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〃Let me help you； she begged。 〃Do！ This is not a matter of
politics or anything compromising。 I am sure that I could be
useful to you。〃
〃So you can；〃 he answered quietly。 〃Do as I have asked you。 Watch
Mr。 Brott！〃
CHAPTER XVI
Mr。 Brott and Mr。 Sabin dined together … not； as it happened； at
the House of Commons； but at the former's club in Pall Mall。 For
Mr。 Sabin it was not altogether an enjoyable meal。 The club was
large； gloomy and political； the cooking was exactly of that order
which such surroundings seemed to require。 Nor was Mr。 Brott a
particularly brilliant host。 Yet his guest derived a certain amount
of pleasure from the entertainment； owing to Brott's constant
endeavours to bring the conversation round to Lucille。
〃I find；〃 he said； as they lit their cigarettes； 〃that I committed
an indiscretion the other day at Camperdown House！〃
Mr。 Sabin assumed the puzzled air of one endeavouring to pin down
an elusive memory。
〃Let me see；〃 he murmured doubtfully。 〃It was in connection with … 〃
〃The Countess Radantz。 If you remember； I told you that it was her
desire just now to remain incognito。 I； however； unfortunately
forgot this during the course of our conversation。〃
〃Yes； I remember。 You told me where she was staying。 But the
Countess and I are old acquaintances。 I feel sure that she did not
object to your having given me her address。 I could not possibly
leave London without calling upon her。〃
Mr。 Brott moved in his chair uneasily。
〃It seems presumption on my part to make such a suggestion perhaps；〃
he said slowly； 〃but I really believe that the Countess is in
earnest with reference to her desire for seclusion just at present。
I believe that she is really very anxious that her presence in
London； just now should not be generally known。〃
〃I am such a very old friend；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃I knew her when
she was a child。〃
Mr。 Brott nodded。
〃It is very strange；〃 he said； 〃that you should have come together
again in such a country as America； and in a small town too。〃
〃Lenox；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃is a small place； but a great center。
By the bye； is there not some question of an impending marriage on
the part of the Countess？〃
〃I have heard … of nothing of the sort；〃 Mr。 Brott said； looking up
startled。 Then； after a moment's pause； during which he studied
closely his companion's imperturbable face； he added the question
which forced its way to his lips。
〃Have you？〃
Mr。 Sabin looked along his cigarette and pinched it affectionately。
It was one of his own； which he had dexterously substituted for
those which his host had placed at his disposal。
〃The Countess is a very charming； a very beautiful； and a most
attractive woman；〃 he said slowly。 〃Her marriage has always seemed
to me a matter of certainty。〃
Mr。 Brott hesitated； and was lost。
〃You are an old friend of hers；〃 he said。 〃You perhaps know more
of her recent history than I do。 For a time she seemed to drop out
of my life altogether。 Now that she has come back I am very anxious
to persuade her to marry me。〃
A single lightning…like flash in Mr。 Sabine's eyes for a moment
disconcerted his host。 But； after all； it was gone with such
amazing suddenness that it left behind it a sense of unreality。
Mr。 Brott decided that after all it must have been fancy。
〃May I ask；〃 Mr。 Sabin said quietly； 〃whether the Countess appears
to receive your suit with favour？〃
Mr。 Brott hesitated。
〃I am afraid I cannot go so far as to say that she does；〃 he said
regretfully。 〃I do not know why I find myself talking on this
matter to you。 I feel that I should apologise for giving such a
personal turn to the conversation。〃
〃I beg that you will do nothing of the sort；〃 Mr。 Sabin protested。
〃I am； as a matter of fact； most deeply interested。〃
〃You encourage me；〃 Mr。 Brott declared； 〃to ask you a question … to
me a very important question。〃
〃It will give me great pleasure；〃 Mr。 Sabin assured him； 〃if I am
able to answer it。〃
〃You know；〃 Mr。 Brott said； 〃of that portion of her life concerning
which I have asked no questions； but which somehow； whenever I think
of it； fills me with a certain amount of uneasiness。 I refer to the
last three years which the Countess has spent in America。〃
Mr。 Sabin looked up； and his lips seemed to move； but he said
nothing。 Mr。 Brott felt perhaps that he was on difficult ground。
〃I recognise the fact；〃 he continued slowly； 〃that you are the
friend of the Countess； and that you and I are nothing more than
the merest acquaintances。 I ask my question therefore with some
diffidence。 Can you tell me from your recent； more intimate
knowledge of the Countess and her affairs； whether there exists
any reason outside her own inclinations why she should not accept
my proposals of marriage？〃
Mr。 Sabin had the air of a man gravely surprised。 He shook his
head very slightly。
〃You must not ask me such a question as that； Mr。 Brott；〃 he said。
〃It is not a subject which I could possibly discuss with you。 But
I have no objection to going so far as this。 My experience of the
Countess is that she is a woman of magnificent and effective will
power。 I think if she has any desire to marry you there are or
could be no obstacles existing which she would not easily dispose
of。〃
〃There are obstacles； then？〃
〃You must not ask me that；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； with a certain amount
of stiffness。 〃The Countess is a very dear friend of mine； and
you must forgive me now if I say that I prefer not to discuss her
any longer。〃
A hall servant entered the room； bearing a note for Mr。 Brott。 He
received it at first carelessly； but his expression changed the
moment he saw the superscription。 He turned a little away； and
Mr。 Sabin noticed that the fingers which tore open the envelope were
trembling。 The note seemed short enough； but he must have read it
half a dozen times before at last he turned round to the messenger。
〃There is no answer；〃 he said in a low tone。
He folded the note and put it carefully into his breast pocket。 Mr。
Sabin subdued an insane desire to struggle with him and discover；
by force； if necessary； who was the sender of those few brief lines。
For Mr。 Brott was a changed man。
〃I am afraid；〃 he said； turning to his guest； 〃that this has been a
very dull evening for you。 To tell you the truth； this club is not
exactly the haunt of pleasure…seekers。 It generally oppresses me
for the first hour or so。 Would you like a hand at bridge； or a
game of billiards？ I am wholly at your service … until twelve
o'clock。〃
Mr。 Sabin glanced at the clock。
〃You are very good；〃 he said； 〃but I was never much good at indoor
games。 Golf has been my only relaxation for many years。 Besides；
I too have an engagement for which I must leave in a very few
minutes。〃
〃It is very good of you；〃 Mr。 Brott said； 〃to have given me the
pleasure of your company。 I have the greatest possible admiration
for your niece； Mr。 Sabin； and Camperdown is a thundering good
fellow。 He will be our leader in the House of Lords before many
years have passed。〃
〃He is； I believe；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； 〃of the same politics as
yourself。〃
〃We are both；〃 Mr。 Brott answered； with a smile； 〃I am afraid
outside the pale of your consideration in this respect。 We are
both Radicals。〃
Mr。 Sabin lit another cigarette and glanced once more at the clock。
〃A Radical peer！〃 he remarked。 〃Isn't that rather an anomaly？ The
principles of Radicalism and aristocracy seem so divergent。〃
〃Yet；〃 Mr。 Brott said； 〃they are not wholly irreconcilable。 I have
often wished that this could be more generally understood。 I find
myself at times very unpopular with people； whose good opinion I am
anxious to retain； simply owing to this too general misapprehension。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled gently。
〃You were referring without doubt … 〃 he began。
〃To the Countess；〃 Brott admitted。 〃Yes； it is true。 But after
all；〃 he added cheerfully； 〃I believe that our disagreements are
mainly upon the surface。 The Countess is a woman of wide culture
and understanding。 Her mind； too； is plastic。 She has few
prejudices。〃
Mr。 Sabi