ThePrincetouchedBrottonthearm。
　　“Willyoucomeroundtotheclub，andtakeahandatbridge？“hesaid。
　　Brottlaughedshortly。
　　“Iimagine，“hesaid，“thatIshouldbeanembarrassingguesttoyoujustnowat，saytheMallborough，orevenattheSt。James。
　　Ibelievethearistocracyarelookingforwardtothepossibilityofmycomingintopowerwithsomethingliketerror。“
　　“Iamnotthoroughlyversed；inthepoliticsofthiscountry，“thePrincesaid，“butIhavealwaysunderstoodthatyourviewswereverymuchadvanced。Dorsetsolemnlybelievesthatyouarepledgedtoexterminatethelargelandedproprietors，andIdonotthinkhewouldbesurprisedtohearthatyouhadaguillotineupyoursleeve。“
　　ThetwomenwerestrollingalongPallMall。ThePrincehadlitalargecigar，andwasapparentlyonthebestoftermswithhimselfandtheworldingeneral。Brott，onthecontrary，wasmostunlikehimself，preoccupied，andapparentlyillatease。
　　“TheDukeandhisclassare，ofcourse，mynaturalopponents，“Brottsaidshortly。“Bythebye，Prince，“headded，suddenlyturningtowardshim，andwithacompletechangeoftone，“itiswithinyourpowertodomeafavour。“
　　“Youhaveonlytocommand，“thePrinceassuredhimgood-naturedly。
　　“Myroomsareclosehere，“Brottcontinued。“Willyouaccompanymethere，andgrantmethefavourofafewminutes’conversation？“
　　“Assuredly！“thePrinceanswered，flickingtheendoffhiscigar。
　　“Itwillbeapleasure。“
　　Theywalkedontowardstheirdestinationinsilence。Brott’ssecretarywasinthelibrarywithahugepileoflettersandtelegramsbeforehim。HewelcomedBrottwithrelief。
　　“WehavebeensendingalloverLondonforyou，sir，“hesaid。
　　Brottnodded。
　　“Iambetteroutofthewayforthepresent，“heanswered。“Denymetoeverybodyforanhour，especiallyLetheringham。Thereisnothinghere，Isuppose，whichcannotwaitsolongasthat？“
　　Thesecretarylookedalittledoubtful。
　　“Ithinknot，sir，“hedecided。
　　“Verygood。Goandgetsomethingtoeat。Youlookfagged。AndtellHysontobringupsomeliqueurs，willyou！Ishallbeengagedforashorttime。“
　　Thesecretarywithdrew。Aservantappearedwithalittletrayofliqueurs，andinobediencetoanimpatientgesturefromhismaster，leftthemuponthetable。Brottclosedthedoorfirmly。
　　“Prince，“hesaid，resuminghisseat，“IwishedtospeakwithyouconcerningtheCountess。“
　　SaxeLeinitzernodded。
　　“Allright，“hesaid。“Iamlistening！“
　　“Iunderstand，“Brottcontinued，“thatyouareoneofheroldestfriends，andalsooneofthetrusteesofherestates。Ipresumethatyoustandtoherthereforetosomeextentinthepositionofanadviser？“
　　“Itisperfectlytrue，“thePrinceadmitted。
　　“I，too，amanoldfriend，asshehasdoubtlesstoldyou，“Brottsaid。“AllmylifeshehasbeentheonewomanwhomIhavedesiredtocallmywife。Thatdesirehasneverbeensostrongasatthepresentmoment。“
　　ThePrinceremovedhiscigarfromhismouthandlookedgrave。
　　“But，mydearBrott，“hesaid，“haveyouconsideredtheenormousgulfbetweenyour-views？TheCountessownsgreathereditaryestates，shecomesfromafamilywhichisalmostRoyal，sheherselfisanaristocrattothebackbone。Itisaclassagainstwhichyouhavedeclaredwar。Howcanyoupossiblycometogetheroncommonground？“
　　Brottwassilentforamoment。LookingathimsteadilythePrincewassurprisedatthechangeintheman’sappearance。Hischeeksseemedblanchedandhisskindrawn。Hehadlostflesh，hiseyeswerehollow，andhefrequentlybetrayedinsmallmannerismsanervousnesswhollynewandunfamiliartohim。
　　“Youspeakasamanofsense，Prince，“hesaidafterawhile。“Youareabsolutelycorrect。Thismatterhascausedmeagreatdealofanxiousthought。Tofalteratthismomentistolose，politically，allthatIhaveworkedforallmylife。Itistolosetheconfidenceofthepeoplewhohavetrustedme。Itisabetrayal，thethoughtofwhichisaconstantshametome。But，ontheotherhand，Lucilleisthedearestthingtomeinlife。“
　　ThePrince’sexpressionwaswhollysympathetic。Thederisionwhichlurkedbehindhekeptwhollyconcealed。Astrongmansoabjectlyinthetoils，andhetobechosenforhisconfidant！Itwasmelodramawithadashofhumour。
　　“IfIamtohelpyou，“thePrincesaid，“Imustknoweverything。
　　HaveyoumadeanyproposalstoLucille？Inplainwords，howmuchofyourpoliticalfutureareyoudisposedtosacrifice？“
　　“All！“Brottsaidhoarsely。“Allforacertaintyofher。Notonejotwithout。“
　　“Andshe？“
　　Brottsprangtohisfeet，whiteandnervous。
　　“ItiswhereIamatfault，“heexclaimed。“ItiswhyIhaveaskedforyouradvice，yourhelpperhaps。IdonotfinditeasytounderstandLucille。PerhapsitisbecauseIamnotwellversedinthewaysofhersex。Ifindherelusive。Shewillgivemenopromise。BeforeIwenttoGlasgowItalkedwithher。Ifshewouldhavemarriedmethenmypoliticalcareerwasover-thrownononesidelikeanoldgarment。Butshewouldgivemenopromise。
　　IneverythingsavethespokenwordsIcraveshehaspromisedmeherlove。Againtherecomesaclimax。InafewhoursImustmakemyfinalchoice。ImustdeclinetojoinLetheringham，inwhichcasetheKingmustsendforme，oracceptofficewithhim，andthrowawaytheonegreatchanceofthisgeneration。Letheringham’sCabinet，ofcourse，wouldbeamoderateLiberalone，aparagonofmilkandwaterineffectiveness。IfIgoinalonewemakehistory。Themomentofissuehascome。And，Prince，althoughIhavepleadedwithalltheforceandalltheearnestnessIknow，Lucilleremainselusive。IfIchooseforherside-shepromisesme-reward。Butitisvaguetome。Idon’t，Ican’tunderstand！Iwantherformywife，Iwantherfortherestofmylife-nothingelse。Tellme，isthereanybarriertothis？TherearenocomplicationsinherlifewhichIdonotknowof？Iwantyourassurance。Iwantherpromise。Youunderstandme？“
　　“Yes，Iunderstandyou，“thePrincesaidgravely。“Iunderstandmorethanyoudo。IunderstandLucille’sposition。“
　　Brottleanedforwardwithbrighteyes。
　　“Ah！“
　　“Lucille，theCountessofRadantz，isatthepresentmomentamarriedwoman。“
　　Brottwasspeechless。Hisfacewaslikeacarvedstoneimage，fromwhichthelifehadwhollygone。
　　“Herhusband-innameonly，letmetellyou，istheMr。Sabinwithwhomwehadsupperthisevening。“
　　“GreatGod！“
　　“Theirmarriagehadstrangefeaturesinitwhicharenotmyconcern，orevenyours，“thePrincesaiddeliberately。“Thetruthis，thattheyhavenotlivedtogetherforyears，theyneverwillagain，fortheirdivorceproceedingswouldlongagohavebeenconcludedbutforthecomplicationsarisingfromthedifferencebetweentheHungarianandtheAmericanlaws。Here，withoutdoubt，isthereasonwhytheCountesshashesitatedtopledgeherworddirectly。“
　　“Itiswonderful，“Brottsaidslowly。“Butitexplainseverything。“
　　Therewasaloudknockatthedoor。Thesecretaryappeareduponthethreshold。Behindhimwasatall，slimyoungmanintravelingcostume。
　　“TheKing’smessenger！“Brottexclaimed，risingtohisfeet。
　　ThePrincepresentedhimselfwithalowbow。Lucillehadacopyofthemorningpaperinherhand。
　　“Icongratulateyou，Countess，“hesaid。“Youprogressadmirably。
　　Itisagreatstepgained。“
　　Lucille，whowaslookingpaleandnervous，regardedhimwithanxiety。
　　“Astep！Butitiseverything。Iftheserumoursaretrue，herefusestheattempttoformaCabinet。HetakesasubordinatepositionunderLetheringham。Everypaperthismorningsaysthatifthisissohispoliticalcareerisover。Itistrue，isitnot？“
　　“Itisagreatgain，“thePrincesaidslowly。
　　“Butitiseverything，“Lucilledeclared，witharisingnoteofpassioninhertone。“Itwasmytask。Itisaccomplished。I
　　demandmyrelease。“
　　ThePrincewassilentforamoment。
　　“Youareinagreathurry，Lucille，“hesaid。
　　“WhatifIam！“sherepliedfiercely。“Doyousupposethatthislifeofliesanddeceitispleasanttome？Doyousupposethatitisapleasanttasktolureabravemanontohisruin？“
　　ThePrinceraisedhiseyebrows。
　　“Come，“hesaid，“youcanhavenosympathywithReginaldBrott，theswornenemyofourclass，aSocialist，ademagoguewhowouldparceloutourlandsinallotments，amanwhohaspledgedhimselftonothingmorenorlessthanarevolution。“
　　“Theman’sviewsarehatefulenough，“sheanswered，“butheisinearnest，andhowevermisguidedhemaybethereissomethingnobleinhisunselfishness，inhis，steadyfixednessofpurpose。“
　　ThePrince’sfaceindicatedhiscontempt。
　　“Suchmen，“hedeclared，“areonlyfittobecrushedlikeverminunderfoot。InanyothercountrysaveEnglandweshouldhavedealtwithhimdifferently。“
　　“Thisisallbesidethequestion，“shedeclared，“MytaskwastopreventhisbecomingPrimeMinister，andIhavesucceeded。“
　　ThePrincegaveventtoalittlegestureofdissent。“Yourtask，“
　　hesaid，“wentalittlefartherthanthat。Werequirehispoliticalruin。“
　　Shepointedtothepileofnewspapersuponthetable。
　　“Readwhattheysay！“sheexclaimed。“Thereisnotonewhodoesnotusethatpreciseterm。Hehasmissedhisopportunity。Thepeoplewillnevertrusthimagain。“
　　“That，atanyrate，isnotcertain，“thePrincesaid。“Youmustrememberthatbeforelonghewillrealisethathehasbeenyourtool。Whatthen？Hewillbecomemorerabidthanever，morealsotobefeared。No，Lucille，yourtaskisnotyetover。Hemustbeinvolvedinanopenandpublicscandal，andwithyou。“
　　Shewaswhitealmosttothelipswithpassion。
　　“Youexpectagreatdeal！“sheexclaimed。“Youexpectmetoruinmylife，then，togivemyhonouraswellasthesewearymonths，thisconstanthumiliation。“
　　“Youarepleasedtobemelodramatic，“hesaidcoldly。“Itisquitepossibletoinvolvehimwithoutactuallygoingtoextremes。“
　　“Andwhatofmyhusband？“sheasked。
　　’ThePrincelaughedunpleasantly。
　　“Ifyouhavenottaughthimcomplaisance，“hesaid，“itispossible，ofcourse，thatMr。Sabinmightbeunkind。Butwhatofit？Youareyourownmistress。Youareawomanoftheworld。Withouthimthereisaninfinitelygreaterfuturebeforeyouthanashiswifeyoucouldeverenjoy。“
　　“Youarepleased，“shesaid，“tobeenigmatic。“
　　ThePrincelookedhardather。Herfacewaswhiteandset。Hesighed。
　　“Lucille，“hesaid，“Ihavebeenverypatientformanyyears。Yetyouknowverywellmysecret，andinyourheartyouknowverywellthatIamoneofthosewhogenerallywinthethinguponwhichtheyhavesettheirhearts。Ihavealwayslovedyou，Lucille，butnevermorethannow。Fidelityisadmirable，butsurelyyouhavedoneyourduty。Heisanoldman，andamanwhohasfailedinthegreatthingsoflife。I，ontheotherhand，canofferyouagreatfuture。
　　SaxeLeinitzer，asyouknow，isakingdomofitsown，and，Lucille，IstandwellwiththeEmperor。TheSocialistpartyinBerlinarestrongandincreasing。Heneedsus。Whocansaywhathonoursmaynotbeinstoreforus？ForI，too，amoftheRoyalHouse，Lucille。
　　Iamhiskinsman。Heneverforgetsthat。Come，throwasidethisrestlessness。IwilltellyouhowtodealwithBrott，andthepublicity，afterall，willbenothing。Wewillgoabroaddirectlyafterwards。“
　　“Haveyoufinished？“sheasked。
　　“Youwillbereasonable！“hebegged。