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Mr。 Sabin stood upon the threshold。
〃Pray； don't let me disturb you；〃 he said。 〃I was unable to refrain
from paying you a brief visit。 Why； Prince； Lady Carey！ I can
assure you that I am no ghost。〃
He glanced from one to the other with a delicate smile of mockery
parting his thin lips。 For upon the Prince's forehead the
perspiration stood out like beads； and he shrank away from Mr。
Sabin as from some unholy thing。 Lady Carey had fallen back across
her chair。 Her hand was still pressed to her side； and her face
was very pale。 A nervous little laugh broke from her lips。
CHAPTER XXX
Mr。 Sabin found a fourth chair； and calmly seated himself by
Lucille's side。 But his eyes were fixed upon Lady Carey。 She
was slowly recovering herself； but Mr。 Sabin； who had never
properly understood her attitude towards him； was puzzled at the
air of intense relief which almost shone in her face。
〃You seem … all of you；〃 he remarked suavely； 〃to have found the
music a little exciting。 Wagner certainly knew how to find his
way to the emotions。 Or perhaps I interrupted an interesting
discussion？〃
Lucille smiled gently upon him。
〃These two；〃 she said； looking from the Prince to Lady Carey； 〃seem
to have been afflicted with a sudden nervous excitement； and yet I do
not think that they are； either of them； very susceptible to music。〃
Lady Carey leaned forward； and looked at him from behind the large
fan of white feathers which she was lazily fluttering before her face。
〃Your entrance；〃 she murmured； 〃was most opportune； besides being
very welcome。 The Prince and I were literally … on the point of
flying at one another's throats。〃
Mr。 Sabin glanced at his neighbour and smiled。
〃You are certainly a little out of sorts； Saxe Leinitzer；〃 he
remarked。 〃You look pale； and your hands are not quite steady。
Nerves； I suppose。 You should see Dr。 Carson in Brook Street。〃
The Prince shrugged his shoulders。
〃My health；〃 he said； 〃was never better。 It is true that your
coming was somewhat of a surprise；〃 he added； looking steadily at
Mr。 Sabin。 〃I understood that you had gone for a short journey；
and I was not expecting to see you back again so soon。〃
〃Duson；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃has taken that short journey instead。
It was rather a liberty； but he left a letter for me fully
explaining his motives。 I cannot blame him。〃
The Prince stroked his moustache。
〃Ah！〃 he remarked。 〃That is a pity。 You may； however； find it
politic； even necessary； to join him very shortly。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled grimly。
〃I shall go when I am ready；〃 he said； 〃not before！〃
Lucille looked from one to the other with protesting eyebrows。
〃Come；〃 she said； 〃it is very impolite of you to talk in riddles
before my face。 I have been flattering myself； Victor； that you
were here to see me。 Do not wound my vanity。〃
He whispered something in her ear； and she laughed softly back at
him。 The Prince； with the evening paper in his hand； escaped from
the box； and found a retired spot where he could read the little
paragraph at his leisure。 Lady Carey pretended to be absorbed by
the music。
〃Has anything happened； Victor？〃 Lucille whispered。
He hesitated。
〃Well； in a sense； yes；〃 he admitted。 〃I appear to have become
unpopular with our friend； the Prince。 Duson； who has always been
a spy upon my movements； was entrusted with a little sleeping
draught for me； which he preferred to take himself。 That is all。〃
〃Duson is … 〃
He nodded。
〃He is dead！〃
Lucille went very pale。
〃This is horrible！〃 she murmured
〃The Prince is a little annoyed； naturally；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃It
is vexing to have your plans upset in such a manner。〃
She shuddered。
〃He is hateful！ Victor； I fear that he does not mean to let me
leave Dorset House just yet。 I am almost inclined to become； like
you； an outcast。 Who knows … we might go free。 Bloodshed is always
avoided as much as possible； and I do not see how else they could
strike at me。 Social ostracism is their chief weapon。 But in
America that could not hurt us。〃
He shook his head。
〃Not yet；〃 he said。 〃I am sure that Saxe Leinitzer is not playing
the game。 But he is too well served here to make defiance wise。〃
〃You run the risk yourself；〃 she protested。
He smiled。
〃It is a different matter。 By the bye； we are overheard。〃
Lady Carey had forgotten to listen any more to the music。 She was
watching them both； a steely light in her eyes； her fingers
nervously entwined。 The Prince was still absent。
〃Pray do not consider me；〃 she begged。 〃So far as I am concerned；
your conversation is of no possible interest。 But I think you had
better remember that the Prince is in the corridor just outside。〃
〃We are much obliged to you；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃The Prince may hear
every word I have to say about him。 But all the same； I thank you
for your warning。
〃I fear that we are very unsociable； Muriel；〃 Lucille said； 〃and；
after all； I should never have been here but for you。〃
Lady Carey turned her left shoulder upon them。
〃I beg；〃 she said； 〃that you will leave me alone with the music。
I prefer it。〃
The Prince suddenly stood upon the threshold。 His hand rested
lightly upon the arm of another man。
〃Come in； Brott；〃 he said。 〃The women will be charmed to see you。
And I don't suppose they've read your speeches。 Countess； here is
the man who counts all equal under the sun； who decries class； and
recognises no social distinctions。 Brott was born to lead a
revolution。 He is our natural enemy。 Let us all try to convert him。〃
Brott was pale； and deep new lines were furrowed on his face。
Nevertheless he smiled faintly as he bowed over Lucille's fingers。
〃My introduction；〃 he remarked； 〃is scarcely reassuring。 Yet here
at least； if anywhere in the world； we should all meet upon equal
ground。 Music is a universal leveler。〃
〃And we haven't a chance；〃 Lady Carey remarked with uplifted
eyebrows； 〃of listening to a bar of it。〃
Lucille welcomed the newcomer coldly。 Nevertheless； he manoeuvred
himself into the place by her side。 She took up her fan and
commenced swinging it thoughtfully。
〃You are surprised to see me here？〃 he murmured。
〃Yes！〃 she admitted。
He looked wearily away from the stage up into her face。
〃And I too；〃 he said。 〃I am surprised to find myself here！〃
〃I pictured you；〃 she remarked； 〃as immersed in affairs。 Did I
not hear something of a Radical ministry with you for Premier？〃
〃It has been spoken of；〃 he admitted。
〃Then I really cannot see；〃 she said； 〃what you are doing here。〃
〃Why not？〃 he asked doggedly。
She shrugged her shoulders。
〃In the first place；〃 she said； 〃you ought to be rushing about
amongst your supporters； keeping them up to the mark； and all that
sort of thing。 And in the second … 〃
〃Well？〃
〃Are we not the very people against whom you have declared war？〃
〃I have declared war against no people；〃 he answered。 〃It is
systems and classes； abuses； injustice against which I have been
forced to speak。 I would not deprive your Order of a single
privilege to which they are justly entitled。 But you must remember
that I am a people's man。 Their cause is mine。 They look to me as
their mouthpiece。〃
Lucille shrugged her shoulders。
〃You cannot evade the point；〃 she said。 〃If you are the； what do
you call it； the mouthpiece of the people； I do not see how you can
be anything else than the enemy of the aristocracy。〃
〃The aristocracy？ Who are they？〃 he asked。 〃I am the enemy of all
those who； because they possess an ancient name and inherited wealth；
consider themselves the God…appointed bullies of the poor； dealing
them out meagre charities； lordly patronage； an unspoken but bitter
contempt。 But the aristocracy of the earth are not of such as these。
Your class are furnishing the world with advanced thinkers every year；
every month！ Inherited prejudices can never survive the next few
generations。 The fusion of classes must come。〃
She shook her head。
〃You are sanguine； my friend；〃 she said。 〃Many generations have
come and gone since the wonderful pages of history were opened to
us。 And d