the yellow crayon-第24节

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of　the　world；　you　and　I。　　You　must　take　your　defeats　with　your
victories。　　I　can　assure　you　that　the　welfare　of　the　Countess　Lucille
shall　be　my　special　care。〃

Lucille　for　the　first　time　spoke。　　She　rose　from　her　chair　and　rested
her　hands　affectionately　upon　her　husband's　shoulder。

〃Dear　Victor；〃　she　said；　〃remember　that　we　are　in　London；　and；　need
I　add；　have　confidence　in　me。　　The　Prince　of　Saxe　Leinitzer　and　I
understand　one　another；　I　believe。　　If　we　do　not　it　is　not　my　fault。
My　presence　here　at　this　moment　should　prove　to　you　how　eagerly　I
shall　look　forward　to　the　time　when　our　separation　is　no　longer
necessary。〃

She　passed　away　into　the　inner　room　with　a　little　farewell　gesture
tender　and　regretful。　　Mr。　Sabin　resumed　his　seat。

〃I　believe；　Prince；〃　he　said；　〃that　no　good　can　come　of　any　further
conference　between　you　and　me。　　We　understand　one　another　too　well。
Might　I　suggest　therefore　that　you　permit　me　to　ring？〃

The　Prince　rose　to　his　feet。

〃You　are　right；〃　he　said。　　〃The　bandying　of　words　between　you　and
me　is　a　waste　of　time。　　We　are　both　of　us　too　old　at　the　game。　　But
come；　before　I　go　I　will　do　you　a　good　turn。　　I　will　prove　that　I
am　in　a　generous　mood。〃

Mr。　Sabin　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃If　anything　in　this　world　could　inspire　me　with　fear；〃　he　remarked；
〃it　would　be　the　generosity　of　the　Prince　of　Saxe　Leinitzer。〃

The　Prince　sighed。

〃You　always　misunderstand　me；〃　he　murmured。　　〃However；　I　will　prove
my　words。　　You　spoke　of　an　appeal。〃

〃Certainly；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered。　　〃I　intend　to　impeach　you　for
making　use　of　the　powers　entrusted　to　you　for　your　own　private　ends
　…　in　other　words；　for　making　an　arbitrary　misuse　of　your　position。〃

The　Prince　nodded。

〃It　is　very　well　put；〃　he　said。　　〃I　shall　await　the　result　of　your
appeal　in　fear　and　trembling。　　I　confess　that　I　am　very　much　afraid。
But；　come　now；　I　am　going　to　be　generous。　　I　am　going　to　help　you
on　a　little。　　Do　you　know　to　whom　your　appeal　must　be　made？〃

〃To　the　Grand　Duke！〃　Mr。　Sabin　replied。

The　Prince　shook　his　head。

〃Ah　me！〃　he　said；　〃how　long　indeed　you　have　been　absent　from　the
world。　　The　Grand　Duke　is　no　longer　the　head　of　our　little　affair。
Shall　I　tell　you　who　has　succeeded　him？〃

〃I　can　easily　find　out；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered。

〃Ah；　but　I　warned　you　that　I　was　in　a　generous　mood；〃　the　Prince
said；　with　a　smile。　　〃I　will　save　you　the　trouble。　　With　your
permission　I　will　whisper　the　name　in　your　ear。　　It　is　not　one　which
we　mention　lightly。〃

He　stepped　forward　and　bent　his　head　for　a　moment。　　Afterwards；　as
he　drew　back；　the　smile　upon　his　lips　broadened　until　he　showed　all
his　teeth。　　It　was　a　veritable　triumph。　　Mr。　Sabin；　taken　wholly
by　surprise；　had　not　been　able　to　conceal　his　consternation。

〃It　is　not　possible；〃　he　exclaimed　hoarsely。　　〃He　would　not　dare。〃

But　in　his　heart　he　knew　that　the　Prince　had　spoken　the　truth。


CHAPTER　XXIII

After　all；〃　said　the　Prince；　looking　up　from　the　wine　list；　〃why
cannot　I　be　satisfied　with　you？　And　why　　cannot　you　be　satisfied
with　me？　　It　would　save　so　much　trouble。〃

Lady　Carey；　who　was　slowly　unwinding　the　white　veil　from　her　picture
hat；　shrugged　her　shoulders。

〃My　dear　man；〃　she　said；　〃you　could　not　seriously　expect　me　to　fall
in　love　with　you。〃

The　Prince　sipped　his　wine　…　a　cabinet　hock　of　rare　vintage　…　and
found　it　good。　　He　leaned　over　towards　his　companion。

〃Why　not？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　wish　that　you　would　try　…　in　earnest；　I
mean。　　You　are　capable　of　great　things；　I　believe　…　perhaps　of　the
great　passion　itself。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　she　murmured　derisively。

〃And　yet；〃　he　continued；　〃there　has　always　been　in　our　love…making
a　touch　of　amateurishness。　　It　is　an　awkward　word；　but　I　do　not
know　how　better　to　explain　myself。〃

〃I　understand　you　perfectly；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　can　also；　I　think；
explain　it。　　It　is　because　I　never　cared　a　rap　about　you。〃

The　Prince　did　not　appear　altogether　pleased。　　He　curled　his　fair
moustache；　and　looked　deprecatingly　at　his　companion。　　She　had　so
much　the　air　of　a　woman　who　has　spoken　the　truth。

〃My　dear　Muriel！〃　he　protested。

She　looked　at　him　insolently。

〃My　good　man；〃　she　said；　〃whatever　you　do　don't　try　and　be
sentimental。　　You　know　quite　well　that　I　have　never　in　my　life
pretended　to　care　a　rap　about　you　…　except　to　pass　the　time。　　You
are　altogether　too　obvious。　　Very　young　girls　and　very　old　women
would　rave　about　you。　　You　simply　don't　appeal　to　me。　　Perhaps　I
know　you　too　well。　　What　does　it　matter！〃

He　sighed　and　examined　a　sauce　critically。　　They　were　lunching　at
Prince's　alone；　at　a　small　table　near　the　wall。

〃Your　taste；〃　he　remarked　a　little　spitefully；　〃would　be　considered
a　trifle　strange。　　Souspennier　carries　his　years　well；　but　he　must
be　an　old　man。〃

She　sipped　her　wine　thoughtfully。

〃Old　or　young；〃　she　said；　〃he　is　a　man；　and　all　my　life　I　have
loved　men；　…　strong　men。　　To　have　him　here　opposite　to　me　at　this
moment；　mine；　belonging　to　me；　the　slave　of　my　will；　I　would　give
　…　well；　I　would　give　…　a　year　of　my　life　…　my　new　tiara　…　anything！〃

〃What　a　pity；〃　he　murmured；　〃that　we　cannot　make　an　exchange；　you
and　I；　Lucille　and　he！〃

〃Ah；　Lucille！〃　she　murmured。　　〃Well；　she　is　beautiful。　　That　goes
for　much。　　And　she　has　the　grand　air。　　But；　heavens；　how　stupid！〃

〃Stupid！〃　he　repeated　doubtfully。

She　drummed　nervously　upon　the　tablecloth　with　her　fingers。

〃Oh；　not　stupid　in　the　ordinary　way；　of　course；　but　yet　a　fool。　　I
should　like　to　see　man　or　devil　try　and　separate　us　if　I　belonged
to　him　…　until　I　was　tired　of　him。　　That　would　come；　of　course。　　It
comes　always。　　It　is　the　hideous　part　of　life。〃

〃You　look　always；〃　he　said；　〃a　little　too　far　forward。　　It　is　a
mistake。　　After　all；　it　is　the　present　only　which　concerns　us。〃

〃Admirable　philosophy；〃　she　laughed　scornfully；　〃but　when　one　is
bored　to　death　in　the　present　one　must　look　forward　or　backward　for
consolation。〃

He　continued　his　lunch　in　silence　for　a　while。

〃I　am　rebuked！〃　he　said。

There　came　a　pause　in　the　courses。　　He　looked　at　her　critically。
She　was　very　handsomely　dressed　in　a　walking　costume　of　dove…coloured
grey。　　The　ostrich　feathers　which　drooped　from　her　large　hat　were
almost　priceless。　　She　had　the　undeniable　air　of　being　a　person　of
breeding。　　But　she　was　paler　even　than　usual；　her　hair；
notwithstanding　its　careful　arrangement；　gave　signs　of　being　a
little　thin　in　front。　　There　were　wrinkles　at　the　corners　of　her
eyes。　　She　knew　these　things；　but　she　bore　his　inspection　with
indifference。

〃I　wonder；〃　he　said　reflectively；　〃what　we　men　see　in　you。　　You
have　plenty　of　admirers。　　They　say　that　Grefton　got　himself　shot
out　at　the　front　because　you　treated　him　badly。　　Yet　…　you　are　not
much　to　look　at；　are　you？〃

She　laughed　at　him。　　Hers　was　never　a　pleasant　laugh；　but　this　time
it　was　at　least　natural。

〃How　discriminating；〃　she　declared。　　〃I　am　an　ugly　woman；　and　men
of　taste　usually　prefer　ugly　women。　　Then　I　am　always　well　dressed。
I　know　how　to　wear　my　clothes。　　And　I　have　a　shocking　reputation。
A　really　wicked　woman；　I　once　heard　pious　old　Lady　Surbiton　call　me！
Dear　old　thing！　　It　did　me　no　end　of　good。　　Then　I　have　the　very
great　advantage　of　never　caring　for　any　one　more　than　a　few　days
together。　　Men　find　that　annoying。〃

〃You　have　violent　fancies；〃　he　remarked；　〃and　strange　ones。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　she　admitted。　　〃They　concern　no　one　except　myself。〃

〃This　Souspennier　craze；　for　instance！〃

She　nodded。

〃Well；　you　can't　say　that　I'm　not　honest。　　It　is　positively　my　only
virtue。　　I　adore　the　truth。　　I　loathe　a　lie。　　That　is　one　reason；
I　daresay；　why　I　can　only　barely　tolerate　you。　　You　are　a　shocking
　…　a　gross　liar。〃

〃Muriel！〃

〃Oh；　don't　look　at　me　like　that；〃　she　exclaimed　irritably。　　〃You
must　hear　the　truth　sometimes。　　And　now；　please　remember　that　I
came　to　lunch　with　you　to　hear　about　your　visit　this　morning。〃

The　Prince　gnawed　his　moustache；　and　the　light　in　his　eyes　was　not
a　pleasant　thing　to　see。　　This　woman　with　her　reckless　life；　her
odd　fascination；　her　brusque　hatred　of　affectations；　was　a　constant
torment　to　him。　　If　only　he　could　once　get　her　thoroughly　into　his
power。

〃My　visit；〃　he　said；　〃was　wholly　successful。　　It　could　not　well　be
otherwise。　　Lucille　has　returned　to　Dorset　House。　　Souspennier　is
confounded　altogether　by　a　little　revelation　which　I　ventured　to
make。　　He　spoke　of　an　appeal。　　I　let　him　know　with　whom　he　would
have　to　deal。　　I　left　him　nerveless　and　crushed。　　He　can　do　nothing
save　by　open　revolt。　　And　if　he　tries　that　…　well；　there　will　be
no　more　of　this　wonderful　Mr。　Sabin。〃

〃Altogether　a　triumph　to　you；〃　she　remarked　scornfully。　　〃Oh；　I
know　the　sort　of　thing。　　But；　after　all；　my　dear　Ferdinand；　what　of
last　night。　　I　hate　the　woman；　but　she　played　the　game；　and　played
it　well。　　We　were　fooled；　both　of　us。　　And　to　think　that　I　…　〃

She　broke　off　with　a　short　laugh。　　The　Prince　looked　at　her
curiously。

〃Perhaps；〃　he　said；　〃you　had　some　idea　of　consoling　the　desolate
husband？〃

〃Perhaps　I　had；〃　she　answered　coolly。　　〃It　didn't　come　off；　did　it？
Order　me　some　coffee；　and　give　me　a　cigarette；　my　fri