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“Youhaveplans？“sheexclaimed，springingup。
“Plans？“Helaughedatheralittlereproachfully。“MydearLucille！Acarriageawaitsusoutside，aspecialtrainwithsteamupattheGarddeL’ouest。ThisispreciselythecontingencyforwhichIhaveplanned。“
“Oh，youarewonderful，Victor，“shemurmuredasshedrewonhercoat。“Butwhatcorneroftheearthistherewhereweshouldbesafe？“
“Iamgoing，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“totryandmakeeverycorneroftheearthsafe。“
Shewasbewildered，butheonlylaughedandheldopenthedoorforher。Mr。Sabinmadenosecretofhisdeparture。Helingeredforamomentinthedoorwaytolightacigarette，heevenstoppedtowhisperafewwordstothelittlemaninplaindinnerclotheswhowaslounginginthedoorway。Butwhentheyhadonceleftthehoteltheydrovefast。
InlessthanhalfanhourPariswasbehindthem。Theyweretravelinginaroyalsaloonandatafabuulouscost，forinFrancetheyarenotfondofspecialtrains。ButMr。Sabinwasveryhappy。
Atleasthehadescapedanignominiousdefeat。Itwaslefttohimtoplaythegreatcard。
“Andnow，“Lucillesaid，comingoutfromherlittlebed-chamberwhichthefemmedechambrewasbusypreparing，“supposeyoutellmewherewearegoing。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
“Donotbealarmed，“hesaid，“eventhoughitwillsoundtoyoutheleastlikelyplaceintheworld。WearegoingtoBerlin。“
Thegreatroomwasdimlyenoughlit，forthewindowslookingoutuponthestreetwerehighandheavilycurtained，Themanwhosatatthedeskwasalmostintheshadow。Yeteverynowandthenashaftofsunlightfellacrosshispale，wornface。Astrangecombinationthisoftheworker，theidealist，themanofaffairs。
Fromoutsidecamethehumofagreatcity。Attimes，too，therecametohisearsashesatheretheroarofnationsatstrife，thefierceunderneathbattleofthegreatcountriesoftheworldstrugglingforsupremacy。Andhereatthiscabinetthismansatoften，andlistened，strenuous，romantic，withtheheartofalionandtheloftyimaginationofaneagle，hesteeredunswervinglyontoherdestinyagreatpeople。Othersmightrest，hutneverhe。
Helookedupfromtheletterspreadoutbeforehim。Lucillewasseatedathiscommand，afewyardsaway。Mr。Sabinstoodrespectfullybeforehim。
“MonsieurleDuc，“hesaid，“thisletter，pennedbymyillustriousfathertoyou，issufficienttosecuremygoodoffices。InwhatmannercanIserveyou？“
“YourMajesty，“Mr。Sabinanswered，“inthefirstplacebyreceivingmehere。InthesecondbyallowingmetolaybeforeyoucertaingraveandveryseriouschargesagainsttheOrderoftheYellowCrayon，ofwhichyourMajestyisthetitularhead。“
“TheOrderoftheYellowCrayon，“theEmperorsaidthoughtfully，“issocietycomposedofaristocratspledgedtoresistthemarchofsocialism。ItistruethatIamthetitularheadofthisorganisation。Whathaveyoutosayaboutit？“
“OnlythatyourMajestyhasbeenwhollydeceived，“Mr。Sabinsaidrespectfully，“concerningthemethodsandtheworkingofthissociety。Itsinceptionandinaugurationwereabovereproach。I
myselfatoncebecameamember。Mywife，CountessofRadantz，andsolerepresentativeofthatancientfamily，hasbeenoneallherlife。“
TheEmperorinclinedhisheadtowardsLucille。
“Iseenoreason，“hesaid，“whenourcapitalsareriddledwithsecretsocieties，allbandedtogetheragainstus，whythegreatfamiliesofEuropeshouldnotintheirturncometogetheranddisplayaunitedfrontagainstthiscommonenemy。TheOrderoftheYellowCrayonhashadmorethanmysupport。Ithashadthesanctionofmyname。Tellmewhatyouhaveagainstit。“
“Ihavegravethingstosayconcerningit，“Mr。Sahinanswered，“andconcerningthosewhohavewilfullydeceivedyourMajesty。
Theinfluencestobewieldedbythesocietyweremainly，Ibelieve，wealth，education，andinfluence。Therewasnomentionmadeofmurder，ofanundergroundalliancewiththe’gamins’ofParis，thedregsofhumanity，prisoners，menskilledintheartofsecretdeath。“
TheEmperor’stonewasstern，almostharsh。
“DucdeSouspennier，whatarethesethingswhichyouaresaying？“
heasked。
“YourMajesty，Ispeakthetruth，“Mr。Sabinansweredfirmly。
“ThereareintheOrderoftheYellowCrayonthreedegreesofmembership。Thefirst，whichaloneyourMajestyknowsof，simplycorrespondswithwhatinEnglandisknownasthePrimroseLeague。
Thesecondknowsthatbeneathisanotherorganisationpledgedtofrustratetheadvanceofsocialism，ifnecessarybytheuseoftheirownweapons。Thethird，whosemeetingsandsignsandwhosewholeorganisationiscarriedonsecretly，isalliedineverycapitalinEuropewithcriminalsandmurderers。WithitsgreatwealthithasinfluenceinAmericaaswellasineverycityoftheworldwheretherearepolicetobesuborned，ordesperatementobeboughtfortools。AtthedirectionofthisthirdorderLavinskidiedsuddenlyintheHungarianHouseofParliament，HerrKrettingenwasinvolvedinaduel，theresultofwhichwasassuredbeforehand，andReginaldBrott，thegreatEnglishstatesman，wasruinedanddisgraced。Imyselfhavejustnarrowlyescapeddeathathishands，andinmyplacemyservanthasbeendriventodeath。
Ofallthesethings，yourMajesty，Ihavebroughtproofs。“
TheEmperor’sfacewaslikeacarven
