the yellow crayon-第31章

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Emil　Sachs？〃

〃Yes！〃

〃You　refused　to　tell　me　the　object　of　your　visit。　　It　was　foolish；
for　of　course　I　was　informed。　　You　procured　from　Emil　a　small
quantity　of　the　powder　prepared　according　to　the　recipe　of　Herr
Estentrauzen；　and　for　which　we　paid　him　ten　thousand　marks。　　It　is
the　most　silent；　the　most　secret；　the　most　swift　poison　yet
discovered。〃

〃I　got　it　for　myself；〃　she　said　coldly。　　〃There　have　been　times
when　I　have　felt　that　the　possession　of　something　of　that　sort　was
an　absolute　necessity；〃

〃I　do　not　question　you　as　to　the　reason　for　your　getting　it；〃　he
answered。　　〃Very　shortly　afterwards　you　left　your　carriage　in　Pall
Mall；　and　without　even　asking　for　your　husband　you　called　at　his
hotel　…　you　stole　up　into　his　room。〃

〃I　took　some　roses　there　and　left　them；〃　she　said　〃What　of　that？〃

〃Only　that　you　were　the　last　person　seen　to　enter　Mr。　Sabin's　rooms
before　Duson　was　found　there　dead。　　And　Duson　died　from　a　dose　of
that　same　poison；　a　packet　of　which　you　procured　secretly　from　Emil
Sachs。　　An　empty　wineglass　was　by　his　side　…　it　was　one　generally
used　by　Mr。　Sabin。　　I　know　that　the　English　police；　who　are　not　so
foolish　as　people　would　have　one　believe；　are　searching　now　for　the
woman　who　was　seen　to　enter　the　sitting…room　shortly　before　Mr。
Sabin　returned　and　found　Duson　there　dead。〃

She　laughed　scornfully。

〃It　is　ingenious；〃　she　admitted；　〃and　perhaps　a　little　unfortunate
for　me。　　But　the　inference　is　ridiculous。　　What　interest　had　I　in
the　man's　death？〃

〃None；　of　course！〃　the　Prince　said。　　〃But；　Lucille；　in　all　cases
of　poisoning　it　is　the　wife　of　whom　one　first　thinks！〃

〃The　wife？　I　did　not　even　know　that　the　creature　had　a　wife。〃

〃Of　course　not！　　But　Duson　drank　from　Mr。　Sabin's　glass；　and　you
are　Mr。　Sabin's　wife。　　You　are　living　apart　from　him。　　He　is　old
and　you　are　young。　　And　for　the　other　man　…　there　is　Reginald　Brott。
Your　names　have　been　coupled　together；　of　course。　　See　what　an
excellent　case　stands　there。　　You　procure　the　poison　…　secretly。
You　make　your　way　to　your　husband's　room　…　secretly。　　The　fatal
dose　is　taken　from　your　husband's　Wineglass。　　You　leave　no　note；
no　message。　　The　poison　of　which　the　man　died　is　exactly　the　same
as　you　procured　from　Sachs。　　Lucille；　after　all；　do　you　wonder　that
the　police　are　looking　for　a　woman　in　black　with　an　ermine　toque？
What　a　mercy　you　wore　a　thick　veil！〃

She　sat　down　suddenly。

〃This　is　hideous；〃　she　said。

〃Think　it　over；〃　he　said；　〃step　by　step。　　It　is　wonderful　how　all
the　incidents　dovetail　into　one　another。〃

〃Too　wonderful；〃　she　cried。　　〃It　sounds　like　some　vile　plot　to
incriminate　me。　　How　much　had　you　to　do　with　this；　Prince？〃

〃Don't　be　a　fool！〃　he　answered　roughly。　　〃Can't　you　see　for　yourself
that　your　arrest　would　be　the　most　terrible　thing　that　could　happen
for　us？　　Even　Sachs　might　break　down　in　cross…examination；　and　you
　…　well；　you　are　a　woman；　and　you　want　to　live。　　We　should　all　be
in　the　most　deadly　peril。　　Lucille；　I　would　have　spared　you　this
anxiety　if　I　could；　but　your　defiance　made　it　necessary。　　There　was
no　other　way　of　getting　you　away　from　England　to…night　except　by
telling　you　the　truth。〃

〃Away　from　England　to…night；〃　she　repeated　vaguely。　　〃But　I　will
not　go。　　It　is　impossible。〃

〃It　is　imperative；〃　the　Prince　declared；　with　a　sharp　ring　of
authority　in　his　tone。　　〃It　is　your　own　folly；　for　which　you　have
to　pay。　　You　went　secretly　to　Emil　Sachs。　　You　paid　surreptitious
visits　to　your　husband；　which　were　simply　madness。　　You　have
involved　us　all　in　danger。　　For　our　own　sakes　we　must　see　that
you　are　removed。〃

〃It　is　the　very　thing　to　excite　suspicion　…　flight　abroad；〃　she
objected。

〃Your　flight；〃　he　said　coolly；　〃will　be　looked　upon　from　a　different
point　of　view；　for　Reginald　Brott　must　follow　you。　　It　will　be　an
elopement；　not　a　flight　from　justice。〃

〃And　in　case　I　should　decline？〃　Lucille　asked　quietly。

The　Prince　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Well；　we　have　done　the　best　we　can　for　ourselves；〃　he　said。　　〃Come；
I　will　be　frank　with　you。　　There　are　great　interests　involved　here；
and；　before　all　things；　I　have　had　to　consider　the　welfare　of　our
friends。　　That　is　my　duty！　　Emil　Sachs　by　this　time　is　beyond　risk
of　detection。　　He　has　left　behind　a　letter；　in　which　he　confesses
that　he　has　for　some　time　supplemented　the　profits　of　his　wine…shop
by　selling　secretly　certain　deadly　poisons　of　his　own　concoctions。
Alarmed　at　reading　of　the　death　of　Duson　immediately　after　he　had
sold　a　poison　which　the　symptoms　denoted　he　had　fled　the　country。
That　letter　is　in　the　hands　of　the　woman　who　remains　in　the
wine…shop；　and　will　only　be　used　in　case　of　necessity。　　By　other
means　we　have　dissociated　ourselves　from　Duson　and　all　connection
with　him。　　I　think　I　could　go　so　far　as　to　say　that　it　would　be
impossible　to　implicate　us。　　Our　sole　anxiety　now；　therefore；　is　to
save　you。〃

Lucille　rose　to　her　feet。

〃I　shall　go　at　once　to　my　husband；〃　she　said。　　〃I　shall　tell　him
everything。　　I　shall　act　on　his　advice。〃

The　Prince　stood　over　by　the　door；　and　she　heard　the　key　turn。

〃You　will　do　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃You　are　in
my　power　at　last；　Lucille。　　You　will　do　my　bidding；　or　…　〃

〃Or　what？〃

〃I　shall　myself　send　for　the　police　and　give　you　into　custody！〃


CHAPTER　XXXV

The　Prince　crossed　the　hail　and　entered　the　morning…room。　　Felix
was　there　and　Raoul　de　Brouillac。　　The　Duchess　sat　at　her
writing…table；　scribbling　a　note。　　Lady　Carey；　in　a　wonderful　white
serge　costume；　and　a　huge　bunch　of　Neapolitan　violets　at　her　bosom；
was　lounging　in　an　easy…chair；　swinging　her　foot　backwards　and
forwards。　　The　Duke；　in　a　very　old　tweed　coat；　but　immaculate　as　to
linen　and　the　details　of　his　toilet；　stood　a　little　apart；　with　a
frown　upon　his　forehead；　and　exactly　that　absorbed　air　which　in　the
House　of　Lords　usually　indicated　his　intention　to　make　a　speech。　　The
entrance　of　the　Prince；　who　carefully　closed　the　door　behind　him；
was　an　event　for　which　evidently　they　were　all　waiting。

〃My　good　people；〃　he　said　blandly；　〃I　wish　you　all　a　very
good…morning。〃

There　was　a　little　murmur　of　greetings；　and　before　they　had　all
subsided　the　Duke　spoke。

〃Saxe　Leinitzer；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　a　few　questions　to　ask　you。〃

The　Prince　looked　across　the　room　at　him。

〃By　all　means；　Duke；〃　he　said。　　〃But　is　the　present　an　opportune
time？〃

〃Opportune　or　no；　it　is　the　time　which　I　have　selected；〃　the　Duke
answered　stiffly。　　〃I　do　not　altogether　understand　what　is　going
on　in　this　house。　　I　am　beginning　to　wonder　whether　I　have　been
misled。〃

The　Prince；　as　he　twirled　his　fair　moustache；　glanced　carelessly
enough　across　at　the　Duchess。　　She　was　looking　the　other　way。

〃I　became　a　…　er　…　general　member　of　this　Society；〃　the　Duke
continued；　〃sympathising　heartily　with　its　objects　as　explained　to
me　by　you；　Prince；　and　believing；　although　to　confess　it　is　somewhat
of　a　humiliation；　that　a　certain　amount　of　…　er　…　combination
amongst　the　aristocracy　has　become　necessary　to　resist　the　terrible
increase　of　Socialism　which　we　must　all　so　much　deplore。〃

〃You　are　not　making　a　speech；　dear；〃　the　Duchess　remarked；　looking
coldly　across　the　room　at　him。　　〃We　are　all　anxious　to　hear　what
the　Prince　has　to　say　to　us。〃

〃Your　anxiety；〃　the　Duke　continued；　〃and　the　anxiety　of　our　friends
must　be　restrained　for　a　few　minutes；　for　there　are　certain　things
which　I　am　determined　to　say；　and　to　say　them　now。　　I　must　confess
that　it　was　at　first　a　painful　shock　to　me　to　realise　that　the　time
had　come　when　it　was　necessary　for　us　to　take　any　heed　of　the
uneducated　rabble　who　seem　born　into　the　world　discontented　with
their　station　in　life；　and　instead　of　making　honest　attempts　to
improve　it　waste　their　time　railing　against　us　who　are　more
fortunately　placed；　and　in　endeavours　to　mislead　in　every　possible
way　the　electorate　of　the　country。〃

The　Prince　sighed　softly；　and　lit　a　cigarette。　　Lady　Carey　and
Felix　were　already　smoking。

〃However；〃　the　Duke　continued；　〃I　was　convinced。　　I　have　always
believed　in　the　principle　of　watching　closely　the　various　signs
of　the　times；　and　I　may　say　that　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　a
combination　of　the　thinking　members　of　the　aristocratic　party
throughout　the　world　was　an　excellent　idea。　　I　therefore　became
what　is；　I　believe；　called　a　general　member　of　the　Order；　of
which　I　believe　you；　Prince；　are　the　actual　head。〃

〃My　dear　James；〃　the　Duchess　murmured；　〃the　Prince　has　something
to　say　to　us。〃

〃The　Prince；〃　her　husband　answered　coldly；　〃can　keep　back　his
information　for　a　few　minutes。　　I　am　determined　to　place　my　position
clearly　before　all　of　you　who　are　present　here　now。　　It　is　only
since　I　have　joined　this　Society　that　I　have　been　made　aware　that
in　addition　to　the　general　members；　of　which　body　I　believe　that
the　Duchess　and　I　are　the　sole　representatives　here；　there　are
special　members；　and　members　of　the　inner　circle。　　And　I　understand
that　in　connection　with　these　there　is　a　great　machinery　of　intrigue
going　on　all　the　time；　with　branches　all　over　the　world；　spies
everywhere　with　unlimited　funds；　and　with　huge　opportunities　of
good　or　evil。　　In　effect　I　have　become　an　outside　member　of　what　is
nothing　more　nor　less　than　a　very　powerful　and；　it　seems　to　me；
daring　secret　society。〃

〃So　far　as　you　are　concerned；　Duke；〃　the　Prince　said；　〃your
responsibility　ceases　with　ordinary　membership。　　You　can　take　no
count　of　anything　beyond。　　The　time　may　come　when　the　inner　circle
may　be　opened　to　you。〃

The　Duke　coughed。

〃You　misapprehend　me；〃　he　said。　　〃I　can　assure　you　I　am　not　anxious
for　promotion。　　On　the　contrary；　I　stand　before　you　an　aggrieved
person。　　I　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that　my　house；　and　the
shelter　of　my　wife's　name；　have　been　used　for　a　plot；　the　main
points　of　which　have　been　kept　wholly　secret　from　me。〃

The　Prince　flicked　his　cigarette　ash　into　the　grate。

〃My　dear　Dorset；〃　he　said　gently；　〃if　you　will　allow　me　to　explain　…〃

〃I　thank　you；　Saxe　Leinitzer；〃　the　Duke　said　coldly；　〃but　it　is
beginning　to　occur　to　me　that　I　have　had　enough　of　your　explanations。
It　seemed　natural　enough　to　me；　and　I　must　say　well　conceived；　that
some　attempt　should　be　made　to　modify　the　views　of；　if　not　wholly
convert；　Reginald　Brott　by　means　of　the　influence　of　a　very　charming
woman。　　It　was　my　duty　as　a　member　of　the　Order　to　assist　in　this；
and　the　shelter　of　my　house　and　name　were　freely　accorded　to　the
Countess。　　But　it　is　news　to　me　to　find　that　she　was　brought　here
practically　by　force。　　That　because　she　was　an　inner　member　and
therefore　bound　to　implicit　obedience　that　she　was　dragged　away　from
her　husband；　kept　apart　from　him　against　her　will；　forced　into
endeavours　to　make　a　fool　of　Brott　even　at　the　cost　of　her　good　name。
And　now；　worst　of　all；　I　am　told　that　a　very　deeply　laid　plot　on
the　part　of　some　of　you　will　compel　her　to　leave　England　almost　at
once；　and　that　her　safety　depends　upon　her　inducing　Reginald　Brott
to　accompany　her。〃

〃She　has　appealed　to　you；〃　the　Prince　muttered。

〃She　has　done　nothing　so　sensible；〃　the　Duke　answered　drily。　　〃The
facts　which　I　have　just　stated　are　k