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“Myhealth，“hesaid，“wasneverbetter。Itistruethatyourcomingwassomewhatofasurprise，“headded，lookingsteadilyatMr。Sabin。“Iunderstoodthatyouhadgoneforashortjourney，andIwasnotexpectingtoseeyoubackagainsosoon。“
“Duson，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“hastakenthatshortjourneyinstead。
Itwasratheraliberty，butheleftaletterformefullyexplaininghismotives。Icannotblamehim。“
ThePrincestrokedhismoustache。
“Ah！“heremarked。“Thatisapity。Youmay，however，finditpolitic，evennecessary，tojoinhimveryshortly。“
Mr。Sabinsmiledgrimly。
“IshallgowhenIamready，“hesaid，“notbefore！“
Lucillelookedfromonetotheotherwithprotestingeyebrows。
“Come，“shesaid，“itisveryimpoliteofyoutotalkinriddlesbeforemyface。Ihavebeenflatteringmyself，Victor，thatyouwereheretoseeme。Donotwoundmyvanity。“
Hewhisperedsomethinginherear，andshelaughedsoftlybackathim。ThePrince，withtheeveningpaperinhishand，escapedfromthebox，andfoundaretiredspotwherehecouldreadthelittleparagraphathisleisure。LadyCareypretendedtobeabsorbedbythemusic。
“Hasanythinghappened，Victor？“Lucillewhispered。
Hehesitated。
“Well，inasense，yes，“headmitted。“Iappeartohavebecomeunpopularwithourfriend，thePrince。Duson，whohasalwaysbeenaspyuponmymovements，wasentrustedwithalittlesleepingdraughtforme，whichhepreferredtotakehimself。Thatisall。“
“Dusonis-“
Henodded。
“Heisdead！“
Lucillewentverypale。
“Thisishorrible！“shemurmured“ThePrinceisalittleannoyed，naturally，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Itisvexingtohaveyourplansupsetinsuchamanner。“
Sheshuddered。
“Heishateful！Victor，IfearthathedoesnotmeantoletmeleaveDorsetHousejustyet。Iamalmostinclinedtobecome，likeyou，anoutcast。Whoknows-wemightgofree。Bloodshedisalwaysavoidedasmuchaspossible，andIdonotseehowelsetheycouldstrikeatme。Socialostracismistheirchiefweapon。ButinAmericathatcouldnothurtus。“
Heshookhishead。
“Notyet，“hesaid。“IamsurethatSaxeLeinitzerisnotplayingthegame。Butheistoowellservedheretomakedefiancewise。“
“Youruntheriskyourself，“sheprotested。
Hesmiled。
“Itisadifferentmatter。Bythebye，weareoverheard。“
LadyCareyhadforgottentolistenanymoretothemusic。Shewaswatchingthemboth，asteelylightinhereyes，herfingersnervouslyentwined。ThePrincewasstillabsent。
“Praydonotconsiderme，“shebegged。“SofarasIamconcerned，yourconversationisofnopossibleinterest。ButIthinkyouhadbetterrememberthatthePrinceisinthecorridorjustoutside。“
“Wearemuchobligedtoyou，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“ThePrincemayheareverywordIhavetosayabouthim。Butallthesame，Ithankyouforyourwarning。
“Ifearthatweareveryunsociable，Muriel，“Lucillesaid，“and，afterall，Ishouldneverhavebeenherebutforyou。“
LadyCareyturnedherleftshoulderuponthem。
“Ibeg，“shesaid，“thatyouwillleavemealonewiththemusic。
Ipreferit。“
ThePrincesuddenlystooduponthethreshold。Hishandrestedlightlyuponthearmofanotherman。
“Comein，Brott，“hesaid。“Thewomenwillbecharmedtoseeyou。
AndIdon’tsupposethey’vereadyourspeeches。Countess，hereisthemanwhocountsallequalunderthesun，whodecriesclass，andrecognisesnosocialdistinctions。Brottwasborntoleadarevolution。Heisournaturalenemy。Letusalltrytoconverthim。“
Brottwaspale，anddeepnewlineswerefurrowedonhisface。
NeverthelesshesmiledfaintlyashebowedoverLucille’sfingers。
“Myintroduction，“heremarked，“isscarcelyreassuring。Yethereatleast，ifanywhereintheworld，weshouldallmee
