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induce you to stay here without applying to them。〃
〃And the inducements？〃 he asked。
She took a cigarette from a box which stood on the table and lit
one。
〃Well；〃 she said； 〃I might appeal to your hospitality； might I not？
I am in a strange country which you have made your home。 I want to
be shown round。 Do you remember dining with me one night at the
Ambassador's？ It was very hot； even for Paris； and we drove
afterwards in the Bois。 Ask me to dine with you here； won't you？
I have never quite forgotten the last time。〃
Mr。 Sabin laughed softly； but with undisguised mirth。
〃Come；〃 he said； 〃this is an excellent start。 You are to play the
Circe up to date； and I am to be beguiled。 How ought I to answer
you？ I do remember the Ambassador's； and I do remember driving
down the Bois in your victoria； and holding … I believe I am right
… your hand。 You have no right to disturb those charming memories
by attempting to turn them into bathos。〃
She blew out a little cloud of tobacco smoke； and watched it
thoughtfully。
〃Ah！〃 she remarked。 〃I wonder who is better at that； you or I？
I may not be exactly a sentimental person； but you … you are a
flint。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 Mr。 Sabin assured her earnestly； 〃I am very
much in love with my wife。〃
〃Dear me！〃 she exclaimed。 〃You carry originality to quixoticism。
I have met several men before in my life whom I have suspected of
such a thing； but I never heard any one confess it。 This little
domestic contretemps …is then； I presume； disagreeable to you！〃
〃To the last degree；〃 Mr。 Sabin asserted。 〃So much so that I
leave for England by the Campania。〃
She shook her head slowly。
〃I wouldn't if I were you。〃
〃Why not？〃
Lady Carey threw away the end of her cigarette； and looked for a
moment thoughtfully at her long white fingers glittering with rings。
Then she began to draw on her gloves。
〃Well； in the first place；〃 she said； 〃Lucille will have no time to
spare for you。 You will be de trop in decidedly an uncomfortable
position。 You wouldn't find London at all a good place to live in
just now； even if you ever got there … which I am inclined to doubt。
And secondly； here am I … 〃
〃Circe！〃 he murmured。
〃Waiting to be entertained； in a strange country； almost friendless。
I want to be shown everything； taken everywhere。 And I am dying to
see your home at Lenox。 I do not think your attitude towards me in
the least hospitable。〃
〃Come； you are judging me very quickly；〃 he declared。 〃What
opportunities have I had？〃
〃What opportunities can there be if you sail by the Campania？〃
〃You might dine with me to…night at least。〃
〃Impossible！ The Dalkeiths have a party to meet me。 Come too；
won't you？ They love dukes … even French ones。〃
He shook his head。
〃There is no attraction for me in a large party；〃 he answered。 〃I
am getting to an age when to make conversation in return for a
dinner seems scarcely a fair exchange。〃
〃From your host's point of view； or yours？〃
〃From both！ Besides； one's digestion suffers。〃
〃You are certainly getting old；〃 she declared。 〃Come； I must go。
You haven't been a bit nice to me。 When shall I see you again？〃
〃It is；〃 he answered； 〃for you to say。〃
She looked at him for a moment thoughtfully。
〃Supposing；〃 she said； 〃that I cried off the yacht race to…day。
Would you take me out to lunch？〃
He smiled。
〃My dear lady；〃 he said； 〃it is for Circe to command … and for me
to obey。〃
〃And you'll come and have tea with me afterwards at the Waldorf？〃
〃That；〃 Mr。 Sabin declared； 〃will add still further to my happiness。〃
〃Will you call for me； then … and where shall we have lunch； and at
what time？ I must go and develop a headache at once； or that
tiresome Dalkeith boy will be pounding at my door。〃
〃I will call for you at the Waldorf at half…past one；〃 Mr。 Sabin
said。 〃Unless you have any choice； I will take you to a little
place downtown where we can imagine ourselves back on the Continent；
and where we shall be spared the horror of green corn。〃
〃Delightful；〃 she murmured； buttoning her glove。 〃Then you shall
take me for a drive to Fifth Avenue； or to see somebody's tomb；
and my woman shall make some real Russian tea for us in my
sitting…room。 Really； I think I'm doing very well for the first
day。 Is the spell beginning to work？〃
〃Hideously；〃 he assured her。 〃I feel already that the only thing I
dread in life are these two hours before luncheon。〃
She nodded。
〃That is quite as it should be。 Don't trouble to come down with
me。 I believe that Dalkeith pere is hanging round somewhere； and
in view of my headache perhaps you had better remain in the
background for the moment。 At one…thirty； then！〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled as she passed out of the room； and lit a cigarette。
〃I think；〃 he said to himself； 〃that the arrival of Felix is
opportune。〃
CHAPTER VII
They sat together at a small table； looking upon a scene which was
probably unique in the history of the great restaurant。 The younger
man was both frankly interested and undoubtedly curious。 Mr。 Sabin；
though his eyes seemed everywhere； retained to the full extent that
nonchalance of manner which all his life he had so assiduously
cultivated。
〃It is wonderful； my dear Felix；〃 he said； leisurely drawing his
cigarette…case from his pocket； 〃wonderful what good fellowship can
be evolved by a kindred interest in sport； and a bottle or so of
good champagne。 But； after all； this is not to be taken seriously。〃
〃Shamrock the fourth！ Shamrock the fourth！〃
A tall young American； his thick head of hair； which had once been
carefully parted in the middle； a little disheveled； his hard；
clean…cut face flushed with enthusiasm； had risen to his feet and
stood with a brimming glass of champagne high over his head。 Almost
every one in the room rose to their feet。 A college boy sprang upon
a table with extended arms。 The Yale shout split the room。 The
very glasses on the table rattled。
〃Columbia！ Columbia！〃
It was an Englishman now who had leaped upon a vacant table with
upraised glass。 There was an answering roar of enthusiasm。 Every
one drank； and every one sat down again with a pleasant thrill of
excitement at this unique scene。 Felix leaned back in his chair
and marveled。
〃One would have imagined；〃 he murmured； 〃that America and England
together were at war with the rest of the world and had won a great
victory。 To think that this is all the result of a yacht race。 It
is incredible！〃
〃All your life； my dear Felix；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； 〃you have
underrated the sporting instinct。 It has a great place amongst the
impulses of the world。 See how it has brought these people
together。〃
〃But they are already of the same kin；〃 Felix remarked。 〃Their
interests and aims are alike。 Their destinies are surely identical。〃
Mr。 Sabin； who had lit his cigarette； watched the blue smoke curl
upwards； and was thoughtful for a moment。
〃My dear Felix！〃 he said。 〃You are very； very young。 The interests
of two great nations such as America and England can never be alike。
It is the language of diplomacy； but it is also the language of
fools。〃
Their conversation was for the moment interrupted by a fresh murmur
of applause； rising above the loved hum of conversation； the laughter
of women； and the popping of corks。 A little troop of waiters had
just wheeled into the room two magnificent models of yachts hewn out
of blocks of solid ice and crowned with flowers。 On the one were
the Stars and Stripes； on the other the Shamrock and Thistle。 There
was much clapping of hands and cheering。 Lady Carey； who was
sitting at the next table with her back to them； joined in the
applause so heartily that a tiny gold pencil attached to her bracelet
became detached and rolled unobserved to Mr。 Sabin's side。 Felix
half rose to pick it up； but was suddenly checked by a quick gesture
from his companion。
〃Leave it；〃 Mr。 Sabin whispered。 〃I wish to return it myself。〃
He stooped and picked it up； a certain stealthiness apparent in his
movement。 Felix watched him in amazement。
〃It is Lady Carey's； is it not？〃 he asked。
〃Ye