburiedaliveforthreeyears。PositivelywebelievedthatoursummonswouldsoundtoyoulikeamessagefromHeaven。“
　　Lucillewassilentforamoment。Sherubbedthemistfromthecarriagewindowandlookedoutintothestreets。
　　“Well，“shesaid，“Ihopethatyourealisenowhowcompletelyyouhavemisunderstoodme。IwasperfectlyhappyinAmerica。Ihavebeenperfectlymiserablehere。IsupposethatIhavegrowntoooldforintriguesandadventures。“
　　“Tooold，Lucille，“thePrincemurmured，leaningalittletowardsher。“Lucille，youarethemostbeautifulwomaninLondon。Manyothersmayhavetoldyouso，butthereisnoone，Lucille，whoissodevotedly，sohopelesslyyourslaveasI。“
　　Shedrewherhandaway，andsatbackinhercorner。Theman’shotbreathfelluponhercheek，hiseyesseemedalmostphosphorescentinthedarkness。Lucillecouldscarcelykeepthebitingwordsfromhertongue。
　　“Youdonotanswerme，Lucille。Youdonotspeakevenasinglekindwordtome。Come！Surelyweareoldfriends。Weshouldunderstandoneanother。ItisnotagreatdealthatIaskfromyourkindness-notagreatdealtoyou，butitisallthedifferencebetweenhappinessandmiseryforme。“
　　“Thisisaveryworn-outgame，Prince，“Lucillesaidcoldly。“Youhavebeenmakinglovetowomeninverymuchthesamemannerfortwentyyears，andI-well，tobefrank，Iamutterlywearyofbeingmadelovetolikeadoll。Laughatmeasyouwill，myhusbandistheonlymanwhointerestsmeintheslightest。Myfailureto-dayisalmostwelcometome。Ithasatleastbroughtmyworkheretoaclose。Come，Prince，ifyouwanttoearnmyeternalgratitude，tellmenowthatIamafreewoman。“
　　“Yougivemecredit，“thePrincesaidslowly，“forgreatgenerosity。
　　IfIletyougoitseemstomethatIshallloseyoualtogether。
　　Youwillgotoyourhusband。Hewilltakeyouaway！“
　　“Whynot？“Lucilleasked。“Iwanttogo。IamtiredofLondon。
　　Youcannotlosewhatyouneverpossessed-whatyouneverhadtheslightestchanceofpossessing。
　　ThePrincelaughedsoftly-notapleasantlaugh，notevenamirthfulone。
　　“Dearlady，“hesaid，“youspeaknotwisely。ForIamverymuchinearnestwhenIsaythatIloveyou，anduntilyouarekindertomeIshallnotletyougo。“
　　“Thatisratheradangerousthreat，isitnot？“Lucilleasked。
　　“Youdaretotellmeopenlythatyouwillabuseyourposition，thatyouwillkeepmeboundaservanttothecause，becauseofthisfoolishfancyofyours？“
　　ThePrincesmiledatherthroughthegloom-awhite，setsmile。
　　“Itisnofoolishfancy，Lucille。Youwillfindthatoutbeforelong。Youhavebeencoldtomeallyourlife。Yetyouwouldfindmeabetterfriendthanenemy。“
　　“IfIamtochoose，“shesaidsteadily，“Ishallchoosethelatter。“
　　“Asyouwill，“heanswered。“Intimeyouwillchangeyourmind。“
　　Thecarriagehadstopped。ThePrincealightedandheldouthishand。Lucillehalfrose，andthenwithherfootuponthestepshepausedandlookedaround。
　　“Wherearewe？“sheexclaimed。“ThisisnotDorsetHouse。“
　　“No，weareinGrosvenorSquare，“thePrinceanswered。“Iforgottotellyouthatwehaveameetingarrangedforherethisevening。
　　Permitme。“ButLucilleresumedherseatinthecarriage。
　　“Itisyourhouse，isitnot？“sheasked。
　　“Yes。Myhouseassuredly。“
　　“Verywell，“Lucillesaid。“IwillcomeinwhentheDuchessofDorsetshowsherselfatthewindoworthefrontdoor-orFelix，orevenDeBrouillae。“
　　ThePrincestillheldopenthecarriagedoor。
　　“Theywillallbehere，“heassuredher。“Weareafewminutesearly。“
　　“ThenIwilldriveroundtoDorsetHouseandfetchtheDuchess。
　　Itisonlyafewyards。“
　　ThePrincehesitated。Hischeekswereverywhite，andsomethinglikeascowlwasblackeninghisheavy，insipidface。
　　“Lucille，“hesaid，“youareveryfoolish。ItisnotmuchIaskofyou，butthatlittleIwillhaveorIpledgemywordtoitthatthingsshallgoillwithyouandyourhusband。Thereisplainspeechforyou。Donotbeabsurd。Comewithin，andletustalk。
　　Whatdoyoufear？Thehouseisfullofservants，andthecarriagecanwaitforyouhere。“
　　Lucillesmiledathim-amaddeningsmile。
　　“Iamnotachild，“shesaid，“andsuchconversationsasIamforcedtoholdwithyouwillnotbeunderyourownroof。BesogoodastotellthecoachmantodrivetoDorsetHouse。“
　　ThePrinceturnedonhisheelwithafuriousoath。
　　“HecandriveyoutoHell，“heansweredthickly。
　　LucillefoundtheDuchessandLadyCareytogetheratDorsetHouse。
　　Shelookedfromonetotheother。
　　“Ithoughtthattherewasameetingto-night，“sheremarked。