the yellow crayon-第15部分

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me　by　them。〃

〃A　…　a　hold　upon　her？〃　Helene　repeated　vaguely。

〃It　is　all　I　can　tell　you。　　You　must　suppose　an　extreme　case。　　You
may　take　my　word　for　it　that　under　certain　circumstances　Lucille
would　have　no　power　to　deny　them　anything。〃

〃But　…　without　a　word　of　farewell。　　They　could　not　insist　upon　her
leaving　you　like　that！　　It　is　incredible！〃

〃It　is　quite　possible；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said。

Helene　caught　herself　looking　at　him　stealthily。　　Was　it　possible
that　this　wonderful　brain　had　given　way　at　last？　　There　were　no
signs　of　it　in　his　face　or　expression。　　But　the　Duchess　of　Dorset！
Lady　Carey！　　These　were　women　of　her　own　circle　…　Londoners；　and
the　Duchess；　at　any　rate；　a　woman　of　the　very　highest　social
position　and　unimpeached　conventionality。

〃This　sounds　…　very　extraordinary；　UNCLE！〃　she　remarked　a　little
lamely。

〃It　is　extraordinary；〃　he　answered　drily。　　〃I　do　not　wonder　that
you　find　it　hard　to　believe　me。　　I　…　〃

〃Not　to　believe　…　to　understand！〃

He　smiled。

〃We　will　not　distinguish！　　After　all；　what　does　it　matter？　　Assume；
if　you　cannot　believe；　that　Lucille's　leaving　me　may　have　been　at
the　instigation　of　these　people；　and　therefore　involuntary。　　If
this　be　so　I　have　hard　battle　to　fight　to　win　her　back；　but　in　the
end　I　shall　do　it。〃

She　nodded　sympathetically。

〃I　am　sure；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　will　not　find　it　difficult。　　Tell
me；　cannot　I　help　you　in　any　way？　　I　know　the　Duchess　very　well
indeed　…　well　enough　to　take　you　to　call　quite　informally　if　you
please。　　She　is　a　great　supporter　of　what　they　call　the　Primrose
League　here。　　I　do　not　understand　what　it　is　all　about；　but　it
seems　that　I　may　not　join　because　my　husband　is　a　Radical。〃

Mr。　Sabin　looked　for　a　moment　over　his　clasped　hands　through　the
faint　blue　cloud　of　cigarette　smoke；　and　sundry　possibilities
flashed　through　his　mind　to　be　at　once　rejected。　　He　shook　his
head。

〃No！〃　he　said　firmly。　　〃I　do　not　wish　for　your　help　at　present；
directly　or　indirectly。　　If　you　meet　the　Countess　I　would　rather
that　you　did　not　mention　my　name。　　There　is　only　one　person　whom；
if　you　met　at　Dorset　House　or　anywhere　where　Lucille　is；　I　would
ask　you　to　watch。　　That　is　Mr。　Brott！〃

It　was　to　be　a　conversation　full　of　surprises　for　Helene。　　Mr。
Brott！　　Her　hand　went　up　to　her　forehead　for　a　moment；　and　a
little　gesture　of　bewilderment　escaped　her。

〃Will　you　tell　me；〃　she　asked　almost　plaintively；　　〃what　on　earth
Mr。　Brott　can　have　to　do　with　this　business　…　with…　Lucille　…　with
you　…　with　any　one　connected　with　it？〃

Mr。　Sabin　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Mr。　Brott；〃　he　remarked；　〃a　Cabinet　Minister　of　marked　Radical
proclivities；　has　lately　been　a　frequent　visitor　at　Dorset　House；
which　is　the　very　home　of　the　old　aristocratic　Toryism。　　Mr。　Brott
was　acquainted　with　Lucille　many　years　ago　…　in　Vienna。　　At　that
time　he　was；　I　believe；　deeply　interested　in　her。　　I　must　confess
that　Mr。　Brott　causes　me　some　uneasiness。

〃I　think　…　that　men　always　know；〃　Helene　said；　〃if　they　care　to。
Was　Lucille　happy　with　you？〃

〃Absolutely。　　I　am　sure　of　it。〃

〃Then　your　first　assumption　must　be　correct；〃　she　declared。　　〃You
cannot　explain　things　to　me；　so　I　cannot　help　you　even　with　my
advice。　　I　am　sorry。〃

He　turned　his　head　towards　her　and　regarded　her　critically；　as
though　making　some　test　of　her　sincerity。

〃Helene；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃it　is　for　your　own　sake　that　I　do　not
explain　further；　that　I　do　not　make　things　clearer　to　you。　　Only
I　wanted　you　to　understand　why　I　once　more　set　foot　in　Europe。　　I
wanted　you　to　understand　why　I　am　here。　　It　is　to　win　back　Lucille。
It　is　like　that　with　me；　Helene。　　I；　who　once　schemed　and　plotted
for　an　empire；　am　once　more　a　schemer　and　a　worker；　but　for　no
other　purpose　than　to　recover　possession　of　the　woman　whom　I　love。
You　do　not　recognise　me；　Helene。　　I　do　not　recognise　myself。
Nevertheless；　I　would　have　you　know　the　truth。　　I　am　here　for　that；
and　for　no　other　purpose。〃

He　rose　slowly　to　his　feet。　　She　held　out　both　her　hands　and
grasped　his。

〃Let　me　help　you；　she　begged。　　〃Do！　　This　is　not　a　matter　of
politics　or　anything　compromising。　　I　am　sure　that　I　could　be
useful　to　you。〃

〃So　you　can；〃　he　answered　quietly。　　〃Do　as　I　have　asked　you。　　Watch
Mr。　Brott！〃


CHAPTER　XVI

Mr。　Brott　and　Mr。　Sabin　dined　together　…　not；　as　it　happened；　at
the　House　of　Commons；　but　at　the　former's　club　in　Pall　Mall。　　For
Mr。　Sabin　it　was　not　altogether　an　enjoyable　meal。　　The　club　was
large；　gloomy　and　political；　the　cooking　was　exactly　of　that　order
which　such　surroundings　seemed　to　require。　　Nor　was　Mr。　Brott　a
particularly　brilliant　host。　　Yet　his　guest　derived　a　certain　amount
of　pleasure　from　the　entertainment；　owing　to　Brott's　constant
endeavours　to　bring　the　conversation　round　to　Lucille。

〃I　find；〃　he　said；　as　they　lit　their　cigarettes；　〃that　I　committed
an　indiscretion　the　other　day　at　Camperdown　House！〃

Mr。　Sabin　assumed　the　puzzled　air　of　one　endeavouring　to　pin　down
an　elusive　memory。

〃Let　me　see；〃　he　murmured　doubtfully。　　〃It　was　in　connection　with　…　〃

〃The　Countess　Radantz。　　If　you　remember；　I　told　you　that　it　was　her
desire　just　now　to　remain　incognito。　　I；　however；　unfortunately
forgot　this　during　the　course　of　our　conversation。〃

〃Yes；　I　remember。　　You　told　me　where　she　was　staying。　　But　the
Countess　and　I　are　old　acquaintances。　　I　feel　sure　that　she　did　not
object　to　your　having　given　me　her　address。　　I　could　not　possibly
leave　London　without　calling　upon　her。〃

Mr。　Brott　moved　in　his　chair　uneasily。

〃It　seems　presumption　on　my　part　to　make　such　a　suggestion　perhaps；〃
he　said　slowly；　〃but　I　really　believe　that　the　Countess　is　in
earnest　with　reference　to　her　desire　for　seclusion　just　at　present。
I　believe　that　she　is　really　very　anxious　that　her　presence　in
London；　just　now　should　not　be　generally　known。〃

〃I　am　such　a　very　old　friend；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said。　　〃I　knew　her　when
she　was　a　child。〃

Mr。　Brott　nodded。

〃It　is　very　strange；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　should　have　come　together
again　in　such　a　country　as　America；　and　in　a　small　town　too。〃

〃Lenox；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said；　〃is　a　small　place；　but　a　great　center。
By　the　bye；　is　there　not　some　question　of　an　impending　marriage　on
the　part　of　the　Countess？〃

〃I　have　heard　…　of　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　Mr。　Brott　said；　looking　up
startled。　　Then；　after　a　moment's　pause；　during　which　he　studied
closely　his　companion's　imperturbable　face；　he　added　the　question
which　forced　its　way　to　his　lips。

〃Have　you？〃

Mr。　Sabin　looked　along　his　cigarette　and　pinched　it　affectionately。
It　was　one　of　his　own；　which　he　had　dexterously　substituted　for
those　which　his　host　had　placed　at　his　disposal。

〃The　Countess　is　a　very　charming；　a　very　beautiful；　and　a　most
attractive　woman；〃　he　said　slowly。　　〃Her　marriage　has　always　seemed
to　me　a　matter　of　certainty。〃

Mr。　Brott　hesitated；　and　was　lost。

〃You　are　an　old　friend　of　hers；〃　he　said。　　〃You　perhaps　know　more
of　her　recent　history　than　I　do。　　For　a　time　she　seemed　to　drop　out
of　my　life　altogether。　　Now　that　she　has　come　back　I　am　very　anxious
to　persuade　her　to　marry　me。〃

A　single　lightning…like　flash　in　Mr。　Sabine's　eyes　for　a　moment
disconcerted　his　host。　　But；　after　all；　it　was　gone　with　such
amazing　suddenness　that　it　left　behind　it　a　sense　of　unreality。
Mr。　Brott　decided　that　after　all　it　must　have　been　fancy。

〃May　I　ask；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said　quietly；　〃whether　the　Countess　appears
to　receive　your　suit　with　favour？〃

Mr。　Brott　hesitated。

〃I　am　afraid　I　cannot　go　so　far　as　to　say　that　she　does；〃　he　said
regretfully。　　〃I　do　not　know　why　I　find　myself　talking　on　this
matter　to　you。　　I　feel　that　I　should　apologise　for　giving　such　a
personal　turn　to　the　conversation。〃

〃I　beg　that　you　will　do　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　Mr。　Sabin　protested。
〃I　am；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　most　deeply　interested。〃

〃You　encourage　me；〃　Mr。　Brott　declared；　〃to　ask　you　a　question　…　to
me　a　very　important　question。〃

〃It　will　give　me　great　pleasure；〃　Mr。　Sabin　assured　him；　〃if　I　am
able　to　answer　it。〃

〃You　know；〃　Mr。　Brott　said；　〃of　that　portion　of　her　life　concerning
which　I　have　asked　no　questions；　but　which　somehow；　whenever　I　think
of　it；　fills　me　with　a　certain　amount　of　uneasiness。　　I　refer　to　the
last　three　years　which　the　Countess　has　spent　in　America。〃

Mr。　Sabin　looked　up；　and　his　lips　seemed　to　move；　but　he　said
nothing。　　Mr。　Brott　felt　perhaps　that　he　was　on　difficult　ground。

〃I　recognise　the　fact；〃　he　continued　slowly；　〃that　you　are　the
friend　of　the　Countess；　and　that　you　and　I　are　nothing　more　than
the　merest　acquaintances。　　I　ask　my　question　therefore　with　some
diffidence。　　Can　you　tell　me　from　your　recent；　more　intimate
knowledge　of　the　Countess　and　her　affairs；　whether　there　exists
any　reason　outside　her　own　inclinations　why　she　should　not　accept
my　proposals　of　marriage？〃

Mr。　Sabin　had　the　air　of　a　man　gravely　surprised。　　He　shook　his
head　very　slightly。

〃You　must　not　ask　me　such　a　question　as　that；　Mr。　Brott；〃　he　said。
〃It　is　not　a　subject　which　I　could　possibly　discuss　with　you。　　But
I　have　no　objection　to　going　so　far　as　this。　　My　experience　of　the
Countess　is　that　she　is　a　woman　of　magnificent　and　effective　will
power。　　I　think　if　she　has　any　desire　to　marry　you　there　are　or
could　be　no　obstacles　existing　which　she　would　not　easily　dispose
of。〃

〃There　are　obstacles；　then？〃

〃You　must　not　ask　me　that；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said；　with　a　certain　amount
of　stiffness。　　〃The　Countess　is　a　very　dear　friend　of　mine；　and
you　must　forgive　me　now　if　I　say　that　I　prefer　not　to　discuss　her
any　longer。〃

A　hall　servant　entered　the　room；　bearing　a　note　for　Mr。　Brott。　　He
received　it　at　first　carelessly；　but　his　expression　changed　the
moment　he　saw　the　superscription。　　He　turned　a　little　away；　and
Mr。　Sabin　noticed　that　the　fingers　which　tore　open　the　envelope　were
trembling。　　The　note　seemed　short　enough；　but　he　must　have　read　it
half　a　dozen　times　before　at　last　he　turned　round　to　the　messenger。

〃There　is　no　answer；〃　he　said　in　a　low　tone。

He　folded　the　note　and　put　it　carefully　into　his　breast　pocket。　　Mr。
Sabin　subdued　an　insane　desire　to　struggle　with　him　and　discover；
by