for desiring her present whereabouts to remain unknown。 I should
perhaps not have mentioned her name at all。 It was； I fancy；
indiscreet of me。 The coincidence of hearing you mention the name
of the place where I believe she resided surprised my question。
With your permission we will abandon the subject。〃
〃You disappoint me；〃 Mr。 Sabin said quietly。 〃It would have given
me much pleasure to have resumed my acquaintance with the lady in
question。〃
〃You will； without doubt； have an opportunity；〃 Mr。 Brott said；
glancing at his watch and suddenly rising。 〃Dear me； how the time
goes。〃
He rose to his feet。 Mr。 Sabin also rose。
〃Must I understand；〃 he said in a low tone； 〃that you are not at
liberty to give me Mrs。 Peterson's address？〃
〃I am not at liberty even；〃 Mr。 Brott answered； with a frown； 〃to
mention her name。 It will give me great pleasure； Duke； to better
my acquaintance with you。 Will you dine with me at the House of
Commons one night next week？〃
〃I shall be charmed；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃My address for the next
few days is at the Carlton。 I am staying there under my family
name of Sabin … Mr。 Sabin。 It is a fancy of mine … it has been ever
since I became an alien … to use my title as little as possible。〃
Mr。 Brott looked for a moment puzzled。
〃Your pseudonym；〃 he remarked thoughtfully； 〃seems very familiar
to me。〃
Mr。 Sabin shrugged his shoulders。
〃It is a family name；〃 he remarked； 〃but I flattered myself that it
was at least uncommon。〃
〃Fancy； no doubt；〃 Mr。 Brott remarked； turning to make his adieux
to his hostess。
Mr。 Sabin joined a fresh group of idlers under the palms。 Mr。
Brott lingered over his farewells。
〃Your UNCLE； Lady Camperdown；〃 he said； 〃is delightful。 I enjoy
meeting new types； and he represents to me most perfectly the old
order of French aristocracy。〃
〃I am glad；〃 Helene said； 〃that you found him interesting。 I felt
sure you would。 In fact； I asked him especially to meet you。〃
〃You are the most thoughtful of hostesses；〃 he assured her。 〃By
the bye； your UNCLE has just told me the name by which he is known
at the hotel。 Mr。 Sabin！ Sabin！ It recalls something to my mind。
I cannot exactly remember what。〃
She smiled upon him。 People generally forgot things when Helene
smiled。
〃It is an odd fancy of his to like his title so little；〃 she
remarked。 〃At heart no one is prouder of their family and
antecedents。 I have heard him say； though； that an exile had
better leave behind him even his name。〃
〃Sabin！〃 Mr。 Brott repeated。 〃Sabin！〃
〃It is an old family name；〃 she murmured。
His face suddenly cleared。 She knew that he had remembered。 But
he took his leave with no further reference to it。
〃Sabin！〃 he repeated to himself when alone in his carriage。 〃That
was the name of the man who was supposed to be selling plans to the
German Government。 Poor Renshaw was in a terrible stew about it。
Sabin！ An uncommon name。〃
He had ordered the coachman to drive to the House of Commons。
Suddenly he pulled the check…string。
〃Call at Dorset House；〃 he directed。
* * * * *
Mr。 Sabin lingered till nearly the last of the guests had gone。
Then he led Helene once more into the winter gardens。
〃May I detain you for one moment's gossip？〃 he asked。 〃I see your
carriage at the door。〃
She laughed。
〃It is nothing；〃 she declared。 〃I must drive in the Park for an
hour。 One sees one's friends； and it is cool and refreshing after
these heated rooms。 But at any time。 Talk to me as long as you
will； and then I will drop you at the Carlton。〃
〃It is of Brott！〃 he remarked。 〃Ah； I thank you； I will smoke。
Your husband's taste in cigarettes is excellent。〃
〃Perhaps mine！〃 she laughed。
Mr。 Sabin shrugged his shoulders。
〃In either case I congratulate you。 This man Brott。 He interests
me。〃
〃He interests every one。 Why not？ He is a great personality。〃
〃Politically；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃the gauge of his success is of
course the measure of the man。 But he himself … what manner of a
man is he？〃
She tapped with her fingers upon the little table by their side。
〃He is rich；〃 she said； 〃and an uncommon mixture of the student
and the man of society。 He refuses many more invitations than he
accepts； he entertains very seldom but very magnificently。 He has
never been known to pay marked attentions to any woman； even the
scandal of the clubs has passed him by。 What else can I say about
him； I wonder？〃 she continued reflectively。 〃Nothing； I think；
except this。 He is a strong man。 You know that that counts for
much。〃
Mr。 Sabin was silent。 Perhaps he was measuring his strength in some
imagined encounter with this man。 Something in his face alarmed
Helene。 She suddenly leaned forward and looked at him more closely。
〃UNCLE；〃 she exclaimed in a low voice； 〃there is something on your
mind。 Do not tell me that once more you are in the maze； that
again you have schemes against this country。〃
He smiled at her sadly enough； but she was reassured。
〃You need have no fear；〃 he told her。 〃With politics … I have
finished。 Why I am here； what I am here for I will tell you very
soon。 It is to find one whom I have lost … and who is dear to me。
Forgive me if for to…day I say no more。 Come； if you will you shall
drive me to my hotel。〃
He offered his arm with the courtly grace which he knew so well how
to assume。 Together they passed out to her carriage。
CHAPTER XII
After all；〃 Lady Carey sighed； throwing down a racing calendar
and lighting a cigarette； 〃London is the only thoroughly civilized
Anglo…Saxon capital in the world。 Please don't look at me like
that； Duchess。 I know … this is your holy of holies； but the Duke
smokes here … I've seen him。 My cigarettes are very tiny and very
harmless。〃
The Duchess； who wore gold…rimmed spectacles； and was a person of
weight in the councils of the Primrose League； went calmly on with
her knitting。
〃My dear Muriel；〃 she said； 〃if my approval or disapproval was of
the slightest moment to you； it is not your smoking of which I
should first complain。 I know； however； that you consider yourself
a privileged person。 Pray do exactly as you like； but don't drop
the ashes upon the carpet。〃
Lady Carey laughed softly。
〃I suppose I am rather a thorn in your side as a relative；〃 she
remarked。 〃You must put it down to the roving blood of my ancestors。
I could no more live the life of you other women than I could fly。
I must have excitement； movement； all the time。〃
A tall； heavily built man； who had been reading some letters at the
other end of the room； came sauntering up to them。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃you assuredly live up to your principles； for you
travel all over the world as though it were one vast playground。〃
〃And sometimes；〃 she remarked； 〃my journeys are not exactly
successful。 I know that that is what you are dying to say。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 he said； 〃I do not blame you at all for this last
affair。 You brought Lucille here； which was excellent。 Your
failure as regards Mr。 Sabin is scarcely to be fastened upon you。
It is Horser whom we hold responsible for that。〃
She laughed。
〃Poor Horser！ It was rather rough to pit a creature like that
against Souspennier。〃
The man shrugged his shoulders。
〃Horser；〃 he said； 〃may not be brilliant； but he had a great
organisation at his back。 Souspennier was without friends or
influence。 The contest should scarcely have been so one…sided。 To
tell you the truth； my dear Muriel； I am more surprised that you
yourself should have found the task beyond you。〃
Lady Carey's face darkened。
〃It was too soon after the loss of Lucille；〃 she said； 〃and besides；
there was his vanity to be reckoned with。 It was like a challenge
to him； and he had taken up the glove before I returned to New York。〃
The Duchess looked up from her work。
〃Have you had any conversation with my husband； Prince？〃 she asked。
The Prince of Saxe Leinitzer twirled his heavy moustache and sank
into a chair between the two women。
〃I have had a long talk with him；〃 he announced。 〃And the result？〃
the Duchess asked。
〃The result I fear you would scarcely consider satisfactory；〃 the
Prince declared。 〃The moment that I hinted at the existence of
… er … conditions of which you； Duchess； are aware； he showed alarm；
and I had all that I could do to reassure him。 I find it everywhere
amongst your aristocracy … this stubborn confidence in the existence
of the reigning order of things； this absolute detestation of
anything approaching intrigue。〃
〃My dear man； I hope you don't include me；〃 Lady Carey exclaimed。
〃You； Lady Muriel；〃 he answered； with a slow smile； 〃are an
exception to all rules。 No； you are a rule by yourself。〃
〃To revert to the subject then for a moment；〃 the Duchess said
stiffly。 〃You have made no progress with the Duke？〃
〃None whatever；〃 Saxe Leinitzer admitted。 〃He was sufficiently
emphatic to inspire me with every caution。 Even now I have doubts
as to whether I have altogether reassured him。 I really believe；
dear Duchess； that we should be better off if y