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and for years I know that you made her very happy。 I ask you； will
you believe in this statement of my attitude towards you？〃
〃I do not for a single moment doubt it；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
〃You will regard the advice which I am going to as disinterested？〃
〃Certainly！〃
〃Then I offer it to you earnestly； and with my whole heart。 Take
the next steamer and go back to America。〃
〃And leave Lucille？ Go without making any effort to see her？〃
〃Yes。〃
Mr。 Sabin was for a moment very serious indeed。 The advice given
in such a manner was full of forebodings to him。 The lines from
the corners of his mouth seemed graven into his face。
〃Felix；〃 he said slowly； 〃I am sometimes conscious of the fact that
I am passing into that period of life which we call old age。 My
ambitions are dead； my energies are weakened。 For many years I have
toiled … the time has come for rest。 Of all the great passions
which I have felt there remains but one … Lucille。 Life without her
is worth nothing to me。 I am weary of solitude； I am weary of
everything except Lucille。 How then can I listen to such advice？
For me it must be Lucille； or that little journey into the mists；
from which one does not return。〃
Felix was silent。 The pathos of this thing touched him。
〃I will not dispute the right of those who have taken her from me；〃
Mr。 Sabin continued； 〃but I want her back。 She is necessary to me。
My purse； my life； my brains are there to be thrown into the scales。
I will buy her； or fight for her； or rejoin their ranks myself。 But
I want her back。〃
Still Felix was silent。 He was looking steadfastly into the fire。
〃You have heard me；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。
〃I have heard you；〃 Felix answered。 〃My advice stands；〃
〃I know now；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃that I have a hard task before me。
They shall have me for a friend or an enemy。 I can still make
myself felt as either。 You have nothing more to say？〃
〃Nothing！〃
〃Then let us part company；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃or talk of something
more cheerful。 You depress me； Felix。 Let Duson bring us wine。
You look like a death's head。〃
Felix roused himself。
〃You will go your own way；〃 he said。 〃Now that you have chosen I
will tell you this。 I am glad。 Yes； let Duson bring wine。 I will
drink to your health and to your success。 There have been times
when men have performed miracles。 I shall drink to that miracle。〃
Duson brought also a letter； which Mr。 Sabin； with a nod towards
Felix； opened。 It was from Helene。
〃15 Park Lane； London；
〃Thursday Morning。
〃My DEAR UNCLE； …
〃I want you to come to luncheon to…day。 The Princess de Catelan is
here； and I am expecting also Mr。 Brott； the Home Secretary … our
one great politician； you know。 Many people say that he is the
most interesting man in England； and must be our next Prime Minister。
Such people interest you； I know。 Do come。
〃Yours sincerely；
〃HELENE。〃
Mr。 Sabin repeated the name to himself as he stood for a moment with
the letter in his hand。
〃Brott！ What a name for a statesman！ Well； here is your health；
Felix。 I do not often drink wine in the morning； but … 〃
He broke off in the middle of his sentence。 The glass which Felix
had been in the act of raising to his lips lay shattered upon the
floor； and a little stream of wine trickled across the carpet。
Felix himself seemed scarcely conscious of the disaster。 His cheeks
were white； and he leaned across the table towards Mr。 Sabin。
〃What name did you say … what name？〃
Mr。 Sabin referred again to the letter which he held in his hand。
〃Brott！〃 he repeated。 〃He is Home Secretary； I believe。〃
〃What do you know about him？〃
〃Nothing；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃My niece； the Countess of
Camperdown； asks me to meet him to…day at luncheon。 Explain
yourself； my young friend。 There is a fresh glass by your side。〃
Felix poured himself out a glass and drank it off。 But he remained
silent。
〃Well？〃
Felix picked up his gloves and stick。
〃You are asked to meet Mr。 Brott at luncheon to…day？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Are you going？〃
〃Certainly！〃
Felix nodded。
〃Very good；〃 he said。 〃I should advise you to cultivate his
acquaintance。 He is a very extraordinary man。〃
〃Come； Felix；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃You owe me something more lucid in
the way of explanations。 Who is be？〃
〃A statesman … successful； ambitious。 He expects to be Prime
Minister。〃
〃And what have I to do with him； or he with me？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked
quietly。
Felix shook his head。
〃I cannot tell you；〃 he said。 〃Yet I fancy that you and he may
some time be drawn together。〃
Mr。 Sabin asked no more questions； but he promptly sat down and
accepted his niece's invitation。 When he looked round Felix had
gone。 He rang the bell for Duson and handed him the note。
〃My town clothes； Duson；〃 he ordered。 〃I am lunching out。〃
The man bowed and withdrew。 Mr。 Sabin remained for a few moments
in deep thought。
〃Brott！〃 he repeated。 〃Brott！ It is a singular name。
CHAPTER XI
So this was the man！ Mr。 Sabin did not neglect his luncheon； nor
was he ever for a moment unmindful of the grey…headed princess who
chatted away by his side with all the vivacity of her race and sex。
But he watched Mr。 Brott。
A man this！ Mr。 Sabin was a judge； and he appraised him rightly。
He saw through that courteous geniality of tone and gesture； the
ready…made smile； although it seemed natural enough； did not
deceive him。 Underneath was a man of iron； square…jawed； nervous；
forceful。 Mr。 Brott was probably at that time the ablest
politician of either party in the country。 Mr。 Sabin knew it。
He found himself wondering exactly at what point of their lives
this man and he would come into contact。
After luncheon Helene brought them together。
〃I believe；〃 she said to Mr。 Brott； 〃that you have never met my
UNCLE。 May I make you formally acquainted？ UNCLE； this is Mr。
Brott； whom you must know a great deal about even though you have
been away for so long … the Duc
de Souspennier。〃
The two men bowed and Helene passed on。 Mr。 Sabin leaned upon his
stick and watched keenly for any sign in the other's face。 If he
expected to find it he was disappointed。 Either this man had no
knowledge of who he was； or those things which were to come between
them were as yet unborn。
They strolled together after the other guests into the winter
gardens； which were the envy of every hostess in London。 Mr。 Sabin
lit a cigarette； Mr。 Brott regretfully declined。 He neither smoked
nor drank wine。 Yet he was disposed to be friendly； and selected
a seat where they were a little apart from the other guests。
〃You at least；〃 he remarked； in answer to an observation of Mr。
Sabin's； 〃are free from the tyranny of politics。 I am assuming； of
course； that your country under its present form of government has
lost its hold upon you。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃It is a doubtful boon；〃 he said。 〃It is true that I am practically
an exile。 Republican France has no need of me。 Had I been a
soldier I could still have remained a patriot。 But for one whose
leanings were towards politics； neither my father before me nor I
could be of service to our country。 You should be thankful；〃 he
continued with a slight smile； 〃that you are an Englishman。 No
constitution in the world can offer so much to the politician who
is strong enough and fearless enough。〃
Mr。 Brott glanced towards his twinkling eyes。
〃Do you happen to know what my politics are？〃 he asked。
Mr。 Sabin hesitated。
〃Your views； I know； are advanced；〃 he said。 〃For the rest I have
been abroad for years。 I have lost touch a little with affairs in
this country。〃
〃I am afraid；〃 Mr。 Brott said； 〃that I shall shock you。 You are
an aristocrat of the aristocrats； I a democrat of the democrats。
The people are the only masters whom I own。 They first sent me to
Parliament。〃
〃Yet；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； 〃you are； I understand； in the Cabinet。〃
Mr。 Brott glanced for a moment around。 The Prime Minister was
somewhere in the winter gardens。
〃That；〃 he declared； 〃i