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I have ever heard。〃
〃Calypso；〃 she murmured； nodding towards Lucille； 〃is by your side。〃
〃Really；〃 Mr。 Sabin interrupted； 〃I must protest。 Lucille and I
were married by a most respectable Episcopalian clergyman。 We have
documentary evidence。 Besides； if Lucille is Calypso； what about
Penelope？〃
Lady Carey smiled thoughtfully。
〃I have always thought；〃 she said； 〃that Penelope was a myth。 In
your case I should say that Penelope represents a return to sanity
… to the ordinary ways of life。〃
Mr。 Sabin and Lucille exchanged swift glances。 He raised his
eyebrows。
〃Our little idyll；〃 he said； 〃seems to be the sport and buffet of
every one。 You forget that I am of the old world。 I do not
understand modernity。〃
〃Ulysses；〃 she answered； 〃was of the old world； yet he was a
wanderer in more senses of the word than one And there have been
times … 〃
Her eyes sought his。 He ignored absolutely the subtlety of meaning
which lurked beneath the heavy drooping eyelids。
〃One travels through life；〃 he answered； 〃by devious paths； and a
little wandering in the flower…gardens by the way is the lot of every
one。 But when the journey is over； one's taste for wandering has
gone … well； Ulysses finished his days at the hearth of Penelope。〃
She rose and walked away。 Mr。 Sabin sat still and watched her as
though listening to the soft sweep of her gown upon the carpet。
〃Hateful woman！〃 Lucille exclaimed lightly。 〃To make love； and
such love； to one's lawful husband before one's face is a little
crude； don't you think？〃
He shook his head。
〃Too obvious；〃 he answered。 〃She is playing the Prince's game。
Dear me； how interesting this will be soon。〃
She nodded。 A faint smile of bitterness had stolen into her tone。
〃Already；〃 she said； 〃you are beginning to scent the delight of
the atmosphere。 You are stiffening for the fight。 Soon … 〃
〃Ah； no！ Don't say it；〃 he whispered； taking her hand。 〃I shall
never forget。 If the fight seems good to me it is because you are
the prize； and after all； you know； to fight for one's womenkind
is amongst the primeval instincts。〃
Lady Carey； who had been pacing the room restlessly； touching an
ornament here； looking at a picture there； came back to them and
stood before Mr。 Sabin。 She had caught his last words。
〃Primeval instincts！〃 she exclaimed mockingly。 〃What do you know
about them； you of all men； a bundle of nerves and brains； with a
motor for a heart； and an automatic brake upon your passions？ Upon
my word； I believe that I have solved the mystery of your perennial
youth。 You have found a way of substituting machinery for the human
organ； and you are wound up to go for ever。〃
〃You have found me out；〃 he admitted。 〃Professor Penningram of
Chicago will supply you too with an outfit。 Mention my name if you
like。 It is a wonderful country America。〃
The Prince came over to them； fair and bland with no trace upon his
smooth features or in his half…jesting tone of any evil things。
〃Souspennier；〃 he said； holding out his hand； 〃welcome back once
more to your old place。 I am happy to say that there appears to be
no reason why your claim should not be fully admitted。〃
Mr。 Sabin rose to his feet。
〃I presume；〃 he said； 〃that no very active demands are likely to be
made upon my services。 In this country more than any other I fear
that the possibilities of my aid are scanty。〃
The Prince smiled。
〃It is a fact；〃 he said； 〃which we all appreciate。 Upon you at
present we make no claim。〃
There was a moment's intense silence。 A steely light glittered in
Mr。 Sabin's eyes。 He and the Prince alone remained standing。 The
Duchess of Dorset watched them through her lorgnettes； Lady Carey
watched too with an intense eagerness； her eyes alight with mingled
cruelty and excitement。 Lucille's eyes were so bright that one
might readily believe the tears to be glistening beneath。
CHAPTER XIX
I will not pretend；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃to misunderstand you。 My
help is not required by you in this enterprise； whatever it may be；
in which you are engaged。 On the contrary； you have tried by many
and various ways to keep me at a distance。 But I am here； Prince
… here to be dealt with and treated according to my rights。〃
The Prince stroked his fair moustache。
〃I am a little puzzled；〃 he admitted； 〃as to this … shall I not
call it self…assertiveness？ … on the part of my good friend
Souspennier。〃
〃I will make it quite clear then；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃Lucille；
will you favour me by ringing for your maid。 The carriage is at
the door。〃
The Prince held out his hand。
〃My dear Souspennier；〃 he said； 〃you must not think of taking
Lucille away from us。〃
〃Indeed；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered coolly。 〃Why not？〃
〃It must be obvious to you；〃 the Prince answered； 〃that we did not
send to America for Lucille without an object。 She is now engaged
in an important work upon our behalf。 It is necessary that she
should remain under this roof。〃
〃I demand；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃that the nature of that necessity
should be made clear to me。〃
The Prince smiled with the air of one disposed to humour a wilful
child。
〃Come！〃 he said。 〃You must know very well that I cannot stand here
and tell you the bare outline； much less the details of an important
movement。 To…morrow； at any hour you choose； one from amongst us
shall explain the whole matter … and the part to be borne in it by
the Countess！〃
〃And to…night？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked。
The Prince shrugged his shoulders and glanced at the clock。
〃To…night； my dear friend；〃 he said； 〃all of us； I believe； go on
to a ball at Carmarthen House。 It would grieve me also； I am sure；
Duke； to seem inhospitable； but I am compelled to mention the fact
that the hour for which the carriages have been ordered is already
at hand。〃
Mr。 Sabin reflected for a few moments。
〃Did I understand you to say；〃 he asked； 〃that the help to be given
to you by my wife； Lucille； Duchess of Souspennier； entailed her
remaining under this roof？〃
The Prince smiled seraphically。
〃It is unfortunate；〃 he murmured； 〃since you have been so gallant
as to follow her； but it is true！ You will understand this
perfectly … to…morrow。〃
〃And why should I wait until to…morrow？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked coolly。
〃I fear；〃 the Prince said； 〃that it is a matter of necessity。〃
Mr。 Sabin glanced for a moment in turn at the faces of all the
little company as though seeking to discover how far the attitude
of his opponent met with their approval。 Lady Carey's thin lips
were curved in a smile； and her eyes met his mockingly。 The
others remained imperturbable。 Last of all he looked at Lucille。
〃It seems；〃 he said； smiling towards her； 〃that I am called upon
to pay a heavy entrance fee on my return amongst your friends。 But
the Prince of Saxe Leinitzer forgets that he has shown me no
authority； or given me no valid reason why I should tolerate such
flagrant interference with my personal affairs。〃
〃To…morrow … to…morrow； my good sir！〃 the Prince interrupted。
〃No！ To…night！〃 Mr。 Sabin answered sharply。 〃Lucille； in the
absence of any reasonable explanation； I challenge the right of the
Prince of Saxe Leinitzer to rob me even for an hour of my dearest
possession。 I appeal to you。 Come with me and remain with me
until it has been proved； if ever it can be proved； that greater
interests require our separation。 If there be blame I will take it。
Will you trust yourself to me
Lucille half rose； but Lady Carey's hand was heavy upon her
shoulder。 As though by a careless movement General Dolinski and
Raoul de Brouillac altered their positions slightly so as to come
between the two。 The Duke of Dorset had left the room。 Then Mr。
Sabin knew that they were all against him。
〃Lucille；〃 he said； 〃have courage！ I wait for you。〃
She looked towards him； and her face puzzled him。 For there
flashed across the shoulders of these people a glance which was
wholly out of harmony with his own state of barely subdued passion
… a glance half tender； half humorous； full of subtle promise。
Yet her words were a blow to him。
〃Victor； how is it possible？ Believe