“Itistheapproachofsenility，“Mr。Sabinansweredher。“Iamanoldman，LadyMuriel！“
Sheshruggedhershoulders。
“YouarelikeUlysses，“shesaid。“Thegods，orratherthegoddesses，havehelpedyoutowardsimmortality。“
“Itis，“Mr。Sabinanswered，“themossdeliciouspieceofflatteryIhaveeverheard。“
“Calypso，“shemurmured，noddingtowardsLucille，“isbyyourside。“
“Really，“Mr。Sabininterrupted，“Imustprotest。LucilleandI
weremarriedbyamostrespectableEpiscopalianclergyman。Wehavedocumentaryevidence。Besides，ifLucilleisCalypso，whataboutPenelope？“
LadyCareysmiledthoughtfully。
“Ihavealwaysthought，“shesaid，“thatPenelopewasamyth。InyourcaseIshouldsaythatPeneloperepresentsareturntosanity-totheordinarywaysoflife。“
Mr。SabinandLucilleexchangedswiftglances。Heraisedhiseyebrows。
“Ourlittleidyll，“hesaid，“seemstobethesportandbuffetofeveryone。YouforgetthatIamoftheoldworld。Idonotunderstandmodernity。“
“Ulysses，“sheanswered，“wasoftheoldworld，yethewasawandererinmoresensesofthewordthanoneAndtherehavebeentimes-“
Hereyessoughthis。Heignoredabsolutelythesubtletyofmeaningwhichlurkedbeneaththeheavydroopingeyelids。
“Onetravelsthroughlife，“heanswered，“bydeviouspaths，andalittlewanderingintheflower-gardensbythewayisthelotofeveryone。Butwhenthejourneyisover，one’stasteforwanderinghasgone-well，UlyssesfinishedhisdaysatthehearthofPenelope。“
Sheroseandwalkedaway。Mr。Sabinsatstillandwatchedherasthoughlisteningtothesoftsweepofhergownuponthecarpet。
“Hatefulwoman！“Lucilleexclaimedlightly。“Tomakelove，andsuchlove，toone’slawfulhusbandbeforeone’sfaceisalittlecrude，don’tyouthink？“
Heshookhishead。
“Tooobvious，“heanswered。“SheisplayingthePrince’sgame。
Dearme，howinterestingthiswillbesoon。“
Shenodded。Afaintsmileofbitternesshadstolenintohertone。
“Already，“shesaid，“youarebeginningtoscentthedelightoftheatmosphere。Youarestiffeningforthefight。Soon-“
“Ah，no！Don’tsayit，“hewhispered，takingherhand。“Ishallneverforget。Ifthefightseemsgoodtomeitisbecauseyouaretheprize，andafterall，youknow，tofightforone’swomenkindisamongsttheprimevalinstincts。“
LadyCarey，whohadbeenpacingtheroomrestlessly，touchinganornamenthere，lookingatapicturethere，camebacktothemandstoodbeforeMr。Sabin。Shehadcaughthislastwords。
“Primevalinstincts！“sheexclaimedmockingly。“Whatdoyouknowaboutthem，youofallmen，abundleofnervesandbrains，withamotorforaheart，andanautomaticbrakeuponyourpassions？Uponmyword，IbelievethatIhavesolvedthemysteryofyourperennialyouth。Youhavefoundawayofsubstitutingmachineryforthehumanorgan，andyouarewounduptogoforever。“
“Youhavefoundmeout，“headmitted。“ProfessorPenningramofChicagowillsupplyyoutoowithanoutfit。Mentionmynameifyoulike。ItisawonderfulcountryAmerica。“
ThePrincecameovertothem，fairandblandwithnotraceuponhissmoothfeaturesorinhishalf-jestingtoneofanyevilthings。
“Souspennier，“hesaid，holdingouthishand，“welcomebackoncemoretoyouroldplace。Iamhappytosaythatthereappearstobenoreasonwhyyourclaimshouldnotbefullyadmitted。“
Mr。Sabinrosetohisfeet。
“Ipresume，“hesaid，“thatnoveryactivedemandsarelikelytobemadeuponmyservices。InthiscountrymorethananyotherIfearthatthepossibilitiesofmyaidarescanty。“
ThePrincesmiled。
“Itisafact，“hesaid，“whichweallappreciate。Uponyouatpresentwemakenoclaim。“
Therewasamoment’sintensesilence。AsteelylightglitteredinMr。Sabin’seyes。HeandthePrincealoneremainedstanding。TheDuchessofDorsetwatchedthemthroughherlorgnettes；LadyCareywatchedtoowithanintenseeagerness，hereyesalightwithmingledcrueltyandexcitement。Lucille’seyesweresobrightthatonemightreadilybelievethetearstobeglisteningbeneath。
CHAPTERXIX
Iwillnotpretend，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“tomisunderstandyou。Myhelpisnotrequiredbyyouinthisenterprise，whateveritmaybe，inwhichyouareengaged。Onthecontrary，youhavetriedbymanyandvariouswaystokeepmeatadistance。ButIamhere，Prince-heretobedealtwithandtreatedaccordingtomyrights。“
ThePrincestrokedhisfairmoustache。
“Iamalittlepuzzled，“headmitted，“astothis-shallInotcallitself-assertiveness？-onthepartofmygoodfriendSouspennier。“
“Iwillmakeitquiteclearthen，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“Lucille，willyoufavourmebyringingforyourmaid。Thecarriageisatthedoor。“
ThePrinceheldouthishand。
“MydearSouspennier，“hesaid，“youmustnotthinkoftakingLucilleawayfromus。“
“Indeed，“Mr。Sabinansweredcoolly。“Whynot？“
“Itmustbeobvioustoyou，“thePrinceanswered，“thatwedidnotsendtoAmericaforLucillewithoutanobject。Sheisnowengagedinanimportantworkuponourbehalf。Itisnecessarythatsheshouldremainunderthisroof。“
“Idemand，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“thatthenatureofthatnecessityshouldbemadecleartome。“
ThePrincesmiledwiththeairofonedisposedtohumourawilfulchild。
“Come！“hesaid。“YoumustknowverywellthatIcannotstandhereandtellyouthebareoutline，muchlessthedetailsofanimportantmovement。To-morrow，atanyhouryouchoose，onefromamongstusshallexplainthewholematter-andtheparttobeborneinitbytheCountess！“
“Andto-night？“Mr。Sabinasked。
ThePrinceshruggedhisshouldersandglancedattheclock。
“To-night，mydearfriend，“hesaid，“allofus，Ibelieve，goontoaballatCarmarthenHouse。Itwouldgrievemealso，Iamsure，Duke，toseeminhospitable，butIamcompelledtomentionthefactthatthehourforwhichthecarriageshavebeenorderedisalreadyathand。“
Mr。Sabinreflectedforafewmoments。
“DidIunderstandyoutosay，“heasked，“thatthehelptobegiventoyoubymywife，Lucille，DuchessofSouspennier，entailedherremainingunderthisroof？“
ThePrincesmiledseraphically。
“Itisunfortunate，“hemurmured，“sinceyouhavebeensogallantastofollowher，butitistrue！Youwillunderstandthisperfectly-to-morrow。“
“AndwhyshouldIwaituntilto-morrow？“Mr。Sabinaskedcoolly。
“Ifear，“thePrincesaid，“thatitisamatterofnecessity。“
Mr。Sabinglancedforamomentinturnatthefacesofallthelittlecompanyasthoughseekingtodiscoverhowfartheattitudeofhisopponentmetwiththeirapproval。LadyCarey’sthinlipswerecurvedinasmile，andhereyesmethismockingly。Theothersremainedimperturbable。LastofallhelookedatLucille。
“Itseems，“hesaid，smilingtowardsher，“thatIamcalledupontopayaheavyentrancefeeonmyreturnamongstyourfriends。ButthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzerforgetsthathehasshownmenoauthority，orgivenmenovalidreasonwhyIshouldtoleratesuchflagrantinterferencewithmypersonalaffairs。“
“To-morrow-to-morrow，mygoodsir！“thePrinceinterrupted。
“No！To-night！“Mr。Sabinansweredsharply。“Lucille，intheabsenceofanyreasonableexplanation，IchallengetherightofthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzertorobmeevenforanhourofmydearestpossession。Iappealtoyou。Comewithmeandremainwithmeuntilithasbeenproved，ifeveritcanbeproved，thatgreaterinterestsrequireourseparation。IftherebeblameIwilltakeit。
WillyoutrustyourselftomeLucillehalfrose，butLadyCarey’shandwasheavyuponhershoulder。AsthoughbyacarelessmovementGeneralDolinskiandRaouldeBrouillacalteredtheirpositionsslightlysoastocomebetweenthetwo。TheDukeofDorsethadlefttheroom。ThenMr。
Sabinknewthattheywereallagainsthim。
“Lucille，“hesaid，“havecourage！Iwaitforyou。“
Shelookedtowardshim，andherfacepuzzledhim。Forthereflashedacrosstheshouldersofthesepeopleaglancewhichwaswhollyoutofharmonywithhisownstateofbarelysubduedpassion-aglancehalftender，halfhumorous，fullofsubtlepromise。
Yetherwordswereablowtohim。
“Victor，howisitpossible？Believeme，IcomeifIcould。
To-morrow-verysoon，itmaybepossible。Butnow。YouhearwhatthePrincesays。Ifearthatheisright！“
ToMr。Sabintheshockwasanunexpectedone。Hehadneverdoubtedbutthatsheatleastwashisside。Herwordsfoundhimunprepared，andamomentheshowedhisdiscomfiture。Hisrecoveryhowever，wasswiftandamazing。HebowedtoLucille，andbythetimeheraisedhisheadeventhereproachhadgonefromhiseyes。
“Dearlady，“hesaid，“Iwillnotventuretodisputeyourdecision。
Prince，willyouappointatimeto-morrowwhenthismattershallbemorefullyexplainedtome？“
ThePrince’ssmilewassweetnessitself，andhistoneverygentle。
ButMr。Sabin，whoseldomyieldedtoanypassionateimpulse，kepthisteethsetandhishandclenched，lesttheblowhelongedtodealshouldescapehim。
“Atmiddayto-morrowIshallbepleasedtoreceiveyou，“hesaid。
“TheCountess，withherusualdevotionandgoodsense，has，Itrust，convincedyouthatouractionisnecessary！“
“To-morrowatmidday，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“Iwillbehere。Ihavethehonourtowishyouallgood-night。“
Hisfarewellwascomprehensive。HedidnotevensingleoutLucilleforapartingglance。ButdownthebroadstairsandacrossthehallofDorsetHousehepassedwithwearysteps，leaningheavilyuponhisstick。Itwasaheavyblowwhichhadfallenuponhim。Asyethescarcelyrealisedit。
Hiscarriagewasdelayedforafewmoments，andjustashewasenteringitayoungwoman，plainlydressedinblack，camehurryingoutandslippedanoteintohishand。
“Pardon，monsieur，“sheexclaimed，withasmile。IfearedthatI
wastoolate。“
Mr。Sabin’sfingersclosedoverthenote，andhesteppedblithelyintothecarriage。Butwhenhetoreitopenandsawthehandwritinghepermittedhimselfalittlegroanofdisappointment。Itwasnotfromher。Hereadthefewlinesandcrushedthesheetofpaperinhishand。
“IamhavingsupperattheCarltonwithsomefriendsonourwaytoC。H。Iwanttospeaktoyouforamoment。BeinthePalmCourtat12。15，butdonotrecognisemeuntilIcometoyou。Ifpossiblekeepoutofsight。Ifyoushouldhaveleftmymaidwillbringthisontoyourhotel。