下载辰思小说免费APP
“Perhapsnot，“headmitted。“Butyoumustrememberthatsuspicionisofitselfagrievousembarrassment。Nomanlikestofeelthatheisbeingsuspectedofmurder。Bythebye，isitknownwhomtheunfortunatepersonwas？“
“TheservantofaFrenchnoblemanwhoisstayinginthehotel，“Mr。
Brottremarked。“Iheardasmuchasthat。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。LadyCareyglancedathimmeaningly。
“YouhaveworriedthePrincequitesufficiently，“shewhispered。
“Changethesubject。“
Mr。Sabinbowed。
“Youareveryconsiderate-tothePrince，“hesaid。
“Itisperhapsforyoursake，“sheanswered。“AndasforthePrince-well，youknow，oryoushouldknow，forhowmuchhecountswithme。“
Mr。Sabinglancedathercuriously。Shewasalittleflushedasthoughwithsomeinwardexcitement。Hereyeswerebrightandsoft。
Despiteacertainangularityoffigureandherhollowcheeksshewascertainlyoneofthemostdistinguished-lookingwomenintheroom。
“Youaresodense，“shewhisperedinhisear，“wilfullydense，perhaps。YouwillnotunderstandthatIwishtobeyourfriend。“
Hesmiledwithgentledeprecation。
“Doyoublameme，“hemurmured，“ifIseemincredulous？ForIamanoldman，andyouarespokenofalwaysasthefriendofmyenemy，thefriendofthePrince。“
“Iwonder，“shesaidthoughtfully，“ifthisisreallythesecretofyourmistrust？DoyouindeedfearthatIhavenootherinterestinlifesavetoserveSaxeLeinitzer？“
“Astothat，“heanswered，“Icannotsay。YetIknowthatonlyafewmonthsagoyouwereactingunderordersfromhim。ItisyouwhobroughtLucillefromAmerica。Itwasthroughyouthatthefirstblowwasstruckatmyhappiness。“
“CannotIatone？“shemurmuredunderherbreath。“IfIcanIwill。
Andasforthepresent，well，Iamoutsidehisschemesnow。Letusbefriends。Youwouldfindmeaveryvaluableally。“
“Letitbeso，“heansweredwithoutemotion。“Youshallhelpme，ifyouwill，toregainLucille。Ipromiseyouthenthatmygratitudeshallnotdisappointyou。“
Shebitherlip。
“Andareyousure，“shewhispered，“thatLucilleisanxioustobewonback？Shelovesintrigue，excitement，thesenseofbeingconcernedinimportantdoings。Besides-youmusthaveheardwhattheysayabouther-andBrott。Lookathernow。Shewearshergrasswidowhoodlightlyenough。“
Mr。Sabinlookedacrossthetable。Lucillehadindeedalltheappearanceofawomanthoroughlyatpeacewiththeworldandherself。
Brottwastalkingtoherinsmotheredandeagerundertones。ThePrincewaswaitingforanopportunitytointervene。Mr。SabinlookedintoBrott’swhitestrongface，andwasthoughtful。
“Itisagreatpower-thepowerofmysex，“LadyCareycontinued，withafaint，subtlesmile。“AwordfromLucille，andthehistorybookofthefuturemustbedifferentlywritten。“
“Shewillnotspeakthatword，“Mr。Sabinsaid。LadyCareyshruggedhershoulders。Thesubtletyofhersmilefadedaway。Herwholefaceexpressedacontemptuousandself-assuredcynicism。
“Youknowherverywell，“shemurmured。“YetsheandIarenostrangers。Sheisonewholovestotaste-no，todrink-deeplyofalltheexperiencesoflife。Whyshouldweblameher，youandI？Havewenotthesamedesire？“
Mr。Sabinlitacigarette。
“Once，perhaps，“heremarked。“YoumustnotforgetthatIamnolongerayoungman。“
Sheleanedtowardshim。
“Youwilldieyoung，“shemurmured。“Youarenotofthebreedofmenwhogrowold。“
“Doyoumeantoturnmyhead？“heaskedher，withahumoroussmile。
“Itwouldbeeasier，“sheanswered，“thantotouchyourheart。“
ThenLucillelookedacrossatthem-andMr。SabinsuddenlyrememberedthatReginaldBrottknewthembothonlyasstrangers。
“Muriel，“shesaid，“youarebehavingdisgracefully。“
“Iamdoingmybest，“LadyCareyanswered，“tokeepyouincountenance。“
Theeyesofthetwowomenmetforamoment，andthoughthesmileslingeredstillupontheirfacesLadyCareyatanyratewasnotabletowhollyconcealherhatre
