the yellow crayon-第50章

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mission　here　is　to　be　your　protector　should　you　need　one。〃

Lucille's　eyes　grew　bright；　and　her　heart　beat　quickly。

〃Tell　me；〃　she　said；　〃who　sent　you？〃

He　smiled。

〃I　think　that　you　know；〃　he　answered。　　〃One　who　I　can　assure　you
will　never　allow　you　to　suffer　any　harm。　　I　have　exceeded　my
instructions　in　speaking　to　you；　but　I　fancied　that　you　were　looking
worried。　　You　need　not。　　I　can　assure　you　that　you　need　have　no
cause。〃

Her　eyes　filled　with　tears。

〃I　knew；〃　she　said；　〃that　those　telegrams　were　forgeries。〃

He　looked　carefully　around。

〃I　know　nothing　about　any　telegrams；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　am　here　to
see　that　no　harm　comes　to　you；　and　I　promise　you　that　it　shall　not。
Your　friend　is　looking　out　of　the　cabin　door。　　I　think　we　may
congratulate　ourselves；　madam；　on　an　excellent　passage。〃

Lady　Carey　disembarked；　a　complete　wreck；　leaning　on　the　arm　of　her
maid；　and　with　a　bottle　of　smelling　salts　clutched　in　her　hand。　　She
slept　all　the　way　in　the　train；　and　only　woke　up　when　they　were
nearing　Paris。　　She　looked　at　Lucille　in　astonishment。

〃Why；　what　on　earth　have　you　been　doing　to　yourself？〃　she　exclaimed。
〃You　look　disgustingly　fit　and　well。〃

Lucille　laughed　softly。

〃Why　not？　I　have　had　a　nap；　and　we　are　almost　at　Paris。　　I　only
want　a　bath　and　a　change　of　clothes　to　feel　perfectly　fresh。〃

But　Lady　Carey　was　suspicious。

〃Have　you　seen　any　one　you　know　upon　the　train？〃　she　asked。

Lucille　shook　her　head。

〃Not　a　soul。　　A　little　man　whom　I　spoke　to　on　the　steamer　brought
me　some　coffee。　　That　is　all。〃

Lady　Carey　yawned　and　shook　out　her　skirts。　　〃I　suppose　I'm　getting
old；〃　she　said。　　〃I　couldn't　look　as　you　do　with　as　much　on　my　mind
as　you　must　have；　and　after　traveling　all　night　too。〃

Lucille　laughed。

〃After　all；〃　she　said；　〃you　know　that　I　am　a　professional　optimist；
and　I　have　faith　in　my　luck。　　I　have　been　thinking　matters　over
calmly；　and；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　am　not　in　the　least　alarmed。〃

Lady　Carey　looked　at　her　curiously。

〃Has　the　optimism　been　imbibed；〃　she　asked；　〃or　is　it　spontaneous？〃

Lucille　smiled。

〃Unless　the　little　man　in　the　plaid　mackintosh　poured　it　into　the
coffee　with　the　milk；〃　she　said；　〃I　could　not　possibly　have　imbibed
it；　for　I　haven't　spoken　to　another　soul　since　we　left。〃

〃Paris！　　Here　we　are；　thank　goodness。　　Celeste　can　see　the　things
through　the　customs。　　She　is　quite　used　to　it。　　We　are　going　to　the
Ritz；　I　suppose！〃　


CHAPTER　XLI

At　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening　Lucille　knocked　at　the　door　of
Lady　Carey's　　suite　of　rooms　at　the　hotel。　　There　was　no　answer。
A　chambermaid　who　was　near　came　smiling　up。

〃Miladi　has；　I　think；　descended　for　dinner；〃　she　said。

Lucille　looked　at　her　watch。　　She　saw　that　she　was　a　few　minutes
late；　so　she　descended　to　the　restaurant。　　The　small　table　which
they　had　reserved　was；　however；　still　unoccupied。　　Lucille　told　the
waiter　that　she　would　wait　for　a　few　moments；　and　sent　for　an
English　newspaper。

Lady　Carey　did　not　appear。　　A　quarter　of　an　hour　passed。　　The　head
waiter　came　up　with　a　benign　smile。

〃Madam　will　please　to　be　served？〃　he　suggested；　with　a　bow。

〃I　am　waiting　for　my　friend　Lady　Carey；〃　Lucille　answered。　　〃I
understood　that　she　had　come　down。　　Perhaps　you　will　send　and　see
if　she　is　in　the　reading…room。〃

〃With　much　pleasure；　madam；〃　the　man　answered。

In　a　few　minutes　he　returned。

〃Madam's　friend　was　the　Lady　Carey？〃　he　asked。

Lucille　nodded。

The　man　was　gently　troubled。

〃But；　Miladi　Carey；〃　he　said；　〃has　left　more　than　an　hour　ago。〃

Lucille　looked　up；　astonished。

〃Left　the　hotel？〃　she　exclaimed。

〃But　yes；　madam；〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Miladi　Carey　left　to　catch　the
boat　train　at　Calais　for　England。〃

〃It　is　impossible；〃　Lucille　answered。　　〃We　only　arrived　at　midday。〃

〃I　will　inquire　again；〃　the　man　declared。　　〃But　it　was　in　the　office
that　they　told　me　so。〃

〃They　told　you　quite　correctly；〃　said　a　familiar　voice。　　〃I　have
come　to　take　her　place。　　Countess；　I　trust　that　in　me　you　will
recognise　an　efficient　substitute。〃

It　was　the　Prince　of　Saxe　Leinitzer　who　was　calmly　seating　himself
opposite　to　her。　　The　waiter；　with　the　discretion　of　his　class；
withdrew　for　a　few　paces　and　stood　awaiting　orders。　　Lucille　looked
across　at　him　in　amazement。

〃You　here？〃　she　exclaimed；　〃and　Muriel　gone？　　What　does　this　mean？〃

The　Prince　leaned　forward。

〃It　means；〃　he　said；　〃that　after　you　left　I　was　in　torment。　　I　felt
that　you　had　no　one　with　you　who　could　be　of　assistance　supposing
the　worst　happened。　　Muriel　is　all　very　well；　but　she　is　a　woman；
and　she　has　no　diplomacy；　no　resource。　　I　felt；　Lucille；　that　I
should　not　be　happy　unless　I　myself　saw　you　into　safety。〃

〃So　you　followed　us　here；〃　Lucille　remarked　quietly。

〃Exactly！　　You　do　not　blame　me。　　It　was　for　your　sake　…　as　well　as
my　own。〃

〃And　Muriel　…　why　has　she　left　me　without　farewell　…　without　warning
of　any　sort？〃

The　Prince　smiled　and　stroked　his　fair　moustache。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　rather　an　awkward　thing　for　me　to　explain；
but　to　tell　you　the　truth；　Muriel　was　a　little　…　more　than　a　little
　…　annoyed　at　my　coming。　　She　has　no　right　to　be；　but　…　well；　you
know；　she　is　what　you　call　a　monopolist。　　She　and　I　have　been
friends　for　many　years。〃

〃I　understand　perfectly　what　you　have　wished　to　convey；〃　Lucille
said。　　〃But　what　I　do　not　understand　are　the　exact　reasons　which
brought　you　here。〃

The　Prince　took　up　the　carte　de　jour。

〃As　we　dine；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　tell　you。　　You　will　permit　me　to
order？〃

Lucille　rose　to　her　feet。

〃For　yourself；　certainly；〃　she　answered。　　〃As　for　me；　I　have
accepted　no　invitation　to　dine　with　you；　nor　do　I　propose　to　do　so。〃

The　Prince　frowned。

〃Be　reasonable；　Lucille；〃　he　pleaded。　　〃I　must　talk　with　you。　　There
are　important　plans　to　be　made。　　I　have　a　great　deal　to　say　to　you。
Sit　down。〃

Lucille　looked　across　at　hi　m　with　a　curious　smile　upon　her　lips。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　
〃You　have　a　good　deal　to　say　to　me？〃　she　remarked。　　〃Yes；　I　will
believe　that。　　But　of　the　truth　how　much；　I　wonder？〃

〃By　and　bye；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　judge　me　differently。　　For　hors
d'oeuvres　what　do　you　say　to　oeufs　de　pluvier？　Then　…　〃

〃Pardon　me；〃　she　interrupted；　〃I　am　not　interested　in　your　dinner！〃　

〃In　our　dinner；〃　he　ventured　gently。

〃I　am　not　dining　with　you；〃　she　declared　firmly。　　〃If　you　insist
upon　remaining　here　I　shall　have　something　served　in　my　room。　　You
know　quite　well　that　we　are　certain　to　be　recognised。　　One　would
imagine　that　this　was　a　deliberate　attempt　on　your　part　to
compromise　me。〃

〃Lucille；〃　he　said；　〃do　not　be　foolish！　　Why　do　you　persist　in
treating　me　as　though　I　were　your　persecutor？〃

〃Because　you　are；〃　she　said　coolly。

〃It　is　ridiculous；〃　he　declared。　　〃You　are　in　the　most　serious
danger；　and　I　have　come　only　to　save　you。　　I　can　do　it；　and　I　will。
But　listen　…　not　unless　you　change　your　demeanour　towards　me。〃

She　laughed　scornfully。　　She　had　risen　to　her　feet　now；　and　he　was
perforce　compelled　to　follow　her　example。

〃Is　that　a　challenge？〃　she　asked。

〃You　may　take　it　as　such　if　you　will；〃　he　answered；　with　a　note　of
sullenness　in　his　tone。　　〃You　know　very　well　that　I　have　but　to
lift　my　finger　and　the　gendarmes　will　be　here。　　Yes；　we　will　call
it　a　challenge。　　All　my　life　I　have　wanted　you。　　Now　I　think　that
my　time　has　come。　　Even　Souspennier　has　deserted　you。　　You　are
alone；　and　let　me　tell　you　that　danger　is　closer　at　your　heels　than
you　know　of。　　I　can　save　you；　and　I　will。　　But　I　have　a　price；　and
it　must　be　paid。〃

〃If　I　refuse？〃　she　asked。

〃I　send　for　the　chief　of　the　police。〃

〃She　looked　him　up　and　down；　a　measured；　merciless　survey。　　He　was
a　tall；　big　man；　but　he　seemed　to　shrink　into　insignificance。

〃You　are　a　coward　and　a　bully；〃　she　said　slowly。　　〃You　know　quite
well　that　I　am　innocent　of　any　knowledge　even　concerning　Duson's
death。　　But　I　would　sooner　meet　my　fate；　whatever　it　might　be；　than
suffer　even　the　touch　of　your　fingers　upon　my　hand。　　Your　presence
is　hateful　to　me。　　Send　for　your　chief　of　the　police。　　String　your
lies　together　as　you　will。　　I　am　satisfied。〃

She　left　him　and　swept　f