"Well, you have mentioned nothing which I couldn't do, if it seemed worth while," Lucille objected. "It sounds very primitive and delightful. I am sure we are all too luxurious and too lazy. I think we ought to turn over a new leaf."
"For you, dear Lucille," Lady Carey said with suave and deadly satire, "what improvement is possible? You have all that you could desire. It is much less fortunate persons, such as myself, to whom Utopia must seem such a delightful place."
A frock-coated and altogether immaculate young man approached their table and accosted Mr. Sabin.
"I beg your pardon, sir," he said, "but the manager would be much obliged if you would spare him a moment or two in his private room as soon as possible."
The little party broke up almost immediately. Coffee was ordered in the palm court, where the band was playing. Mr. Sabin and the Prince fell a little behind the others on the way out of the room.
"I am going to be cross-examined as regards Duson. I am no longer a member of the Order. What is to prevent my setting them upon the right track?"
"The fact," the Prince said coolly, "that you are hoping one day to recover Lucille."
"I doubt," Mr. Sabin said, "whether you are strong enough to keep her from me."
The Prince smiled. All his white teeth were showing.
"Come," he said, "you know better than--much better than that. Lucille must wait her release. You know that."
"I will buy it," Mr. Sabin said, "with a lie to the manager here, or I will tell the truth and still take her from you."
The Prince stood upon the topmost step of the balcony. Below was the palm court, with many little groups of people dotted about.
"My dear friend," he said, "Duson died absolutely of his own free will. You know that quite well. We should have preferred that the matter had been otherwise arranged. But as it is we are safe, absolutely safe."
"You will not show it," the Prince answered. "You cannot. You have kept it too long. And, after all, you cannot escape from the main fact. Duson committed suicide."
"He was incited to murder. His letter proves it."
"By whom? Ah, how your story would excite ridicule. I seem to hear the laughter now. No, my dear Souspennier, you would bargain for me with Lucille. Look below. Are we likely to part with her just yet?"