“Itismyownbusiness，“sheansweredcoldly。
　　ThePrinceappearedtobeinacomplaisantmood。
　　“Come，“hesaid，“theaffairisnotworthaquarrel。Iaskyounoquestions。OnlysincewearehereIproposethatwetestthecookingofthegoodAnnette。Wewilllunchtogether。“
　　“What，here？“sheanswered。“Absurd。“
　　“Bynomeans，“heanswered。“Asyoudoubtlessknow，theexterioroftheplaceisentirelymisleading。Thesepeopleareoldservantsofmine。Icananswerfortheluncheon。“
　　“Youcanalsoeatit，“camethepromptreply。“Iamreturningtothecarriage。“
　　“But“
　　Mr。Sabinemergedthroughtheswingdoor。“Yourdiscretion，mydearLucille，“hesaid，smiling，“isexcellent。Theplaceisindeedbetterthanitseems，andAnnette’scookerymaybeallthatthePrinceclaims。YetIthinkIknowbetterplacesforaluncheonparty，andtheventilationisnotofthebest。MayIsuggestthatyoucomewithmeinsteadtotheMilan？“
　　“Victor！Youhere？“
　　Mr。Sabinsmiledasheadmittedtheobviousfact。ThePrince’sfacewasasblackasnight。
　　“Believeme，“Mr。Sabinsaid，turningtothePrince，“Isympathiseentirelywithyourfeelingsatthepresentmoment。Imyselfhavesufferedinpreciselythesamemanner。Thefactis，intrigueinthiscountryisalmostanimpossibility。AtParis，Vienna，Pesth，howdifferent！Youraiseyourlittlefinger，andthedeedisdone。Superfluouspeople-likemyself-areremovedlikethehairsfromyourchin。Buthereintrigueseemsindeedtoexistonlywithinthepagesofashillingnovel，orinacomicopera。Thegentlemanwithahelmetthere，whoregardsussobenignly，willpresentlyearnashillingbycallingmeahansom。Yetineffecthedoesmeafargreaterservice。HestandsforamultitudeofcoldAnglo-Saxonlaws，adamant，incorruptible，inflexible-ascertainasthelawsofNatureherself。IamquiteawarethatbythistimeIoughttobelyinginadarkcellarwithagaginmymouth，orperhapsintheriverwithadaggerinmychest。ButhereinEngland，no！“
　　ThePrincesmiled-toallappearanceaverygenialsmile。
　　“Youareright，mydearfriend，“hesaid，“yetwhatyousaypossesses，shallwecallit，asomewhatantediluvianflavour。
　　Intrigueisnolongeraclumsygameofknifeandstringandbowl。
　　Itbecomesto-dayagameoffinesse。IcanassureyouthatIhavenodesiretogiveastagewhistleandhaveyouthrottledatmyfeet。
　　Onthecontrary，Ibegyoutousemycarriage，whichyouwillfindinthestreet。YouwilllunchattheMilanwithLucille，andI
　　shallretirediscomfitedtoeataloneatmyclub。Butthegameisalongone，mydearfriend。Thenewmethodstaketime。“
　　“Thisconversation，“Mr。SabinsaidtoLucille，“isinteresting，butitisalittleungallant。Ithinkthatwewillresumeitatsomefutureoccasion。ShallweacceptthePrince’soffer，orshallwebetrulydemocraticandtakeahansom。“
　　Lucillepassedherarmthroughhisandlaughed。
　　“YouarerobbingthePrinceofme，“shedeclared。“Letusleavehimhiscarriage。“
　　ShenoddedherfarewellstoSaxeLeinitzer，whotookleaveofthemwithalowbow。AstheywaitedatthecornerforahansomMr。Sabinglancedback。ThePrincehaddisappearedthroughtheswingdoors。
　　“Iwantyoutopromisemeonething，“Lucillesaidearnestly。
　　“Itispromised，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
　　“Youwillnotaskmethereasonofmyvisittothisplace？“
　　“Ihavenocuriosity，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“Come！“
　　Mr。Sabin，contrarytohisusualcustom，engagedaprivateroomattheMilan。Lucillewasinthehighestspirits。
　　“Ifonlythiswereagameinsteadofreality！“shesaid，flashingabrilliantsmileathimacrossthetable，“Ishouldfinditmostfascinating。YouseemtocometomealwayswhenIwantyoumost。
　　Anddoyouknow，itisperfectlycharmingtobecarriedoffbyyouinthismanner。“
　　Mr。Sabinsmiledather，andtherewasalookinhiseyeswhichshonetherefornootherwoman。
　　“Itisineffect，“hesaid，“keepingmeyoung。Eventsseemtohaveenclosedusinacuriouslittlecobweb。Allthetimewearestrugglingbetweentherankestprimitivismandthemostdelicateintrigue。To-dayisthetriumphofprimitivism。“
　　“Meaningthatyou，themedievalknight，havecarriedmeoff，thedistressedmaiden，onyourshoulder。“
　　“Havingconfoundedmyenemy，“hecontinued，smiling，“byanembarrassingsituation，alittleargument，andthedistantviewofapoliceman’shelmet。“
　　“This，“sheremarked，withalittlesatisfiedsighassheselectedanortolan，“isaverysatisfactoryplacetobecarriedoffto。
　　Andyou，“sheadded，leaningacrossthetableandtouchinghisfingersforamomenttenderly，“areaverydelightfulknight-errant。“
　　Heraisedthefingerstohislips-thewaiterhadlefttheroom。
　　Sheblushed，butyieldedherhandreadilyenough。
　　“Victor，“shemurmured，“youwouldspoilthemostfaithlesswomanonearthforallherlovers。Youmakemeveryimpatient。“
　　“Impatience，then，“hedeclared，“mustbethemostinfectiousoffevers。ForItooamaterriblesufferer。“
　　“IfonlythePrince，“shesaid，“wouldbereasonable。“
　　“Iamafraid，“Mr。Sabinanswered，“thatfromhimwehavenotmuchtohopefor。“
　　“Yet，“shecontinued，“Ihavefulfilledalltheconditions。ReginaldBrottremainstheenemyofourcauseandOrder。Yetsomesaythathisinfluenceuponthepeopleislessened。Inanycase，myworkisover。Hebegantomistrustmelongago。To-dayIbelievethatmistrustistheonlyfeelinghehasinconnectionwithme。Ishalldemandmyrelease。“
　　“Iamafraid，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“thatSaxeLeinitzerhasotherreasonsforkeepingyouatDorsetHouse。“
　　Sheshruggedhershoulders。
　　“HehasbeenverypersistentevenbeforeIleftVienna。Buthemustknowthatitishopeless。Ihaveneverencouragedhim。“
　　“Iamsureofit，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Itistheincorrigiblevanityofthemanwhichwillnotbedenied。Hehasbeentaughttobelievehimselfirresistible。Ihaveneverdoubtedyouforasinglemoment，Lucille。Icouldnot。Butyouhavebeentheslaveofthesepeoplelongenough。Asyousay，yourtaskisover。Itsfailurewasalwayscertain。Brottbelievesinhisdestiny，anditwillbenoslightthingwhichwillkeephimfromfollowingit。Theymustgiveyoubacktome。“
　　“WewillgobacktoAmerica，“shesaid。“IhaveneverbeensohappyasatLenox。“
　　“NorI，“Mr。Sahinsaidsoftly。
　　“Besides，“shecontinued，“thetimeshavechangedsinceIjoinedtheSociety。InHungaryyouknowhowthingswere。TheSocialistswerecarryingallbeforethem，aunitedsolidbody。Thearistocracywereforcedtoenterintosomesortofcombinationagainstthem。
　　WesavedAustria，IamnotsurethatwedidnotsaveRussia。ButEnglandisdifferent。Thearistocracyhereareastrongresidentclass。TheyhavetheirHouseofLords，theyowntheland，andwillownitformanyyearstocome，theirpositionisunassailable。ItistheworstcountryinEuropeforustoworkin。Theveryclimateandthedispositionsofthepeopleareinimicaltointrigue。ItisMurielCareywhobroughttheSocietyhere。Itwasamistake。Thecountryisinnoneedofit。Thereisnoscopeforit。“
　　“IfonlyonecouldgetbeyondSaxeLeinitzer，“Mr。Sabinsaid。
　　Sheshookherhead。
　　“Behindhim，“shesaid，“thereisonlytheonetowhomallreferenceisforbidden。Andthereisnomanintheworldwhowouldbelesslikelytolistentoanappealfromyou-orfromme。“
　　“Afterall，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“thoughSaxeLeinitzerisourenemy，Iamnotsurethathecandousanyharm。Ifhedeclinestoreleaseyou-well，whenthetwelvemonthsareupyouarefreewhetherhewishesitornot。Hehasputmeoutsidethepale。Butthisisnot，orneverwas，avindictiveSociety。Theydonotdealinassassinations。Inthiscountryatleastanythingofthe，sortisrarelyattempted。IfIwereayoungmanwithmylifetoliveinthecapitalsofEuropeIshouldbemoreorlessasocialoutcast，I
　　suppose。ButIamproofagainstthatsortofthing。“
　　Lucillelookedalittledoubtful。
　　“ThePrince，“shesaid，“isanintrigueroftheoldschool。IknowthatinViennahehasmorethanoncemadeuseofmoreviolentmeansthanhewoulddaretodohere。Andthereisanunderneathmachineryveryseldomused，Ibelieve，andofwhichnoneofuswhoareordinarymembersknowanythingatall，whichgiveshimterriblepowers。“
　　Mr。Sabinnoddedgrimly。
　　“ItwasworkedagainstmeinAmerica，“hesaid，“butIgotthebestofit。HereinEnglandIdonotbelievethathewoulddaretouseit。Ifso，IthinkthatbeforenowitwouldhavebeenaimedatBrott。IhavejustreadhisGlasgowspeech。IfhebecomesPremieritwillleadtosomethinglikearevolution。“
　　Shesighed。
　　“Brottisacleverman，andastrongman，“shesaid。“Iamsorryforhim，butIdonotbelievethathewillneverbecomePrimeMinisterofEngland。“
　　Mr。Sabinsippedhiswinethoughtfully。
　　“Ibelieve，“hesaid，“thatintrigueistheresourceofthosewhohavelivedtheirlivessoquicklythattheyhavefoundweariness。
　　Forthesethingsto-dayinterestmeverylittle。Iamonlyanxioustohaveyoubackagain，Lucille，tofindourselvesonourwaytoouroldhome。“
　　Shelaughedsoftly。
　　“AndIusedtothink，“shesaid，“thatafterallIcouldonlykeepyoualittletime-thatpresentlythevoicesfromtheoutsideworldwouldcomewhisperinginyourears，andyouwouldstealbackagaintowherethewheelsoflifewereturning。“
　　“Aman，“heanswered，“isnoteasilywhisperedoutofParadise。“
　　Shelaughedathim。
　　“Ah，itissoeasy，“shesaid，“toknowthatyouryouthwasspentatacourt。“
　　“Thereisonlyonecourt，“heanswered，“wheremenlearntospeakthetruth。“
　　Sheleanedbackinherchair。
　　“Oh，youareincorrigible，“shesaidsoftly。“TheoneroleinlifeinwhichIfanciedyouillateaseyouseemtofilltoperfection。“
　　“Andthat？“
　　“Youareanadorablehusband！“
　　“Ishouldlike，“hesaid，“abetteropportunitytoproveit！“
　　“Letushope，“shemurmured，“thatourseparationisnearlyover。
　　IshallappealtothePrinceto-night。MyremainingatDorsetHouseisnolongernecessary。“
　　“Ishallcome，“hesaid，“anddemandyouinperson。“
　　Sheshookherhead。
　　“No！Theywouldnotletyouin，anditwouldmakeitmoredifficult。Bepatientalittlelonger。“
　　Hecameandsatbyherside。Sheleanedovertomeethisembrace。
　　“Youmakepatience，“hemurmured，“atorture！“