the yellow crayon-第15节

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Met　you　once　or　twice　last　time　you　were　in　London。　　I　wish　I　could
say　that　I　was　glad　to　see　you　here　again。〃

Mr。　Sabin's　forehead　lost　its　wrinkle。　　He　knew　where　he　was　now。

〃Sit　down；　Lord　Robert；〃　he　begged。　　〃I　do　not　remember　you；　it　is
true；　but　I　am　getting　an　old　man。　　My　memory　sometimes　plays　me
strange　tricks。〃

The　young　man　looked　at　Mr。　Sabin　and　laughed　softly。　　Indeed；
Mr。　Sabin　had　very　little　the　appearance　of　an　old　man。　　He　was
leaning　with　both　hands　clasped　upon　his　stick；　his　face　alert；
his　eyes　bright　and　searching。

〃You　carry　your　years　well；　Mr。　Sabin。　　Yet　while　we　are　on　the
subject；　do　you　know　that　London　is　the　unhealthiest　city　in　the
world？〃

〃I　am　always　remarkably　well　here；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said　drily。

〃London　has　changed　since　your　last　visit；〃　Lord　Robert　said；　with
a　gentle　smile。　　〃Believe　me　if　I　say　…　as　your　sincere　well…wisher
　…　that　there　is　something　in　the　air　at　present　positively
unwholesome　to　you。　　I　am　not　sure　that　unwholesome　is　not　too　weak
a　word。〃

〃Is　this　official？〃　Mr。　Sabin　asked　quietly。

The　young　man　fingered　the　gold　chain　which　disappeared　in　his
trousers　pocket。

〃Need　I　introduce　myself？〃　he　asked。

〃Quite　unnecessary；〃　Mr。　Sabin　assured　him。　　〃Permit　me　to　reflect
for　a　few　minutes。　　Your　visit　comes　upon　me　as　a　surprise。　　Will
you　smoke？　　There　are　cigarettes　at　your　elbow。〃

〃I　am　entirely　at　your　service；〃　Lord　Robert　answered。　　〃Thanks；　I
will　try　one　of　your　cigarettes。　　You　were　always　famous　for　your
tobacco。〃

There　was　a　short　silence。　　Mr。　Sabin　had　seldom　found　it　more
difficult　to　see　the　way　before　him。

〃I　imagined；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃from　several　little　incidents　which
occurred　previous　to　my　leaving　New　York　that　my　presence　here　was
regarded　as　superfluous。　　Do　you　know；　I　believe　that　I　could
convince　you　to　the　contrary。〃

Lord　Robert　raised　his　eyebrows。

〃Mr。　dear　Mr。　Sabin；〃　he　said；　〃pray　reflect。　　I　am　a　messenger。
No　more！　　A　hired　commissionaire！〃

Mr。　Sabin　bowed。

〃You　are　an　ambassador！〃　he　said。

The　young　man　shook　his　head。

〃You　magnify　my　position；〃　he　declared。　　〃My　errand　is　done　when　I
remind　you　that　it　is　many　years　since　you　visited　Paris；　that
Vienna　is　as　fascinating　a　city　as　ever；　and　Pesth　a　few　hours
journey　beyond。　　But　London　…　no；　London　is　not　possible　for　you。
After　the　seventh　day　from　this　London　would　be　worse　than
impossible。〃

Mr。　Sabin　smoked　thoughtfully　for　a　few　moments。

〃Lord　Robert；〃　he　said；　〃I　have；　I　believe；　the　right　of　a　personal
appeal。　　I　desire　to　make　it。〃

Lord　Robert　looked　positively　distressed。

〃My　dear　sir；〃　he　said；　〃the　right　of　appeal；　any　right　of　any
sort；　belongs　only　to　those　within　the　circle。〃

〃Exactly；〃　Mr。　Sabin　agreed。　　〃I　claim　to　belong　there。〃

Lord　Roberts　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃You　force　me　to　remind　you；〃　he　said；　〃of　a　certain　decree　…　a
decree　of　expulsion　passed　five　years　ago；　and　of　which　I　presume
due　notification　was　given　to　you。〃

Mr。　Sabin　shook　his　head　very　slowly。

〃I　deny　the　legality　of　that　decree；〃　he　said。　　〃There　can　be　no
such　thing　as　expulsion。〃

〃There　was　Lefanu；〃　Lord　Robert　murmured。

〃He　died；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered。　　〃That　was　reasonable　enough。〃

〃Your　services　had　been　great；〃　Lord　Robert　said；　〃and　your　fault
was　but　venial。〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said；　〃the　one　was　logical；　the　other　is
not。〃

〃You　claim；　then；〃　the　young　man　said；　〃to　be　still　within　the
circle？〃

〃Certainly！〃

〃You　are　aware　that　this　is　a　very　dangerous　claim？〃

Mr。　Sabin　smiled；　but　he　said　nothing。　　Lord　Robert　hastened　to
excuse　himself。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said。　　〃I　should　have　known　better　than
to　have　used　such　a　word　to　you。　　Permit　me　to　take　my　leave。〃

Mr。　Sabin　rose。

〃I　thank　you；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃for　the　courteous　manner　in　which　you
have　discharged　your　mission。〃

Lord　Robert　bowed。

〃My　good　wishes；〃　he　said；　〃are　yours。〃

Mr。　Sabin　when　alone　called　Duson　to　him。

〃Have　you　any　report　to　make；　Duson？〃　he　asked。

〃None；　sir！〃

Mr。　Sabin　dismissed　him　impatiently。

〃After　all；　I　am　getting　old。　　He　is　young　and　he　is　strong　…　a
worthy　antagonist。　　Come；　let　us　see　what　this　little　volume　has
to　say　about　him。〃

He　turned　over　the　pages　rapidly　and　read　aloud。

〃Reginald　Cyril　Brott；　born　18　…　；　son　of　John　Reginald　Brott；　Esq。；
of　Manchester。　　Educated　at　Harrow　and　Merton　College；　Cambridge；
M。A。；　LL。D。；　and　winner　of　the　Rudlock　History　Prize。　　Also　tenth
wrangler。　　Entered　the　diplomatic　service　on　leaving　college；　and
served　as　junior　attache　at　Vienna。〃

Mr。　Sabin　laid　down　the　volume；　and　made　a　little　calculation。　　At
the　end　of　it　he　had　made　a　discovery。　　His　face　was　very　white
and　set。

〃I　was　at　Petersburg；〃　he　muttered。　　〃Now　I　think　of　it；　I　heard
something　of　a　young　English　attache。　　But　…　〃

He　touched　the　bell。

〃Duson；　a　carriage！〃

At　Camperdown　House　he　learned　that　Helene　was　out　…　shopping；　the
hall　porter　believed。　　Mr。　Sabin　drove　slowly　down　Bond　Street；　and
was　rewarded　by　seeing　her　brougham　outside　a　famous　milliner's。　　He
waited　for　her　upon　the　pavement。　　Presently　she　came　out　and　smiled
her　greetings　upon　him。

〃You　were　waiting　for　me？〃　she　asked。

〃I　saw　your　carriage。〃

〃How　delightful　of　you。　　Let　me　take　you　back　to　luncheon。〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　should　be　poor　company。　　May　I
drive　home　with　you；　at　any　rate；　when　you　have　finished？〃

〃Of　course　you　may；　and　for　luncheon　we　shall　be　quite　alone；　unless
somebody　drops　in。〃

He　took　his　seat　beside　her　in　the　carriage。　　〃Helene；〃　he　said；　〃I
am　interested　in　Mr。　Brott。　　No；　don't　look　at　me　like　that。　　You
need　have　no　fear。　　My　interest　is　in　him　as　a　man；　and　not　as　a
politician。　　The　other　days　are　over　and　done　with　now。　　I　am　on
the　defensive　and　hard　pressed。〃

Her　face　was　bright　with　sympathy。　　She　forgot　everything　except　her
old　admiration　for　him。　　In　the　clashing　of　their　wills　the　victory
had　remained　with　her。　　And　as　for　those　things　which　he　had　done；
the　cause　at　least　had　been　a　great　one。　　Her　happiness　had　come　to
her　through　him。　　She　bore　him　no　grudge　for　that　fierce　opposition
which；　after　all；　had　been　fruitless。

〃I　believe　you；　UNCLE；〃　she　said　affectionately。　　〃If　I　can　help
you　in　any　way　I　will。〃

〃This　Mr。　Brott！　　He　goes　very　little　into　society；　I　believe。〃

〃Scarcely　ever；〃　she　answered。　　〃He　came　to　us　because　my　husband
is　one　of　the　few　Radical　peers。〃

〃You　have　not　heard　of　any　recent　change　in　him　…　in　this　respect？〃

〃Well；　I　did　hear　Wolfendon　chaffing　him　the　other　day　about
somebody；〃　she　said。　　〃Oh；　I　know。　　He　has　been　going　often　to　the
Duchess　of　Dorset's。　　He　is　such　an　ultra　Radical；　you　know；　and
the　Dorsets　are　fierce　Tories。　　Wolfendon　says　it　is　a　most　unwise
thing　for　a　good　Radical　who　wants　to　retain　the　confidence　of　the
people　to　be　seen　about　with　a　Duchess。〃

〃The　Duchess　of　Dorset；〃　Mr。　Sabin　remarked；　〃must　be；　well　…　a
middle…aged　woman。〃

Helene　laughed。

〃She　is　sixty　if　she　is　a　day。　　But　I　daresay　she　herself　is　not
the　attraction。　　There　is　a　very　beautiful　woman　staying　with　her
　…　the　Countess　Radantz。　　A　Hungarian；　I　believe。〃

Mr。　Sabin　sat　quite　still。　　His　face　was　turned　away　from　Helene。
She　herself　was　smiling　out　of　the　window　at　some　acquaintances。

〃I　wonder　if　there　is　anything　more　that　I　can　tell　you？〃　she　asked
presently。

He　turned　towards　her　with　a　faint　smile。

〃You　have　told　me；〃　he　said；　〃all　that　I　want　to　know。〃

She　was　struck　by　the　change　in　his　face；　the　quietness　of　his　tone
was　ominous。

〃Am　I　meant　to　understand？〃　she　said　dubiously　〃because　I　don't　in
the　least。　　It　seems　to　me　that　have　told　you　nothing。　　I　cannot
imagine　what　Mr。　Brott　and　you　have　in　common。〃

〃If　your　invitation　to　lunch　still　holds　good；〃　he　said；　〃may　I
accept　it？　　Afterwards；　if　you　can　spare　me　a　few　minutes　I　will
make　things　quite　clear　to　you。

She　laughed。

〃You　will　find；〃　she　declared；　〃that　I　shall　leave　you　little　peace
for　luncheon。　　I　am　consumed　with　curiosity。〃


CHAPTER　XV

Nevertheless；　Mr。　Sabin　lunched　with　discretion；　as　usual；　but　with
no　lack　of　appetite。　　It　chanced　that　they　were　alone。　　Lord
Camperdown　was　down　in　the　Midlands　for　a　day's　hunting；　and　Helene
had　ensured　their　seclusion　from　any　one　who　might　drop　in　by　a
whispered　word　to　the　hail　porter　as　they　passed　into　the　house。
It　seemed　to　her　that　she　had　never　found　Mr。　Sabin　more
entertaining；　had　never　more　appreciated　his　rare　gift　of　effortless
and　anecdotal　conversation。　　What　a　marvelous　memory！　　He　knew
something　of　every　country　from　the　inside。　　He　had　been　brought　at
various　times　during　his　long　diplomatic　career　into　contact　with
most　of　the　interesting　people　in　the　world。　　He　knew　well　how　to
separate　the　grain　from　the　chaff　according　to　the　tastes　of　his
listener。　　The　pathos　of　his　present　position　appealed　to　her
irresistibly。　　The　possibilities　of　his　life　had　been　so　great；
fortune　had　treated　him　always　so　strangely。　　The　greatest　of　his
schemes　had　come　so　near　to　success；　the　luck　had　turned　against