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！
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 his words。
〃Even now；〃 she said thoughtfully； 〃I am not sure that I can trust
you。 I have a good mind to fight or scream my way out of this
house； and go myself to see Victor。〃
He shrugged his shoulders。
〃The fighting or the screaming will not be necessary； dear
Countess；〃 he said。 〃The doors are open to you。 But it is as clear
as day that if you go to the hotel or near it you will at once be
recognised； and recognition means arrest。 There is a limit beyond
which one cannot help a wilful woman。 Take your life in your hands
and go your own way； or trust in us who are doing our best to save
you。〃
〃And what of Reginald Brott？〃 she asked。
〃Brott？〃 the Prince repeated impatiently。 〃Who cares what becomes
of him？ You have made him seem a fool； but； Lucille； to tell you
the truth； I am sorry that we did not leave this country altogether
alone。 There is not the soil for intrigue here； or the possibility。
Then； too； the police service is too stolid； too inaccessible。 And
even our friends； for whose aid we are here … well； you heard the
Duke。 The cast…iron Saxon idiocy of the man。 The aristocracy here
are what they call bucolic。 It is their own fault。 They have
intermarried with parvenus and Americans for generations。 They are
a race by themselves。 We others may shake ourselves free from them。
I would work in any country of the globe for the good of our cause；
but never again in England。〃
Lucille shivered a little。
〃I am not in the humour for argument；〃 she declared。 〃If you would
earn my gratitude take that note to my husband。 He is the only man
I feel sure of … whom I know can protect me。〃
The Prince bowed low。
〃It is our farewell； Countess；〃 he said。
〃I cannot pretend；〃 she answered； 〃to regret it。〃
Saxe Leinitzer left the room。 There was a peculiar smile upon his
lips as he crossed the hall。 Brott was still awaiting for him。
〃Mr。 Brott；〃 he said； 〃the Countess is； as I feared； too agitated
to see you again for the present； or any one else。 She sends you；
however； this message。〃
He took the folded paper from his waistcoat pocket and handed it
to the other man。 Brott read it through eagerly。 His eyes shone。
〃She accepts the situation； then？〃 he exclaimed。
〃Precisely！ Will you pardon me； my friend； if I venture upon one
other word。 Lucille is not an ordinary woman。 She is not in the
least like the majority of her sex； especially； I might add； amongst
us。 The fact that her husband was living would seriously influence
her consideration of any other man … as her lover。 The present
crisis； however； has changed everything。 I do not think that you
will have cause to complain of her lack of gratitude。〃
Brott walked out into the streets with the half sheet of note…paper
twisted up between his fingers。 For the first time for months he
was conscious of a distinct and vivid sense of happiness。 The
terrible period of indecision was past。 He knew now where he stood。
Nor was his immediate departure from England altogether unpleasant
to him。 His political career was shattered … friends and enemies
were alike cold to him。 Such an act of cowardice as his； such
pitiful shrinking back at the last fateful moment； was inexplicable
and revolting。 Even Letheringham was barely civil。 It was certain
that his place in the Cabinet would be intolerable。 He yearned for
escape from it all； and the means of escape were now at hand。 In
after years he knew very well that the shadow of his broken trust；
the torture of his misused opportunities； would stand for ever
between him and the light。 But at that moment he was able to clear
his mind of all such disquieting thoughts。 He had won Lucille
… never mind at what cost； at what peril！ He had won Lucille！
He was deeply engrossed； and his name was spoken twice in his ear
before he turned round。 A small； somewhat shabby…looking man； with
tired eyes and more than a day's growth of beard upon his chin； had
accosted him。
〃Mr。 Brott； sir。 A word with you； please。〃
Brott held out his hand。 Nevertheless his tone when he spoke lacked
heartiness。
〃You； Hedley！ Why； what brings you to London？〃
The little man did not seem to see the hand。 At any rate he made
no motion to take it。
〃A few minutes' chat with Mr。 Brott。 That's what I've come for。〃
Brott raised his eyebrows； and nodded in somewhat constrained
fashion。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I am on my way to my rooms。 We can talk as we
go； if you like。 I am afraid the good people up in your part of
the world are not too well pleased with me。〃
The little man smiled rather queerly。
〃That is quite true；〃 he answered calmly。 〃They hate a liar and
a turn…coat。 So do I！〃
Brott stopped short upon the pavement。
〃If you are going to talk like that to me； Hedley；〃 he said； 〃the
less you have to say the better。〃
The man nodded。
〃Very well；〃 he said。 〃What I have to say won't take me very long。
But as I've tramped most of the way up here to say it； you'll have
to listen here or somewhere else。 I thought you were always one who
liked the truth。〃
〃So I do！〃 Brott answered。 〃Go on！〃
The man shuffled along by his side。 They were an odd…looking pair；
for Brott was rather a careful man as regards his toilet； and his
companion looked little better than a tramp。
〃All my life；〃 he continued； 〃I've been called 'Mad Hedley；' or
'Hedley； the mad tailor。' Sometimes one and sometimes the other。
It don't matter which。 There's truth in； it。 I am a bit mad。 You；
Mr。 Brott； were one of those who understood me a little。 I have
brooded a good deal perhaps； and things have got muddled up in my
brain。 You know what has been at the bottom of it all。
〃I began making speeches when I was a boy。 People laughed at me；
but I've set many a one a…thinking。 I'm no anarchist； although
people call me one。 I'll admit that I admire the men who set the
French Revolution going。 If such a thing happened in this country
I'd be one of the first to join in。 But I've never had a taste
for bloodshed。 I'd rather the thing had been done without。 From
the first you seemed to be the man who might have brought it about。
We listened to you； we watched your career； and we began to have
hopes。 Mr。 Brott； the bodies and souls of millions of your
fellow…creatures were in the hollow of your hand。 It was you who
might have set them free。 It was you who might have made this the
greatest； the freest； the happiest country in the world。 Not so
much for us perhaps as for our children； and our children's children。
We didn't expect a huge social upheaval in a week； or even a decade
of years。 But we did expect to see the first blow struck。 Oh； yes；
we expected that。〃
〃I have disappointed you； I know； you and many others；〃 Brott said
bitterly。 〃I wish I could explain。 But I can't！〃
〃Oh； it doesn't matter；〃 the man answered。 〃You have broken the
hearts of thousands of suffering men and women … you who might have
led them into the light； have forged another bolt in the bars which
stand between them and liberty。 So they must live on in the
darkness； dull； dumb creatures with just spirit enough to spit and
curse at the sound of your name。 It was the greatest trust God
ever placed in one man's hand … and you … you abused it。 They were
afraid of you … the aristocrats； and they bought you。 Oh； we are
not blind up there … there are newspapers in our public houses； and
now and then one can afford a half…penny。 We have read of you at
their parties and their dances。 Quite one of them you have become；
haven't you？ But； Mr。 Brott； have you never been afraid？ Have you
never said to yourself； there is justice in the earth？ Suppose it
finds me out？〃
〃Hedley； you are talking rubbish；〃 J3rott said。 〃Up here you would
see things with different eyes。 Letheringham is pledged。〃
〃If any man ever earned hell；〃 Hedley continued； 〃it is you； Brott；
you who came to us a deliverer； and turned out to be a lying prophet。
'Hell；' he repeated fiercely； 〃and may you find it