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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。S
