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come and gone since the wonderful pages of history were opened to
us。 And during all these years how much nearer have the serf and
the aristocrat come together？ Nay； have they not rather drifted
apart？ 。。。 But listen！ This is the great chorus。 We must not
miss it。〃
〃So the Prince has brought back the wanderer；〃 Lady Carey whispered
to Mr。 Sabin behind her fan。 〃Hasn't he rather the air of a sheep
who has strayed from the fold？〃
Mr。 Sabin raised the horn eyeglass； which he so seldom used； and
contemplated Brott steadily。
〃He reminds me more than ever；〃 he remarked； 〃of Rienzi。 He is
like a man torn asunder by great causes。 They say that his speech
at Glasgow was the triumph of a born orator。〃
Lady Carey shrugged her shoulders。
〃It was practically the preaching a revolution to the people；〃 she
said。 〃A few more such； and we might have the red flag waving。 He
left Glasgow in a ferment。 If he really comes into power； what are
we to expect？〃
〃To the onlookers；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； 〃a revolution in this
country would possess many interesting features。 The common people
lack the ferocity of our own rabble； but they are even more
determined。 I may yet live to see an English Duke earning an honest
living in the States。〃
〃It depends very much upon Brott；〃 Lady Carey said。 〃For his own
sake it is a pity that he is in love with Lucille。〃
Mr。 Sabin agreed with her blandly。
〃It is；〃 he affirmed； 〃a most regrettable incident。〃
She leaned a little towards him。 The box was not a large one； and
their chairs already touched。
〃Are you a jealous husband？〃 she asked。
〃Horribly；〃 be answered。
〃Your devotion to Lucille； or rather the singleness of your devotion
to Lucille；〃 she remarked； 〃is positively the most gauche thing about
you。 It is … absolutely callow！〃
He laughed gently。
〃Did I not always tell you；〃 he said； 〃that when I did marry I
should make an excellent husband？〃
〃You are at least；〃 she answered sharply； 〃a very complaisant one。〃
The Prince leaned forward from the shadows of the box。
〃I invite you all；〃 he said； 〃to supper with me。 It is something
of an occasion； this！ For I do not think that we shall all meet
again just as we are now for a very long time。〃
〃Your invitation；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； 〃is most agreeable。 But
your suggestion is； to say the least of it； nebulous。 I do not see
what is to prevent your all having supper with me to…morrow evening。
Lady Carey laughed as she rose； and stretched out her hand for her
cloak。
〃To…morrow evening；〃 she said； 〃is a long way off。 Let us make
sure of to…night … before the Prince changes his mind。〃
Mr。 Sabin bowed low。
〃To…night by all means；〃 he declared。 〃But my invitation remains
… a challenge！〃
CHAPTER XXXI
The Prince； being host； arranged the places at his supper…table。
Mr。 Sabin found himself； therefore； between Lady Carey and a young
German attache； whom they had met in the ante…room of the restaurant。
Lucille had the Prince and Mr。 Brott on either side of her。
Lady Carey monopolised at first the greater part of the conversation。
Mr。 Sabin was unusually silent。 The German attache； whose name was
Baron von Opperman； did not speak until the champagne was served；
when he threw a bombshell into the midst of the little party。
〃I hear；〃 he said； with a broad and seraphic smile； 〃that in this
hotel there has to…day a murder been committed。〃
Baron von Opperman was suddenly the cynosure of several pairs of
eyes。 He was delighted with the success of his attempt towards
the general entertainment。
〃The evening papers；〃 he continued； 〃they have in them news of a
sudden death。 But in the hotel here now they are speaking of
something … what you call more … mysterious。 There has been ordered
an examination post…mortem！〃
〃It is a case of poisoning then； I presume？〃 the Prince asked；
leaning forward。
〃It is so supposed；〃 the attache answered。 〃It seems that the
doctors could find no trace of disease； nothing to have caused death。
They were not able to decide anything。 The man； they said； was in
perfect health … but dead。〃
〃It must have been； then；〃 the Prince remarked； 〃a very wonderful
poison。〃
〃Without doubt；〃 Baron Opperman answered。
The Prince sighed gently。
〃There are many such；〃 he murmured。 〃Indeed the science of
toxicology was never so ill…understood as now。 I am assured that
there are many poisons known only to a few chemists in the world； a
single grain of which is sufficient to destroy the strongest man
and leave not the slightest trace behind。 If the poisoner be
sufficiently accomplished he can pursue his … calling without the
faintest risk of detection。〃
Mr。 Sabin sipped his wine thoughtfully。
〃The Prince is； I believe； right；〃 he remarked。 〃It is for that
reason； doubtless； that I have heard of men whose lives have been
threatened； who have deposited in safe places a sealed statement of
the danger in which they find themselves； with an account of its
source； so that if they should come to an end in any way mysterious
there may be evidence against their murderers。〃
〃A very reasonable and judicious precaution；〃 the Prince remarked
with glittering eyes。 〃Only if the poison was indeed of such a
nature that it was not possible to trace it nothing worse than
suspicion could ever be the lot of any one。〃
Mr。 Sabin helped himself carefully to salad； and resumed the
discussion with his next course。
〃Perhaps not；〃 he admitted。 〃But you must remember that suspicion
is of itself a grievous embarrassment。 No man likes to feel that
he is being suspected of murder。 By the bye； is it known whom the
unfortunate person was？〃
〃The servant of a French nobleman who is staying in the hotel；〃 Mr。
Brott remarked。 〃I heard as much as that。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。 Lady Carey glanced at him meaningly。
〃You have worried the Prince quite sufficiently；〃 she whispered。
〃Change the subject。〃
Mr。 Sabin bowed。
〃You are very considerate … to the Prince；〃 he said。
〃It is perhaps for your sake；〃 she answered。 〃And as for the Prince
… well； you know； or you should know； for how much he counts with
me。〃
Mr。 Sabin glanced at her curiously。 She was a little flushed as
though with some inward excitement。 Her eyes were bright and soft。
Despite a certain angularity of figure and her hollow cheeks she was
certainly one of the most distinguished…looking women in the room。
〃You are so dense；〃 she whispered in his ear； 〃wilfully dense；
perhaps。 You will not understand that I wish to be your friend。〃
He smiled with gentle deprecation。
〃Do you blame me；〃 he murmured； 〃if I seem incredulous？ For I am
an old man； and you are spoken of always as the friend of my enemy；
the friend of the Prince。〃
〃I wonder；〃 she said thoughtfully； 〃if this is really the secret
of your mistrust？ Do you indeed fear that I have no other interest
in life save to serve Saxe Leinitzer？〃
〃As to that；〃 he answered； 〃I cannot say。 Yet I know that only a
few months ago you were acting under orders from him。 It is you
who brought Lucille from America。 It was through you that the first
blow was struck at my happiness。〃
〃Cannot I atone？〃 she murmured under her breath。 〃If I can I will。
And as for the present； well； I am outside his schemes now。 Let us
be friends。 You would find me a very valuable ally。〃
〃Let it be so；〃 he answered without emotion。 〃You shall help me；
if you will； to regain Lucille。 I promise you then that my gratitude
shall not disappoint you。〃
She bit her lip。
〃And are you sure；〃 she whispered； 〃that Lucille is anxious to be
won back？ She loves intrigue； excitement； the sense of being
concerned in important doings。 Besides … you must have heard what
they say about her … and Brott。 Look at her now。 She wears
her grass widowhood lightly enough。〃
Mr。 Sabin looked across the table。 Lucille had indeed all the
appearance of a woman thoroughly at peace with the world and herself。
Brott was talking to her in smothered and eager undertones。 The
Prince was waiting for an opportunity to intervene。 Mr。 Sabin
looked into Brott's white strong face； and was thoughtful