the yellow crayon-第29部分

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Mr。　Sabin　stood　upon　the　threshold。

〃Pray；　don't　let　me　disturb　you；〃　he　said。　　〃I　was　unable　to　refrain
from　paying　you　a　brief　visit。　　Why；　Prince；　Lady　Carey！　　I　can
assure　you　that　I　am　no　ghost。〃

He　glanced　from　one　to　the　other　with　a　delicate　smile　of　mockery
parting　his　thin　lips。　　For　upon　the　Prince's　forehead　the
perspiration　stood　out　like　beads；　and　he　shrank　away　from　Mr。
Sabin　as　from　some　unholy　thing。　　Lady　Carey　had　fallen　back　across
her　chair。　　Her　hand　was　still　pressed　to　her　side；　and　her　face
was　very　pale。　　A　nervous　little　laugh　broke　from　her　lips。


CHAPTER　XXX

Mr。　Sabin　found　a　fourth　chair；　and　calmly　seated　himself　by
Lucille's　side。　　But　his　eyes　were　fixed　upon　Lady　Carey。　　She
was　slowly　recovering　herself；　but　Mr。　Sabin；　who　had　never
properly　understood　her　attitude　towards　him；　was　puzzled　at　the
air　of　intense　relief　which　almost　shone　in　her　face。

〃You　seem　…　all　of　you；〃　he　remarked　suavely；　〃to　have　found　the
music　a　little　exciting。　　Wagner　certainly　knew　how　to　find　his
way　to　the　emotions。　　Or　perhaps　I　interrupted　an　interesting
discussion？〃

Lucille　smiled　gently　upon　him。

〃These　two；〃　she　said；　looking　from　the　Prince　to　Lady　Carey；　〃seem
to　have　been　afflicted　with　a　sudden　nervous　excitement；　and　yet　I　do
not　think　that　they　are；　either　of　them；　very　susceptible　to　music。〃

Lady　Carey　leaned　forward；　and　looked　at　him　from　behind　the　large
fan　of　white　feathers　which　she　was　lazily　fluttering　before　her　face。

〃Your　entrance；〃　she　murmured；　〃was　most　opportune；　besides　being
very　welcome。　　The　Prince　and　I　were　literally　…　on　the　point　of
flying　at　one　another's　throats。〃

Mr。　Sabin　glanced　at　his　neighbour　and　smiled。

〃You　are　certainly　a　little　out　of　sorts；　Saxe　Leinitzer；〃　he
remarked。　　〃You　look　pale；　and　your　hands　are　not　quite　steady。
Nerves；　I　suppose。　　You　should　see　Dr。　Carson　in　Brook　Street。〃

The　Prince　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃My　health；〃　he　said；　〃was　never　better。　　It　is　true　that　your
coming　was　somewhat　of　a　surprise；〃　he　added；　looking　steadily　at
Mr。　Sabin。　　〃I　understood　that　you　had　gone　for　a　short　journey；
and　I　was　not　expecting　to　see　you　back　again　so　soon。〃

〃Duson；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said；　〃has　taken　that　short　journey　instead。
It　was　rather　a　liberty；　but　he　left　a　letter　for　me　fully
explaining　his　motives。　　I　cannot　blame　him。〃

The　Prince　stroked　his　moustache。

〃Ah！〃　he　remarked。　　〃That　is　a　pity。　　You　may；　however；　find　it
politic；　even　necessary；　to　join　him　very　shortly。〃

Mr。　Sabin　smiled　grimly。

〃I　shall　go　when　I　am　ready；〃　he　said；　〃not　before！〃

Lucille　looked　from　one　to　the　other　with　protesting　eyebrows。

〃Come；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　very　impolite　of　you　to　talk　in　riddles
before　my　face。　　I　have　been　flattering　myself；　Victor；　that　you
were　here　to　see　me。　　Do　not　wound　my　vanity。〃

He　whispered　something　in　her　ear；　and　she　laughed　softly　back　at
him。　　The　Prince；　with　the　evening　paper　in　his　hand；　escaped　from
the　box；　and　found　a　retired　spot　where　he　could　read　the　little
paragraph　at　his　leisure。　　Lady　Carey　pretended　to　be　absorbed　by
the　music。

〃Has　anything　happened；　Victor？〃　Lucille　whispered。

He　hesitated。

〃Well；　in　a　sense；　yes；〃　he　admitted。　　〃I　appear　to　have　become
unpopular　with　our　friend；　the　Prince。　　Duson；　who　has　always　been
a　spy　upon　my　movements；　was　entrusted　with　a　little　sleeping
draught　for　me；　which　he　preferred　to　take　himself。　　That　is　all。〃

〃Duson　is　…　〃

He　nodded。

〃He　is　dead！〃

Lucille　went　very　pale。

〃This　is　horrible！〃　she　murmured

〃The　Prince　is　a　little　annoyed；　naturally；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said。　　〃It
is　vexing　to　have　your　plans　upset　in　such　a　manner。〃

She　shuddered。

〃He　is　hateful！　　Victor；　I　fear　that　he　does　not　mean　to　let　me
leave　Dorset　House　just　yet。　　I　am　almost　inclined　to　become；　like
you；　an　outcast。　　Who　knows　…　we　might　go　free。　　Bloodshed　is　always
avoided　as　much　as　possible；　and　I　do　not　see　how　else　they　could
strike　at　me。　　Social　ostracism　is　their　chief　weapon。　　But　in
America　that　could　not　hurt　us。〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃Not　yet；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　sure　that　Saxe　Leinitzer　is　not　playing
the　game。　　But　he　is　too　well　served　here　to　make　defiance　wise。〃

〃You　run　the　risk　yourself；〃　she　protested。

He　smiled。

〃It　is　a　different　matter。　　By　the　bye；　we　are　overheard。〃

Lady　Carey　had　forgotten　to　listen　any　more　to　the　music。　　She　was
watching　them　both；　a　steely　light　in　her　eyes；　her　fingers
nervously　entwined。　　The　Prince　was　still　absent。

〃Pray　do　not　consider　me；〃　she　begged。　　〃So　far　as　I　am　concerned；
your　conversation　is　of　no　possible　interest。　　But　I　think　you　had
better　remember　that　the　Prince　is　in　the　corridor　just　outside。〃

〃We　are　much　obliged　to　you；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said。　　〃The　Prince　may　hear
every　word　I　have　to　say　about　him。　　But　all　the　same；　I　thank　you
for　your　warning。

〃I　fear　that　we　are　very　unsociable；　Muriel；〃　Lucille　said；　〃and；
after　all；　I　should　never　have　been　here　but　for　you。〃

Lady　Carey　turned　her　left　shoulder　upon　them。

〃I　beg；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　will　leave　me　alone　with　the　music。
I　prefer　it。〃

The　Prince　suddenly　stood　upon　the　threshold。　　His　hand　rested
lightly　upon　the　arm　of　another　man。

〃Come　in；　Brott；〃　he　said。　　〃The　women　will　be　charmed　to　see　you。
And　I　don't　suppose　they've　read　your　speeches。　　Countess；　here　is
the　man　who　counts　all　equal　under　the　sun；　who　decries　class；　and
recognises　no　social　distinctions。　　Brott　was　born　to　lead　a
revolution。　　He　is　our　natural　enemy。　　Let　us　all　try　to　convert　him。〃

Brott　was　pale；　and　deep　new　lines　were　furrowed　on　his　face。
Nevertheless　he　smiled　faintly　as　he　bowed　over　Lucille's　fingers。

〃My　introduction；〃　he　remarked；　〃is　scarcely　reassuring。　　Yet　here
at　least；　if　anywhere　in　the　world；　we　should　all　meet　upon　equal
ground。　　Music　is　a　universal　leveler。〃

〃And　we　haven't　a　chance；〃　Lady　Carey　remarked　with　uplifted
eyebrows；　〃of　listening　to　a　bar　of　it。〃

Lucille　welcomed　the　newcomer　coldly。　　Nevertheless；　he　manoeuvred
himself　into　the　place　by　her　side。　　She　took　up　her　fan　and
commenced　swinging　it　thoughtfully。

〃You　are　surprised　to　see　me　here？〃　he　murmured。

〃Yes！〃　she　admitted。

He　looked　wearily　away　from　the　stage　up　into　her　face。

〃And　I　too；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　surprised　to　find　myself　here！〃

〃I　pictured　you；〃　she　remarked；　〃as　immersed　in　affairs。　　Did　I
not　hear　something　of　a　Radical　ministry　with　you　for　Premier？〃

〃It　has　been　spoken　of；〃　he　admitted。

〃Then　I　really　cannot　see；〃　she　said；　〃what　you　are　doing　here。〃

〃Why　not？〃　he　asked　doggedly。

She　shrugged　her　shoulders。

〃In　the　first　place；〃　she　said；　〃you　ought　to　be　rushing　about
amongst　your　supporters；　keeping　them　up　to　the　mark；　and　all　that
sort　of　thing。　　And　in　the　second　…　〃

〃Well？〃

〃Are　we　not　the　very　people　against　whom　you　have　declared　war？〃

〃I　have　declared　war　against　no　people；〃　he　answered。　　〃It　is
systems　and　classes；　abuses；　injustice　against　which　I　have　been
forced　to　speak。　　I　would　not　deprive　your　Order　of　a　single
privilege　to　which　they　are　justly　entitled。　　But　you　must　remember
that　I　am　a　people's　man。　　Their　cause　is　mine。　　They　look　to　me　as
their　mouthpiece。〃

Lucille　shrugged　her　shoulders。

〃You　cannot　evade　the　point；〃　she　said。　　〃If　you　are　the；　what　do
you　call　it；　the　mouthpiece　of　the　people；　I　do　not　see　how　you　can
be　anything　else　than　the　enemy　of　the　aristocracy。〃

〃The　aristocracy？　　Who　are　they？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　am　the　enemy　of　all
those　who；　because　they　possess　an　ancient　name　and　inherited　wealth；
consider　themselves　the　God…appointed　bullies　of　the　poor；　dealing
them　out　meagre　charities；　lordly　patronage；　an　unspoken　but　bitter
contempt。　　But　the　aristocracy　of　the　earth　are　not　of　such　as　these。
Your　class　are　furnishing　the　world　with　advanced　thinkers　every　year；
every　month！　　Inherited　prejudices　can　never　survive　the　next　few
generations。　　The　fusion　of　classes　must　come。〃

She　shook　her　head。

〃You　are　sanguine；　my　friend；〃　she　said。　　〃Many　generations　have
come　and　gone　since　the　wonderful　pages　of　history　were　opened　to
us。　　And　during　all　these　years　how　much　nearer　have　the　serf　and
the　aristocrat　come　together？　　Nay；　have　they　not　rather　drifted
apart？　。。。　But　listen！　　This　is　the　great　chorus。　　We　must　not
miss　it。〃

〃So　the　Prince　has　brought　back　the　wanderer；〃　Lady　Carey　whispered
to　Mr。　Sabin　behind　her　fan。　　〃Hasn't　he　rather　the　air　of　a　sheep
who　has　strayed　from　the　fold？〃

Mr。　Sabin　raised　the　horn　eyeglass；　which　he　so　seldom　used；　and
contemplated　Brott　steadily。

〃He　reminds　me　more　than　ever；〃　he　remarked；　〃of　Rienzi。　　He　is
like　a　man　torn　asunder　by　great　causes。　　They　say　that　his　speech
at　Glasgow　was　the　triumph　of　a　born　orator。〃

Lady　Carey　shrugged　her　shoulders。

〃It　was　practically　the　preaching　a　revolution　to　the　people；〃　she
said。　　〃A　few　more　such；　and　we　might　have　the　red　flag　waving。　　He
left　Glasgow　in　a　ferment。　　If　he　really　comes　into　power；　what　are
we　to　expect？〃

〃To　the　onlookers；〃　Mr。　Sabin　remarked；　〃a　revolution　in　this
country　would　possess　many　interesting　features。　　The　common　people
lack　the　ferocity　of　our　own　rabble；　but　they　are　even　more
determined。　　I　may　yet　live　to　see　an　English　Duke　earning　an　honest
living　in　the　States。〃

〃It　depends　very　much　upon　Brott；〃　Lady　Carey　said。　　〃For　his　own
sake　it　is　a　pity　that　he　is　in　love　with　Lucille。〃

Mr。　Sabin　agreed　with　her　blandly。

〃It　is；〃　he　affirmed；　〃a　most　regrettable　incident。〃

She　leaned　a　little　towards　him。　　The　box　was　not　a　large　one；　and
their　chairs　already　touched。

〃Are　you　a　jealous　husband？〃　she　asked。

〃Horribly；〃　be　answered。

〃Your　devotion　to　Lucille；　or　rather　the　singleness　of　your　devotion
to　Lucille；〃　she　remarked；　〃is　positively　the　most　gauche　thing　about
you。　　It　is　…　absolutely　callow！〃

He　laughed　gently。

〃Did　I　not　always　tell　you；〃　he　said；　〃that　when　I　did　marry　I
should　make　an　excellent　husband？〃

〃You　are　at　least；〃　she　answered　sharply；　〃a　very　complaisant　one。〃

The　Prince　leaned　forward　from　the　shadows　of　the　box。

〃I　invite　you　all；〃　he　sai