the yellow crayon-第13节

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as　to　whether　I　have　altogether　reassured　him。　　I　really　believe；
dear　Duchess；　that　we　should　be　better　off　if　you　could　persuade
him　to　go　and　live　upon　his　estates。〃

The　Duchess　smiled　grimly。

〃Whilst　the　House　of　Lords　exists；〃　she　remarked；　〃you　will　never
succeed　in　keeping　Algernon　away　from　London。　　He　is　always　on　the
point　of　making　a　speech；　although　he　never　does　it。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　that　speech；〃　Lady　Carey　drawled；　from　her　low
seat。　　〃It　is　to　be　a　thoroughly　enlightening　affair。　　All　the
great　social　questions　are　to　be　permanently　disposed　of。　　The
Prime　Minister　will　come　on　his　knees　and　beg　Algernon　to　take　his
place。〃

The　Duchess　looked　up　over　her　knitting。；

〃Algernon　is　at　least　in　earnest；〃　she　remarked　drily。　　〃And　he
has　the　good　conscience　of　a　clean　living　and　honest　man。〃

〃What　an　unpleasant　possession　it　must　be；〃　Lady　Carey　remarked
sweetly。　　〃I　disposed　of　my　conscience　finally　many　years　ago。　　I
am　not　sure；　but　I　believe　that　it　was　the　Prince　to　whom　I
entrusted　the　burying　of　it。　　By　the　bye；　Lucille　will　be　here
directly；　I　suppose。　　Is　she　to　be　told　of　Souspennier's　arrival
in　London？〃

〃I　imagine；〃　the　Prince　said；　with　knitted　brows；　〃that　it　will　not
be　wise　to　keep　it　from　her。　　It　is　impossible　to　conceal　her
whereabouts；　and　the　papers　will　very　shortly　acquaint　her　with　his。〃

〃And；〃　Lady　Carey　asked；　〃how　does　the　little　affair　progress？〃

〃Admirably；〃　the　Prince　answered。　　〃Already　some　of　the　Society
papers　are　beginning　to　chatter　about　the　friendship　existing
between　a　Cabinet　Minister　and　a　beautiful　Hungarian　lady　of　title；
etc。；　etc。　　The　fact　of　it　is　that　Brott　is　in　deadly　earnest。　　He
gives　himself　away　every　time。　　If　Lucille　has　not　lost　old
cleverness　she　will　be　able　to　twist　him　presently　around　her　little
finger。〃

〃If　only　some　one　would　twist　him　on　the　rack；〃　the　Duchess
murmured　vindictively。　　〃I　tried　to　read　one　of　his　speeches　the　other
day。　It　was　nothing　more　nor　less　than　blasphemy。　　I　do　not　think　that　I
am　naturally　a　cruel　woman；　but　I　would　hand　such　men　over　to　the
public　executioner　with　joy。〃

Lucille　came　in；　as　beautiful　as　ever；　but　with　tired　lines　under
her　full　dark　eyes。　　She　sank　into　a　low　chair　with　listless　grace。

〃Reginald　Brott　again；　I　suppose；〃　she　remarked　curtly。　　〃I　wish
the　man　had　never　existed。〃

〃That　is　a　very　cruel　speech；　Lucille；〃　the　Prince　said；　with　a
languishing　glance　towards　her；　〃for　if　it　had　not　been　for　Brott
we　should　never　have　dared　to　call　you　out　from　your　seclusion。〃

〃Then　more　heartily　than　ever；〃　Lucille　declared；　〃I　wish　the　man
had　never　been　born。　　You　cannot　possibly　flatter　yourself；　Prince；
that　your　summons　was　a　welcome　one。〃

He　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃I　shall　never；　be　able　to　believe；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　Countess
Radantz　was　able　to　do　more　than　support　existence　in　a　small
American　town　…　without　society；　with　no　scope　for　her　ambitions；
detached　altogether　from　the　whole　civilized　world。〃

〃'Which　only　goes　to　prove；　Prince；〃　Lucille　remarked　contemptuously；
〃that　you　do　not　understand　me　in　the　least。　　As　a　place　of　residence
Lenox　would　compare　very　favourably　with　…　say　Homburg；　and　for
companionship　you　forget　my　husband。　　I　never　met　the　woman　yet　who
did　not　prefer　the　company　of　one　man；　if　only　it　were　the　right　one；
to　the　cosmopolitan　throng　we　call　society。〃

〃It　sounds　idyllic；　but　very　gauche；〃　Lady　Carey　remarked　drily。
〃In　effect　it　is　rather　a　blow　on　the　cheek　for　you；　Prince。　　Of
course　you　know　that　the　Prince　is　in　love　with　you；　Lucille？〃

〃I　wish　he　were；〃　she　answered；　looking　lazily　out　of　the　window。

He　bent　over　her。

〃Why？〃

〃I　would　persuade　him　to　send　me　home　again；〃　she　answered　coldly。

The　Duchess　looked　up　from　her　knitting。　　〃Your　husband　has　saved
you　the　journey；〃　she　remarked；　〃even　if　you　were　able　to　work　upon
the　Prince's　good　nature　to　such　an　extent。〃

Lucille　started　round　eagerly。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　cried。

〃Your　husband　is　in　London；〃　the　Duchess　answered。

Lucille　laughed　with　the　gaiety　of　a　child。　　Like　magic　the　lines
from　beneath　her　eyes　seemed　to　have　vanished。　　Lady　Carey　watched
her　with　pale　cheeks　and　malevolent　expression。

〃Come；　Prince；〃　she　cried　mockingly；　〃it　was　only　a　week　ago　that
you　assured　me　that　my　husband　could　not　leave　America。　　Already
he　is　in　London。　　I　must　go　to　see　him。　　Oh；　I　insist　upon　it。〃

Saxe　Leinitzer　glanced　towards　the　Duchess。　　She　laid　down　her
knitting。

〃My　dear　Countess；〃　she　said　firmly；　〃I　beg　that　you　will　listen
to　me　carefully。　　I　speak　to　you　for　your　own　good；　and　I　believe
I　may　add；　Prince；　that　I　speak　with　authority。〃

〃With　authority！〃　the　Prince　echoed。

〃We　all；〃　the　Duchess　continued；　〃look　upon　your　husband's　arrival
as　inopportune　and　unfortunate。　　We　are　all　agreed　that　you　must
be　kept　apart。　　Certain　obligations　have　been　laid　upon　you。　　You
could　not　possibly　fulfil　them　with　a　husband　at　your　elbow。　　The
matter　will　be　put　plainly　before　your　husband；　as　I　am　now　putting
it　before　you。　　He　will　be　warned　not　to　attempt　to　see　or
communicate　with　you　as　your　husband。　　If　he　or　you　disobey　the
consequences　will　be　serious。〃

Lucille　shrugged　her　shoulders。

〃It　is　easy　to　talk；〃　she　said；　〃but　you　will　not　find　it　easy　to
keep　Victor　away　when　he　has　found　out　where　I　am。〃

The　Prince　intervened。

〃We　have　no　objection　to　your　meeting；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　must　be
as　acquaintances。　　There　must　be　no　intermission　or　slackening　in
your　task；　and　that　can　only　be　properly　carried　out　by　the　Countess
Radantz　and　from　Dorset　House。〃

Lucille　smothered　her　disappointment。

〃Dear　me；〃　she　said。　　〃You　will　find　Victor　a　little　hard　to
persuade。〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence。　　Then　the　Prince　spoke　slowly；　and
watching　carefully　the　effect　of　his　words　upon　Lucille。

〃Countess；〃　he　said；　〃it　has　been　our　pleasure　to　make　of　your
task　so　far　as　possible　a　holiday。　　Yet　perhaps　it　is　wiser　to
remind　you　that　underneath　the　glove　is　an　iron　hand。　　We　do　not
often　threaten；　but　we　brook　no　interference。　　We　have　the　means
to　thwart　it。　　I　bear　no　ill…will　to　your　husband；　but　to　you　I
say　this。　　If　he　should　be　so　mad　as　to　defy　us；　to　incite　you　to
disobedience；　he　must　pay　the　penalty。〃

A　servant　entered。

〃Mr。　Reginald　Brott　is　in　the　small　drawing…room；　your　Grace；〃　he
announced。　　〃He　enquired　for　the　Countess　Radantz。〃

Lucille　rose。　　When　the　servant　had　disappeared　she　turned　round
for　a　moment；　and　faced　the　Prince。　　A　spot　of　colour　burned　in　her
cheeks；　her　eyes　were　bright　with　anger。

〃I　shall　remember　your　words；　Prince；〃　she　said。　　〃So　far　from　mine
being；　however；　a　holiday　task；　it　is　one　of　the　most　wearisome　and
unpleasant　I　ever　undertook。　　And　in　return　for　your　warnings　let
me　tell　you　this。　　If　you　should　bring　any　harm　upon　my　husband　you
shall　answer　for　it　all　your　days　to　me。　　I　will　do　my　duty。　　Be
careful　that　you　do　not　exceed　yours。〃

She　swept　out　of　the　room。　　Lady　Carey　laughed　mockingly　at　the
Prince。

〃Poor　Ferdinand！〃　she　exclaimed。


CHAPTER　XIII

He　had　been　kept　waiting　longer　than　usual；　and　he　had　somehow　the
feeling　that　his　visit　was　ill…timed；　when　at　last　she　came　to　him。
He　looked　up　eagerly　as　she　entered　the　little　reception　room　which
he　had　grown　to　know　so　well　during　the　last　few　weeks；　and　it
struck　him　for　the　first　time　that　her　welcome　was　a　little　forced；
her　eyes　a　little　weary。

〃I　haven't；〃　he　said　apologetically；　〃the　least　right　to　be　here。〃

〃At　least；〃　she　murmured；　〃I　may　be　permitted　to　remind　you　that
you　are　here　without　an　invitation。〃

〃The　worse　luck；〃　he　said；　〃that　one　should　be　necessary。〃

〃This　is　the　one　hour　of　the　day；〃　she　remarked；　sinking　into　a
large　easy…chair；　〃which　I　devote　to　repose。　　How　shall　I　preserve
my　fleeting　youth　if　you　break　in　upon　it　in　this　ruthless　manner？〃

〃If　I　could　only　truthfully　say　that　I　was　sorry；〃　he　answered；
〃but　I　can't。　　I　am　here　…　and　I　would　rather　be　here　than　anywhere
else　in　the　world。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　curving　lips；　and　even　he；　who　had　watched
her　often；　could　not　tell　whether　that　curve　was　of　scorn　or　mirth。

〃They　told　me；〃　she　said　impressively；　〃that　you　were　different　…　a
woman…hater；　honest；　gruff；　a　little　cynical。　　Yet　those　are　the
speeches　of　your　salad　days。　　What　a　disenchantment！〃

〃The　things　which　one　invents　when　one　is　young；〃　he　said；　〃come
perhaps　fresh　from　the　heart　in　later　life。　　The　words　may　sound
the　same；　but　there　is　a　difference。〃

〃Come；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　improving。　　That　at　any　rate　is　ingenious。
Suppose　you　tell　me　now　what　has　brought　you　here　before　four
o'clock；　when　I　am　not　fit　to　be　seen？〃

He　smiled。　　She　shrugged　her　shoulders。

〃I　mean　it。　　I　haven't　either　my　clothes　or　my　manners　on　yet。
Come；　explain。〃

〃I　met　a　man　who　interested　me；〃　he　answered。　　〃He　comes　from
America；　from　Lenox！〃

He　saw　her　whiten。　　He　saw　her　fingers　clutch　the　sides　of　her
chair。

〃From　Lenox？　　And　his　name？〃

〃The　Duke　of　Souspennier！　　He　takes　himself　so　seriously　that　he
even　travels　incognito。　　At　the　hotel