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〃I congratulate you； Countess；〃 he said。 〃You progress admirably。
It is a great step gained。〃
Lucille； who was looking pale and nervous； regarded him with anxiety。
〃A step！ But it is everything。 If these rumours are true； he
refuses the attempt to form a Cabinet。 He takes a subordinate
position under Letheringham。 Every paper this morning says that if
this is so his political career is over。 It is true； is it not？〃
〃It is a great gain；〃 the Prince said slowly。
〃But it is everything；〃 Lucille declared； with a rising note of
passion in her tone。 〃It was my task。 It is accomplished。 I
demand my release。〃
The Prince was silent for a moment。
〃You are in a great hurry； Lucille；〃 he said。
〃What if I am！〃 she replied fiercely。 〃Do you suppose that this
life of lies and deceit is pleasant to me？ Do you suppose that it
is a pleasant task to lure a brave man on to his ruin？〃
The Prince raised his eyebrows。
〃Come；〃 he said； 〃you can have no sympathy with Reginald Brott； the
sworn enemy of our class； a Socialist； a demagogue who would parcel
out our lands in allotments； a man who has pledged himself to nothing
more nor less than a revolution。〃
〃The man's views are hateful enough；〃 she answered； 〃but he is in
earnest； and however misguided he may be there is something noble in
his unselfishness； in his； steady fixedness of purpose。〃
The Prince's face indicated his contempt。
〃Such men；〃 he declared； 〃are only fit to be crushed like vermin
under foot。 In any other country save England we should have dealt
with him differently。〃
〃This is all beside the question；〃 she declared； 〃My task was to
prevent his becoming Prime Minister； and I have succeeded。〃
The Prince gave vent to a little gesture of dissent。 〃Your task；〃
he said； 〃went a little farther than that。 We require his political
ruin。〃
She pointed to the pile of newspapers upon the table。
〃Read what they say！〃 she exclaimed。 〃There is not one who does
not use that precise term。 He has missed his opportunity。 The
people will never trust him again。〃
〃That； at any rate； is not certain；〃 the Prince said。 〃You must
remember that before long he will realise that he has been your
tool。 What then？ He will become more rabid than ever； more also
to be feared。 No； Lucille； your task is not yet over。 He must be
involved in an open and public scandal； and with you。〃
She was white almost to the lips with passion。
〃You expect a great deal！〃 she exclaimed。 〃You expect me to ruin
my life； then； to give my honour as well as these weary months；
this constant humiliation。〃
〃You are pleased to be melodramatic；〃 he said coldly。 〃It is quite
possible to involve him without actually going to extremes。〃
〃And what of my husband？〃 she asked。
'The Prince laughed unpleasantly。
〃If you have not taught him complaisance；〃 he said； 〃it is possible；
of course； that Mr。 Sabin might be unkind。 But what of it？ You
are your own mistress。 You are a woman of the world。 Without him
there is an infinitely greater future before you than as his wife
you could ever enjoy。〃
〃You are pleased；〃 she said； 〃to be enigmatic。〃
The Prince looked hard at her。 Her face was white and set。 He
sighed。
〃Lucille；〃 he said； 〃I have been very patient for many years。 Yet
you know very well my secret； and in your heart you know very well
that I am one of those who generally win the thing upon which they
have set their hearts。 I have always loved you； Lucille； but
nevermore than now。 Fidelity is admirable； but surely you have done
your duty。 He is an old man； and a man who has failed in the great
things of life。 I； on the other hand； can offer you a great future。
Saxe Leinitzer； as you know； is a kingdom of its own； and； Lucille；
I stand well with the Emperor。 The Socialist party in Berlin are
strong and increasing。 He needs us。 Who can say what honours may
not be in store for us？ For I； too； am of the Royal House； Lucille。
I am his kinsman。 He never forgets that。 Come； throw aside this
restlessness。 I will tell you how to deal with Brott； and the
publicity； after all； will be nothing。 We will go abroad directly
afterwards。〃
〃Have you finished？〃 she asked。
〃You will be reasonable！〃 he begged。
〃Reasonable！〃 She turned upon him with flashing eyes。 〃I wonder
how you ever dared to imagine that I could tolerate you for one
moment as a lover or a husband。 Wipe it out of your mind once and
for all。 You are repellent to me。 Positively the only wish I have
in connection with you is never to see your face again。 As for my
duty； I have done it。 My conscience is clear。 I shall leave this
house to…day。〃
〃I hope；〃 the Prince said softly； 〃that you will do nothing rash！〃
〃In an hour；〃 she said； 〃I shall be at the Carlton with my husband。
I will trust to him to protect me from you。〃
The Prince shook his head。
〃You talk rashly；〃 he said。 〃You do not think。 You are forbidden
to leave this house。 You are forbidden to join your husband。〃
She laughed scornfully； but underneath was a tremor of uneasiness。
〃You summoned me from America；〃 she said； 〃and I came 。。。 I was
forced to leave my husband without even a word of farewell。 I did
it！ You set me a task … I have accomplished it。 I claim that I
have kept my bond； that I have worked out my own freedom。 If you
require more of me； I say that you are overstepping your authority；
and I refuse。 Set the black cross against my name if you will。 I
will take the risk。〃
The Prince came a little nearer to her。 She held her own bravely
enough； but there was a look in his face which terrified her。
〃Lucille；〃 he said； 〃you force me to disclose something which I
have kept so far to myself。 I wished to spare you anxiety； but
you must understand that your safety depends upon your remaining
in this house； and in keeping apart from all association with
… your husband。〃
〃You will find it difficult；〃 she said； 〃to convince me of that。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 he said； 〃I shall find it easy … too easy；
believe me。 You will remember my finding you at the wine…shop of
Emil Sachs？〃
〃Yes！〃
〃You refused to tell me the object of your visit。 It was foolish；
for of course I was informed。 You procured from Emil a small
quantity of the powder prepared according to the recipe of Herr
Estentrauzen； and for which we paid him ten thousand marks。 It is
the most silent； the most secret； the most swift poison yet
discovered。〃
〃I got it for myself；〃 she said coldly。 〃There have been times
when I have felt that the possession of something of that sort was
an absolute necessity；〃
〃I do not question you as to the reason for your getting it；〃 he
answered。 〃Very shortly afterwards you left your carriage in Pall
Mall； and without even asking for your husband you called at his
hotel … you stole up into his room。〃
〃I took some roses there and left them；〃 she said 〃What of that？〃
〃Only that you were the last person seen to enter Mr。 Sabin's rooms
before Duson was found there dead。 And Duson died from a dose of
that same poison； a packet of which you procured secretly from Emil
Sachs。 An empty wineglass was by his side … it was one generally
used by Mr。 Sabin。 I know that the English police； who are not so
foolish as people would have one believe； are searching now for the
woman who was seen to enter the sitting…room shortly before Mr。
Sabin returned and found Duson there dead。〃
She laughed scornfully。
〃It is ingenious；〃 she admitted； 〃and perhaps a little unfortunate
for me。 But the inference is ridiculous。 What interest had I in
the man's death？〃
〃None； of course！〃 the Prince said。 〃But； Lucille； in all cases
of poisoning it is the wife of whom one first thinks！〃
〃The wife？ I did not even know that the creature had a wife。〃
〃Of course not！ But Duson drank from Mr。 Sabin's glass； and you
are Mr。 Sabin's wife。 You are living apart from him。 He is old
and you are young。 And for the other man … there is Reginald Brott。
Your names have been coupled together； of course。 See what an
excellent case stands there。 You procure the poison … secretly。
You make your way to your husband's room … secretly。 The fatal
dose is taken from your husband's Wineglass。 You leave no note；
no message。 The poison of which the man died is exactly the same
as you procured from Sachs。 Lucille； after all； do you wonder that
the police are looking for a woman in black with an ermine toque？
What a mercy you wore a thick veil！〃
She sat down suddenly。
〃This is hideous；〃 she said。
〃Think it over；〃 he said； 〃step by step。 It is wonderful how all
the incidents dovetail into one another。〃
〃Too wonderful；〃 she cried。 〃It sounds like some vile plot to
incriminate me。 How much had you to do with this； Prince？〃
〃Don't be a fool！〃 he answered roughly。 〃Can't you see for yourself
that your arrest would be the most terrible thing that could happen
for us？ Even Sachs might break down in cross…examination； and you
… well； you are a woman； and you want to live。 We should all be
in the most deadly peril。 Lucille； I would have spared you this
anxiety if I could； but your defiance made