Part 51 (1/2)
There was a loud knock at the door. The secretary appeared upon the threshold. Behind him was a tall, slim young man in traveling costume.
”The King's messenger!” Brott exclaimed, rising to his feet.
CHAPTER x.x.xIV
The Prince presented himself with a low bow. Lucille had a copy of the morning paper in her hand.
”I congratulate you, Countess,” he said. ”You progress admirably. It is a great step gained.”
Lucille, who was looking pale and nervous, regarded him with anxiety.
”A step! But it is everything. If these rumours are true, he refuses the attempt to form a Cabinet. He takes a subordinate position under Letheringham. Every paper this morning says that if this is so his political career is over. It is true, is it not?”
”It is a great gain,” the Prince said slowly.
”But it is everything,” Lucille declared, with a rising note of pa.s.sion in her tone. ”It was my task. It is accomplished. I demand my release.”
The Prince was silent for a moment.
”You are in a great hurry, Lucille,” he said.
”What if I am!” she replied fiercely. ”Do you suppose that this life of lies and deceit is pleasant to me? Do you suppose that it is a pleasant task to lure a brave man on to his ruin?”
The Prince raised his eyebrows.
”Come,” he said, ”you can have no sympathy with Reginald Brott, the sworn enemy of our cla.s.s, a Socialist, a demagogue who would parcel out our lands in allotments, a man who has pledged himself to nothing more nor less than a revolution.”
”The man's views are hateful enough,” she answered, ”but he is in earnest, and however misguided he may be there is something n.o.ble in his unselfishness, in his, steady fixedness of purpose.”
The Prince's face indicated his contempt.
”Such men,” he declared, ”are only fit to be crushed like vermin under foot. In any other country save England we should have dealt with him differently.”
”This is all beside the question,” she declared. ”My task was to prevent his becoming Prime Minister, and I have succeeded.”
The Prince gave vent to a little gesture of dissent. ”Your task,” he said, ”went a little farther than that. We require his political ruin.”
She pointed to the pile of newspapers upon the table.
”Read what they say!” she exclaimed. ”There is not one who does not use that precise term. He has missed his opportunity. The people will never trust him again.”
”That, at any rate, is not certain,” the Prince said. ”You must remember that before long he will realise that he has been your tool. What then? He will become more rabid than ever, more also to be feared. No, Lucille, your task is not yet over. He must be involved in an open and public scandal, and with you.”
She was white almost to the lips with pa.s.sion.
”You expect a great deal!” she exclaimed. ”You expect me to ruin my life, then, to give my honour as well as these weary months, this constant humiliation.”
”You are pleased to be melodramatic,” he said coldly. ”It is quite possible to involve him without actually going to extremes.”
”And what of my husband?” she asked.