have　misunderstood　me。　　I　was　perfectly　happy　in　America。　　I　have
  been　perfectly　miserable　here。　　I　suppose　that　I　have　grown　too　old
  for　intrigues　and　adventures。〃
  〃Too　old；　Lucille；〃　the　Prince　murmured；　leaning　a　little　towards
  her。　　〃Lucille；　you　are　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　London。　　Many
  others　may　have　told　you　so；　but　there　is　no　one；　Lucille；　who　is
  so　devotedly；　so　hopelessly　your　slave　as　I。〃
  She　drew　her　hand　away；　and　sat　back　in　her　corner。　　The　man's　hot
  breath　fell　upon　her　cheek；　his　eyes　seemed　almost　phosphorescent
  in　the　darkness。　　Lucille　could　scarcely　keep　the　biting　words　from
  her　tongue。
  〃You　do　not　answer　me；　Lucille。　　You　do　not　speak　even　a　single
  kind　word　to　me。　　Come！　　Surely　we　are　old　friends。　　We　should
  understand　one　another。　　It　is　not　a　great　deal　that　I　ask　from
  your　kindness　…　not　a　great　deal　to　you；　but　it　is　all　the
  difference　between　happiness　and　misery　for　me。〃
  〃This　is　a　very　worn…out　game；　Prince；〃　Lucille　said　coldly。　　〃You
  have　been　making　love　to　women　in　very　much　the　same　manner　for
  twenty　years；　and　I　…　well；　to　be　frank；　I　am　utterly　weary　of
  being　made　love　to　like　a　doll。　　Laugh　at　me　as　you　will；　my
  husband　is　the　only　man　who　interests　me　in　the　slightest。　　My
  failure　to…day　is　almost　welcome　to　me。　　It　has　at　least　brought
  my　work　here　to　a　close。　　Come；　Prince；　if　you　want　to　earn　my
  eternal　gratitude；　tell　me　now　that　I　am　a　free　woman。〃
  〃You　give　me　credit；〃　the　Prince　said　slowly；　〃for　great　generosity。
  If　I　let　you　go　it　seems　to　me　that　I　shall　lose　you　altogether。
  You　will　go　to　your　husband。　　He　will　take　you　away！〃
  〃Why　not？〃　Lucille　asked。　　〃I　want　to　go。　　I　am　tired　of　London。
  You　cannot　lose　what　you　never　possessed　…　what　you　never　had　the
  slightest　chance　of　possessing。
  The　Prince　laughed　softly　…　not　a　pleasant　laugh；　not　even　a
  mirthful　one。
  〃Dear　lady；〃　he　said；　〃you　speak　not　wisely。　　For　I　am　very　much
  in　earnest　when　I　say　that　I　love　you；　and　until　you　are　kinder
  to　me　I　shall　not　let　you　go。〃
  〃That　is　rather　a　dangerous　threat；　is　it　not？〃　Lucille　asked。
  〃You　dare　to　tell　me　openly　that　you　will　abuse　your　position；
  that　you　will　keep　me　bound　a　servant　to　the　cause；　because　of
  this　foolish　fancy　of　yours？〃
  The　Prince　smiled　at　her　through　the　gloom　…　a　white；　set　smile。
  〃It　is　no　foolish　fancy；　Lucille。　　You　will　find　that　out　before
  long。　　You　have　been　cold　to　me　all　your　life。　　Yet　you　would　find
  me　a　better　friend　than　enemy。〃
  〃If　I　am　to　choose；〃　she　said　steadily；　〃I　shall　choose　the　latter。〃
  〃As　you　will；〃　he　answered。　　〃In　time　you　will　change　your　mind。〃
  The　carriage　had　stopped。　　The　Prince　alighted　and　held　out　his
  hand。　　Lucille　half　rose；　and　then　with　her　foot　upon　the　step　she
  paused　and　looked　around。
  〃Where　are　we？〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃This　is　not　Dorset　House。〃
  〃No；　we　are　in　Grosvenor　Square；〃　the　Prince　answered。　　〃I　forgot
  to　tell　you　that　we　have　a　meeting　arranged　for　here　this　evening。
  Permit　me。〃　　But　Lucille　resumed　her　seat　in　the　carriage。
  〃It　is　your　house；　is　it　not？〃　she　asked。
  〃Yes。　　My　house　assuredly。〃
  〃Very　well；〃　Lucille　said。　　〃I　will　come　in　when　the　Duchess　of
  Dorset　shows　herself　at　the　window　or　the　front　door　…　or　Felix；　or
  even　De　Brouillae。〃
  The　Prince　still　held　open　the　carriage　door。
  〃They　will　all　be　here；〃　he　assured　her。　　〃We　are　a　few　minutes
  early。〃
  〃Then　I　will　drive　round　to　Dorset　House　and　fetch　the　Duchess。
  It　is　only　a　few　yards。〃
  The　Prince　hesitated。　　His　cheeks　were　very　white；　and　something
  like　a　scowl　was　blackening　his　heavy；　insipid　face。
  〃Lucille；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　very　foolish。　　It　is　not　much　I　ask　of
  you；　but　that　little　I　will　have　or　I　pledge　my　word　to　it　that
  things　shall　go　ill　with　you　and　your　husband。　　There　is　plain
  speech　for　you。　　Do　not　be　absurd。　　Come　within；　and　let　us　talk。
  What　do　you　fear？　　The　house　is　full　of　servants；　and　the　carriage
  can　wait　for　you　here。〃
  Lucille　smiled　at　him　…　a　maddening　smile。
  〃I　am　not　a　child；〃　she　said；　〃and　such　conversations　as　I　am　forced
  to　hold　with　you　will　not　be　under　your　own　roof。　　Be　so　good　as　to
  tell　the　coachman　to　drive　to　Dorset　House。〃
  The　Prince　turned　on　his　heel　with　a　furious　oath。
  〃He　can　drive　you　to　Hell；〃　he　answered　thickly。
  Lucille　found　the　Duchess　and　Lady　Carey　together　at　Dorset　House。
  She　looked　from　one　to　the　other。
  〃I　thought　that　there　was　a　meeting　to…night；〃　she　remarked。
  The　Duchess　shook　her　head。
  〃Not　to…night；〃　she　answered。　　〃It　would　not　be　possible。　　Genera1
  Dolinski　is　dining　at　Marlborough　House；　and　De　Broullae　is　in
  Paris。　　Now　tell　us　all　about　Mr。　Brott。〃
  〃He　has　gone　to　Scotland；〃　Lucille　answered。　　〃I　have　failed。〃
  Lady　Carey　looked　up　from　the　depths　of　the　chair　in　which　she　was
  lounging。
  〃And　the　prince？〃　she　asked。　　〃He　went　to　meet　you！〃
  〃He　also　failed；〃　Lucille　answered。
  CHAPTER　XXVII
  Mr。　SABIN　drew　a　little　breath；　partly　of　satisfaction　because　he
  had　discovered　the　place　he　sought；　and　partly　of　disgust　at　the
  neighbourhood　in　which　he　found　himself。　　Nevertheless；　he　descended
  three　steps　from　the　court　into　which　he　had　been　directed；　and
  pushed　open　the　swing　door；　behind　which　Emil　Sachs　announced　his
  desire　to　supply　the　world　with　dinners　at　eightpence　and　vin
  ordinaire　at　fourpence　the　small　bottle。
  A　stout　black…eyed　woman　looked　up　at　his　entrance　from　behind　the
  counter。　　The　place　was　empty。
  〃What　does　monsieur　require　she　asked；　peering　forward　through　the
  gloom　with　some　suspicion。　　For　the　eightpenny　dinners　were　the
  scorn　of　the　neighbourhood；　and　strangers　were　rare　in　the　wine
  shop　of　Emil　Sachs。
  Mr。　Sabin　smiled。
  〃One　of　your　excellent　omelettes；　my　good　Annette；〃　he　answered；
  〃if　your　hand　has　not　lost　its　cunning！〃
  She　gave　a　little　cry。
  〃It　is　monsieur！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃After　all　these　years　it　is
  monsieur！　　Ab；　you　will　pardon　that　I　did　not　recognise　you。　　This
  place　is　a　cellar。　　Monsieur　has　not　changed。　　In　the　daylight　one
  would　know　him　anywhere。〃
  The　woman　talked　fast；　but　even　in　that　dim　light　Mr。　Sabin　knew
  quite　well　that　she　was　shaking　with　fear。　　He　could　see　the　corners
  of　her　mouth　twitch。　　Her　black　eyes　rolled　incessantly；　but　refused
  to　meet　his。　　Mr。　Sabin　frowned。
  〃You　are　not　glad　to　see　me；　Annette！〃
  She　leaned　over　the　counter。
  〃For　monsieur　s　own　sake；〃　she　whispered；　〃go！〃
  Mr。　Sabin　stood　quite　still　for　a　short　space　of　time。
  〃Can　I　rest　in　there　for　a　few　minutes？〃　he　asked；　pointing　to　the
  door　which　led　into　the　room　beyond。
  The　woman　hesitated。　　She　looked　up　at　the　clock　and　down　again。
  〃Emil　will　return；〃　she　said；　〃at　three。　　Monsieur　were　best　out　of
  the　neighbourhood　before　then。　　For　ten　minutes　it　might　be　safe。〃
  Mr。　Sabin　passed　forward。　　The　woman　lifted　the　flap　of　the　counter
  and　followed　him。　　Within　was　a　smaller　room；　far　cleaner　and　better
  appointed　than　the　general　appearance　of　the　place　promised。　　Mr。
  Sabin　seated　himself　at　one　of　the　small　tables。　　The　linen　cloth；
  he　noticed；　was　spotless；　the　cutlery　and　appointments　polished　and
  clean。
  〃This；　I　presume；〃　he　remarked；　〃is　not　where　you　serve　the
  eightpenny　table　d'hote？〃
  The　woman　shrugged　her　shoulders。
  〃But　it　would　not　be　possible；〃　she　answered。　　〃We　have　no　customers
  for　that。　　If　one　arrives　we　put　together　a　few　scraps。　　But　one　must
  make　a　pretense。　　Monsieur　understands？〃
  Mr。　Sabin　nodded。
  〃I　will　take；〃　he　said；　〃a　small　glass　of　fin　champagne。〃
  She　vanished；　and　reappeared　almost　immediately　with　the　brandy　in
  a　quaintly　cut　liqueur　glass。　　A　glance　at　the　clock　as　she　passed
  seemed　to　have　increased　her　anxiety。
  〃If　monsieur　will　drink　his　liqueur　and　depart；〃　she　prayed。　　〃Indeed；
  it　will　be　for　the　best。〃
  Mr。　Sabin　set　down　his　glass。　　His　steadfast　gaze　seemed　to　reduce
  Annette　into　a　state　of　nervous
  panic。
  〃Annette；〃　he　said；　〃they　have　placed　me　upon　the
  list。〃
  〃It…is　true；　monsieur；〃　she　answered。　　〃Why　do　you　come　here？〃
  〃I　wanted　to　know　first　for　certain　that　they　had　ventured　so　far；〃
  Mr。　Sabin　said。　　〃I　believe　that　I　am　only　the　second　person　in
  this　country　who　has　been　so　much　honoured。〃
  The　woman　drew　nearer　to　him。
  〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　〃your　only　danger　is　to　venture　into　such
  parts　as　these。　　London　is　so　safe；　and　the　law　is　merciless。　　They
  only　watch。　　They　will　attempt　nothing。　　Do　not　leave　England。
  There　is　here　no　machinery　of　criminals。　　Besides；　the　life　of
  monsieur　is　insured。〃
  〃Insured？〃　Mr。　Sabin　remarked　quietly。　　〃That　is　good　news。　　And
  who　pays　the　premium？〃
  〃A　great　lady；　monsieur！　　I　know　no　more。　　Monsieur　must　go　indeed。
  He　has　found　his　way　into　the　only　place　in　London　where　he　is　not
  safe。〃
  Mr。　Sabin　rose。
  〃You　are　expecting；　perhaps；〃　he　said；　〃one　of　my　friends　from
  the　…　〃
  She　interrupted　him。
  〃It　is　true；〃　she　declared。　　He　may　be　here　at　any　instant。　　The
  time　is　already　up。　　Oh；　monsieur；　indeed；　indeed　it　would　not　do
  for　him　to　find　you。〃
  Mr。　Sabin　moved　towards　the　door。
  〃You　are　perhaps　right；〃　he　said　regretfully；　〃although　I　should
  much　like　to　hear　about　this　little　matter　of