the yellow crayon-第30节

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no　desire　to　give　a　stage　whistle　and　have　you　throttled　at　my　feet。
On　the　contrary；　I　beg　you　to　use　my　carriage；　which　you　will　find
in　the　street。　　You　will　lunch　at　the　Milan　with　Lucille；　and　I
shall　retire　discomfited　to　eat　alone　at　my　club。　　But　the　game　is
a　long　one；　my　dear　friend。　　The　new　methods　take　time。〃

〃This　conversation；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said　to　Lucille；　〃is　interesting；
but　it　is　a　little　ungallant。　　I　think　that　we　will　resume　it　at
some　future　occasion。　　Shall　we　accept　the　Prince's　offer；　or　shall
we　be　truly　democratic　and　take　a　hansom。〃

Lucille　passed　her　arm　through　his　and　laughed。

〃You　are　robbing　the　Prince　of　me；〃　she　declared。　　〃Let　us　leave
him　his　carriage。〃

She　nodded　her　farewells　to　Saxe　Leinitzer；　who　took　leave　of　them
with　a　low　bow。　　As　they　waited　at　the　corner　for　a　hansom　Mr。　Sabin
glanced　back。　　The　Prince　had　disappeared　through　the　swing　doors。

〃I　want　you　to　promise　me　one　thing；〃　Lucille　said　earnestly。

〃It　is　promised；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered。

〃You　will　not　ask　me　the　reason　of　my　visit　to　this　place？〃

〃I　have　no　curiosity；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered。　〃Come！〃


CHAPTER　XXVIII

Mr。　Sabin；　contrary　to　his　usual　custom；　engaged　a　private　room　at
the　Milan。　　　Lucille　was　in　the　highest　spirits。

〃If　only　this　were　a　game　instead　of　reality！〃　she　said；　flashing
a　brilliant　smile　at　him　across　the　table；　〃I　should　find　it　most
fascinating。　　You　seem　to　come　to　me　always　when　I　want　you　most。
And　do　you　know；　it　is　perfectly　charming　to　be　carried　off　by　you
in　this　manner。〃

Mr。　Sabin　smiled　at　her；　and　there　was　a　look　in　his　eyes　which
shone　there　for　no　other　woman。

〃It　is　in　effect；〃　he　said；　〃keeping　me　young。　Events　seem　to　have
enclosed　us　in　a　curious　little　cobweb。　　All　the　time　we　are
struggling　between　the　rankest　primitivism　and　the　most　delicate
intrigue。　　To…day　is　the　triumph　of　primitivism。〃

〃Meaning　that　you；　the　medieval　knight；　have　carried　me　off；　the
distressed　maiden；　on　your　shoulder。〃

〃Having　confounded　my　enemy；〃　he　continued；　smiling；　〃by　an
embarrassing　situation；　a　little　argument；　and　the　distant　view
of　a　policeman's　helmet。〃

〃This；〃　she　remarked；　with　a　little　satisfied　sigh　as　she　selected
an　ortolan；　〃is　a　very　satisfactory　place　to　be　carried　off　to。
And　you；〃　she　added；　leaning　across　the　table　and　touching　his
fingers　for　a　moment　tenderly；　〃are　a　very　delightful　knight…errant。〃

He　raised　the　fingers　to　his　lips　…　the　waiter　had　left　the　room。
She　blushed；　but　yielded　her　hand　readily　enough。

〃Victor；〃　she　murmured；　〃you　would　spoil　the　most　faithless　woman
on　earth　for　all　her　lovers。　　You　make　me　very　impatient。〃

〃Impatience；　then；〃　he　declared；　〃must　be　the　most　infectious　of
fevers。　　For　I　too　am　a　terrible　sufferer。〃

〃If　only　the　Prince；〃　she　said；　〃would　be　reasonable。〃

〃I　am　afraid；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered；　〃that　from　him　we　have　not　much
to　hope　for。〃

〃Yet；〃　she　continued；　〃I　have　fulfilled　all　the　conditions。　　Reginald
Brott　remains　the　enemy　of　our　cause　and　Order。　　Yet　some　say　that
his　influence　upon　the　people　is　lessened。　　In　any　case；　my　work　is
over。　　He　began　to　mistrust　me　long　ago。　　To…day　I　believe　that
mistrust　is　the　only　feeling　he　has　in　connection　with　me。　　I　shall
demand　my　release。〃

〃I　am　afraid；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said；　〃that　Saxe　Leinitzer　has　other　reasons
for　keeping　you　at　Dorset　House。〃

She　shrugged　her　shoulders。

〃He　has　been　very　persistent　even　before　I　left　Vienna。　　But　he　must
know　that　it　is　hopeless。　　I　have　never　encouraged　him。〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said。　　〃It　is　the　incorrigible　vanity
of　the　man　which　will　not　be　denied。　　He　has　been　taught　to　believe
himself　irresistible。　　I　have　never　doubted　you　for　a　single　moment；
Lucille。　　I　could　not。　　But　you　have　been　the　slave　of　these　people
long　enough。　　As　you　say；　your　task　is　over。　　Its　failure　was　always
certain。　　Brott　believes　in　his　destiny；　and　it　will　be　no　slight
thing　which　will　keep　him　from　following　it。　　They　must　give　you
back　to　me。〃

〃We　will　go　back　to　America；〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　never　been　so
happy　as　at　Lenox。〃

〃Nor　I；〃　Mr。　Sahin　said　softly。

〃Besides；〃　she　continued；　〃the　times　have　changed　since　I　joined
the　Society。　　In　Hungary　you　know　how　things　were。　　The　Socialists
were　carrying　all　before　them；　a　united　solid　body。　　The　aristocracy
were　forced　to　enter　into　some　sort　of　combination　against　them。
We　saved　Austria；　I　am　not　sure　that　we　did　not　save　Russia。　　But
England　is　different。　　The　aristocracy　here　are　a　strong　resident
class。　　They　have　their　House　of　Lords；　they　own　the　land；　and　will
own　it　for　many　years　to　come；　their　position　is　unassailable。　　It
is　the　worst　country　in　Europe　for　us　to　work　in。　　The　very　climate
and　the　dispositions　of　the　people　are　inimical　to　intrigue。　　It　is
Muriel　Carey　who　brought　the　Society　here。　　It　was　a　mistake。　　The
country　is　in　no　need　of　it。　　There　is　no　scope　for　it。〃

〃If　only　one　could　get　beyond　Saxe　Leinitzer；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said。

She　shook　her　head。

〃Behind　him；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　only　the　one　to　whom　all　reference
is　forbidden。　　And　there　is　no　man　in　the　world　who　would　be　less
likely　to　listen　to　an　appeal　from　you　…　or　from　me。〃

〃After　all；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said；　〃though　Saxe　Leinitzer　is　our　enemy；
I　am　not　sure　that　he　can　do　us　any　harm。　　If　he　declines　to
release　you　…　well；　when　the　twelve　months　are　up　you　are　free
whether　he　wishes　it　or　not。　　He　has　put　me　outside　the　pale。　　But
this　is　not；　or　never　was；　a　vindictive　Society。　　They　do　not　deal
in　assassinations。　　In　this　country　at　least　anything　of　the；　sort
is　rarely　attempted。　　If　I　were　a　young　man　with　my　life　to　live　in
the　capitals　of　Europe　I　should　be　more　or　less　a　social　outcast；　I
suppose。　　But　I　am　proof　against　that　sort　of　thing。〃

Lucille　looked　a　little　doubtful。

〃The　Prince；〃　she　said；　〃is　an　intriguer　of　the　old　school。　　I　know
that　in　Vienna　he　has　more　than　once　made　use　of　more　violent　means
than　he　would　dare　to　do　here。　　And　there　is　an　underneath　machinery
very　seldom　used；　I　believe；　and　of　which　none　of　us　who　are　ordinary
members　know　anything　at　all；　which　gives　him　terrible　powers。〃

Mr。　Sabin　nodded　grimly。

〃It　was　worked　against　me　in　America；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　got　the　best
of　it。　　Here　in　England　I　do　not　believe　that　he　would　dare　to　use
it。　　If　so；　I　think　that　before　now　it　would　have　been　aimed　at
Brott。　　I　have　just　read　his　Glasgow　speech。　　If　he　becomes
Premier　it　will　lead　to　something　like　a　revolution。〃

She　sighed。

〃Brott　is　a　clever　man；　and　a　strong　man；〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　sorry
for　him；　but　I　do　not　believe　that　he　will　never　become　Prime
Minister　of　England。〃

Mr。　Sabin　sipped　his　wine　thoughtfully。

〃I　believe；〃　he　said；　〃that　intrigue　is　the　resource　of　those　who
have　lived　their　lives　so　quickly　that　they　have　found　weariness。
For　these　things　to…day　interest　me　very　little。　　I　am　only　anxious
to　have　you　back　again；　Lucille；　to　find　ourselves　on　our　way　to
our　old　home。〃

She　laughed　softly。

〃And　I　used　to　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　after　all　I　could　only　keep
you　a　little　time　…　that　presently　the　voices　from　the　outside　world
would　come　whispering　in　your　ears；　and　you　would　steal　back　again
to　where　the　wheels　of　life　were　turning。〃

〃A　man；〃　he　answered；　〃is　not　easily　whispered　out　of　Paradise。〃

She　laughed　at　him。

〃Ah；　it　is　so　easy；〃　she　said；　〃to　know　that　your　youth　was　spent
at　a　court。〃

〃There　is　only　one　court；〃　he　answered；　〃where　men　learn　to　speak
the　truth。〃

She　leaned　back　in　her　chair。

〃Oh；　you　are　incorrigible；〃　she　said　softly。　　〃The　one　role　in　life
in　which　I　fancied　you　ill　at　ease　you　seem　to　fill　to　perfection。〃

〃And　that？〃

〃You　are　an　adorable　husband！〃

〃I　should　like；〃　he　said；　〃a　better　opportunity　to　prove　it！〃

〃Let　us　hope；〃　she　murmured；　〃that　our　separation　is　nearly　over。
I　shall　appeal　to　the　Prince　to…night。　　My　remaining　at　Dorset
House　is　no　longer　necessary。〃

〃I　shall　come；〃　he　said；　〃and　demand　you　in　person。〃

She　shook　her　head。

〃No！　　They　would　not　let　you　in；　and　it　would　make　it　more
difficult。　　Be　patient　a　little　longer。〃

He　came　and　sat　by　her　side。　　She　leaned　over　to　meet　his　embrace。

〃You　make　patience；〃　he　murmured；　〃a　torture！〃

　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　　*

Mr。　Sabin　walked　home　to　his　rooms　late　in　the　afternoon；　well
content　on　the　whole　with　his　day。　　He　was　in　no　manner　prepared
for　the　shock　which　greeted　him　on　entering　his　sitting…room。
Duson　was　leaning　back　in　his　most　comfortable　easy…chair。

〃Duson！〃　Mr。　Sabin　said　sharply。　　〃What　does　this　mean？〃

There　was　no　answer。　　Mr。　Sabin　moved　quickly　forward；　and　then
stopped　short。　　He　had　seen　dead　men；　and　he　knew　the　signs。　　Duson
was　stone　dead。

Mr。　Sabin's　nerve　answered　to　this　demand　upon　it。　　He　checked　his
first　impulse　to　ring　the　bell；　and　looked　carefully　on　the　table
for　some　note　or　message　from　the　dead　man。　　He　found　it　almost　at
once　…　a　large　envelope　in　Duson's　handwriting。　　Mr。　Sabin　hastily
broke　the　seal　and　read：

　　〃Monsieur；　…　I　kill　myself　because　it　is　easiest　and　best。　　The
　　poison　w