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self…engrossed？〃
She shook her head。
〃Not selfish！〃 she objected。 〃No； I never thought that。 It is
the wrong word。〃
〃At least；〃 he said； 〃you will be surprised to hear that I have
loved one woman all my life。〃
She looked at him half doubtfully。
〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃I am surprised to hear that。〃
〃I will surprise you still more。 I was married to her in America
within a month of my arrival there。 We have lived together ever
since。 And I have been very happy。 I speak； of course； of Lucille！〃
〃It is amazing；〃 she murmured。 〃You must tell me all about it。〃
〃Not all；〃 he answered sadly。 〃Only this。 I met her first at
Vienna when I was thirty…five； and she was eighteen。 I treated her
shamefully。 Marriage seemed to me； with all my dreams of great
achievements； an act of madness。 I believed in myself and my career。
I believed that it was my destiny to restore the monarchy to our
beloved country。 And I wanted to be free。 I think that I saw
myself a second Napoleon。 So I won her love； took all that she had
to give； and returned nothing。
〃In the course of years she married the son of the American Consul
at Vienna。 I was obliged； by the bye； to fight her brother； and he
carried his enmity to me through life。 I saw her sometimes in the
course of years。 She was always beautiful； always surrounded by a
host of admirers； always cold。 When the end of my great plans here
came； and I myself was a fugitive； her brother found me out。 He
gave me a letter to deliver in America。 I delivered it … to his
sister。
〃She was as beautiful as ever； and alone in the world。 It seemed
to me that I realised then how great my folly had been。 For always
I had loved her； always there had been that jealously locked little
chamber in my life。 Helene； she pointed no finger of scorn to my
broken life。 She uttered no reproaches。 She took me as I was； and
for three years our life together has been to me one long unbroken
harmony。 Our tastes were very similar。 She was well read；
receptive； a charming companion。 Ennui was a word of which I have
forgotten the meaning。 And it seemed so with her； too； for she
grew younger and more beautiful。〃
〃And why is she not with you？〃 Helene cried。 〃I must go and see
her。 How delightful it sounds！〃
〃One day； about three months ago；〃 Mr。 Sabin continued； 〃she left
me to go to New York for two days。 Her milliner in Paris had sent
over； and twice a year Lucille used to buy clothes。 I had
sometimes accompanied her； but she knew how I detested New York；
and this time she did not press me to go。 She left me in the
highest spirits； as tender and gracefully affectionate as ever。
She never returned。〃
Helene started in her chair。
〃Oh； UNCLE！〃 she cried。
〃I have never seen her since；〃 he repeated。
〃Have you no clue？ She could not have left you willingly。 Have
you no idea where she is？〃
He bowed his head slowly。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃I know where she is。 She came to Europe with Lady
Carey。 She is staying with the Duchess of Dorset。〃
〃The Countess Radantz？〃 Helene cried。
〃It was her maiden name；〃 he answered。
There was a moment's silence。 Helene was bewildered。
〃Then you have seen her？〃
He shook his head slowly。
〃No。 I did not even know where she was until you told me。〃
〃But why do you wait a single moment？〃 she asked。 〃There must be
some explanation。 Let me order a carriage now。 I will drive
round to Dorset House with you。〃
She half rose。 He held out his hand and checked her。
〃There are other things to be explained；〃 he said quickly。 〃Sit
down； Helene。〃
She obeyed him； mystified。
〃For your own sake；〃 he continued； 〃there are certain facts in
connection with this matter which I must withhold。 All I can tell
you is this。 There are people who have acquired a hold upon
Lucille so great that she is forced to obey their bidding。 Lady
Carey is one； the Duchess of Dorset is another。 They are no
friends of mine； and apparently Lucille has been taken away from
me by them。〃
〃A … a hold upon her？〃 Helene repeated vaguely。
〃It is all I can tell you。 You must suppose an extreme case。 You
may take my word for it that under certain circumstances Lucille
would have no power to deny them anything。〃
〃But … without a word of farewell。 They could not insist upon her
leaving you like that！ It is incredible！〃
〃It is quite possible；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。
Helene caught herself looking at him stealthily。 Was it possible
that this wonderful brain had given way at last？ There were no
signs of it in his face or expression。 But the Duchess of Dorset！
Lady Carey！ These were women of her own circle … Londoners； and
the Duchess； at any rate； a woman of the very highest social
position and unimpeached conventionality。
〃This sounds … very extraordinary； UNCLE！〃 she remarked a little
lamely。
〃It is extraordinary；〃 he answered drily。 〃I do not wonder that
you find it hard to believe me。 I … 〃
〃Not to believe … to understand！〃
He smiled。
〃We will not distinguish！ After all； what does it matter？ Assume；
if you cannot believe； that Lucille's leaving me may have been at
the instigation of these people； and therefore involuntary。 If
this be so I have hard battle to fight to win her back； but in the
end I shall do it。〃
She nodded sympathetically。
〃I am sure；〃 she said； 〃that you will not find it difficult。 Tell
me； cannot I help you in any way？ I know the Duchess very well
indeed … well enough to take you to call quite informally if you
please。 She is a great supporter of what they call the Primrose
League here。 I do not understand what it is all about； but it
seems that I may not join because my husband is a Radical。〃
Mr。 Sabin looked for a moment over his clasped hands through the
faint blue cloud of cigarette smoke； and sundry possibilities
flashed through his mind to be at once rejected。 He shook his
head。
〃No！〃 he said firmly。 〃I do not wish for your help at present；
directly or indirectly。 If you meet the Countess I would rather
that you did not mention my name。 There is only one person whom；
if you met at Dorset House or anywhere where Lucille is； I would
ask you to watch。 That is Mr。 Brott！〃
It was to be a conversation full of surprises for Helene。 Mr。
Brott！ Her hand went up to her forehead for a moment； and a
little gesture of bewilderment escaped her。
〃Will you tell me；〃 she asked almost plaintively； 〃what on earth
Mr。 Brott can have to do with this business … with… Lucille … with
you … with any one connected with it？〃
Mr。 Sabin shrugged his shoulders。
〃Mr。 Brott；〃 he remarked； 〃a Cabinet Minister of marked Radical
proclivities； has lately been a frequent visitor at Dorset House；
which is the very home of the old aristocratic Toryism。 Mr。 Brott
was acquainted with Lucille many years ago … in Vienna。 At that
time he was； I believe； deeply interested in her。 I must confess
that Mr。 Brott causes me some uneasiness。
〃I think … that men always know；〃 Helene said； 〃if they care to。
Was Lucille happy with you？〃
〃Absolutely。 I am sure of it。〃
〃Then your first assumption must be correct；〃 she declared。 〃You
cannot explain things to me； so I cannot help you even with my
advice。 I am sorry。〃
He turned his head towards her and regarded her critically； as
though making some test of her sincerity。
〃Helene；〃 he said gravely； 〃it is for your own sake that I do not
explain further； that I do not make things clearer to you。 Only
I wanted you to understand why I once more set foot in Europe。 I
wanted you to understand why I am here。 It is to win back Lucille。
It is like that with me； Helene。 I； who once schemed and plotted
for an empire； am once more a schemer and a worker； but for no
other purpose than to recover possession of the woman whom I love。
You do not recognise me； Helene。 I do not recognise myself。
Nevertheless； I would have you know the truth。 I am here for that；
and for no other purpose。〃
He rose slowly to his feet。 She held out both her hands and
grasped his。
〃Let me help you； she begged。 〃Do！ This is not a matter of
politics or anything compromising。 I am sure that