“Itistheapproachofsenility，“Mr。Sabinansweredher。“Iamanoldman，LadyMuriel！“
　　Sheshruggedhershoulders。
　　“YouarelikeUlysses，“shesaid。“Thegods，orratherthegoddesses，havehelpedyoutowardsimmortality。“
　　“Itis，“Mr。Sabinanswered，“themossdeliciouspieceofflatteryIhaveeverheard。“
　　“Calypso，“shemurmured，noddingtowardsLucille，“isbyyourside。“
　　“Really，“Mr。Sabininterrupted，“Imustprotest。LucilleandI
　　weremarriedbyamostrespectableEpiscopalianclergyman。Wehavedocumentaryevidence。Besides，ifLucilleisCalypso，whataboutPenelope？“
　　LadyCareysmiledthoughtfully。
　　“Ihavealwaysthought，“shesaid，“thatPenelopewasamyth。InyourcaseIshouldsaythatPeneloperepresentsareturntosanity-totheordinarywaysoflife。“
　　Mr。SabinandLucilleexchangedswiftglances。Heraisedhiseyebrows。
　　“Ourlittleidyll，“hesaid，“seemstobethesportandbuffetofeveryone。YouforgetthatIamoftheoldworld。Idonotunderstandmodernity。“
　　“Ulysses，“sheanswered，“wasoftheoldworld，yethewasawandererinmoresensesofthewordthanoneAndtherehavebeentimes-“
　　Hereyessoughthis。Heignoredabsolutelythesubtletyofmeaningwhichlurkedbeneaththeheavydroopingeyelids。
　　“Onetravelsthroughlife，“heanswered，“bydeviouspaths，andalittlewanderingintheflower-gardensbythewayisthelotofeveryone。Butwhenthejourneyisover，one’stasteforwanderinghasgone-well，UlyssesfinishedhisdaysatthehearthofPenelope。“
　　Sheroseandwalkedaway。Mr。Sabinsatstillandwatchedherasthoughlisteningtothesoftsweepofhergownuponthecarpet。
　　“Hatefulwoman！“Lucilleexclaimedlightly。“Tomakelove，andsuchlove，toone’slawfulhusbandbeforeone’sfaceisalittlecrude，don’tyouthink？“
　　Heshookhishead。
　　“Tooobvious，“heanswered。“SheisplayingthePrince’sgame。
　　Dearme，howinterestingthiswillbesoon。“
　　Shenodded。Afaintsmileofbitternesshadstolenintohertone。
　　“Already，“shesaid，“youarebeginningtoscentthedelightoftheatmosphere。Youarestiffeningforthefight。Soon-“
　　“Ah，no！Don’tsayit，“hewhispered，takingherhand。“Ishallneverforget。Ifthefightseemsgoodtomeitisbecauseyouaretheprize，andafterall，youknow，tofightforone’swomenkindisamongsttheprimevalinstincts。“
　　LadyCarey，whohadbeenpacingtheroomrestlessly，touchinganornamenthere，lookingatapicturethere，camebacktothemandstoodbeforeMr。Sabin。Shehadcaughthislastwords。
　　“Primevalinstincts！“sheexclaimedmockingly。“Whatdoyouknowaboutthem，youofallmen，abundleofnervesandbrains，withamotorforaheart，andanautomaticbrakeuponyourpassions？Uponmyword，IbelievethatIhavesolvedthemysteryofyourperennialyouth。Youhavefoundawayofsubstitutingmachineryforthehumanorgan，andyouarewounduptogoforever。“
　　“Youhavefoundmeout，“headmitted。“ProfessorPenningramofChicagowillsupplyyoutoowithanoutfit。Mentionmynameifyoulike。ItisawonderfulcountryAmerica。“
　　ThePrincecameovertothem，fairandblandwithnotraceuponhissmoothfeaturesorinhishalf-jestingtoneofanyevilthings。
　　“Souspennier，“hesaid，holdingouthishand，“welcomebackoncemoretoyouroldplace。Iamhappytosaythatthereappearstobenoreasonwhyyourclaimshouldnotbefullyadmitted。“
　　Mr。Sabinrosetohisfeet。
　　“Ipresume，“hesaid，“thatnoveryactivedemandsarelikelytobemadeuponmyservices。InthiscountrymorethananyotherIfearthatthepossibilitiesofmyaidarescanty。“
　　ThePrincesmiled。
　　“Itisafact，“hesaid，“whichweallappreciate。Uponyouatpresentwemakenoclaim。“
　　Therewasamoment’sintensesilence。AsteelylightglitteredinMr。Sabin’seyes。HeandthePrincealoneremainedstanding。TheDuchessofDorsetwatchedthemthroughherlorgnettes；LadyCareywatchedtoowithanintenseeagerness，hereyesalightwithmingledcrueltyandexcitement。Lucille’seyesweresobrightthatonemightreadilybelievethetearstobeglisteningbeneath。
　　CHAPTERXIX
　　Iwillnotpretend，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“tomisunderstandyou。Myhelpisnotrequiredbyyouinthisenterprise，whateveritmaybe，inwhichyouareengaged。Onthecontrary，youhavetriedbymanyandvariouswaystokeepmeatadistance。ButIamhere，Prince-heretobedealtwithandtreatedaccordingtomyrights。“
　　ThePrincestrokedhisfairmoustache。
　　“Iamalittlepuzzled，“headmitted，“astothis-shallInotcallitself-assertiveness？-onthepartofmygoodfriendSouspennier。“
　　“Iwillmakeitquiteclearthen，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“Lucille，willyoufavourmebyringingforyourmaid。Thecarriageisatthedoor。“
　　ThePrinceheldouthishand。
　　“MydearSouspennier，“hesaid，“youmustnotthinkoftakingLucilleawayfromus。“
　　“Indeed，“Mr。Sabinansweredcoolly。“Whynot？“
　　“Itmustbeobvioustoyou，“thePrinceanswered，“thatwedidnotsendtoAmericaforLucillewithoutanobject。Sheisnowengagedinanimportantworkuponourbehalf。Itisnecessarythatsheshouldremainunderthisroof。“
　　“Idemand，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“thatthenatureofthatnecessityshouldbemadecleartome。“
　　ThePrincesmiledwiththeairofonedisposedtohumourawilfulchild。
　　“Come！“hesaid。“YoumustknowverywellthatIcannotstandhereandtellyouthebareoutline，muchlessthedetailsofanimportantmovement。To-morrow，atanyhouryouchoose，onefromamongstusshallexplainthewholematter-andtheparttobeborneinitbytheCountess！“
　　“Andto-night？“Mr。Sabinasked。
　　ThePrinceshruggedhisshouldersandglancedattheclock。
　　“To-night，mydearfriend，“hesaid，“allofus，Ibelieve，goontoaballatCarmarthenHouse。Itwouldgrievemealso，Iamsure，Duke，toseeminhospitable，butIamcompelledtomentionthefactthatthehourforwhichthecarriageshavebeenorderedisalreadyathand。“
　　Mr。Sabinreflectedforafewmoments。
　　“DidIunderstandyoutosay，“heasked，“thatthehelptobegiventoyoubymywife，Lucille，DuchessofSouspennier，entailedherremainingunderthisroof？“
　　ThePrincesmiledseraphically。
　　“Itisunfortunate，“hemurmured，“sinceyouhavebeensogallantastofollowher，butitistrue！Youwillunderstandthisperfectly-to-morrow。“
　　“AndwhyshouldIwaituntilto-morrow？“Mr。Sabinaskedcoolly。
　　“Ifear，“thePrincesaid，“thatitisamatterofnecessity。“
　　Mr。Sabinglancedforamomentinturnatthefacesofallthelittlecompanyasthoughseekingtodiscoverhowfartheattitudeofhisopponentmetwiththeirapproval。LadyCarey’sthinlipswerecurvedinasmile，andhereyesmethismockingly。Theothersremainedimperturbable。LastofallhelookedatLucille。
　　“Itseems，“hesaid，smilingtowardsher，“thatIamcalledupontopayaheavyentrancefeeonmyreturnamongstyourfriends。ButthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzerforgetsthathehasshownmenoauthority，orgivenmenovalidreasonwhyIshouldtoleratesuchflagrantinterferencewithmypersonalaffairs。“
　　“To-morrow-to-morrow，mygoodsir！“thePrinceinterrupted。
　　“No！To-night！“Mr。Sabinansweredsharply。“Lucille，intheabsenceofanyreasonableexplanation，IchallengetherightofthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzertorobmeevenforanhourofmydearestpossession。Iappealtoyou。Comewithmeandremainwithmeuntilithasbeenproved，ifeveritcanbeproved，thatgreaterinterestsrequireourseparation。IftherebeblameIwilltakeit。
　　WillyoutrustyourselftomeLucillehalfrose，butLadyCarey’shandwasheavyuponhershoulder。AsthoughbyacarelessmovementGeneralDolinskiandRaouldeBrouillacalteredtheirpositionsslightlysoastocomebetweenthetwo。TheDukeofDorsethadlefttheroom。ThenMr。
　　Sabinknewthattheywereallagainsthim。
　　“Lucille，“hesaid，“havecourage！Iwaitforyou。“
　　Shelookedtowardshim，andherfacepuzzledhim。Forthereflashedacrosstheshouldersofthesepeopleaglancewhichwaswhollyoutofharmonywithhisownstateofbarelysubduedpassion-aglancehalftender，halfhumorous，fullofsubtlepromise。
　　Yetherwordswereablowtohim。
　　“Victor，howisitpossible？Believeme，IcomeifIcould。
　　To-morrow-verysoon，itmaybepossible。Butnow。YouhearwhatthePrincesays。Ifearthatheisright！“
　　ToMr。Sabintheshockwasanunexpectedone。Hehadneverdoubtedbutthatsheatleastwashisside。Herwordsfoundhimunprepared，andamomentheshowedhisdiscomfiture。Hisrecoveryhowever，wasswiftandamazing。HebowedtoLucille，andbythetimeheraisedhisheadeventhereproachhadgonefromhiseyes。
　　“Dearlady，“hesaid，“Iwillnotventuretodisputeyourdecision。
　　Prince，willyouappointatimeto-morrowwhenthismattershallbemorefullyexplainedtome？“
　　ThePrince’ssmilewassweetnessitself，andhistoneverygentle。
　　ButMr。Sabin，whoseldomyieldedtoanypassionateimpulse，kepthisteethsetandhishandclenched，lesttheblowhelongedtodealshouldescapehim。
　　“Atmiddayto-morrowIshallbepleasedtoreceiveyou，“hesaid。
　　“TheCountess，withherusualdevotionandgoodsense，has，Itrust，convincedyouthatouractionisnecessary！“
　　“To-morrowatmidday，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“Iwillbehere。Ihavethehonourtowishyouallgood-night。“
　　Hisfarewellwascomprehensive。HedidnotevensingleoutLucilleforapartingglance。ButdownthebroadstairsandacrossthehallofDorsetHousehepassedwithwearysteps，leaningheavilyuponhisstick。Itwasaheavyblowwhichhadfallenuponhim。Asyethescarcelyrealisedit。
　　Hiscarriagewasdelayedforafewmoments，andjustashewasenteringitayoungwoman，plainlydressedinblack，camehurryingoutandslippedanoteintohishand。
　　“Pardon，monsieur，“sheexclaimed，withasmile。IfearedthatI
　　wastoolate。“
　　Mr。Sabin’sfingersclosedoverthenote，andhesteppedblithelyintothecarriage。Butwhenhetoreitopenandsawthehandwritinghepermittedhimselfalittlegroanofdisappointment。Itwasnotfromher。Hereadthefewlinesandcrushedthesheetofpaperinhishand。
　　“IamhavingsupperattheCarltonwithsomefriendsonourwaytoC。H。Iwanttospeaktoyouforamoment。BeinthePalmCourtat12。15，butdonotrecognisemeuntilIcometoyou。Ifpossiblekeepoutofsight。Ifyoushouldhaveleftmymaidwillbringthisontoyourhotel。