下载辰思小说免费APP
“AndwhatofReginaldBrott？“sheasked。
“Brott？“thePrincerepeatedimpatiently。“Whocareswhatbecomesofhim？Youhavemadehimseemafool，but，Lucille，totellyouthetruth，Iamsorrythatwedidnotleavethiscountryaltogetheralone。Thereisnotthesoilforintriguehere，orthepossibility。
Then，too，thepoliceserviceistoostolid，tooinaccessible。Andevenourfriends，forwhoseaidwearehere-well，youheardtheDuke。Thecast-ironSaxonidiocyoftheman。Thearistocracyherearewhattheycallbucolic。Itistheirownfault。TheyhaveintermarriedwithparvenusandAmericansforgenerations。Theyarearacebythemselves。Weothersmayshakeourselvesfreefromthem。
Iwouldworkinanycountryoftheglobeforthegoodofourcause，butneveragaininEngland。“
Lucilleshiveredalittle。
“Iamnotinthehumourforargument，“shedeclared。“Ifyouwouldearnmygratitudetakethatnotetomyhusband。HeistheonlymanIfeelsureof-whomIknowcanprotectme。“
ThePrincebowedlow。
“Itisourfarewell，Countess，“hesaid。
“Icannotpretend，“sheanswered，“toregretit。“
SaxeLeinitzerlefttheroom。Therewasapeculiarsmileuponhislipsashecrossedthehall。Brottwasstillawaitingforhim。
“Mr。Brott，“hesaid，“theCountessis，asIfeared，tooagitatedtoseeyouagainforthepresent，oranyoneelse。Shesendsyou，however，thismessage。“
Hetookthefoldedpaperfromhiswaistcoatpocketandhandedittotheotherman。Brottreaditthrougheagerly。Hiseyesshone。
“Sheacceptsthesituation，then？“heexclaimed。
“Precisely！Willyoupardonme，myfriend，ifIventureupononeotherword。Lucilleisnotanordinarywoman。Sheisnotintheleastlikethemajorityofhersex，especially，Imightadd，amongstus。Thefactthatherhusbandwaslivingwouldseriouslyinfluenceherconsiderationofanyotherman-asherlover。Thepresentcrisis，however，haschangedeverything。Idonotthinkthatyouwillhavecausetocomplainofherlackofgratitude。“
Brottwalkedoutintothestreetswiththehalfsheetofnote-papertwistedupbetweenhisfingers。Forthefirsttimeformonthshewasconsciousofadistinctandvividsenseofhappiness。Theterribleperiodofindecisionwaspast。Heknewnowwherehestood。
NorwashisimmediatedeparturefromEnglandaltogetherunpleasanttohim。Hispoliticalcareerwasshattered-friendsandenemieswerealikecoldtohim。Suchanactofcowardiceashis，suchpitifulshrinkingbackatthelastfatefulmoment，wasinexplicableandrevolting。EvenLetheringhamwasbarelycivil。ItwascertainthathisplaceintheCabinetwouldbeintolerable。Heyearnedforescapefromitall，andthemeansofescapewerenowathand。Inafteryearsheknewverywellthattheshadowofhisbrokentrust，thetortureofhismisusedopportunities，wouldstandforeverbetweenhimandthelight。Butatthatmomenthewasabletoclearhismindofallsuchdisquietingthoughts。HehadwonLucille-nevermindatwhatcost，atwhatperil！HehadwonLucille！
Hewasdeeplyengrossed，andhisnamewasspokentwiceinhisearbeforeheturnedround。Asmall，somewhatshabby-lookingman，withtiredeyesandmorethanaday’sgrowthofbearduponhischin，hadaccostedhim。
“Mr。Brott，sir。Awordwithyou，please。“
Brottheldouthishand。Neverthelesshistonewhenhespokelackedheartiness。
“You，Hedley！Why，whatbringsyoutoLondon？“
Thelittlemandidnotseemtoseethehand。Atanyratehemadenomotiontotakeit。
“Afewminutes’chatwithMr。Brott。That’swhatI’vecomefor。“
Brottraisedhiseyebrows，andnoddedinsomewhatconstrainedfashion。
“Well，“hesaid，“Iamonmywaytomyrooms。Wecantalkaswego，ifyoulike。Iamafraidthegoodpeopleupinyourpartoftheworldarenottoowellpleasedwithme。“
Thelittlemansmiledratherqueerly。
“Thatisquitetrue，“heanswered
