Mr。Sabinwalkedhometohisroomslateintheafternoon，wellcontentonthewholewithhisday。Hewasinnomannerpreparedfortheshockwhichgreetedhimonenteringhissitting-room。
　　Dusonwasleaningbackinhismostcomfortableeasy-chair。
　　“Duson！“Mr。Sabinsaidsharply。“Whatdoesthismean？“
　　Therewasnoanswer。Mr。Sabinmovedquicklyforward，andthenstoppedshort。Hehadseendeadmen，andheknewthesigns。Dusonwasstonedead。
　　Mr。Sabin’snerveansweredtothisdemanduponit。Hecheckedhisfirstimpulsetoringthebell，andlookedcarefullyonthetableforsomenoteormessagefromthedeadman。Hefounditalmostatonce-alargeenvelopeinDuson’shandwriting。Mr。Sabinhastilybrokethesealandread:
　　“Monsieur，-Ikillmyselfbecauseitiseasiestandbest。Thepoisonwasgivenmeforyou，butIhavenotthecouragetobecomeamurderer，orafterwardstoconcealmyguilt。Monsieurhasbeenagoodmastertome，andalsoMadamelaComtessewasalwaysindulgentandkind。ThemistakeofmylifehasbeenthejoiningthelowerorderoftheSociety。ThemoneywhichIhavereceivedhasbeenbutapoorreturnfortheanxietyandtroublewhichhavecomeuponmesinceMadamelaComtesseleftAmerica。NowthatI
　　seekshelterinthegraveIamfreetowarnMonsieurthatthePrinceofS。L。ishisdeterminedandmercilessenemy，andthathehasalreadymadeanunlawfuluseofhispositionintheSocietyforthesakeofprivatevengeance。IfmonsieurwouldmakeapowerfulfriendheshouldseektheLadyMurielCarey。
　　“Monsieurwillbesogoodastodestroythiswhenread。Mywillisinmytrunk。
　　“YourGrace’sfaithfulservant，“JulesDuson。“
　　Mr。Sabinreadthislettercarefullythroughtotheend。Thenheputitintohispocket-bookandquicklyrangthebell。
　　“Youhadbettersendforadoctoratonce，“hesaidtothewaiterwhoappeared。“Myservantappearstohavesufferedfromsomesuddenillness。Iamafraidthatheisquitedead。“
　　Youspoke，mydearLucille，“theDuchessofDorsetsaid，“ofyourdeparture。Isnotthatalittlepremature？“
　　Lucilleshruggedherbeautifulshoulders，andleanedbackinhercornerofthecouchwithhalf-closedeyes。TheDuchess，whowasveryAnglo-Saxon，wasaneasypersontoread，andLucillewasanxioustoknowherfate。
　　“Whypremature？“sheasked。“IwassentfortousemyinfluencewithReginaldBrott。Well，Ididmybest，andIbelievethatfordaysitwasjustachancewhetherIdidnotsucceed。However，asithappened，Ifailed。Oneofhisfriendscameandpulledhimawayjustashewaswavering。Hehasdeclaredhimselfnowonceandforall。AfterhisspeechatGlasgowhecannotdrawback。IwasbroughtallthewayfromAmerica，andIwanttogobacktomyhusband。“
　　TheDuchesspursedherlips。
　　“Whenonehasthehonour，mydear，“shesaid，“ofbelongingtosowonderfulanorganisationasthiswemustnotconsidertoocloselytheselfishclaimsoffamily。IamsurethatyearsagoIshouldhavelaughedatanyonewhohadtoldmethatI，GeorginaCroxton，shouldeverbelongtosuchathingasasecretsociety，eventhoughithadsomeconnectionwithsoharmlessandexcellentanorganisationasthePrimroseLeague。“
　　“Itdoesseemremarkable，“Lucillemurmured。
　　“Butlookwhatterribletimeshavecomeuponus，“theDuchesscontinued，withoutheedingtheinterruption。“WhenIwasagirlaRadicalwasapersonabsolutelywithoutconsideration。Nowallourgreatcitiesarehot-bedsofSocialismand-andanarchism。Thewholecountryseemsbandedtogetheragainstthearistocracyandthelandowners。Combinationamongstusbecameabsolutelynecessaryinsomeshapeorform。WhenthePrincecameandbegantodrophintsaboutthewaythespreadofSocialismhadbeencheckedinHungaryandAustria，andevenGermany，Iwasinterestedfromthefirst。
　　Andwhenhewentfurther，andspokeoftheSociety，itwasIwhopersuadedDorsettojoin。Dearman，heisveryearnest，butveryslow，andveryaversetoanythingatallsecretive。Iamsurethereflectionthatheisamemberofasecretsociety，evenalthoughitissimplyalinkingtogetherofthearistocracyofEuropeintheirowndefence，haskepthimawakeformanyanight。“
　　Lucillewasalittlebored。
　　“TheSociety，“shesaid，“isanadmirableoneenough，butjustnowIambeginningtofeelitalittleexacting。IthinkthatthePrinceexpectsagooddealofone。Ishallcertainlyaskformyreleaseto-night。“
　　TheDuchesslookeddoubtful。
　　“Release！“sherepeated。“Come，isthatnotratheranexaggeratedexpression？ItrustthatyourstayatDorsetHousehasnotinanywaysuggestedanimprisonment。“
　　“Onthecontrary，“Lucilleanswered；“youandtheDukehavebeenmostkind。ButyoumustrememberthatIhavehomeofmyown-andahusbandofmyown。“
　　“Ihavenodoubt，“theDuchesssaid，“thatyouwillbeabletoreturntothemsomeday。Butyoumustnotbeimpatient。IdonotthinkthatthePrincehasgivenupallhopesofReginaldBrottyet。“
　　Lucillewassilent。Soheremancipationwastobepostponed。Afterall，itwaswhatshehadfeared。ShesatwatchingidlytheDuchess’sknittingneedles。LadyCareycamesweepingin，wonderfulinablackvelvetgownandadisplayofjewelsalmostbarbaric。
　　“Onmywaytotheopera，“sheannounced。“TheMaddersonssentmetheirbox。Willanyofyougoodpeoplecome？Whatdoyousay，Lucille？“
　　Lucilleshookherhead。
　　“Mytoiletteisdeficient，“shesaid；，“andbesides，IamstayingathometoseethePrince。Weexpecthimthisevening。“
　　“You’llprobablybedisappointedthen，“LadyCareyremarked，“forhe’sgoingtojoinusattheopera。Runandchangeyourgown。
　　I’llwait。“
　　“AreyousurethatthePrincewillbethere？“Lucilleasked。
　　“Certain。“
　　“ThenIwillcome，“shesaid，“iftheDuchesswillexcuseme。“
　　TheDuchessandLadyCareywereleftaloneforafewminutes。Theformerputdownherknitting。
　　“Whydowekeepthatwomanhere，“sheasked，“nowthatBrotthasbrokenawayfromheraltogether？“
　　LadyCareylaughedmeaningly。
　　“BetteraskthePrince，“sheremarked。
　　TheDuchessfrowned。
　　“MydearMuriel，“shesaid，“Ithinkthatyouarewrongtomakesuchinsinuations。IamsurethatthePrinceistoomuchdevotedtoourcausetoallowanypersonalconsiderationstointervene。“
　　LadyCareyyawned。
　　“Rats！“sheexclaimed。
　　TheDuchesstookupherknitting，andwentonwithitwithoutremark。
　　LadyCareyburstoutlaughing。
　　“Don’tlooksoshocked，“sheexclaimed。“It’sfunny。Ican’thelpbeingabitslangy。Youdotakeeverythingsoseriously。OfcourseyoucanseethatthePrinceiswaitingtomakeafoolofhimselfoverLucille。Hehasbeentryingmoreorlessallhislife。“
　　“Hemayadmireher，“theDuchesssaid。“Iamsurethathewouldnotallowthattoinfluencehiminhispresentposition。Bythebye，sheisanxioustoleaveusnowthattheBrottaffairisover。
　　DoyouthinkthatthePrincewillagree？“
　　LadyCarey’sfacehardened。
　　“Iamsurethathewillnot，“shesaidcoolly。“Therearereasonswhyshemaynotatpresentbeallowedtorejoinherhusband。“
　　TheDuchessusedherneedlesbriskly。
　　“Formypart，“shesaid，“Icanseenoobjectinkeepingherhereanylonger。Mr。Brotthasshownhimselfquitecapableofkeepingheratarm’slength。Icannotseewhatfurtherusesheis。“
　　LadyCareyheardtheflutterofskirtsoutsideandrose。
　　“Therearewheelswithinwheels，“sheremarked。“MydearLucille，whatacharmingtoilette。Weshallhavetheladyjournalistsbesiegingusinourbox。Paquin，ofcourse。Good-night，Duchess。
　　Gladtoseeyou’regettingonwiththesocks，orstockings，doyoucallthem？“
　　Insolentaristocratic，nowandthenattractiveinsomestrangesuggestiveway，LadyCareysatinfrontoftheboxandexchangedgreetingswithherfriends。PresentlythePrincecameinandtookthechairbetweenthetwowomen。LadyCareygreetedhimwithanod。
　　“Here’sLucilledyingtoreturntoherlawfulhusband，“sheremarked。
　　“Oddthing，isn’tit？MostofthemarriedwomenIeverknewaredyingtogetawayfromtheirs。Youcanmakeherhappyormiserableinafewmoments。“
　　ThePrinceleanedoverbetweenthem，buthelookedonlyatLucille。
　　“IwishthatIcould，“hemurmured。“Iwishthatthatwerewithinmypower。“
　　“Itis，“sheansweredcoolly。“Murielisquiteright。Iammostanxioustoreturntomyhusband。“
　　ThePrincesaidnothing。LadyCarey，glancingtowardshimatthatmoment，wassurprisedatcertainsignsofdisquietudeinhisfacewhichstartledher。
　　“Whatisthematterwithyou？“sheaskedalmostroughly。
　　“Matterwithme？Nothing，“heanswered。“Whythisunaccustomedsolicitude？“
　　LadyCareylookedintohisfacefiercely。Hewaspale，andtherewasastrainedlookabouthiseyes。Heseemed，too，tobelistening。
　　>Fromoutsideinthestreetcamefaintlytotheirearsthecryofanewsboy。
　　“Getmeaneveningpaper，“shewhisperedinhisear。
　　Hegotupandleftthebox。Lucillewaswatchingthepeoplebelowandhadnotappreciatedthesignificanceofwhathadbeenpassingbetweenthetwo。LadyCareyleanedbackintheboxwithhalf-closedeyes。Herfingerswereclenchednervouslytogether，herbosomwasrisingandfallingquickly。Ifhehaddaredtodefyher！Whatwasitthenewsboyswerecalling？Whatajargon！WhydidnotSaxeLeinitzerreturn？Perhaps-hewasafraid！Herheartstoodstillforamoment，andalittlehalf-stifledcrybrokefromherlips。
　　Lucillelookedaroundquickly。
　　“Whatisthematter，Muriel？“sheasked。“Areyoufaint？“
　　“Faint，no，“LadyCareyansweredroughly。“I’mquitewell。Don’ttakeanynoticeofme。Doyouhear？Don’tlookatme。“
　　Lucilleobeyed。LadyCareysatquitestillwithherhandpressedtoherside。Itwasastiflingpain。Shewassurethatshehadheardatlast。“SuddendeathofavisitorattheCarltonHotel。“
　　Theplacewasbeginningtogoround。
　　SaxeLeinitzerreturned。Hisfacetoherseemedpositivelyghastly。
　　Hecarriedaneveningpaperinhishand。Shesnatcheditawayfromhim。Itwastherebeforeherinbold，blackletters:
　　“SuddendeathintheCarltonHotel。“
　　Hereyes，dimamomentago，suddenlyblazedfireuponhim。
　　“Itshallbealifeforalife，“shewhispered。“Ifyouhavekilledhimyoushalldie。“
　　Lucillelookedatthembewildered。Andjustthencameasharptapattheboxdoor。Nooneansweredit，butthedoorwassoftlyopened。
　　Mr。Sabinstooduponthethreshold。
　　“Pray，don’tletmedisturbyou，“hesaid。“Iwasunabletorefrainfrompayingyouabriefvisit。Why，Prince，LadyCarey！IcanassureyouthatIamnoghost。“
　　Heglancedfromonetotheotherwithadelicatesmileofmockerypartinghisthinlips。ForuponthePrince’sforeheadtheperspirationstoodoutlikebeads，andheshrankawayfromMr。
　　Sabinasfromsomeunholything。LadyCareyhadfallenbackacrossherchair。Herhandwasstillpressedtoherside，andherfacewasverypale。Anervouslittlelaughbrokefromherlips。
　　Mr。Sabinfoundafourthchair，andcalmlyseatedhimselfbyLucille’sside。ButhiseyeswerefixeduponLadyCarey。Shewasslowlyrecoveringherself，butMr。Sabin，whohadneverproperlyunderstoodherattitudetowardshim，waspuzzledattheairofintensereliefwhichalmostshoneinherface。
　　“Youseem-allofyou，“heremarkedsuavely，“tohavefoundthemusicalittleexciting。Wagnercertainlyknewhowtofindhiswaytotheemotions。OrperhapsIinterruptedaninterestingdiscussion？“
　　Lucillesmiledgentlyuponhim。
　　“Thesetwo，“shesaid，lookingfromthePrincetoLadyCarey，“seemtohavebeenafflictedwithasuddennervousexcitement，andyetIdonotthinkthattheyare，eitherofthem，verysusceptibletomusic。“
　　LadyCareyleanedforward，andlookedathimfrombehindthelargefanofwhitefeatherswhichshewaslazilyflutteringbeforeherface。
　　“Yourentrance，“shemurmured，“wasmostopportune，besidesbeingverywelcome。ThePrinceandIwereliterally-onthepointofflyingatoneanother’sthroats。“
　　Mr。Sabinglancedathisneighbourandsmiled。
　　“Youarecertainlyalittleoutofsorts，SaxeLeinitzer，“heremarked。“Youlookpale，andyourhandsarenotquitesteady。
　　Nerves，Isuppose。YoushouldseeDr。CarsoninBrookStreet。“
　　ThePrinceshruggedhisshoulders。