“AndwhatofReginaldBrott？“sheasked。
　　“Brott？“thePrincerepeatedimpatiently。“Whocareswhatbecomesofhim？Youhavemadehimseemafool，but，Lucille，totellyouthetruth，Iamsorrythatwedidnotleavethiscountryaltogetheralone。Thereisnotthesoilforintriguehere，orthepossibility。
　　Then，too，thepoliceserviceistoostolid，tooinaccessible。Andevenourfriends，forwhoseaidwearehere-well，youheardtheDuke。Thecast-ironSaxonidiocyoftheman。Thearistocracyherearewhattheycallbucolic。Itistheirownfault。TheyhaveintermarriedwithparvenusandAmericansforgenerations。Theyarearacebythemselves。Weothersmayshakeourselvesfreefromthem。
　　Iwouldworkinanycountryoftheglobeforthegoodofourcause，butneveragaininEngland。“
　　Lucilleshiveredalittle。
　　“Iamnotinthehumourforargument，“shedeclared。“Ifyouwouldearnmygratitudetakethatnotetomyhusband。HeistheonlymanIfeelsureof-whomIknowcanprotectme。“
　　ThePrincebowedlow。
　　“Itisourfarewell，Countess，“hesaid。
　　“Icannotpretend，“sheanswered，“toregretit。“
　　SaxeLeinitzerlefttheroom。Therewasapeculiarsmileuponhislipsashecrossedthehall。Brottwasstillawaitingforhim。
　　“Mr。Brott，“hesaid，“theCountessis，asIfeared，tooagitatedtoseeyouagainforthepresent，oranyoneelse。Shesendsyou，however，thismessage。“
　　Hetookthefoldedpaperfromhiswaistcoatpocketandhandedittotheotherman。Brottreaditthrougheagerly。Hiseyesshone。
　　“Sheacceptsthesituation，then？“heexclaimed。
　　“Precisely！Willyoupardonme，myfriend，ifIventureupononeotherword。Lucilleisnotanordinarywoman。Sheisnotintheleastlikethemajorityofhersex，especially，Imightadd，amongstus。Thefactthatherhusbandwaslivingwouldseriouslyinfluenceherconsiderationofanyotherman-asherlover。Thepresentcrisis，however，haschangedeverything。Idonotthinkthatyouwillhavecausetocomplainofherlackofgratitude。“
　　Brottwalkedoutintothestreetswiththehalfsheetofnote-papertwistedupbetweenhisfingers。Forthefirsttimeformonthshewasconsciousofadistinctandvividsenseofhappiness。Theterribleperiodofindecisionwaspast。Heknewnowwherehestood。
　　NorwashisimmediatedeparturefromEnglandaltogetherunpleasanttohim。Hispoliticalcareerwasshattered-friendsandenemieswerealikecoldtohim。Suchanactofcowardiceashis，suchpitifulshrinkingbackatthelastfatefulmoment，wasinexplicableandrevolting。EvenLetheringhamwasbarelycivil。ItwascertainthathisplaceintheCabinetwouldbeintolerable。Heyearnedforescapefromitall，andthemeansofescapewerenowathand。Inafteryearsheknewverywellthattheshadowofhisbrokentrust，thetortureofhismisusedopportunities，wouldstandforeverbetweenhimandthelight。Butatthatmomenthewasabletoclearhismindofallsuchdisquietingthoughts。HehadwonLucille-nevermindatwhatcost，atwhatperil！HehadwonLucille！
　　Hewasdeeplyengrossed，andhisnamewasspokentwiceinhisearbeforeheturnedround。Asmall，somewhatshabby-lookingman，withtiredeyesandmorethanaday’sgrowthofbearduponhischin，hadaccostedhim。
　　“Mr。Brott，sir。Awordwithyou，please。“
　　Brottheldouthishand。Neverthelesshistonewhenhespokelackedheartiness。
　　“You，Hedley！Why，whatbringsyoutoLondon？“
　　Thelittlemandidnotseemtoseethehand。Atanyratehemadenomotiontotakeit。
　　“Afewminutes’chatwithMr。Brott。That’swhatI’vecomefor。“
　　Brottraisedhiseyebrows，andnoddedinsomewhatconstrainedfashion。
　　“Well，“hesaid，“Iamonmywaytomyrooms。Wecantalkaswego，ifyoulike。Iamafraidthegoodpeopleupinyourpartoftheworldarenottoowellpleasedwithme。“
　　Thelittlemansmiledratherqueerly。
　　“Thatisquitetrue，“heansweredcalmly。“Theyhatealiarandaturn-coat。SodoI！“
　　Brottstoppedshortuponthepavement。
　　“Ifyouaregoingtotalklikethattome，Hedley，“hesaid，“thelessyouhavetosaythebetter。“
　　Themannodded。
　　“Verywell，“hesaid。“WhatIhavetosaywon’ttakemeverylong。
　　ButasI’vetrampedmostofthewayupheretosayit，you’llhavetolistenhereorsomewhereelse。Ithoughtyouwerealwaysonewholikedthetruth。“
　　“SoIdo！“Brottanswered。“Goon！“
　　Themanshuffledalongbyhisside。Theywereanodd-lookingpair，forBrottwasratheracarefulmanasregardshistoilet，andhiscompanionlookedlittlebetterthanatramp。
　　“Allmylife，“hecontinued，“I’vebeencalled’MadHedley，’or’Hedley，themadtailor。’Sometimesoneandsometimestheother。
　　Itdon’tmatterwhich。There’struthin，it。Iamabitmad。You，Mr。Brott，wereoneofthosewhounderstoodmealittle。Ihavebroodedagooddealperhaps，andthingshavegotmuddledupinmybrain。Youknowwhathasbeenatthebottomofitall。
　　“IbeganmakingspeecheswhenIwasaboy。Peoplelaughedatme，butI’vesetmanyaonea-thinking。I’mnoanarchist，althoughpeoplecallmeone。I’lladmitthatIadmirethemenwhosettheFrenchRevolutiongoing。IfsuchathinghappenedinthiscountryI’dbeoneofthefirsttojoinin。ButI’veneverhadatasteforbloodshed。I’dratherthethinghadbeendonewithout。Fromthefirstyouseemedtobethemanwhomighthavebroughtitabout。
　　Welistenedtoyou，wewatchedyourcareer，andwebegantohavehopes。Mr。Brott，thebodiesandsoulsofmillionsofyourfellow-creatureswereinthehollowofyourhand。Itwasyouwhomighthavesetthemfree。Itwasyouwhomighthavemadethisthegreatest，thefreest，thehappiestcountryintheworld。Notsomuchforusperhapsasforourchildren，andourchildren’schildren。
　　Wedidn’texpectahugesocialupheavalinaweek，orevenadecadeofyears。Butwedidexpecttoseethefirstblowstruck。Oh，yes，weexpectedthat。“
　　“Ihavedisappointedyou，Iknow，youandmanyothers，“Brottsaidbitterly。“IwishIcouldexplain。ButIcan’t！“
　　“Oh，itdoesn’tmatter，“themananswered。“Youhavebrokentheheartsofthousandsofsufferingmenandwomen-youwhomighthaveledthemintothelight，haveforgedanotherboltinthebarswhichstandbetweenthemandliberty。Sotheymustliveoninthedarkness，dull，dumbcreatureswithjustspiritenoughtospitandcurseatthesoundofyourname。ItwasthegreatesttrustGodeverplacedinoneman’shand-andyou-youabusedit。Theywereafraidofyou-thearistocrats，andtheyboughtyou。Oh，wearenotblindupthere-therearenewspapersinourpublichouses，andnowandthenonecanaffordahalf-penny。Wehavereadofyouattheirpartiesandtheirdances。Quiteoneofthemyouhavebecome，haven’tyou？But，Mr。Brott，haveyouneverbeenafraid？Haveyouneversaidtoyourself，thereisjusticeintheearth？Supposeitfindsmeout？“
　　“Hedley，youaretalkingrubbish，“J3rottsaid。“Uphereyouwouldseethingswithdifferenteyes。Letheringhamispledged。“
　　“Ifanymaneverearnedhell，“Hedleycontinued，“itisyou，Brott，youwhocametousadeliverer，andturnedouttobealyingprophet。
　　’Hell，’herepeatedfiercely，“andmayyoufinditswiftly。“
　　Theman’srighthandcameoutofhislongpocket。TheywereinthethickofPiccadilly，buthisactionwastooswiftforanyinterference。Fourreportsrangsuddenlyout，andthemuzzleoftherevolverwashelddeliberatelywithinaninchorsoofBrett’sheart。AndbeforeeventhenearestofthebystanderscouldrealisewhathadhappenedBrottlayacrossthepavementadeadman，andHedleywascalmlyhandingovertherevolvertoapolicemanwhohadsprangacrossthestreet。
　　“Becareful，officer，“hesaid，“therearestilltwochambersloaded。
　　Iwillcomewithyouquitequietly。ThatisMr。ReginaldBrott，theCabinetMinister，andIhavekilledhim。“
　　Foronce，“LadyCareysaid，withafaintsmile，“your’admirableCrichton’hasfailedyou。“
　　Lucilleopenedhereyes。Shehadbeenleaningbackamongsttherailwaycushions。
　　“Ithinknot，“shesaid。“OnlyIblamemyselfthatIevertrustedthePrinceevensofarastogivehimthatmessage。ForIknowverywellthatifVictorhadreceivedithewouldhavebeenhere。“
　　LadyCareytookupagreatpileofpapersandlookedthemcarelesslythrough。
　　“Iamafraid，“shesaid，“thatIdonotagreewithyou。IdonotthinkthatSaxeLeinitzerhadanydesireexcepttoseeyousafelyaway。Ibelievethathewillbequiteasdisappointedasyouarethatyourhusbandisnotheretoaidyou。SomeonemustseeyousafelyonthesteameratHavre。Perhapshewillcomehimself。“
　　“IshallwaitinParis，“Lucillesaidquietly，“formyhusband。“
　　“Youmaywait，“LadyCareysaid，“foraverylongtime。“
　　Lucillelookedathersteadily。“Whatdoyoumean？“
　　“Whatafoolyouare，Lucille。Iftootherpeopleitseemsalmostcertainonthefaceofitthatyouwereresponsibleforthatdropofpoisoninyourhusband’sliqueurglass，whyshoulditnotseemsotohimself？“
　　Lucillelaughed，buttherewasalookofhorrorinherdarkeyes。
　　“Howabsurd。IknowVictorbetterthantobelievehimcapableofsuchasuspicion。Justasheknowsmebetterthantobelievemecapableofsuchanact。“
　　“Really。Butyouwereinhisroomssecretlyjustbefore。“
　　“Iwenttoleavesomerosesforhim，“Lucilleanswered。“Andifyouwouldliketoknowit，Iwilltellyouthis。Ileftmycardtiedtothemwithamessageforhim。“
　　LadyCareyyawned。
　　“Aremarkablyfoolishthingtodo，“shesaid。“Thatmaycauseyoutroublelateron。Greatheavens，whatisthis？“
　　Sheheldtheeveningpaperopeninherhand。Lucilleleanedoverwithblanchedface。
　　“Whathashappened？“shecried。“Tellme，can’tyou！“
　　“ReginaldBrotthasbeenshotinPiccadilly，“LadyCareysaid。
　　“Ishehurt？“Lucilleasked。
　　“Heisdead！“
　　Theyreadthebriefannouncementtogether。Thedeedhadbeencommittedbyamanwhosereputationforsanityhadlongbeenquestioned，oneofBrott’sownconstituents。Hewasincustody，andfreelyadmittedhisguilt。Thetwowomenlookedatoneanotherinhorror。EvenLadyCareywasaffected。
　　“Whatahatefulthing，“shesaid。“Iamgladthatwehadnohandinit。“
　　“Areyousosurethatwehadn’t？“Lucilleaskedbitterly。“Youseewhatitsays。Themankilledhimbecauseofhispoliticalapostasy。
　　Wehadsomethingtodowiththatatleast。“
　　LadyCareywasrecoveringhersangfroid。
　　“Oh，well，“shesaid，“indirectinfluencesscarcelycount，oronemighttracethecausesofeverythingwhichhappensbacktoanabsurdextent。IfthismanwasmadhemightjustaswellhaveshotBrottforanything。“
　　Lucillemadenoanswer。Sheleanedbackandclosedhereyes。ShedidnotspeakagaintilltheyreachedDover。
　　Theyembarkedinthedrizzlingrain。LadyCareydrewalittlebreathofreliefastheyreachedtheircabin，andfelttheboatmovebeneaththem。
　　“Thankgoodnessthatwearereallyoff。Ihavebeenhorriblynervousallthetime。IftheyletyouleaveEnglandtheycanhavenosuspicionasyet。“
　　Lucillewasputtingonanulsterandcaptogooutondeck。
　　“Iamnotatallsure，“shesaid，“thatIshallnotreturntoEngland。Atanyrate，ifVictordoesnotcometomeinParisI
　　shallgotohim。“
　　“Whatbeautifultrust！“LadyCareyanswered。“MydearLucille，youaremorelikeaschool-girlthanawomanoftheworld。“
　　AstewardenteredwithatelegramforLucille。ItwasbandedinattheHaymarket，anhourbeforetheirdeparture。Lucillereadit，andherfaceblanched。“Ithankyouforyourinvitation，butIfearthatitwouldnotbegoodformyhealth-S。“
　　LadyCareylookedoverhershoulder。Shelaughedhardly。
　　“Howbrutal！“shemurmured。“But，then，Victorcanbebrutalsometimes，can’the？“