“IfIrefuse？“sheasked。
　　“Isendforthechiefofthepolice。“
　　“Shelookedhimupanddown，ameasured，mercilesssurvey。Hewasatall，bigman，butheseemedtoshrinkintoinsignificance。
　　“Youareacowardandabully，“shesaidslowly。“YouknowquitewellthatIaminnocentofanyknowledgeevenconcerningDuson’sdeath。ButIwouldsoonermeetmyfate，whateveritmightbe，thansuffereventhetouchofyourfingersuponmyhand。Yourpresenceishatefultome。Sendforyourchiefofthepolice。Stringyourliestogetherasyouwill。Iamsatisfied。“
　　Shelefthimandsweptfromtheroom，aspotofcolourburninginhercheeks，hereyeslitwithfire。Theprideofherracehadasserteditself。Shefeltnolongeranyfear。Sheonlydesiredtoseverherselfatonceandcompletelyfromallassociationwiththisman。Inthehallshesentforhermaid。
　　“Fetchmycloakandjewelcase，Celeste，“sheordered。“IamgoingacrosstotheBristol。Youcanreturnfortheotherluggage。“
　　“But，madam-“
　　“DoasIsayatonce，“Lucilleordered。
　　Thegirlhesitatedandthenobeyed。Lucillefoundherselfsuddenlyaddressedinaquiettonebyamanwhohadbeensittinginaneasy-chair，halfhiddenbyapalmtree。
　　“Willyoufavourme，madam，withamoment’sconversation？“
　　Lucilleturnedround。Sherecognisedatoncethemanwithwhomshehadconverseduponthesteamer。Inthequietestformofeveningdress，therewassomethingnoticeableintheman’sveryinsignificance。Heseemedalittleoutofhiselement。Lucillehadasuddeninspiration，Themanwasadetective。
　　“Whatdoyouwishtosay？“sheasked，halfdoubtfully。
　　“Ioverheard，“heremarked，“yourordertoyourmaid。Shehadsomethingtosaytoyou，butyougavehernoopportunity。“
　　“Andyou？“sheasked，“whatdoyouwishtosay？“
　　“Iwishtoadviseyou，“hesaid，“nottoleavethehotel。“
　　Shelookedathimdoubtfully。
　　“Youcannotunderstand，“shesaid，“whyIwishtoleaveit。I
　　havenoalternative。“
　　“Nevertheless，“hesaid，“Ihopethatyouwillchangeyourmind。“
　　“Areyouadetective？“sheaskedabruptly。
　　“Madamiscorrect！“
　　Theflushofcolourfadedfromhercheeks。
　　“Ipresume，then，“shesaid，“thatIamunderyoursurveillance？“
　　“Inasense，“headmitted，“itistrue。“
　　“Onthesteamer，“sheremarked，“youspokeasthoughyourinterestinmewasnotinimical。“
　　“Norisit，“heansweredpromptly。“Youareinadifficultposition，butyoumayfindthingsnotsobadasyouimagine。Atpresentmyadvicetoyouisthis:Goupstairstoyourroomandstaythere。“
　　Thelittlemanhadacompellingmanner。Lucillemadeherwaytowardstheelevator。
　　“Asamatteroffact，“shemurmuredbitterly，“Iamnot，Isuppose，permittedtoleavethehotel？“
　　“Madamputsthematterbluntly，“heanswered；“butcertainlyifyoushouldinsistuponleaving，itwouldbemydutytofollowyou。“
　　Sheturnedawayfromhimandenteredtheelevator。Thedoorofherroomwasslightlyajar，andshesawthatawaiterwasbusyatasmallroundtable。Shelookedathiminsurprise。Hewasarrangingplacesfortwo。
　　“Whogaveyouyourorders？“sheasked。
　　“Butitwasmonsieur，“themananswered，withalowbow。“Dinnerfortwo。“
　　“Monsieur？“sherepeated。“Whatmonsieur？“
　　“Iamtheculprit，“afamiliarvoiceansweredfromthedepthsofaneasy-chair，whosebackwastoher。“Iwasveryhungry，anditoccurredtomethatunderthecircumstancesyouwouldprobablynothavedinedeither。IhopethatyouwilllikewhatIhaveordered。
　　Theplovers’eggslookdelicious。“
　　Shegavealittlecryofjoy。ItwasMr。Sabin。
　　ThePrincedinedcarefully，butwithlessthanhisusualappetite。
　　Afterwardshelitacigaretteandstrolledforamomentintothelounge。Celeste，whowaswaitingforhim，glidedatoncetohisside。
　　“Monsieur！“shewhispered。“Ihavebeenhereforonehour。“
　　Henodded。
　　“Well？“
　　“MonsieurleDuchasarrived。“
　　ThePrinceturnedsharplyround。
　　“Who？“
　　“MonsieurleDucdeSouspennier。HecallshimselfnolongerMr。
　　Sabin。“
　　Adullflushofangrycolourrosealmosttohistemples。
　　“Whydidyounottellmebefore？“heexclaimed。
　　“Monsieurwasintherestaurant，“sheanswered。“Itwasimpossibleformetodoanythingbutwait。“
　　“Whereishe？“
　　“Alas！heiswithmadam，“thegirlanswered。
　　ThePrincewasveryprofane。Hestartedatoncefortheelevator。
　　InamomentortwohepresentedhimselfatLucille’ssitting-room。
　　Theywerestilllingeringovertheirdinner。Mr。Sabinwelcomedhimwithgravecourtesy。
　　“ThePrinceisintimetotakehisliqueurwithus，“heremarked，rising。“Willyoutakefinchampagne，Prince，orChartreuse？I
　　recommendthefinchampagne。“
　　ThePrincebowedhisthanks。Hewaswhitetothelipswiththeeffortforself-mastery。
　　“Icongratulateyou，Mr。Sabin，“hesaid，“uponyouropportunearrival。YouwillbeabletohelpLucillethroughtheannoyancetowhichIdeeplyregretthatsheshouldbesubjected。“
　　Mr。Sabingentlyraisedhiseyebrows。
　　“Annoyance！“herepeated。“IfearthatIdonotquiteunderstand。“
　　ThePrincesmiled。
　　“SurelyLucillehastoldyou，“hesaid，“oftheperilouspositioninwhichshefindsherself。“
　　“Mywife，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“hastoldmenothing。Youalarmme。“
　　ThePrinceshruggedhisshoulders。
　　“Ideeplyregrettotellyou，“hesaid，“thatthelawhasprovedtoopowerfulforme。IcannolongerstandbetweenherandwhatIfearmayproveamostunpleasantepisode。Lucillewillbearrestedwithinthehour。“
　　“Uponwhatcharge？“Mr。Sabinasked。
　　“ThemurderofDuson。“
　　Mr。Sabinlaughedverysoftly，verygently，butwithobviousgenuineness。
　　“Youarejoking，Prince，“heexclaimed。
　　“Iregrettosay，“thePrinceanswered，“thatyouwillfinditveryfarfromajokingmatter。“
　　Mr。Sabinwassuddenlystern。
　　“PrinceofSaxeLeinitzer，“hesaid，“youareacowardandabully。“
　　ThePrincestartedforwardwithclenchedfist。Mr。Sabinhadnoweapon，huthedidnotflinch。
　　“Youcanfrightenwomen，“hesaid，“withabogiesuchasthis，butyouhavenolongerawomantodealwith。YouandIknowthatsuchachargeisabsurd-butyoulittleknowthedangertowhichyouexposeyourselfbytriflingwiththissubject。Dusonleftaletteraddressedtomeinwhichheannouncedhisreasonsforcommittingsuicide。“
　　“Suicide？“
　　“Yes。Hepreferredsuicidetomurder，evenatthebiddingofthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzer。Hewroteandexplainedthesethingstome-andtheletterisinsafehands。ThearrestofLucille，mydearPrince，wouldmeantheruinofyouramiablesociety。“
　　“Thisletter，“thePrincesaidslowly，“whywasitnotproducedattheinquest？Whereisitnow？“
　　“ItisdepositedinasealedpacketwiththeEarlofDeringham，“
　　Mr。Sabinanswered。“Astoproducingitattheinquest-Ithoughtitmorediscreetnotto。Ileaveyoutojudgeofmyreasons。ButIcanassureyouthatyourfearsformywife’ssafetyhavebeenwhollymisplaced。ThereisnottheslightestreasonforhertohurryofftoAmerica。Wemaytakealittletriptherepresently，butnotjustyet。“
　　ThePrincemadeamistake。Helosthistemper。
　　“You！“hecried，“youcangotoAmericawhenyoulike，andstaythere。Europehashadenoughofyouwithyourhare-brainedschemesandfoolishfailures。ButLucilledoesnotleavethiscountry。Wehaveneedofher。Iforbidhertoleave。Doyouhear？InthenameoftheOrderIcommandhertoremainhere。“
　　Mr。Sabinwasquitecalm，buthisfacewasfullofterriblethings。
　　“Prince，“hesaid，“ifIbyanychancenumberedmyselfamongstyourfriendsIwouldwarnyouthatyouyourselfareatraitortoyourOrder。Youprostituteagreatcausewhenyoustooptouseitsmachinerytoassistyourownprivatevengeance。Iaskyouforyourownsaketoconsideryourwords。Lucilleismine-mineshewillremain，eventhoughyoushoulddescendtosomethingmoredespicable，morecowardlythanordinarytreason，towrestherfromme。Youreproachmewiththefailuresofmylife。Greattheymayhavebeen，butifyouattemptthisyouwillfindthatIamnotyetanimpotentperson。“
　　ThePrincewaswhitewithrage。ThesightofLucillestandingbyMr。Sabin’sside，herhandlightlyrestinguponhis，herdarkeyesfullofinscrutabletenderness，maddenedhim。Hewasfloutedandignored。Hewascarriedawaybyastormofpassion。Hetoreasheetofpaperfromhispocketbook，andunlockingasmallgoldcaseattheendofhiswatchchain，shookfromitapencilwithyellowcrayon。Mr。Sabinleanedovertowardshim。
　　“Yousignitatyourperil，Prince，“hesaid。“Itwillmeanworsethingsthanthatforyou。“
　　Forasecondhehesitated。Lucillealsoleanedtowardshim。
　　“Prince，“shesaid，“haveInotkeptmyvowsfaithfully？Think！
　　IcamefromAmericaatamoment’snotice；Ileftmyhusbandwithoutevenawordoffarewell；Ientereduponahatefultask，andthoughtothinkofitnowmakesmeloathemyself-Isucceeded。Ihavekeptmyvows，Ihavedonemyduty。Begenerousnow，andletmego。“
　　Thesoundofhervoicemaddenedhim。Apassionate，arbitraryman，towhomnothinginlifehadbeendenied，tobebaulkedinthisgreatdesireofhislatterdayswasintolerable。Hemadenoanswertoeitherofthem。HewroteafewlineswiththeyellowcrayonandpassedthemsilentlyacrosstoLucille。
　　Herfaceblanched。Shestretchedoutanunwillinghand。ButMr。
　　Sabinintervened。HetookthepaperfromthePrince’shand，andcalmlytoreitintofragments。ThereWasamoment’sbreathlesssilence。
　　“Victor！“Lucillecried。“Oh，whathaveyoudone！“
　　ThePrince’sfacelightenedwithaneviljoy。
　　“Wenow，Ithink，“hesaid，“understandoneanother。Youwillpermitmetowishyouaverypleasantevening，andaspeedyleave-taking。“
　　Mr。Sabinsmiled。
　　“Manythanks，mydearPrince，“hesaidlightly。“Makehasteandcompleteyourcharminglittlearrangements。Letmebegofyoutoavoidbunglingthistime。RememberthatthereisnotinthewholeofEuropeto-dayamanmoredangeroustoyouthanI。“
　　ThePrincehaddeparted。Mr。Sabinlitacigaretteandstoodonthehearthrug。Hiseyeswerebrightwiththejoyoffighting。
　　“Lucille，“hesaid，“Iseethatyouhavenottouchedyourliqueur。
　　Obligemebydrinkingit。Youwillfinditexcellent。“
　　Shecameovertohimandhunguponhisarm。Hethrewhiscigaretteawayandkissedheruponthelips。
　　“Victor，“shemurmured，“Iamafraid。Youhavebeenrash！“
　　“Dearest，“heanswered，“itisbettertodiefightingthantostandasideandwatchevilthings。Butafterall，thereisnofear。Come！
　　Yourcloakanddressingcase！“