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Lady Carey took the key from his hand。
〃I will try；〃 she said。 〃How shall you know whether I succeed？〃
〃I will wait in the gardens；〃 he answered。 〃I shall be out of sight；
but I shall be able to see you come out。 If you are alone I shall
come to you。 If she is with you I shall be at your house in an
hour； and I promise you that she shall leave England to…night with
me。〃
〃Poor Brott！〃 she murmured ironically。
The Prince smiled。
〃He will follow her。 Every one will believe that they left London
together。 That is all that is required。〃
Lady Carey re…entered the house。 The Prince made his way into the
gardens。 Ten minutes passed … a quarter of an hour。 Then Lady Carey
with Lucille reappeared； and stepping quickly into the victoria were
driven away。 The Prince drew a little sigh of relief。 He looked at
his watch； called a hansom； and drove to his club for lunch。
Another man； who had also been watching Dorset Rouse from the
gardens for several hours； also noted Lucille's advent with relief。
He followed the Prince out and entered another hansom。
〃Follow that victoria which has just driven off；〃 he ordered。
〃Don't lose sight of it。 Double fare。〃
The trap…door fell； and the man whipped up his horse。
CHAPTER XXXVI
Mr。 Sabin received an early visitor whilst still lingering over
a slight but elegant breakfast。 Passmore seated himself in an
easy…chair and accepted the cigar which his host himself selected
for him。
〃I am glad to see you；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃This affair of Duson's
remains a complete mystery to me。 I am looking to you to help me
solve it。〃
The little man with the imperturbable face removed his cigar from
his mouth and contemplated it steadfastly。
〃It is mysterious；〃 he said。 〃There are circumstances in connection
with it which even now puzzle me very much； very much indeed。 There
are circumstances in connection with it also which I fear may be a
shock to you； sir。〃
〃My life；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； with a faint smile； 〃has been made up of
shocks。 A few more or less may not hurt me。〃
〃Duson；〃 the detective said； 〃was at heart a faithful servant！〃
〃I believe it；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。
〃He was much attached to you！〃
〃I believe it。〃
〃It is possible that unwittingly he died for you。〃
Mr。 Sabin was silent。 It was his way of avoiding a confession of
surprise。 And he was surprised。 〃You believe then；〃 he said；
〃after a moment's pause； 〃that the poison was intended for me？〃
〃Certainly I do；〃 the detective answered。 〃Duson was； after all；
a valet； a person of little importance。 There is no one to whom
his removal could have been of sufficient importance to justify
such extreme measures。 With you it is different。〃
Mr。 Sabin knocked the ash from his cigarette。
〃Why not be frank with me； Mr。 Passmore？〃 he said。 〃There is no
need to shelter yourself under professional reticence。 Your
connection with Scotland Yard ended； I believe； some time ago。 You
are free to speak or to keep silence。 Do one or the other。 Tell me
what you think； and I will tell you what I know。 That surely will
be a fair exchange。 You shall have my facts for your surmises。〃
Passmore's thin lips curled into a smile。 〃You know that I have
left Scotland Yard then； sir？〃
〃Quite well！ You are employed by them often； I believe； but you
are not on the staff； not since the affair of Nerman and the code
book。〃
If Passmore had been capable of reverence； his eyes looked it at
that moment。
〃You knew this last night； sir？〃
〃Certainly！〃
〃Five years ago； sir；〃 he said； 〃I told my chief that in you the
detective police of the world had lost one who must have been their
king。 More and more you convince me of it。 I cannot believe that
you are ignorant of the salient points concerning Duson's death。〃
〃Treat me as being so； at any rate；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。
〃I am pardoned；〃 Passmore said； 〃for speaking plainly of family
matters … my concern in which is of course purely professional？〃
Mr。 Sabin looked up for a moment； but he signified his assent。
〃You left America；〃 Passmore said； 〃in search of your wife； formerly
Countess of Radantz； who had left you unexpectedly。〃
〃It is true！〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
〃Madame la Duchesse on reaching London became the guest of the
Duchess of Dorset； where she has been staying since。 Whilst there
she has received many visits from Mr。 Reginald Brott。〃
Mr。 Sabin's face was as the face of a sphinx。 He made no sign。
〃You do not waste your time； sir； over the Society papers。 Yet you
have probably heard that Madame la Duchesse and Mr。 Reginald Brott
have been written about and spoken about as intimate friends。 They
have been seen together everywhere。 Gossip has been busy with their
names。 Mr。 Brott has followed the Countess into circles which
before her coming he zealously eschewed。 The Countess is everywhere
regarded as a widow； and a marriage has been confidently spoken of。〃
Mr。 Sabin bowed his head slightly。 But of expression there was in
his face no sign。
〃These things；〃 Passmore continued； 〃are common knowledge。 I have
spoken up to now of nothing which is not known to the world。 I
proceed differently。〃
〃Good！〃 Mr。 Sabin said。
〃There is；〃 Passmore continued； 〃in the foreign district of London
a man named Emil Sachs； who keeps a curious sort of a wine…shop； and
supplements his earnings by disposing at a high figure of certain
rare and deadly poisons。 A few days ago the Countess visited him
and secured a small packet of the most deadly drug the man possesses。〃
Mr。 Sabin sat quite still。 He was unmoved。
〃The Countess；〃 Passmore continued； 〃shortly afterwards visited
these rooms。 An hour after her departure Duson was dead。 He died
from drinking out of your liqueur glass； into which a few specks
of that powder； invisible almost to the naked eye； had been dropped。
At Dorset House Reginald Brott was waiting for her。 He left shortly
afterwards in a state of agitation。〃
〃And from these things；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃you draw； I presume； the
natural inference that Madame la Duchesse； desiring to marry her
old admirer； Reginald Brott； first left me in America； and then；
since I followed her here； attempted to poison me
〃There is；〃 Passmore said； 〃a good deal of evidence to that effect。〃
〃Here；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； handing him Duson's letter； 〃is some
evidence to the contrary。〃
Passmore read the letter carefully。
〃You believe this；〃 he asked； 〃to be genuine？〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃I am sure of it！〃 he answered。
〃You recognise the handwriting？〃
〃Certainly！〃
〃And this came into your possession … how？〃
〃I found it on the table by Duson's side。〃
〃You intend to produce it at the inquest？〃
〃I think not；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
There was a short silence。 Passmore was revolving a certain matter
in his mind … thinking hard。 Mr。 Sabin was apparently trying to
make rings of the blue smoke from his cigarette。
〃Has it occurred to you；〃 Passmore asked； 〃to wonder for what reason
your wife visited these rooms on the morning of Duson's death？〃
Mr。 Sabin shook his head。
〃I cannot say that it has。〃
〃She knew that you were not here；〃 Passmore continued。 〃She left
no message。 She came closely veiled and departed unrecognised。〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。
〃There were reasons；〃 he said； 〃for that。 But when you say that
she left no message you are mistaken。〃
Passmore nodded。
〃Go on；〃 he said。
Mr。 Sabin nodded towards a great vase of La France roses upon a
side table。
〃I found these here on my return；〃 he said； 〃and attached to them
the card which I believe is still there。 Go and look at it。〃
Passmore rose and bent over the fragrant blossoms。 The card still
remained； and on the back of it； in a delicate feminine handwriting：
〃For my husband；
〃with love from
〃Lucille。〃
Mr。 Passmore shrugged his shoulders。 He had not the vice of
obstinacy； and he knew when to abandon a theory。
〃I am corrected；〃 he said。 〃In any case； a mystery remains as well
worth solving。 Who are these people at whose instigation Duson was
t