“Butthisisatrap！“sheexclaimed。“Whosentforyou？Whydidyoucome？“
　　Helookedatherinsurprise。
　　“Lucille！“
　　Hiseyeswerefullofpassionateremonstrance。Shelookednervouslyfromhimtowardsthedoor。Heinterceptedherglance。
　　“WhathaveIdone？“heaskedfiercely。“WhathaveIfailedtodo？
　　WhydoyoulookasthoughIhadforcedmyselfuponyou？Haven’tI
　　theright？Don’tyouwishtoseeme？“
　　InBrott’sfaceandtonewasallthepassionatestrenuousnessofagreatcrisis。Lucillefeltsuddenlyhelplessbeforethedirectnessofhisgaze，hisstormofquestions。Inalltheirformerintercourseithadbeenshewhobyvirtueofhersexandhisblindloveforherhadkepttheupperhand。Andnowthepositionwaschanged。Allsortsoffeebleexplanations，ofappealstohim，occurredtoherdimly，onlytoberejectedbyreasonoftheirridiculousinadequacy。
　　Shewassilent-abjectlysilent。
　　Hecamealittleclosertoher，andthestrengthofthemanwasmanifestinhisintenseself-restraint。Hiswordsweremeasured，histonequiet。Yetbothsomehowgaveevidenceofthesmoulderingfiresbeneath。
　　“Lucille，“hesaid，“Ifindyouhardtounderstandto-day。Youhavemademeyourslave，youcameoncemoreintomylifeatitsmostcriticalmoment，andforyoursakeIhavebetrayedagreattrust。Myconscience，myfaith，andalthoughthatcountsforlittle，mypoliticalcareer，wereinthebalanceagainstmyloveforyou。Youknowwhichconquered。AtyourbiddingIhavemademyselfthejestofeverymanwhobuysthehalfpennypaperandcallshimselfapolitician。Myfriendsheapabuseuponme，myenemiesderision。IcannotholdmypositioninthisnewCabinet。
　　Ihadgonetoofarforcompromise。Iwonderifyouquiteunderstandwhathashappened？“
　　“Oh，Ihaveheardtoomuch，“shecried。“Sparemetherest。“
　　Hecontinuedasthoughhehadnotheardher。
　　“Menwhohavebeenmyintimateassociatesformanyyears，andwhosefriendshipwasdeartome，crosstheroadtoavoid:meetingme，daybydayIambesiegedwithvisitorsandlettersfromthesufferingpeopletowhommywordhadbeenpledged，imploringmeforsomeexplanation，foronewordofdenial。Lifehasbecomeahellforme，apestilent，militanthell！Yet，Lucille，unlessyoubreakfaithwithmeImakenocomplaint。Iamcontent。“
　　“Iamverysorry，“shesaid。“Idonotthinkthatyouhaveproperlyunderstoodme。Ihavenevermadeyouanypromise。“
　　Foramomenthelostcontrolofhimself。Sheshrankbackattheblazeofindignation，halfscornful，halfincredulous，whichlituphisclear，greyeyes。
　　“Itisalie！“’heanswered。“Betweenyouandmeitcanbenoquestionofwords。Youwerealwaysverycarefulofyourpledges，buttherearelimitseventoyourcaution-astomyforbearance。
　　Awomandoesnotaskamanwhoispleadingtoherforherlovetogiveupeverythingelsehecaresforinlifewithouthopeofreward。
　　Itismonstrous！Ineversoughtyouunderfalsepretenses。Ineveraskedyouforyourfriendship。Iwantedyou。Itoldyousoplainly。
　　Youwon’tdenythatyougavemehope-encouragedme？Youcan’tevendenythatIamwithinmyrightsifIclaimnowatthisinstanttherewardformyapostasy。“
　　Herhandsweresuddenlylockedinhis。Shefeltherselfbeingdrawnintohisarms。Withadesperateeffortsheavoidedhisembrace。Hestillheldherleftwrist，andhisfacewasdarkwithpassion。
　　“Letmego！“shepleaded。
　　“NotI！“heanswered，withanodd，chokedlittlelaugh。“Youbelongtome。Ihavepaidtheprice。I，too，amamongstthelonglistofthosepoorfoolswhohavesoldtheirgodsandtheirhonourforawoman’skiss。ButIwillnotbeleftwhollydestitute。YoushallpaymeforwhatIhavelost。“
　　“Oh，youaremad！“sheanswered。“Howcouldyouhavedeceivedyourselfso？Don’tyouknowthatmyhusbandisinLondon？“
　　“ThemanwhocallshimselfMr。Sabin？“heansweredroughly。“Whathasthattodowithit？Youarelivingapart。SaxeLeinitzerandtheDuchesshavebothtoldmethehistoryofyourmarriedlife。Oristhewholethingamonstrouslie？“hecried，withasuddendawningsenseofthetruth。“Nonsense！Iwon’tbelieveit。Lucille！
　　You’renotafraid！Ishallbegoodtoyou。Youdon’tdoubtthat。
　　Sabinwilldivorceyouofcourse。Youwon’tloseyourfriends。I-“
　　Therewasasuddenloudtappingatthedoor。Brottdroppedherwristandturnedroundwithanexclamationofanger。ToLucilleitwasaHeaven-sentinterposition。ThePrinceentered，pale，andwithsignsofhurryanddisorderabouthisusuallyimmaculateperson。
　　“Youarebothhere，“heexclaimed。“Good！Lucille，Imustspeakwithyouurgentlyinfiveminutes。Brott，comethiswaywithme。“
　　Lucillesankintoachairwithalittlemurmurofrelief。ThePrinceledBrottintoanotherroom，andclosedthedoorcarefullybehindhim。
　　“Mr。Brott，“hesaid，“canIspeaktoyouasafriendofLucille’s？“
　　Brott，whodistrustedthePrince，lookedhimsteadilyintheface。
　　SaxeLeinitzer’sagitationwastooapparenttobewhollyassumed。
　　Hehadalltheappearanceofbeingamandesperatelyinearnest。
　　“Ihavealwaysconsideredmyselfone，“Brottanswered。“Iambeginningtodoubt，however，whethertheCountessholdsmeinthesameestimation。“
　　“Youfoundherhysterical，unreasonable，overwrought！“thePrinceexclaimed。“Thatisso，eh？“
　　ThePrincedrewalongbreath。
　　“Brott，“hesaid，“Iamforcedtoconfideinyou。Lucilleisinterribledanger。Iamnotsurethatthereisanybodywhocaneffectuallyhelpherbutyou。Areyoupreparedtomakeagreatsacrificeforhersake-toleaveEnglandatonce，totakehertotheuttermostpartoftheworld？“
　　Brott’seyesweresuddenlybright。ThePrincequailedbeforethefiercenessofhisgaze。
　　“Shewouldnotgo！“heexclaimedsharply。
　　“Shewill，“thePrinceanswered。“Shemust！Notonlythat，butyouwillearnhereternalgratitude。Listen，Imusttellyouthepredicamentinwhichwefindourselves。ItplacesLucille’slifeinyourhands。“
　　“What？“
　　Theexclamationcamelikeapistolshot。ThePrincehelduphishand。
　　“Donotinterrupt。Letmespeak。Everymomentisveryvaluable。
　　YouheardwithoutdoubtofthesuddendeathattheCarltonHotel。
　　IttookplaceinMr。Sabin’ssitting-room。ThevictimwasMr。
　　Sabin’sservant。Theinquestwasthisafternoon。Theverdictwasdeathfromtheeffectofpoison。Thepolicearehotuponthecase。
　　Therewasnoevidenceastothepersonbywhomthepoisonwasadministered，butbyahideouscombinationofcircumstancesonepersonbeforemanyhourshavepassedwillbeunderthesurveillanceofthepolice。“
　　“Andthatperson？“Brottasked。
　　ThePrincelookedroundandloweredhisvoice，althoughtheroomwasempty。
　　“Lucille，“hewhisperedhoarsely。
　　Brottsteppedbackwardsasthoughhewereshot。
　　“Whatdamnedfolly！“heexclaimed。
　　“Itispossiblethatyoumaynotthinksodirectly，“SaxeLeinitzercontinued。“ThedayithappenedLucilleboughtthissamepoison，anditisarareone，fromamanwhohasabsconded。Anhourbeforethismanwasfounddead，shecalledatthehotel，leftnoname，butwentupstairstoMr。Sabin’sroom，andwasalonethereforfiveminutes，ThemandiedfromasinglegrainofpoisonwhichhadbeenintroducedintoMr。Sabin’sspecialliqueurglass，outofwhichhewasaccustomedtodrinkthreeorfourtimesaday。Alltheseareabsolutefacts，whichatanymomentmaybediscoveredbythepolice。
　　Addedtothatsheislivingapartfromherhusband，andisknowntobeonbadtermswithhim。“
　　Brottasgrippingthebackofachair。Hewaswhitetothelips。
　　“Youdon’tthink，“hecriedhoarsely。“Youcan’tbelieve-“
　　“No“thePrinceansweredquickly，“Idon’tbelieveanythingofthesort。IwilltellyouasmantothanthatIbelieveshewishedMr。
　　Sabindead。Youyourselfshouldknowwhy。Butno，Idon’tbelieveshewentsofarasthat。Itwasanaccident。Butwhatwehavetodoistosaveher。Willyouhelp？“
　　“Yes。“
　　“ShemustcrosstotheContinentto-nightbeforethepolicegetonthescent。AfterwardsshemustdoublebacktoHavreandtaketheBordlaiseforNewYorkonSaturday。OncethereIcanguaranteeherprotection。“
　　“Well？“
　　“Shecannotgoalone。“
　　“YoumeanthatIshouldgowithher？“
　　“Yes！Getherrightaway，andIwillemployspecialdetectivesandhavethematterclearedup，ifeveritcanbe。ButifsheremainshereIfearthatnothingcansaveherfromthehorrorofanarrest，evenifafterwardsWeareabletosaveher。Youyourselfriskmuch，Brott。Theonlyquestionthatremainsis，willyoudoit？“
　　“Atherbidding-yes！“Brottdeclared。
　　“Waithere，“thePrinceanswered。
　　SaxeLeinitzerreturnedtothemorning-room，andtakingthekeyfromhispocketunlockedthedoor。InsideLucillewaspalewithfury。
　　“What！Iamaprisoner，then！“sheexclaimed。“Howdareyoulockmein？Thisisnotyourhouse。Letmepass！Iamtiredofallthisstupidespionage。“
　　ThePrincestoodwithhisbacktothedoor。
　　“Itisforyourownsake，Lucille。Thehouseiswatched。“
　　Shesankintoalowchair，trembling。ThePrincehadalltheappearanceofamanhimselfseriouslydisturbed。
　　“Lucille，“hesaid，“wewilldowhatwecanforyou。Thewholethingishorriblyunfortunate。YoumustleaveEnglandto-night。
　　Murielwillgowithyou。Herpresencewillhelptodivertsuspicion。
　　OnceyoucanreachParisIcanassureyouofsafety。ButinthiscountryIamalmostpowerless。“
　　“ImustseeVictor，“shesaidinalowtone。“Iwillnotgowithout。“
　　ThePrincenodded。
　　“Ihavethoughtofthat。Thereisnoreason，Lucille，whyheshouldnotbetheonetoleadyouintosafety。“
　　“Youmeanthat？“shecried。
　　“Imeanit，“thePrinceanswered。“Afterwhathashappenedyouareofcourseofnofurtherusetous。Iaminclinedtothink，too，thatwehavebeensomewhatexacting。IwillsendamessengertoSouspenniertomeetyouatCharingCrossto-night。“
　　Shesprangup。
　　“Letmewriteitmyself。“
　　“Verywell，“heagreed，withashrugoftheshoulders。“Butdonotaddressorsignit。Thereisdangerinanycommunicationbetweenyou。“
　　Shetookasheetofnote-paperandhastilywroteafewwords。
　　“Ihaveneedofyourhelp。WillyoubeatCharingCrossattwelveo’clockpreparedforajourney-Lucille。“
　　ThePrincetooktheletterfromherandhastilyfoldeditup。
　　“Iwilldeliveritmyself，“heannounced。“Itwillperhapsbesafest。UntilIreturn，Lucille，donotstirfromthehouseorseeanyone。Murielhasgiventheservantsorderstoadmitnoone。
　　Allyourlife，“headded，afteramoment’spause，“youhavebeenalittlecrueltome，andthistimealso。Ishallpraythatyouwillrelentbeforeournextmeeting。“
　　Sherosetoherfeetandlookedhimfullintheface。Sheseemedtobefollowingoutherowntrainofthoughtratherthantakingnoteofhiswords。
　　“Evennow，“shesaidthoughtfully，“IamnotsurethatIcantrustyou。Ihaveagoodmindtofightorscreammywayoutofthishouse，andgomyselftoseeVictor。“
　　Heshruggedhisshoulders。
　　“Thefightingorthescreamingwillnotbenecessary，dearCountess，“hesaid。“Thedoorsareopentoyou。Butitisasclearasdaythatifyougotothehotelornearityouwillatonceberecognised，andrecognitionmeansarrest。Thereisalimitbeyondwhichonecannothelpawilfulwoman。Takeyourlifeinyourhandsandgoyourownway，ortrustinuswhoaredoingourbesttosaveyou。“