CHAPTER XVI
Mr. Brott and Mr. Sabin dined together--not, as it happened, at theHouse of Commons, but at the former's club in Pall Mall. For Mr. Sabinit was not altogether an enjoyable meal. The club was large, gloomy andpolitical; the cooking was exactly of that order which such surroundingsseemed to require. Nor was Mr. Brott a particularly brilliant host. Yethis guest derived a certain amount of pleasure from the entertainment,owing to Brott's constant endeavours to bring the conversation round toLucille.
"I find," he said, as they lit their cigarettes, "that I committed anindiscretion the other day at Camperdown House!"
Mr. Sabin assumed the puzzled air of one endeavouring to pin down anelusive memory.
"Let me see," he murmured doubtfully. "It was in connection with--"
"The Countess Radantz. If you remember, I told you that it was herdesire just now to remain incognito. I, however, unfortunately forgotthis during the course of our conversation."
"Yes, I remember. You told me where she was staying. But the Countessand I are old acquaintances. I feel sure that she did not object to yourhaving given me her address. I could not possibly leave London withoutcalling upon her."
Mr. Brott moved in his chair uneasily.
"It seems presumption on my part to make such a suggestion perhaps," hesaid slowly, "but I really believe that the Countess is in earnest withreference to her desire for seclusion just at present. I believe thatshe is really very anxious that her presence in London, just now shouldnot be generally known."
"I am such a very old friend," Mr. Sabin said. "I knew her when she wasa child."
Mr. Brott nodded.
"It is very strange," he said, "that you should have come together againin such a country as America, and in a small town too."
"Lenox," Mr. Sabin said, "is a small place, but a great center. By thebye, is there not some question of an impending marriage on the part ofthe Countess?"
"I have heard--of nothing of the sort," Mr. Brott said, looking upstartled. Then, after a moment's pause, during which he studied closelyhis companion's imperturbable face, he added the question which forcedits way to his lips.
"Have you?"
Mr. Sabin looked along his cigarette and pinched it affectionately. Itwas one of his own, which he had dexterously substituted for those whichhis host had placed at his disposal.
"The Countess is a very charming, a very beautiful, and a mostattractive woman," he said slowly. "Her marriage has always seemed to mea matter of certainty."
Mr. Brott hesitated, and was lost.
"You are an old friend of hers," he said. "You perhaps know more of herrecent history than I do. For a time she seemed to drop out of my lifealtogether. Now that she has come back I am very anxious to persuade herto marry me."
A single lightning-like flash in Mr. Sabin's eyes for a momentdisconcerted his host. But, after all, it was gone with such amazingsuddenness that it left behind it a sense of unreality. Mr. Brottdecided that after all it must have been fancy.
"May I ask," Mr. Sabin said quietly, "whether the Countess appears toreceive your suit with favour?"
Mr. Brott hesitated.
"I am afraid I cannot go so far as to say that she does," he saidregretfully. "I do not know why I find myself talking on this matter toyou. I feel that I should apologise for giving such a personal turn tothe conversation."
"I beg that you will do nothing of the sort," Mr. Sabin protested. "Iam, as a matter of fact, most deeply interested."
"You encourage me," Mr. Brott declared, "to ask you a question--to me avery important question."
"It will give me great pleasure," Mr. Sabin assured him, "if I am ableto answer it."
"You know," Mr. Brott said, "of that portion of her life concerningwhich I have asked no questions, but which somehow, whenever I think ofit, fills me with a certain amount of uneasiness. I refer to the lastthree years which the Countess has spent in America."
Mr. Sabin looked up, and his lips seemed to move, but he said nothing.Mr. Brott felt perhaps that he was on difficult ground.
"I recognise the fact," he continued slowly, "that you are the friendof the Countess, and that you and I are nothing more than the merestacquaintances. I ask my question therefore with some diffidence. Can youtell me from your recent, more intimate knowledge of the Countessand her affairs, whether there exists any reason outside her owninclinations why she should not accept my proposals of marriage?"
Mr. Sabin had the air of a man gravely surprised. He shook his head veryslightly.
"You must not ask me such a question as that, Mr. Brott," he said. "Itis not a subject which I could possibly discuss with you. But I have noobjection to going so far as this. My experience of the Countess is thatshe is a woman of magnificent and effective will power. I think if shehas any desire to marry you there are or could be no obstacles existingwhich she would not easily dispose of."
"There are obstacles, then?"
"You must not ask me that," Mr. Sabin said, with a certain amount ofstiffness. "The Countess is a very dear friend of mine, and you mustforgive me now if I say that I prefer not to discuss her any longer."
A hall servant entered the room, bearing a note for Mr. Brott. Hereceived it at first carelessly, but his expression changed the momenthe saw the superscription. He turned a little away, and Mr. Sabinnoticed that the fingers which tore open the envelope were trembling.The note seemed short enough, but he must have read it half a dozentimes before at last he turned round to the messenger.
"There is no answer," he said in a low tone.
He folded the note and put it carefully into his breast pocket. Mr.Sabin subdued an insane desire to struggle with him and discover, byforce, if necessary, who was the sender of those few brief lines. ForMr. Brott was a changed man.
"I am afraid," he said, turning to his guest, "that this has been a verydull evening for you. To tell you the truth, this club is not exactlythe haunt of pleasure-seekers. It generally oppresses me for the firsthour or so. Would you like a hand at bridge, or a game of billiards? Iam wholly at your service--until twelve o'clock."
Mr. Sabin glanced at the clock.
"You are very good," he said, "but I was never much good at indoorgames. Golf has been my only relaxation for many years. Besides, I toohave an engagement for which I must leave in a very few minutes."
"It is very good of you," Mr. Brott said, "to have given me the pleasureof your company. I have the greatest possible admiration for your niece,Mr. Sabin, and Camperdown is a thundering good fellow. He will be ourleader in the House of Lords before many years have passed."
"He is, I believe," Mr. Sabin remarked, "of the same politics asyourself."
"We are both," Mr. Brott answered, with a smile, "I am afraid outsidethe pale of your consideration in this respect. We are both Radicals."
Mr. Sabin lit another cigarette and glanced once more at the clock.
"A Radical peer!" he remarked. "Isn't that rather an anomaly? Theprinciples of Radicalism and aristocracy seem so divergent."
"Yet," Mr. Brott said, "they are not wholly irreconcilable. I have oftenwished that this could be more generally understood. I find myself attimes very unpopular with people, whose good opinion I am anxious toretain, simply owing to this too general misapprehension."
Mr. Sabin smiled gently.
"You were referring without doubt--" he began.
"To the Countess," Brott admitted. "Yes, it is true. But after all," headded cheerfully, "I believe that our disagreements are mainly upon thesurface. The Countess is a woman of wide culture and understanding. Hermind, too, is plastic. She has few prejudices."
Mr. Sabin glanced at the clock for the third time, and rose to his feet.He was quite sure now that the note was from her. He leaned on hisstick and took his leave quietly. All the time he was studying his host,wondering at his air of only partially suppressed excitement.
"I must thank you very much, Mr. Brott," he said, "for yourentertainment. I trust that you will give me a
n opportunity shortly ofreciprocating your hospitality."
The two men parted finally in the hall. Mr. Sabin stepped into his hiredcarriage.
"Dorset House!" he directed.
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