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Mr。Sabinleanedbackinhiscarriage，andafrownoffaintperplexitycontractedhisforehead。
IfIwereayoungerman，“hemurmuredtohimself，“Imightbelievethatthiswomanwasreallyinearnest，aswellasbeingSaxeLeinitzer’sjackal。WewerefriendlyenoughinParisthatyear。
Sheisunscrupulousenough，ofcourse。Alwayswithsomeoddfancyforthegrotesqueorunlikely。Iwonder-“
Hepulledthecheck-string，andwasdriventoCamperdownHouse。A
greatmanypeoplewerecomingandgoing。Mr。SabinfoundHelene’smaid，andlearntthathermistresswasjustgoingtoherroom，andwouldbealoneforafewminutes。Hescribbledafewwordsonthebackofacard，andwasatoncetakenuptoherboudoir。
“MydearUNCLE，“Heleneexclaimed，“youhavearrivedmostopportunely。Wehavejustgotridofafewdinnerpeople，andwearegoingontoCarmarthenHousepresently。Takethateasy-chair，please，and，lightacigarette。Willyouhavealiqueur？Wolfendonhassomeoldbrandywhicheveryoneseemstothinkwonderful。“
“Youareverykind，Helene，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Icannotrefuseanythingwhichyouofferinsocharmingamanner。ButIshallnotkeepyoumorethanafewminutes。“
“Weneednotleaveforanhour，“Helenesaid，“andIamdressedexceptformyjewels。Tellme，haveyouseenLucille？Iamsoanxioustoknow。“
“IhaveseenLucillethisevening，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
“AtDorsetHouse！“
“Yes。“
Helenesatdown，smiling。
“Dotellmeallaboutit。“
“Thereisverylittletotell，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
“Sheiswithyou-shereturnsatleast！“
Mr。Sabinshookhishead。
“No，“heanswered。“SheremainsatDorsetHouse。“
Helenewassilent。Mr。Sabinsmokedpensivelyamomentortwo，andsippedtheliqueurwhichCamperdown’sownservanthadjustbroughthim。
“Itisveryhard，Helene，“hesaid，“tomakeyoualtogetherunderstandthesituation，fortherearecertainphasesofitwhichIcannotdiscusswithyouatall。IhavemademyfirstefforttoregainLucille，andithasfailed。Itisnotherfault。Ineednotsaythatitisnotmine。Butthestrugglehascommenced，andintheendIshallwin。“
“Lucilleherself-“Helenebeganhesitatingly。
“Lucilleis，Ifirmlybelieve，asanxioustoreturntomeasIamanxioustohaveher，“Mr。Sabinsaid。
Helenethrewupherhands。
“Itisbewildering，“sheexclaimed。
“Itmustseemsotoyou，“Mr。Sabinadmitted。
“IwishthatLucillewereanywhereelse，“Helenesaid。“TheDorsetHouseset，youknow，althoughtheyareverysmartandveryexclusive，haveasomewhatpeculiarreputation。LadyCarey，althoughsheissuchabrilliantwoman，saysanddoesthemostinsolent，themostamazingthings，andthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzergoeseverywhereinEuropebythenameoftheRoyallibertine。Theyarepowerfulenoughalmosttodominatesociety，andwepoorpeoplewhoabidebytheconventionsareabsolutelynowherebesidethem。
Theythinkthatwearebourgeoisbecausewehavevirtue，andprehistoricbecausewearenotdecadent。“
“TheDuke-“Mr。Sabinremarked。
“Oh，theDukeisquitedifferent，ofcourse，“Heleneadmitted。
“HeisafanaticalTory，verystupid，veryblindtoanythingexcepthisbelovedPrimroseLeague。HowhecametolendhimselftothevagariesofsuchasetIcannotimagine。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
“C’estlafemmetoujours！“heremarked。“HisGraceis，Ifear，henpecked，andtheDuchessherselfisthesportofclevererpeople。
Andnow，mydearniece，Iseethatthetimeisgoing。IcametoknowifyoucouldgetmeacardfortheballatCarmarthenHouseto-night。“
Helenelaughedsoftly。
“Veryeasily，mydearUNCLE。LadyCarmarthenisWolfendon’scousin，youknow，andaverygoodfriendofmine。Ihavehalfadozenblankcardshere。ShallIreallyseeyouthere？“
“Ibelieveso，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
“AndLucille？“
“Itispossible。“
“ThereisnothingIsupposewhichIcandointhewayofintervention，oranythingofthatsort？“
Mr。Sabinshookhishead。
“LucilleandIarethebestoffriends，“heanswered。“Talktoher，ifyouwill。Bythebye，isthattwelveo’cloc
