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第21节

the yellow crayon-第21节

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Mr。 Sabin shook his head。

〃No;〃 he answered。  〃She remains at Dorset House。〃

Helene was silent。  Mr。 Sabin smoked pensively a moment or two; and
sipped the liqueur which Camperdown's own servant had just brought
him。

〃It is very hard; Helene;〃 he said; 〃to make you altogether
understand the situation; for there are certain phases of it which
I cannot discuss with you at all。  I have made my first effort to
regain Lucille; and it has failed。  It is not her fault。  I need
not say that it is not mine。  But the struggle has commenced; and
in the end I shall win。〃

〃Lucille herself … 〃 Helene began hesitatingly。

〃Lucille is; I firmly believe; as anxious to return to me as I am
anxious to have her;〃 Mr。 Sabin said。

Helene threw up her hands。

〃It is bewildering;〃 she exclaimed。

〃It must seem so to you;〃 Mr。 Sabin admitted。

〃I wish that Lucille were anywhere else;〃 Helene said。  〃The Dorset
House set; you know; although they are very smart and very
exclusive; have a somewhat peculiar reputation。  Lady Carey;
although she is such a brilliant woman; says and does the most
insolent; the most amazing things; and the Prince of Saxe Leinitzer
goes everywhere in Europe by the name of the Royal libertine。  They
are powerful enough almost to dominate society; and we poor people
who abide by the conventions are absolutely nowhere beside them。
They think that we are bourgeois because we have virtue; and
prehistoric because we are not decadent。〃

〃The Duke … 〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked。

〃Oh; the Duke is quite different; of course;〃 Helene admitted。
〃He is a fanatical Tory; very stupid; very blind to anything except
his beloved Primrose League。  How he came to lend himself to the
vagaries of such a set I cannot imagine。〃

Mr。 Sabin smiled。

〃C'est la femme toujours!〃 he remarked。  〃His Grace is; I fear;
henpecked; and the Duchess herself is the sport of cleverer people。
And now; my dear niece; I see that the time is going。  I came to
know if you could get me a card for the ball at Carmarthen House
to…night。〃

Helene laughed softly。

〃Very easily; my dear UNCLE。  Lady Carmarthen is Wolfendon's cousin;
you know; and a very good friend of mine。  I have half a dozen blank
cards here。  Shall I really see you there?〃

〃I believe so;〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。

〃And Lucille?〃

〃It is possible。〃

〃There is nothing I suppose which I can do in the way of
intervention; or anything of that sort?〃

Mr。 Sabin shook his head。

〃Lucille and I are the best of friends;〃 he answered。  〃Talk to her;
if you will。  By the bye; is that twelve o'clock?  I must hurry。
Doubtless we shall meet again at the ball。〃

But Carmarthen House saw nothing of Mr。 Sabin that night。


CHAPTER XX

Mr。 Sabin from his seat behind a gigantic palm watched her egress
from the supper…room with a little group of friends。

They came to a halt in the broad carpeted way only a few feet from
him。  Lady Carey; in a wonderful green gown; her neck and bosom
ablaze with jewels; seemed to be making her farewells。

〃I must go in and see the De Lausanacs;〃 she exclaimed。  〃They are
in the blue room supping with the Portuguese Ambassador。  I shall
be at Carmarthen House within half an hour … unless my headache
becomes unbearable。  Au revoir; all of you。  Good…bye; Laura!〃

Her friends passed on towards the great swing doors。  Lady Carey
retraced her steps slowly towards the supper…room; and made some
languid inquiries of the head waiter as to a missing handkerchief。
Then she came again slowly down the broad way and reached Mr。 Sabin。
He rose to his feet。

〃I thank you very much for your note;〃 he said。  〃You have something;
I believe; to say to me。〃

She stood before him for a moment in silence; as though not unwilling
that he should appreciate the soft splendour of her toilette。  The
jewels which encircled her neck were priceless and dazzling; the soft
material of her gown; the most delicate shade of sea green; seemed
to foam about her feet; a wonderful triumph of allegoric dressmaking。
She saw that he was studying her; and she laughed a little uneasily;
looking all the time into his eyes。

〃Shockingly overdressed; ain't I?〃 she said。  〃We were going straight
to Carmarthen House; you know。  Come and sit in this corner for a
moment; and order me some coffee。  I suppose there isn't any less
public place!〃

〃I fear not;〃 he answered。  〃You will perhaps be unobserved behind
this palm。〃

She sank into a low chair; and he seated himself beside her。  She
sighed contentedly。

〃Dear me!〃 she said。  〃Do men like being run after like this?〃

Mr。 Sabin raised his eyebrows。

〃I understood;〃 he said; 〃that you had something to say to me of
importance。〃

She shot a quick look up at him。

〃Don't be horrid;〃 she said in a low tone。  〃Of course I wanted to
see you。  I wanted to explain。  Give me one of your cigarettes。〃

He laid his case silently before her。  She took one and lit it;
watching him furtively all the time。  The man brought their coffee。
The place was almost empty now; and some of the lights were turned
down。

〃It is very kind of you;〃 he said slowly; 〃to honour me by so much consideration; but if you have
much to say perhaps it would be
better if you permitted me to call upon you to…morrow。  I am afraid
of depriving you of your ball … and your friends will be getting
impatient。〃

〃Bother the ball … and my friends;〃 she exclaimed; a certain
strained note in her tone which puzzled him。  〃I'm not obliged to
go to the thing; and I don't want to。  I've invented a headache;
and they won't even expect me。  They know my headaches。〃

〃In that case;〃 Mr。 Sabin said; 〃I am entirely at your service。〃

She sighed; and looked up at him through a little cloud of tobacco
smoke。

〃What a wonderful man you are;〃 she said softly。  〃You accept
defeat with the grace of a victor。  I believe that you would triumph
as easily with a shrug of the shoulders。  Haven't you any feeling at
all?  Don't you know what it is like to feel?〃

He smiled。

〃We both come;〃 he said; 〃of a historic race。  If ancestry is worth
anything it should at least teach us to go about without pinning
our hearts upon our sleeves。〃

〃But you;〃 she murmured; 〃you have no heart。〃

He looked down upon her then with still cold face and steady eyes。

〃Indeed;〃 he said; 〃you are mistaken。〃

She moved uneasily in her chair。  She was very pale; except for a
faint spot of pink colour in her cheeks。

〃It is very hard to find; then;〃 she said; speaking quickly; her
bosom rising and falling; her eyes always seeking to hold his。
〃To…night you see what I have done … I have; sent away my friends
… and my carriage。  They may know me here … you see what I have
risked。  And I don't care。  You thought to…night that I was your
enemy … and I am not。  I am not your enemy at all。〃

Her hand fell as though by accident upon his; and remained there。
Mr。 Sabin was very nearly embarrassed。  He knew quite well that
if she were not his enemy at that moment she would be very shortly。

〃Lucille;〃 she continued; 〃will blame me too。  I cannot help it。
I want to tell you that for the present your separation from her
is a certain thing。  She acquiesces。  You heard her。  She is quite
happy。  She is at the ball to…night; and she has friends there who
will make it pleasant for her。  Won't you understand?〃

〃No;〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。

She beat the ground with her foot。

〃You must understand;〃 she murmured。  〃You are not like these fools
of Englishmen who go to sleep when they are married; and wake in
the divorce court。  For the present at least you have lost Lucille。
You heard her choose。  She's at the ball to…night … and I have come
here to be with you。  Won't you; please;〃 she added; with a little
nervous laugh; 〃show some gratitude?〃

The interruption which Mr。 Sabin had prayed for came at last。  The
musicians had left; and many of the lights had been turned down。
An official came across to them。

〃I beg your pardon; sir;〃 he said; addressing Mr。 Sabin; 〃but we are
closing now; unless you are a guest in the hotel。〃

〃I am staying here;〃 Mr。 Sabin answered; rising; 〃but the lady … 〃

Lady Carey interrupted him。

〃I am staying here also;〃 she said to the man。

He bowed at once and withdrew。  She rose slowly to her feet and
laid her fingers upon his arm。  He looked steadily away from her。

〃Fortunately;〃 he said; 〃I have not yet dismissed my own carriage。
Permit me。〃

      *          *            *           *           *

Mr。 Sabin leaned heavily upon his stick as he slowly made his way
along the corridor to his rooms。  Things were going ill with him
indeed。  He was not used to the fear of an enemy; but the memory
of Lady Carey's white cheeks and indrawn lips as she had entered
his carriage chilled him。  Her one look; too; was a threat worse
than any which her lips could have uttered。  He was getting old
indeed; he thought; wearily; when disappointment weighed so heavily
upon him。  And Lucille?  Had he any real fears of her?  He felt a
little catch in his throat at the bare thought … in a moment's
singular clearness of perception he realised that if Lucille were
indeed lost the world was

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