the yellow crayon-第19节

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could　hear；　for　his　voice　was　lowered　almost　to　a　whisper。　　But　the
colour　stained　her　cheeks；　and　her　blush　was　the　blush　of　a　girl。

A　movement　of　the　Duchess　recalled　him　to　a　sense　of　his　social
duty。　　He　turned　courteously　to　her　with　extended　hand。

〃I　trust；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　may　be　forgiven　my　temporary　fit　of
aberration。　　I　cannot　thank　you　sufficiently；　Duchess；　for　your
kind　invitation。〃

Her　answering　smile　was　a　little　dubious。

〃I　am　sure；〃　she　said　〃that　we　are　delighted　to　welcome　back
amongst　us　so　old　and　valued　a　friend。　　I　suppose　you　know　every
one？〃

Mr。　Sabin　looked　searchingly　around；　exchanging　bows　with　those
whose　faces　were　familiar　to　him。　　But　between　him　and　the　Prince
of　Saxe　Leinitzer　there　passed　no　pretense　at　any　greeting。　　The
two　men　eyed　one　another　for　a　moment　coldly。　　Each　seemed　to　be
trying　to　read　the　other　through。

〃I　believe；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said；　〃that　I　have　that　privilege。　　I　see；
however；　that　I　am　interrupting　your　game。　　Let　me　beg　you　to
continue。　　With　your　permission；　Duchess；　I　will　remain　a　spectator。
There　are　many　things　which　my　wife　and　I　have　to　say　to　one
another。〃

The　Prince　of　Saxe　Leinitzer　laid　his　cards　softly　upon　the　table。
He　smiled　upon　Mr。　Sabin　…　a　slow；　unpleasant　smile。

〃I　think；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃that　our　game　must　be　postponed。　　It
is　a　pity；　but　I　think　it　had　better　be　so。〃

〃It　must　be　entirely　as　you　wish；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered。　　〃I　am　at
your　service　now　or　later。〃

The　Prince　rose　to　his　feet。

〃Monsieur　le　Due　de　Souspennier；〃　he　said；　〃what　are　we　to
conclude　from　your　presence　here　this　evening？〃

〃It　is　obvious；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered。　　〃I　claim　my　place　amongst　you。〃

〃You　claim　to　be　one　of　us？〃

〃I　do！〃　

〃Ten　years　ago；〃　the　Prince　continued；　〃you　were　granted　immunity
from　all　the　penalties　and　obligations　which　a　co…membership　with
us　might　involve。　　This　privilege　was　extended　to　you　on　account
of　certain　great　operations　in　which　you　were　then　engaged；　and
the　object　of　which　was　not　foreign　to　our　own　aims。　　You　are　aware
that　the　period　of　that　immunity　is　long　since　past。〃

Mr。　Sabin　leaned　with　both　hands　upon　his　stick；　and　his　face　was
like　the　face　of　a　sphinx。　　Only　Lucille；　who　knew　him　best　of　all
those　there；　saw　him　wince　for　a　moment　before　this　reminder　of　his
great　failure。

〃I　am　not　accustomed；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said　quietly；　〃to　shirk　my　share
of　the　work　in　any　undertaking　with　which　I　am　connected。　　Only　in
this　case　I　claim　to　take　the　place　of　the　Countess　Lucille；　my
wife。　　I　request　that　the　task；　whatever　it　may　be　which　you　have
imposed　upon　her；　may　be　transferred　to　me。〃

The　Prince's　smile　was　sweet；　but　those　who　knew　him　best　wondered
what　evil　it　might　betoken　for　his　ancient　enemy。

〃You　offer　yourself；　then；　as　a　full　member？〃

〃Assuredly！〃　

〃Subject；〃　he　drawled；　〃to　all　the　usual　pains　and　privileges？〃

〃Certainly！〃　

The　Prince　played　with　the　cards　upon　the　table。　　His　smooth；　fair
face　was　unruffled；　almost　undisturbed。　　Yet　underneath　he　was
wondering　fiercely；　eagerly；　how　this　might　serve　his　ends。

〃The　circumstances；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃are　peculiar。　　I　think　that
we　should　do　well　to　consult　together　…　you　and　I；　Felix；　and
Raoul　here。〃

The　two　men　named　rose　up　silently。　　The　Prince　pointed　to　a
small　round　table　at　the　farther　end　of　the　apartment；　half
screened　off　by　a　curtained　recess。

〃Am　I　also；〃　Mr。　Sabin　asked；　〃of　your　company？〃

The　Prince　shook　his　head。

〃I　think　not；〃　he　said。　　〃In　a　few　moments　we　will　return。〃

Mr。　Sabin　moved　away　with　a　slight　enigmatic　gesture。　　Lucille
gathered　up　her　skirts；　making　room　for　him　by　her　side　on　a
small　sofa。

〃It　is　delightful　to　see　you；　Victor；〃　she　murmured。　　〃It　is
delightful　to　know　that　you　trusted　me。〃

Mr。　Sabin　looked　at　her；　and　the　smile　which　no　other　woman　had
ever　seen　softened　for　a　moment　his　face。

〃Dear　Lucille；〃　he　murmured；　〃how　could　you　ever　doubt　it？　　There
was　a　day；　I　admit；　when　the　sun　stood　still；　when；　if　I　had　felt
inclined　to　turn　to　light　literature；　I　should　have　read　aloud
the　Book　of　Job。　　But　afterwards　…　well；　you　see　that　I　am　here。〃

She　laughed。

〃I　knew　that　you　would　come；〃　she　said；　〃and　yet　I　knew　that　it
would　be　a　struggle　between　you　and　them。　　For　…　the　Prince　…　〃　she
murmured；　lowering　her　voice；　〃had　pledged　his　word　to　keep　us
apart。〃

Mr。　Sabin　raised　his　head；　and　his　eyes　traveled　towards　the
figure　of　the　man　who　sat　with　his　back　to　them　in　the　far　distant
corner　of　the　room。

〃The　Prince；〃　he　said　softly；　〃is　faithful　to　his　ancient　enmities。〃

Lucille's　face　was　troubled。　　She　turned　to　her　companion　with　a
little　grimace。

〃He　would　have　me　believe；〃　she　murmured；　〃that　he　is　faithful　to
other　things　besides　his　enmities。〃

Mr。　Sabin　smiled。

〃I　am　not　jealous；〃　he　said　softly；　〃of　the　Prince　of　Saxe　Leinitzer！〃　

As　though　attracted　by　the　mention　of　his　name；　which　must；　however；
have　been　unheard　by　him；　the　Prince　at　that　moment　turned　round　and
looked　for　a　moment　towards　them。　　He　shot　a　quick　glance　at　Lady
Carey。　　Almost　at　once　she　rose　from　her　chair　and　came　across　to
them。

〃The　Prince's　watch…dog；〃　Lucille　murmured。　　〃Hateful　woman！　　She　is
bound　hand　and　foot　to　him；　and　yet　…　〃

Her　eyes　met　his；　and　he　laughed。

〃Really；〃　he　said；　〃you　and　I　in　our　old　age　might　be　hero　and
heroine　of　a　little　romance　…　the　undesiring　objects　of　a　hopeless
affection！〃　

Lady　Carey　sank　into　a　low　chair　by　their　side。　　〃You　two；〃　she
said；　with　a　slow；　malicious　smile；　〃are　a　pattern　to　this　wicked
world。　　Don't　you　know　that　such　fidelity　is　positively　sinful；　and
after　three　years　in　such　a　country　too？〃

〃It　is　the　approach　of　senility；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered　her。　　〃I　am
an　old　man；　Lady　Muriel！〃

She　shrugged　her　shoulders。

〃You　are　like　Ulysses；〃　she　said。　　〃The　gods；　or　rather　the
goddesses；　have　helped　you　towards　immortality。〃

〃It　is；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered；　〃the　moss　delicious　piece　of　flattery
I　have　ever　heard。〃

〃Calypso；〃　she　murmured；　nodding　towards　Lucille；　〃is　by　your　side。〃

〃Really；〃　Mr。　Sabin　interrupted；　〃I　must　protest。　　Lucille　and　I
were　married　by　a　most　respectable　Episcopalian　clergyman。　　We　have
documentary　evidence。　　Besides；　if　Lucille　is　Calypso；　what　about
Penelope？〃

Lady　Carey　smiled　thoughtfully。

〃I　have　always　thought；〃　she　said；　〃that　Penelope　was　a　myth。　　In
your　case　I　should　say　that　Penelope　represents　a　return　to　sanity
　…　to　the　ordinary　ways　of　life。〃

Mr。　Sabin　and　Lucille　exchanged　swift　glances。　　He　raised　his
eyebrows。

〃Our　little　idyll；〃　he　said；　〃seems　to　be　the　sport　and　buffet　of
every　one。　　You　forget　that　I　am　of　the　old　world。　　I　do　not
understand　modernity。〃

〃Ulysses；〃　she　answered；　〃was　of　the　old　world；　yet　he　was　a
wanderer　in　more　senses　of　the　word　than　one　And　there　have　been
times　…　〃

Her　eyes　sought　his。　　He　ignored　absolutely　the　subtlety　of　meaning
which　lurked　beneath　the　heavy　drooping　eyelids。

〃One　travels　through　life；〃　he　answered；　〃by　devious　paths；　and　a　
little　wandering　in　the　flower…gardens　by　the　way　is　the　lot　of　every
one。　　But　when　the　journey　is　over；　one's　taste　for　wandering　has
gone　…　well；　Ulysses　finished　his　days　at　the　hearth　of　Penelope。〃

She　rose　and　walked　away。　　Mr。　Sabin　sat　still　and　watched　her　as
though　listening　to　the　soft　sweep　of　her　gown　upon　the　carpet。

〃Hateful　woman！〃　Lucille　exclaimed　lightly。　　〃To　make　love；　and
such　love；　to　one's　lawful　husband　before　one's　face　is　a　little
crude；　don't　you　think？〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃Too　obvious；〃　he　answered。　　〃She　is　playing　the　Prince's　game。
Dear　me；　how　interesting　this　will　be　soon。〃

She　nodded。　　A　faint　smile　of　bitterness　had　stolen　into　her　tone。

〃Already；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　beginning　to　scent　the　delight　of
the　atmosphere。　　You　are　stiffening　for　the　fight。　　Soon　…　〃

〃Ah；　no！　　Don't　say　it；〃　he　whispered；　taking　her　hand。　　〃I　shall
never　forget。　　If　the　fight　seems　good　to　me　it　is　because　you　are
the　prize；　and　after　all；　you　know；　to　fight　for　one's　womenkind
is　amongst　the　primeval　instincts。〃

Lady　Carey；　who　had　been　pacing　the　room　restlessly；　touching　an
ornament　here；　looking　at　a　picture　there；　came　back　to　them　and
stood　before　Mr。　Sabin。　　She　had　caught　his　last　words。

〃Primeval　instincts！〃　she　exclaimed　mockingly。　　〃What　do　you　know
about　them；　you　of　all　men；　a　bundle　of　nerves　and　brains；　with　a
motor　for　a　heart；　and　an　automatic　brake　upon　your　passions？　　Upon
my　word；　I　believe　that　I　have　solved　the　mystery　of　your　perennial
youth。　　You　have　found　a　way　of　substituting　machinery　for　the　human
organ；　and　you　are　wound　up　to　go　for　ever。〃

〃You　have　found　me　out；〃　he　admitted。　　〃Professor　Penningram　of
Chicago　will　supply　you　too　with　an　outfit。　　Mention　my　name　if　you
like。　　It　is　a　wonderful　country　America。〃

The　Prince　came　over　to　them；　fair　and　bland　with　no　trace　upon　his
smooth　features　or　in　his　half…jesting　tone　of　any　evil　things。

〃Souspennier；〃　he　said；　holding　out　his　hand；　〃welcome　back　once
more　to　your　old　place。　　I　am　happy　to　say　that　there　appears　to　be
no　reason　why　your　cl