HisHighness，thePrinceofSaxeLeinitzer！“
　　Dusonstoodawayfromthedoorwithalowbow。ThePrince-inthebuttonholeofwhosefrock-coatwasalargebunchofRussianviolets，passedacrossthethreshold。Mr。Sabinroseslowlyfromhischair。
　　“Ifear，“thePrincesaidsuavely，“thatIamanearlyvisitor。
　　Icanonlythrowmyselfuponyourindulgenceandpleadtheurgencyofmymission。“
　　HisarrivalappearedtohaveinterruptedalatebreakfastoftheContinentalorder。ThesmalltableatwhichLucilleandMr。Sabinwereseatedwascoveredwithrosesandseveraldishesofwonderfulfruit。AcoffeeequipagewasbeforeLucille。Mr。Sabin，dressedwithhisusualpeculiarcareandlookingtenyearsyounger，hadjustlitacigarette。
　　“Wehavebeenanticipatingyourvisit，Prince，“Mr。Sabinremarked，withgrimcourtesy。“Canweofferyoucoffeeoraliqueur？“
　　“Ithankyou，no，“thePrinceanswered。“Iseldomtakeanythingbeforelunch。Letmebegthatyoudonotdisturbyourselves。WithyourpermissionIwilltakethiseasy-chair。So！Thatisexcellent。
　　Wecannowtalkundisturbed。“
　　Mr。Sabinbowed。
　　“Youwillfindme，“hesaid，“anexcellentlistener。“
　　ThePrincesmiledinanamiablemanner。HiseyeswerefixeduponLucille，whohaddrawnherchairalittleawayfromthetable。
　　Whatotherwomanintheworldwhohadpassedherfirstyouthcouldsitthusintheslantingsunlightandremainbeautiful？
　　“Iwillaskyoutobelieve，“thePrincesaidslowly，“howsincerelyIregretthisunavoidableinterferenceinadomestichappinesssotouching。Nevertheless，IhavecomefortheCountess。ItisnecessarythatshereturnstoDorsetHousethismorning。“
　　“Youwillobligeme，“Mr。Sabinremarked，“byrememberingthatmywifeistheDuchessedeSouspennier，andbysoaddressingher。“
　　ThePrincespreadouthishands-adeprecatinggesture。
　　“Alas！“hesaid，“forthepresentitisnotpossible。UntilthelittleaffairuponwhichwearenowengagedisfinallydisposedofitisnecessarythatLucilleshouldbeknownbythetitlewhichshebearsinherownright，orbythenameofherlatehusband，Mr。
　　JamesB。Peterson。“
　　“Thatlittleaffair，“Mr。Sabinremarked，“is，Ipresume，thematterwhichyouhavecometoexplaintome。“
　　ThePrincesmiledandshookhishead。
　　“Explain！MydearDuke，thatisnotpossible。ItisnotwithinyourrightstoaskquestionsortorequireanyexplanationastoanythingwhichLucilleisrequiredtodobyus。Youmustrememberthatourclaimuponhercomesbeforeyours。Itisaclaimwhichshecannotevadeordeny。Andinpursuanceofit，Countess，I
　　deeplyregrethavingtotellyouthatyourpresenceatDorsetHousewithinthenexthourisdemanded。“
　　Lucillemadenoanswer，butlookedacrossthetableatMr。Sabinwithalittlegrimace。
　　“Itisacomedy，“shemurmured。“Afterall，itisacomedy！“
　　Mr。Sabinfingeredhiscigarettethoughtfully。
　　“Ibelieve，“hesaid，“thattheDuchessrealisesherresponsibilitiesinthismatter。Imyselfhavenowishtodenythem。Asordinarymemberswearebothpledgedtoabsoluteobedience。
　　IthereforeplacenoembargouponthereturnofmywifetoDorsetHouse。Buttherearecertainconditions，Prince，thatconsideringthespecialcircumstancesofthecaseIfeelimpelledtopropose。“
　　“Icanrecognise，“thePrincesaid，“noconditions。“
　　“Theyareveryharmless，“Mr。Sabincontinuedcalmly。“Thefirstisthatinafriendlyway，andofcourseundertheinviolablelawofsecrecy，youexplaintomeforwhatpartLucilleiscastinthislittlecomedy；thenextthatIbeallowedtoseeheratreasonableintervals，andfinallythatsheisknownbyherrightfulnameasDuchessedeSouspennier。“
　　TheforcedurbanitywhichthePrincehadassumedfellawayfromhimwithoutwarning。Thetoneofhisreplywasalmostasneer。
　　“Irepeat，“hesaid，“thatIcanrecognisenoconditions。“
　　“Itisperhaps，“Mr。Sabincontinued，“thewrongwordtouse。Wesubmittoyourauthority，butyouandIarewellawarethatyourdiscretionarypowersarelarge。Iaskyoutousethem。“
　　“AndI，“thePrincesaid，“refuse。LetmeaddthatIintendtopreventanyrecurrenceofyourlittleadventureoflastnight。
　　Lucilleshallnotseeyouagainuntilhertaskisover。Andasforyou，mydearDuke，Idesireonlyyourabsence。Idonotwishtohurtyourfeelings，butyournamehasbeenassociatedinthepastwithtoomanyfailurestoinspireuswithanyconfidenceinengagingyouasanally。Countess，acarriagefromDorsetHouseawaitsyou。“
　　ButLucillesatstill，andMr。Sabinroseslowlytohisfeet。
　　“Ithankyou，Prince，“hesaid，“forthrowingawaythemask。
　　Fightingisalwaysbetterwithoutthebuttons。ItistruethatI
　　havefailedmorethanonce，butitisalsotruethatmyfailureshavebeenmoremagnificentthanyourwaddleacrosstheplainoflife。
　　Asforyourpresentauthority，Ichallengeyoutoyourfacethatyouareusingittogainyourprivateends。WhatIhavesaidtoyouI
　　shallrepeattothosewhoseplaceisaboveyours。LucilleshallgotoDorsetHouse，butIwarnyouthatIholdmylifeaslightthingwhereherwelfareisconcerned。Yourhandisupontheleverofagreatorganization，Iamonlyaunitintheworld。YetIwouldhaveyourememberthatmorethanonce，Prince，whenyouandIhavemetwiththeoddsinyourfavourthevictoryhasbeenmine。Playthegamefairly，andyouhavenothingtofearfrommebuttheopenoppositionIhavepromisedyou。Bringbuttheshadowofeviluponher，misuseyourpowerbuteversoslightlyagainsther，andIwarnyouthatIshallcountthefewyearsoflifelefttomeatrifle-oflessthannoaccount-untilyouandIcryquits。“
　　ThePrincesmiled，afat，good-naturedsmile，behindwhichthemalicewasindeedwellhidden。
　　“Come，come，mydearSouspennier，“hedeclared。“Thisisunworthyofyou。Itispositivelymelodramatic。ItremindsmeoftheplaysofmyFatherland，andofyourownAdelphiTheatre。Weshouldbemenoftheworld，youandI。Youmusttakeyourdefeatswithyourvictories。IcanassureyouthatthewelfareoftheCountessLucilleshallbemyspecialcare。“
　　Lucilleforthefirsttimespoke。Sherosefromherchairandrestedherhandsaffectionatelyuponherhusband’sshoulder。
　　“DearVictor，“shesaid，“rememberthatweareinLondon，and，needIadd，haveconfidenceinme。ThePrinceofSaxeLeinitzerandI
　　understandoneanother，Ibelieve。Ifwedonotitisnotmyfault。
　　MypresencehereatthismomentshouldprovetoyouhoweagerlyI
　　shalllookforwardtothetimewhenourseparationisnolongernecessary。“
　　Shepassedawayintotheinnerroomwithalittlefarewellgesturetenderandregretful。Mr。Sabinresumedhisseat。
　　“Ibelieve，Prince，“hesaid，“thatnogoodcancomeofanyfurtherconferencebetweenyouandme。Weunderstandoneanothertoowell。
　　MightIsuggestthereforethatyoupermitmetoring？“
　　ThePrincerosetohisfeet。
　　“Youareright，“hesaid。“Thebandyingofwordsbetweenyouandmeisawasteoftime。Wearebothofustoooldatthegame。Butcome，beforeIgoIwilldoyouagoodturn。IwillprovethatI
　　aminagenerousmood。“
　　Mr。Sabinshruggedhisshoulders。
　　“Ifanythinginthisworldcouldinspiremewithfear，“heremarked，“itwouldbethegenerosityofthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzer。“
　　ThePrincesighed。
　　“Youalwaysmisunderstandme，“hemurmured。“However，Iwillprovemywords。Youspokeofanappeal。“
　　“Certainly，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“Iintendtoimpeachyouformakinguseofthepowersentrustedtoyouforyourownprivateends-inotherwords，formakinganarbitrarymisuseofyourposition。“
　　ThePrincenodded。
　　“Itisverywellput，“hesaid。“Ishallawaittheresultofyourappealinfearandtrembling。IconfessthatIamverymuchafraid。
　　But，comenow，Iamgoingtobegenerous。Iamgoingtohelpyouonalittle。Doyouknowtowhomyourappealmustbemade？“
　　“TotheGrandDuke！“Mr。Sabinreplied。
　　ThePrinceshookhishead。
　　“Ahme！“hesaid，“howlongindeedyouhavebeenabsentfromtheworld。TheGrandDukeisnolongertheheadofourlittleaffair。
　　ShallItellyouwhohassucceededhim？“
　　“Icaneasilyfindout，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
　　“Ah，butIwarnedyouthatIwasinagenerousmood，“thePrincesaid，withasmile。“Iwillsaveyouthetrouble。WithyourpermissionIwillwhisperthenameinyourear。Itisnotonewhichwementionlightly。“
　　Hesteppedforwardandbenthisheadforamoment。Afterwards，ashedrewback，thesmileuponhislipsbroadeneduntilheshowedallhisteeth。Itwasaveritabletriumph。Mr。Sabin，takenwhollybysurprise，hadnotbeenabletoconcealhisconsternation。
　　“Itisnotpossible，“heexclaimedhoarsely。“Hewouldnotdare。“
　　ButinhisheartheknewthatthePrincehadspokenthetruth。
　　Afterall，“saidthePrince，lookingupfromthewinelist，“whycannotIbesatisfiedwithyou？Andwhycannotyoubesatisfiedwithme？Itwouldsavesomuchtrouble。“
　　LadyCarey，whowasslowlyunwindingthewhiteveilfromherpicturehat，shruggedhershoulders。
　　“Mydearman，“shesaid，“youcouldnotseriouslyexpectmetofallinlovewithyou。“
　　ThePrincesippedhiswine-acabinethockofrarevintage-andfounditgood。Heleanedovertowardshiscompanion。
　　“Whynot？“heasked。“Iwishthatyouwouldtry-inearnest，I
　　mean。Youarecapableofgreatthings，Ibelieve-perhapsofthegreatpassionitself。“
　　“Perhaps，“shemurmuredderisively。
　　“Andyet，“hecontinued，“therehasalwaysbeeninourlove-makingatouchofamateurishness。Itisanawkwardword，butIdonotknowhowbettertoexplainmyself。“
　　“Iunderstandyouperfectly，“sheanswered。“Icanalso，Ithink，explainit。ItisbecauseInevercaredarapaboutyou。“
　　ThePrincedidnotappearaltogetherpleased。Hecurledhisfairmoustache，andlookeddeprecatinglyathiscompanion。Shehadsomuchtheairofawomanwhohasspokenthetruth。
　　“MydearMuriel！“heprotested。
　　Shelookedathiminsolently。
　　“Mygoodman，“shesaid，“whateveryoudodon’ttryandbesentimental。YouknowquitewellthatIhaveneverinmylifepretendedtocarearapaboutyou-excepttopassthetime。Youarealtogethertooobvious。Veryyounggirlsandveryoldwomenwouldraveaboutyou。Yousimplydon’tappealtome。PerhapsI
　　knowyoutoowell。Whatdoesitmatter！“
　　Hesighedandexaminedasaucecritically。TheywerelunchingatPrince’salone，atasmalltablenearthewall。
　　“Yourtaste，“heremarkedalittlespitefully，“wouldbeconsideredatriflestrange。Souspenniercarrieshisyearswell，buthemustbeanoldman。“
　　Shesippedherwinethoughtfully。
　　“Oldoryoung，“shesaid，“heisaman，andallmylifeIhavelovedmen，-strongmen。Tohavehimhereoppositetomeatthismoment，mine，belongingtome，theslaveofmywill，Iwouldgive-well，Iwouldgive-ayearofmylife-mynewtiara-anything！“
　　“Whatapity，“hemurmured，“thatwecannotmakeanexchange，youandI，Lucilleandhe！“
　　“Ah，Lucille！“shemurmured。“Well，sheisbeautiful。Thatgoesformuch。Andshehasthegrandair。But，heavens，howstupid！“
　　“Stupid！“herepeateddoubtfully。
　　Shedrummednervouslyuponthetableclothwithherfingers。
　　“Oh，notstupidintheordinaryway，ofcourse，butyetafool。I
　　shouldliketoseemanordeviltryandseparateusifIbelongedtohim-untilIwastiredofhim。Thatwouldcome，ofcourse。Itcomesalways。Itisthehideouspartoflife。“
　　“Youlookalways，“hesaid，“alittletoofarforward。Itisamistake。Afterall，itisthepresentonlywhichconcernsus。“
　　“Admirablephilosophy，“shelaughedscornfully，“butwhenoneisboredtodeathinthepresentonemustlookforwardorbackwardforconsolation。“
　　Hecontinuedhislunchinsilenceforawhile。
　　“Iamrebuked！“hesaid。