按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
It is monstrous！ I never sought you under false pretenses。 I never
asked you for your friendship。 I wanted you。 I told you so plainly。
You won't deny that you gave me hope … encouraged me？ You can't
even deny that I am within my rights if I claim now at this instant
the reward for my apostasy。〃
Her hands were suddenly locked in his。 She felt herself being drawn
into his arms。 With a desperate effort she avoided his embrace。 He
still held her left wrist； and his face was dark with passion。
〃Let me go！〃 she pleaded。
〃Not I！〃 he answered； with an odd； choked little laugh。 〃You
belong to me。 I have paid the price。 I； too； am amongst the long
list of those poor fools who have sold their gods and their honour
for a woman's kiss。 But I will not be left wholly destitute。 You
shall pay me for what I have lost。〃
〃Oh； you are mad！〃 she answered。 〃How could you have deceived
yourself so？ Don't you know that my husband is in London？〃
〃The man who calls himself Mr。 Sabin？〃 he answered roughly。 〃What
has that to do with it？ You are living apart。 Saxe Leinitzer and
the Duchess have both told me the history of your married life。 Or
is the whole thing a monstrous lie？〃 he cried； with a sudden dawning
sense of the truth。 〃Nonsense！ I won't believe it。 Lucille！
You're not afraid！ I shall be good to you。 You don't doubt that。
Sabin will divorce you of course。 You won't lose your friends。 I … 〃
There was a sudden loud tapping at the door。 Brott dropped her
wrist and turned round with an exclamation of anger。 To Lucille it
was a Heaven…sent interposition。 The Prince entered； pale； and
with signs of hurry and disorder about his usually immaculate person。
〃You are both here；〃 he exclaimed。 〃Good！ Lucille； I must speak
with you urgently in five minutes。 Brott； come this way with me。〃
Lucille sank into a chair with a little murmur of relief。 The
Prince led Brott into another room； and closed the door carefully
behind him。
〃Mr。 Brott；〃 he said； 〃can I speak to you as a friend of Lucille's？〃
Brott； who distrusted the Prince； looked him steadily in the face。
Saxe Leinitzer's agitation was too apparent to be wholly assumed。
He had all the appearance of being a man desperately in earnest。
〃I have always considered myself one；〃 Brott answered。 〃I am
beginning to doubt； however； whether the Countess holds me in the
same estimation。〃
〃You found her hysterical； unreasonable； overwrought！〃 the Prince
exclaimed。 〃That is so； eh？〃
The Prince drew a long breath。
〃Brott；〃 he said； 〃I am forced to confide in you。 Lucille is in
terrible danger。 I am not sure that there is anybody who can
effectually help her but you。 Are you prepared to make a great
sacrifice for her sake … to leave England at once； to take her to
the uttermost part of the world？〃
Brott's eyes were suddenly bright。 The Prince quailed before the
fierceness of his gaze。
〃She would not go！〃 he exclaimed sharply。
〃She will；〃 the Prince answered。 〃She must！ Not only that； but
you will earn her eternal gratitude。 Listen； I must tell you the
predicament in which we find ourselves。 It places Lucille's life
in your hands。〃
〃What？〃
The exclamation came like a pistol shot。 The Prince held up his
hand。
〃Do not interrupt。 Let me speak。 Every moment is very valuable。
You heard without doubt of the sudden death at the Carlton Hotel。
It took place in Mr。 Sabin's sitting…room。 The victim was Mr。
Sabin's servant。 The inquest was this afternoon。 The verdict was
death from the effect of poison。 The police are hot upon the case。
There was no evidence as to the person by whom the poison was
administered； but by a hideous combination of circumstances one
person before many hours have passed will be under the surveillance
of the police。〃
〃And that person？〃 Brott asked。
The Prince looked round and lowered his voice； although the room
was empty。
〃Lucille；〃 he whispered hoarsely。
Brott stepped backwards as though he were shot。
〃What damned folly！〃 he exclaimed。
〃It is possible that you may not think so directly；〃 Saxe Leinitzer
continued。 〃The day it happened Lucille bought this same poison；
and it is a rare one； from a man who has absconded。 An hour before
this man was found dead； she called at the hotel； left no name； but
went upstairs to Mr。 Sabin's room； and was alone there for five
minutes； The man died from a single grain of poison which had been
introduced into Mr。 Sabin's special liqueur glass； out of which he
was accustomed to drink three or four times a day。 All these are
absolute facts； which at any moment may be discovered by the police。
Added to that she is living apart from her husband； and is known to
be on bad terms with him。〃
Brott as gripping the back of a chair。 He was white to the lips。
〃You don't think；〃 he cried hoarsely。 〃You can't believe … 〃
〃No〃 the Prince answered quickly； 〃I don't believe anything of the
sort。 I will tell you as man to than that I believe she wished Mr。
Sabin dead。 You yourself should know why。 But no； I don't believe
she went so far as that。 It was an accident。 But what we have to
do is to save her。 Will you help？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃She must cross to the Continent to…night before the police get on
the scent。 Afterwards she must double back to Havre and take the
Bordlaise for New York on Saturday。 Once there I can guarantee her
protection。〃
〃Well？〃
〃She cannot go alone。〃
〃You mean that I should go with her？〃
〃Yes！ Get her right away； and I will employ special detectives and
have the matter cleared up； if ever it can be。 But if she remains
here I fear that nothing can save her from the horror of an arrest；
even if afterwards We are able to save her。 You yourself risk much；
Brott。 The only question that remains is； will you do it？〃
〃At her bidding … yes！〃 Brott declared。
〃Wait here；〃 the Prince answered。
CHAPTER XXXIX
Saxe Leinitzer returned to the morning…room； and taking the key
from his pocket unlocked the door。 Inside Lucille was pale with
fury。
〃What！ I am a prisoner； then！〃 she exclaimed。 〃How dare you
lock me in？ This is not your house。 Let me pass！ I am tired of
all this stupid espionage。〃
The Prince stood with his back to the door。
〃It is for your own sake； Lucille。 The house is watched。〃
She sank into a low chair； trembling。 The Prince had all the
appearance of a man himself seriously disturbed。
〃Lucille；〃 he said； 〃we will do what we can for you。 The whole
thing is horribly unfortunate。 You must leave England to…night。
Muriel will go with you。 Her presence will help to divert suspicion。
Once you can reach Paris I can assure you of safety。 But in this
country I am almost powerless。〃
〃I must see Victor；〃 she said in a low tone。 〃I will not go
without。〃
The Prince nodded。
〃I have thought of that。 There is no reason； Lucille； why he should
not be the one to lead you into safety。〃
〃You mean that？〃 she cried。
〃I mean it；〃 the Prince answered。 〃After what has happened you are
of course of no further use to us。 I am inclined to think； too；
that we have been somewhat exacting。 I will send a messenger to
Souspennier to meet you at Charing Cross to…night。〃
She sprang up。
〃Let me write it myself。〃
〃Very well；〃 he agreed； with a shrug of the shoulders。 〃But do not
address or sign it。 There is danger in any communication between
you。〃
She took a sheet of note…paper and hastily wrote a few words。
〃I have need of your help。 Will you be at Charing Cross at twelve
o'clock prepared for a journey。 … Lucille。〃
The Prince took the letter from her and hastily folded it up。
〃I will deliver it myself；〃 he announced。 〃It will perhaps be
safest。 Until I return； Lucille； do not stir from the house or see
any one。 Muriel has given the servants orders to admit no one。
All your life；〃 he added； after a moment's pause； 〃you have been a
little cruel to me； and this time also。 I shall pray that you will
relent before our next meeting。〃
She rose to her feet and looked him full in the face。 She seemed
to be following out her own train of thought rather than taking
note of