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Mr。 Sabin moved towards the door。
〃You are perhaps right；〃 he said regretfully； 〃although I should
much like to hear about this little matter of life insurance while
I am here。〃
〃Indeed； monsieur；〃 Annette declared； 〃I know nothing。 There is
nothing which I can tell monsieur。〃
Mr。 Sabin suddenly leaned forward。 His gaze was compelling。 His
tone was low but terrible。
〃Annette；〃 he said； 〃obey me。 Send Emil here。〃
The woman trembled； but she did not move。 Mr。 Sabin lifted his
forefinger and pointed slowly to the door。 The woman's lips parted；
but she seemed to have lost the power of speech。
〃Send Emil here！〃 Mr。 Sabin repeated slowly。
Annette turned and left the room； groping her way to the door as
though her eyesight had become uncertain。 Mr。 Sabin lit a cigarette
and looked for a moment carefully into the small liqueur glass out
of which he had drunk。
〃That was unwise；〃 he said softly to himself。 〃Just such a blunder
might have cost me everything。〃
He held it up to the light and satisfied himself that no dregs
remained。 Then he took from his pocket a tiny little revolver； and
placing it on the table before him； covered it with his handkerchief。
Almost immediately a door at the farther end of the room opened and
closed。 A man in dark clothes； small； unnaturally pale； with
deep…set eyes and nervous； twitching mouth； stood before him。 Mr。
Sabin smiled a welcome at him。
〃Good…morning； Emil Sachs；〃 he said。 〃I am glad that you have shown discretion。 Stand there in
the light； please； and fold your arms。
Thanks。 Do not think that I am afraid of you； but I like to talk
comfortably。〃
〃I am at monsieur's service；〃 the man said in a low tone。
〃Exactly。 Now； Emil； before starting to visit you I left a little
note behind addressed to the chief of the police here … no； you
need not start … to be sent to him only if my return were unduly
delayed。 You can guess what that note contained。 It is not
necessary for us to revert to … unpleasant subjects。〃
The man moistened his dry lips。
〃It is not necessary；〃 he repeated。 〃Monsieur is as safe here … from
me … as at his own hotel。〃
〃Excellent！〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃Now listen； Emil。 It has pleased me
chiefly； as you know； for the sake of your wife； the good Annette；
to be very merciful to you as regards the past。 But I do not
propose to allow you to run a poison bureau for the advantage of the
Prince of Saxe Leinitzer and his friends … more especially； perhaps；
as I am at present upon his list of superfluous persons。〃
The man trembled。
〃Monsieur；〃 he said； 〃the Prince knows as much as you know； and he
has not the mercy that one shows to a dog。〃
〃You will find；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃that if you do not obey me； I
myself can develop a similar disposition。 Now answer me this！ You
have within the last few days supplied several people with that
marvelous powder for the preparation of which you are so justly
famed。〃
〃Several … no； monsieur！ Two only。〃
〃Their names？〃
The man trembled。
〃If they should know！〃
〃They will not； Emil。 I will see to that。〃
〃The first I supplied to the order of the Prince。〃
〃Good！ And the second？〃
〃To a lady whose name I do not know。〃
Mr。 Sabin raised his eyebrows。
〃Is not that；〃 he remarked； 〃a little irregular？〃
〃The lady wrote her request before me in the yellow crayon。 It was sufficient。〃
〃And you do not know her name； Emil？〃
〃No； monsieur。 She was dark and tall； and closely veiled。 She was
here but a few minutes since。〃
〃Dark and tall！〃 Mr。 Sabin repeated to himself thoughtfully。 〃Emil；
you are telling me the truth？〃
〃I do not dare to tell you anything else； monsieur；〃 the man answered。
Mr。 Sabin did not continue his interrogations for a few moments。
Suddenly he looked up。
〃Has that lady left the place yet； Emil？〃
〃No； monsieur！〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃Have you a back exit？〃 he asked。
〃None that the lady would know of；〃 Emil answered。 〃She must pass
along the passage which borders this apartment； and enter the bar
by a door from behind。 If monsieur desires it； it is impossible for
her to leave unobserved。〃
〃That is excellent； Emil；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃Now there is one more
question … quite a harmless one。 Annette spoke of my life being in
some way insured。〃
〃It is true； monsieur；〃 Emil admitted。 〃A lady who also possessed
the yellow crayon came here the day that … that monsieur incurred
the displeasure of … of his friends。 She tried to bribe me to blow
up my laboratory and leave the country； or that I should substitute
a harmless powder for any required by the Prince。 I was obliged to
refuse。〃
〃And then？〃
〃Then she promised me a large sum if you were alive in six months；
and made me at once a payment。
〃Dear me；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃this is quite extraordinary。〃
〃I can tell monsieur the lady's name；〃 Emil continued； 〃for she
raised her veil； and everywhere the illustrated papers have been
full of her picture。 It was the lady who was besieged in a little
town of South Africa； and who carried despatches for the general；
disguised as a man。〃
〃Lady Carey！〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked quietly。
〃That was the lady's name；〃 Emil agreed。
Mr。 Sabin was thoughtful for a few moments。 Then he looked up。
〃Emil Sachs；〃 he said sternly； 〃you have given out at least one
portion of your abominable concoction which is meant to end my days。
Whether I shall escape it or not remains to be seen。 I am forced at
the best to discharge my servant； and to live the life of a hunted
man。 Now you have done enough mischief in the world。 To…morrow
morning a messenger will place in your hands two hundred pounds。 A
larger sum will await you at Baring's Bank in New York。 You will go
there and buy a small restaurant in the business quarter。 This is
your last chance； Emil。 I give it to you for the sake of Annette。〃
〃And I accept it； monsieur； with gratitude。〃
〃For the present 〃
Mr。 Sabin stopped short。 His quick ears had caught the swish of
woman's gown passing along the passage outside。 Emil too had
heard it。
〃It is the dark lady；〃 he whispered； 〃who purchased from me the
other powder。 See； I open gently this door。 Monsieur must both
see and hear。〃
The door at the end of the passage was opened。 A woman stepped out
into the little bar and made her way towards the door。 Here she
was met by a man entering。 Mr。 Sabin held up his forefinger to stop
the terrified exclamation which trembled on Emil's lips。 The woman
was Lucille； the man the Prince。 It was Lucille who was speaking。
〃You have followed me； Prince。 It is intolerable。〃
〃Dear Lucille； it is for your own sake。 These are not fit parts
for you 'to visit alone。〃
〃It is my own business；〃 she answered coldly。
The Prince appeared to be in a complaisant mood。
〃Come；〃 he said； 〃the affair is not worth a quarrel。 I ask you no
questions。 Only since we are here I propose that we test the
cooking of the good Annette。 We will lunch together。〃
〃What； here？〃 she answered。 〃Absurd。〃
〃By no means；〃 he answered。 〃As you doubtless know； the exterior
of the place is entirely misleading。 These people are old servants
of mine。 I can answer for the luncheon。〃
〃You can also eat it；〃 came the prompt reply。 〃I am returning to
the carriage。〃
〃But 〃
Mr。 Sabin emerged through the swing door。 〃Your discretion； my
dear Lucille；〃 he said； smiling； 〃is excellent。 The place is
indeed better than it seems； and Annette's cookery may be all that
the Prince claims。 Yet I think I know better places for a luncheon
party； and the ventilation is not of the best。 May I suggest that
you come with me instead to the Milan？〃
〃Victor！ You here？〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled as he admitted the obvious fact。 The Prince's
face was as black as night。
〃Believe me；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； turning to the Prince； 〃I sympathise
entirely with your feelings at the present moment。 I myself have
suffered in precisely the same manner。 The fact is； intrigue in
this country is almost an impossibility。 At Paris； Vienna； Pesth；
how different！ You raise your little finger； and the deed is done。 Superfluous people … like
myself … are removed like the hairs from
your chin。 But here intrigue seems indeed to exist only within the
pages of a shilling novel； or in a comic opera。 The gentleman with
a helmet there； who regards us so benignly； will presently earn a
shilling by calling me a hansom。 Yet in effect he does me a far
greater service。 He stands for a multitude of cold Anglo…Saxon
laws； adamant； incorruptible； inflexible … as certain as the laws
of Nature herself。 I am quite aware that by this time I ought to
be lying in a dark cellar with a gag in my mouth； or perhaps in
the river with a dagger in my chest。 But here in England； no！〃
The Prince smiled … to all appearance a very genial smile。
〃You are right； my dear friend；〃 he said； 〃yet what you say
possesses； shall we call it； a somewhat antediluvian flavour。
Intrigue is no longer a clumsy game of knife and string and bowl。
It becomes to…day a game of finesse。 I can assure you that I have
no desire to give a stage whistle and have you throttled at