“Perhapsnot，“headmitted。“Butyoumustrememberthatsuspicionisofitselfagrievousembarrassment。Nomanlikestofeelthatheisbeingsuspectedofmurder。Bythebye，isitknownwhomtheunfortunatepersonwas？“
　　“TheservantofaFrenchnoblemanwhoisstayinginthehotel，“Mr。
　　Brottremarked。“Iheardasmuchasthat。“
　　Mr。Sabinsmiled。LadyCareyglancedathimmeaningly。
　　“YouhaveworriedthePrincequitesufficiently，“shewhispered。
　　“Changethesubject。“
　　Mr。Sabinbowed。
　　“Youareveryconsiderate-tothePrince，“hesaid。
　　“Itisperhapsforyoursake，“sheanswered。“AndasforthePrince-well，youknow，oryoushouldknow，forhowmuchhecountswithme。“
　　Mr。Sabinglancedathercuriously。Shewasalittleflushedasthoughwithsomeinwardexcitement。Hereyeswerebrightandsoft。
　　Despiteacertainangularityoffigureandherhollowcheeksshewascertainlyoneofthemostdistinguished-lookingwomenintheroom。
　　“Youaresodense，“shewhisperedinhisear，“wilfullydense，perhaps。YouwillnotunderstandthatIwishtobeyourfriend。“
　　Hesmiledwithgentledeprecation。
　　“Doyoublameme，“hemurmured，“ifIseemincredulous？ForIamanoldman，andyouarespokenofalwaysasthefriendofmyenemy，thefriendofthePrince。“
　　“Iwonder，“shesaidthoughtfully，“ifthisisreallythesecretofyourmistrust？DoyouindeedfearthatIhavenootherinterestinlifesavetoserveSaxeLeinitzer？“
　　“Astothat，“heanswered，“Icannotsay。YetIknowthatonlyafewmonthsagoyouwereactingunderordersfromhim。ItisyouwhobroughtLucillefromAmerica。Itwasthroughyouthatthefirstblowwasstruckatmyhappiness。“
　　“CannotIatone？“shemurmuredunderherbreath。“IfIcanIwill。
　　Andasforthepresent，well，Iamoutsidehisschemesnow。Letusbefriends。Youwouldfindmeaveryvaluableally。“
　　“Letitbeso，“heansweredwithoutemotion。“Youshallhelpme，ifyouwill，toregainLucille。Ipromiseyouthenthatmygratitudeshallnotdisappointyou。“
　　Shebitherlip。
　　“Andareyousure，“shewhispered，“thatLucilleisanxioustobewonback？Shelovesintrigue，excitement，thesenseofbeingconcernedinimportantdoings。Besides-youmusthaveheardwhattheysayabouther-andBrott。Lookathernow。Shewearshergrasswidowhoodlightlyenough。“
　　Mr。Sabinlookedacrossthetable。Lucillehadindeedalltheappearanceofawomanthoroughlyatpeacewiththeworldandherself。
　　Brottwastalkingtoherinsmotheredandeagerundertones。ThePrincewaswaitingforanopportunitytointervene。Mr。SabinlookedintoBrott’swhitestrongface，andwasthoughtful。
　　“Itisagreatpower-thepowerofmysex，“LadyCareycontinued，withafaint，subtlesmile。“AwordfromLucille，andthehistorybookofthefuturemustbedifferentlywritten。“
　　“Shewillnotspeakthatword，“Mr。Sabinsaid。LadyCareyshruggedhershoulders。Thesubtletyofhersmilefadedaway。Herwholefaceexpressedacontemptuousandself-assuredcynicism。
　　“Youknowherverywell，“shemurmured。“YetsheandIarenostrangers。Sheisonewholovestotaste-no，todrink-deeplyofalltheexperiencesoflife。Whyshouldweblameher，youandI？Havewenotthesamedesire？“
　　Mr。Sabinlitacigarette。
　　“Once，perhaps，“heremarked。“YoumustnotforgetthatIamnolongerayoungman。“
　　Sheleanedtowardshim。
　　“Youwilldieyoung，“shemurmured。“Youarenotofthebreedofmenwhogrowold。“
　　“Doyoumeantoturnmyhead？“heaskedher，withahumoroussmile。
　　“Itwouldbeeasier，“sheanswered，“thantotouchyourheart。“
　　ThenLucillelookedacrossatthem-andMr。SabinsuddenlyrememberedthatReginaldBrottknewthembothonlyasstrangers。
　　“Muriel，“shesaid，“youarebehavingdisgracefully。“
　　“Iamdoingmybest，“LadyCareyanswered，“tokeepyouincountenance。“
　　Theeyesofthetwowomenmetforamoment，andthoughthesmileslingeredstillupontheirfacesLadyCareyatanyratewasnotabletowhollyconcealherhatred。Lucilleshruggedhershoulders。
　　“Iamdoingmybest，“shesaid，“toconvertMr。Brott。“
　　“Towhat？“LadyCareyasked。
　　“Toasanepointofviewconcerningtheholinessofthearistocracy，“
　　Lucilleanswered。“IamafraidthoughthatIhavemadeverylittleimpression。InhisheartIbelieveMr。Brottwouldliketoseeusallworkingforourliving，school-teachersanddressmakers，andthatsortofthing，youknow。“
　　Mr。Brottprotested。
　　“Iamnoteven，“hedeclared，“moderatelyadvancedinmyviewsasregardsmattersofyoursex。Totellyouthetruth，Idonotlikewomentoworkatalloutsidetheirhomes。“
　　LadyCareylaughed。
　　“Mydear，“shesaidtoLucille，“youandImayaswellretireindespair。Can’tyouseethesortofwomanMr。Brottadmires？Sheisn’tlikeusabit。Sheisprobablyahealthy，ruddy-cheekedyoungpersonwholivesinthecountry，getsuptobreakfasttopouroutthecoffeeforsomesortofamalerelative，goesroundthegardensnippingoffrosesinbigglovesandahugebasket，interviewsthecook，ordersthedinner，makesfancywaistcoatsforherhusband，andfailingasewingmaid，doesthemendingforthefamily。YouandI，Lucille，arenotlikethat。“
　　“Well，youhavementionednothingwhichIcouldn’tdo，ifitseemedworthwhile，“Lucilleobjected。“Itsoundsveryprimitiveanddelightful。Iamsurewearealltooluxuriousandtoolazy。I
　　thinkweoughttoturnoveranewleaf。“
　　“Foryou，dearLucille，“LadyCareysaidwithsuaveanddeadlysatire，“whatimprovementispossible？Youhaveallthatyoucoulddesire。Itismuchlessfortunatepersons，suchasmyself，towhomUtopiamustseemsuchadelightfulplace。“
　　Afrock-coatedandaltogetherimmaculateyoungmanapproachedtheirtableandaccostedMr。Sabin。
　　“Ibegyourpardon，sir，“hesaid，“butthemanagerwouldbemuchobligedifyouwouldsparehimamomentortwoinhisprivateroomassoonaspossible。“
　　Mr。Sabinnodded。
　　“Inafewminutes，“heanswered。
　　Thelittlepartybrokeupalmostimmediately。Coffeewasorderedinthepalmcourt，wherethebandwasplaying。Mr。SabinandthePrincefellalittlebehindtheothersonthewayoutoftheroom。
　　“Youheardmysummons？“Mr。Sabinasked。
　　“Yes！“
　　“Iamgoingtobecross-examinedasregardsDuson。IamnolongeramemberoftheOrder。Whatistopreventmysettingthemupontherighttrack？“
　　“Thefact，“thePrincesaidcoolly，“thatyouarehopingonedaytorecoverLucille。“
　　“Idoubt，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“whetheryouarestrongenoughtokeepherfromme。“
　　ThePrincesmiled。Allhiswhiteteethwereshowing。
　　“Come，“hesaid，“youknowbetterthan-muchbetterthanthat。
　　Lucillemustwaitherrelease。Youknowthat。“
　　“Iwillbuyit，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“withalietothemanagerhere，orIwilltellthetruthandstilltakeherfromyou。“
　　ThePrincestooduponthetopmoststepofthebalcony。Belowwasthepalmcourt，withmanylittlegroupsofpeopledottedabout。
　　“Mydearfriend，“hesaid，“Dusondiedabsolutelyofhisownfreewill。Youknowthatquitewell。Weshouldhavepreferredthatthematterhadbeenotherwisearranged。Butasitiswearesafe，absolutelysafe。“
　　“Duson’sletter！“Mr。Sabinremarked。
　　“Youwillnotshowit，“thePrinceanswered。“Youcannot。Youhavekeptittoolong。And，afterall，youcannotescapefromthemainfact。Dusoncommittedsuicide。“
　　“Hewasincitedtomurder。Hisletterprovesit。“
　　ThePrinceshruggedhisshoulders。
　　“Bywhom？Ah，howyourstorywouldexciteridicule。Iseemtohearthelaughternow。No，mydearSouspennier，youwouldbargainformewithLucille。Lookbelow。Arewelikelytopartwithherjustyet？“
　　Inacorner，behindagiganticpalm，LucilleandBrottweretalkingtogether。LadyCareyhaddrawnOppermanalittledistanceaway。
　　Brottwastalkingeagerly，hischeeksflushed，hismannerearnest。
　　Mr。Sabinturneduponhisheelandwalkedaway。
　　Mr。Sabin，althoughhehadregisteredatthehotelunderhisaccustomedpseudonym，hadtakennopainstoconcealhisidentity，andwaswellknowntothepeopleinauthorityabouttheplace。Hewasreceivedwithalltherespectduetohisrank。
　　“YourGracewill，Itrust，acceptmymostsincereapologiesfordisturbingyou，“Mr。Hertz，themanager，said，risingandbowingathisentrance。“Wehavehere，however，anemissaryconnectedwiththepolicecometoinquireintothesadincidentofthisafternoon。
　　HeexpressedawishtoaskyourGraceaquestionortwowithaviewtorenderingyourGrace’sattendanceattheinquestunnecessary。“
　　Mr。Sabinnodded。
　　“Iamperfectlywilling，“hesaid，“toansweranyquestionsyoumaychoosetoputtome。“
　　Aplain，hard-featuredlittleman，inalongblackovercoat，andholdingahowlerhatinhishand，bowedrespectfullytoMr。Sabin。
　　“Iammuchobligedtoyou，sir，“hesaid。“MynameisJohnPassmore。
　　Wedonotofcourseappearinthismatterunlessthepost-mortemshouldindicateanythingunusualinthecircumstancesofDuson’sdeath，butitisalwayswelltobeprepared，andIventuredtoaskMr。Hertzheretoprocureformeyouropinionasregardsthedeathofyourservant。“
　　“Youhaveaskedme，“Mr。Sabinsaidgravely，“averydifficultquestion。“
　　Theeyesofthelittledetectiveflashedkeenly。
　　“Youdonotbelievethen，sir，thathediedanaturaldeath？“
　　“Idonot，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
　　Mr。Hertzwasstartled。Thedetectivecontrolledhisfeaturesadmirably。
　　“MayIaskyourreasons，sir？“
　　Mr。Sabinlightlyshruggedhisshoulders。
　　“Ihaveneverknownthemantohaveaday’sillnessinhislife，“
　　hesaid。“Further，sincehisarrivalinEnglandhehasbeenactinginastrangeandfurtivemanner，andIgatheredthathehadsomecauseforfearwhichhewasindisposedtotalkabout。“
　　“This，“thedetectivesaid，“isveryinteresting。“
　　“Doubtless，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“ButbeforeIsayanythingmoreImustclearlyunderstandmyposition。Iamgivingyoupersonallyafewfriendlyhints，intheinterestsofjusticeperhaps，butstillquiteinformally。IamnotinpossessionofanydefinitefactsconcerningDuson，andwhatIsaytoyouhereIamnotpreparedtosayattheinquest，beforewhichIpresumeImayhavetoappearasawitness。There，IshalldonothingmoresaveidentifyDusonandstatethecircumstancesunderwhichIfoundhim。“
　　“Iunderstandthatperfectly，sir，“themananswered。“Thelesssaidattheinquestthebetterintheinterestsofjustice。“
　　Mr。Sabinnodded。
　　“Iamglad，“hesaid，“thatyouappreciatethat。IdonotmindgoingsofarthenastotellyouthatIbelieveDusondiedofpoison。“
　　“Canyougivemeanyidea，“thedetectiveasked，“astothesource？“
　　“None，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“Thatyoumustdiscoverforyourselves。
　　Dusonwasamanofsilentandsecretivehabits，andithasoccurredtomemorethanoncethathemightpossiblybeamemberofoneofthoseforeignsocietieswhohavetheirheadquartersinSoho，andconcerningwhichyouprobablyknowmorethanIdo。“
　　Thedetectivesmiled。Itwasaveryslightflickerofthelips，butitattractedMr。Sabin’skeenattention。
　　“Yoursuggestions，“thedetectivesaid，“aremakingthiscaseaveryinterestingone。Ihavealwaysunderstood，however，thatreprisalsofthisextremenatureareseldomresortedtointhiscountry。
　　Besides，theman’spositionseemsscarcelytoindicatesufficientimportance-perhaps-“
　　“Well？“Mr。Sabininterjected。
　　“InoticethatDusonwasfoundinyoursitting-room。Itoccurstomeasapossibilitythathemayhavemetwithafateintendedforsomeoneelse-foryourself，forinstance，sir！“
　　“ButI，“Mr。Sabinsaidsmoothly，“amamemberofnosecretsociety，noramIconsciousofhavingenemiessufficientlyvenomoustodesiremylife。“
　　Thedetectivesatforamomentwithimmovableface。
　　“We，allofus，knowourfriends，sir，“hesaid。“Therearefewofusproperlyacquaintedwithourenemies。“
　　Mr。Sabinlitacigarette。Hisfingerswerequitesteady，butthismanwasmakinghimthink。