the yellow crayon-第9节

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little　job　you're　wrong。　　I　shall　go　down　myself　and　release　him；
with　an　apology。〃

〃He'll　have　his　revenge　all　the　same；〃　Horser　answered。　　〃It's　too
late　now　to　funk　the　thing。　　They　can't　budge　you。　　We'll　see　to
that。　　We　hold　New　York　in　our　hands。　　Be　a　man；　Mace；　and　run　a
little　risk。　　It's　fifty　thousand。〃

Mace　looked　up　at　him　curiously。

〃What　do　you　get　out　of　it；　Horser？〃

Horser's　face　hardened。

〃Not　one　cent！〃　he　declared　fiercely。　　〃Only　if　I　fail　it　might　be
unpleasant　for　me　next　time　I　crossed。〃

〃I　don't　know！〃　Mace　declared　weakly。　　〃I　don't　know　what　to　do。
It's　twelve　hours；　Horser；　and　the　charge　is　ridiculous。〃

〃You　have　me　behind　you。〃

〃I　can't　tell　them　that　at　Washington；〃　Mace　said。

〃It's　a　fact；　all　the　same。　　Don't　be　so　damned　nervous。〃

Mace　dismissed　his　clerk；　and　found　his　other　guests；　too；　on　the
point　of　departure。　　But　the　last　had　scarcely　left　before　a　servant
entered　with　another　despatch。

〃Release　Souspennier。

Mace　handed　it　to　his　companion。

〃This　settles　it；〃　he　declared。　　〃I　shall　go　round　and　try　and　make
my　peace　with　the　fellow。〃

Horser　stood　in　the　way；　burly；　half…drunk　and　vicious。　　He　struck
his　host　in　the　face　with　clenched　fist。　　Mace　went　down　with
scarcely　a　groan。　　A　servant；　hearing　the　fall；　came　hurrying　back。

〃Your　master　is　drunk　and　he　has　fallen　down；〃　Horser　said。　　〃Put
him　to　bed　…　give　him　a　sleeping　draught　if　you've　got　one。〃

The　servant　bent　over　the　unconscious　man。

〃Hadn't　I　better　fetch　a　doctor；　sir？〃　he　asked。　　〃I'm　afraid　he's
hurt。〃

〃Not　he！〃　　Horser　answered　contemptuously。　　〃He's　cut　his　cheek　a
little；　that's　all。　　Put　him　to　bed。　　Say　I　shall　be　round　again　by
nine　o'clock。〃

Horser　put　on　his　coat　and　left　the　house。　　The　morning　sunlight
was　flooding　the　streets。　　Away　down　town　Mr。　Sabin　was　dozing　in
his　high…backed　chair。


CHAPTER　IX

Felix；　after　an　uneventful　voyage；　landed　duly　at　Liverpool。　　To
his　amazement　the　first　person　he　saw　upon　the　quay　was　Mr。　Sabin；
leaning　upon　his　stick　and　smoking　a　cigarette。

〃Come；　come；　Felix！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Don't　look　at　me　as　though　I
were　a　ghost。　　You　have　very　little　confidence　in　me；　after　all；　I
see。〃

〃But　…　how　did　you　get　here？〃

〃The　Campania；　of　course。　　I　had　plenty　of　time。　　It　was　easy　enough
for　those　fellows　to　arrest　me；　but　they　never　had　a　chance　of
holding　me。〃

〃But　how　did　you　get　away　in　time？〃

Mr。　Sabin　sighed。

〃It　was　very　simple；〃　he　said。　　〃One　day；　while　one　of　those
wonderful　spies　was　sleeping　on　my　doormat　I　slipped　away　and　went
over　to　Washington；　saw　the　English　Ambassador；　convinced　him　of　my
bonafides；　told　him　very　nearly　the　whole　truth。　　He　promised　if　I
wired　him　that　I　was　arrested　to　take　my　case　up　at　once。　　You　sent
the　despatch；　and　he　kept　his　word。　　I　breakfasted　on　Saturday
morning　at　the　Waldorf；　and　though　a　great　dray　was　driven　into
my　carriage　on　the　way　to　the　boat；　I　escaped；　as　I　always　do　…　and
here　I　am。〃

〃Unhurt！〃　Felix　remarked　with　a　smile；　〃as　usual！〃

Mr。　Sabin　nodded。

〃The　driver　of　my　carriage　was　killed；　and　Duson　had　his　arm　broken；〃
he　said。　　〃I　stepped　out　of　the　debris　without　a　scratch。　　Come　into
the　Customs　House　now　and　get　your　baggage　through。　　I　have　taken　a
coupe　on　the　special　train　and　ordered　lunch。〃

Before　long　they　were　on　the　way　to　London。　　Mr。　Sabin；　whilst
luncheon　was　being　served；　talked　only　of　the　lightest　matters。
But　afterwards；　when　coffee　was　served　and　be　had　lit　a　cigarette；
he　leaned　over　towards　Felix。

〃Felix；〃　he　said；　〃your　sister　is　dear　to　you？〃

〃She　is　the　only　creature　on　earth；〃　Felix　said；　〃whom　I　care　for。
She　is　very　dear　to　me；　indeed。〃

〃Am　I　right；〃　Mr。　Sabin　asked；　〃in　assuming　that　the　old　enmity
between　us　is　dead；　that　the　last　few　years　has　wiped　away　the　old
soreness

〃Yes；〃　Felix　answered。　　〃I　know　that　she　was　happy　with　you。　　That
is　enough　for　me。〃

〃You　and　I；〃　Mr。　Sabin　continued；　〃must　work　out　her　salvation。　　Do
not　be　afraid　that　I　am　going　to　ask　you　impossibilities。　　I　know
that　our　ways　must　lie　apart。　　You　can　go　to　her　at　once。　　It　may
be　many；　many　months　before　I　can　catch　even　a　glimpse　of　her。
Never　mind。　　Let　me　feel　that　she　has　you　within　the　circle；　and　I
without；　with　our　lives　devoted　to　her。〃

〃You　may　rely　upon　that；〃　Felix　answered。　　〃Wherever　she　is　I　am
going。　　I　shall　be　there。　　I　will　watch　over　her。〃

Mr。　Sabin　sighed。

〃The　more　difficult　task　is　mine；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　have　no　fear　of
failure。　　I　shall　find　her　surrounded　by　spies；　by　those　who　are
now　my　enemies。　　Still；　they　will　find　it　hard　to　shake　me　off。　　It
may　be　that　they　took　her　from　me　only　out　of　revenge。　　If　that　be
so　my　task　will　be　easier。　　If　there　are　other　dangers　which　she　is
called　upon　to　face；　it　is　still　possible　that　they　might　accept　my
service　instead。〃

〃You　would　give　it？〃　Felix　exclaimed。

〃To　the　last　drop　of　blood　in　my　body；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered。　　〃Save
for　my　love　for　her　I　am　a　dead　man　upon　the　earth。　　I　have　no
longer　politics　or　ambition。　　So　the　past　can　easily　be　expunged。
Those　who　must　be　her　guiding　influence　shall　be　mine。

〃You　will　win　her　back；〃　Felix　said。　　〃I　am　sure　of　it。〃

〃I　am　willing　to　pay　any　price　on　earth；〃　Mr。　Sabin　answered。　　〃If
they　can　forget　the　past　I　can。　　I　want　you　to　remember　this。　　I
want　her　to　know　it。　　I　want　them　to　know　it。　　That　is　all；　Felix。〃

Mr。　Sabin　leaned　back　in　his　seat。　　He　had　left　this　country　last
a　stricken　and　defeated　man；　left　it　with　the　echoes　of　his　ruined
schemes　crashing　in　his　ears。　　He　came　back　to　it　a　man　with　one
purpose　only；　and　that　such　a　purpose　as　never　before　had　guided
him　…　the　love　of　a　woman。　　Was　it　a　sign　of　age；　he　wondered；　this
return　to　the　humanities？　　His　life　had　been　full　of　great　schemes；
he　had　wielded　often　a　gigantic　influence；　more　than　once　he　had
made　history。　　And　now　the　love　of　these　things　had　gone　from　him。
Their　fascination　was　powerless　to　quicken　by　a　single　beat　his
steady　pulse。　　Monarchy　or　republic　…　what　did　he　care？　　It　was
Lucille　he　wanted；　the　woman　who　had　shown　him　how　sweet　even　defeat
might　be；　who　had　made　these　three　years　of　his　life　so　happy　that
they　seemed　to　have　passed　in　one　delightful　dream。　　Were　they　dead；　annihilated；　these　old
ambitions；　the　old　love　of　great　doings；　or
did　they　only　slumber？　　He　moved　in　his　seat　uneasily。

At　Euston　the　two　men　separated　with　a　silent　handshake。　　Mr。　Sabin
drove　to　one　of　the　largest　and　newest　of　the　modern　hotels　de　luxe。
He　entered　his　name　as　Mr。　Sabin　…　the　old　exile's　hatred　of　using
his　title　in　a　foreign　country　had　become　a　confirmed　habit　with
him　…　and　mingled　freely　with　the　crowds　who　thronged　into　the
restaurant　at　night。　　There　were　many　faces　which　he　remembered；
there　were　a　few　who　remembered　him。　　He　neither　courted　nor　shunned
observation。　　He　sat　at　dinner…time　at　a　retired　table；　and　found
himself　watching　the　people　with　a　stir　of　pleasure。　　Afterwards　he
went　round　to　a　famous　club；　of　which　he　had　once　been　made　a　life
member；　but　towards　midnight　he　was　wearied　of　the　dull　decorum　of
his　surroundings；　and　returning　to　the　hotel；　sought　the　restaurant
once　more。　　The　stream　of　people　coming　in　to　supper　was　greater
even　than　at　dinner…time。　　He　found　a　small　table；　and　ordered　some
oysters。　　The　sight　of　this　bevy　of　pleasure…seekers；　all　apparently
with　multitudes　of　friends；　might　have　engendered　a　sense　of
loneliness　in　a　man　of　different　disposition。　　To　Mr。　Sabin　his
isolation　was　a　luxury。　　He　had　an　uninterrupted　opportunity　of
pursuing　his　favourite　study。

There　entered　a　party　towards　midnight；　to　meet　whom　the　head…waiter
himself　came　hurrying　from　the　further　end　of　the　room；　and　whose
arrival　created　a　little　buzz　of　interest。　　The　woman　who　formed　the
central　figure　of　the　little　group　had　for　two　years　known　no　rival
either　at　Court　or　in　Society。　　She　was　the　most　beautiful　woman　in
England；　beautiful　too　with　all　the　subtle　grace　of　her　royal　descent。
There　were　women　upon　the　stage　whose　faces　might　have　borne
comparison　with　hers；　but　there　was　not　one　who　in　a　room　would　not
have　sunk　into　insignificance　by　her　side。　　Her　movements；　her
carriage　were　incomparable　…　the　inherited　gifts　of　a　race　of　women
born　in　palaces。

Mr。　Sabin；　who　neither　shunned　nor　courted　observation；　watched　her
with　a　grim　smile　which　was　not　devoid　of　bitterness。　　Suddenly　she
saw　him。　　With　a　little　cry　of　wonder　she　came　towards　him　with
outstretched　hands。

〃It　is　marvelous；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃You？　　Really　you？〃

He　bowed　low　over　her　hands。

〃It　is　I；　dear　Helene；〃　he　answered。　　〃A　moment　ago　I　was　dreaming。
I　thought　that　I　was　back　once　more　at　Versailles；　and　in　the
presence　of　my　Queen。〃

She　laughed　softly。

〃There　may　be　no　Versailles；〃　she　murmured；　〃but　you　will　be　a
courtier　to　the　end　of　your　days。〃

〃At　least；〃　he　said；　〃believe　me　that　my　congratulations　come　from
my　heart。　　Your　happiness　is　written　in　your　face；　and　your　husband
must　be　the　proudest　man　in　England。〃

He　was　standing　now　by　her　side；　and　he　held　out　his　hand　to　Mr。
Sabin。