. We were never so happy before. We
shall never know anything like it again. If you were what we thought, a
nameless and friendless child, you would be welcome back again, more
welcome than I can tell you. But you have your own life to live, and it
is not ours. You have your own place to fill in the world, and, forgive
me, your mother's memory to vindicate. Monsieur Feurgeres was right. For
her sake you must claim the things that are yours."

"But shall I never see you again, Arnold?" she asked, with a little
catch in her breath.

I set my teeth. I could see that the Archduchess was watching us.

"Our ways must lie far apart, Isobel," I said. "But who can say? Many
things may happen. The Princess Isobel may visit the studios when she is
in London or at Homburg. She may patronize the poor writer whose books
she knows."

Isobel sat and listened to me with stony face.

"I wonder," she murmured, "why the way to one's duty lies always through
Hell?"

Isobel's lips were quivering, and I dared make no effort to console her.
The Archduchess came suddenly across the room to us, and bent
affectionately over Isobel.

"My dear child," she said, "you are overtired. Go and talk to Adelaide.
She is alone in the music-room. I have something to say to Mr.
Greatson."

Isobel rose and left us at once. The Archduchess took her place. She was
carrying a fan of black ostrich feathers, and she waved it languidly for
some time as though in deep thought.

"Mr. Greatson," she said at length.

I turned and found her eyes fixed curiously upon me. These were moments
which I remembered all my life, and every little detail in connection
with them seemed flashed into my memory. The strange perfume, something
like the burning of wood spice, wafted towards me by her fan, the
glitter of the blue black sequins which covered her magnificent gown,
the faint smile upon her parted lips, and the meaning in her eyes--all
these things made their instantaneous and ineffaceable impression. Then
she leaned a little closer to me.

"Mr. Greatson," she repeated, "I know your secret!"

CHAPTER IX

I am afraid that for the moment I lost my self-possession. I had gone
through so much during the last few hours, and this woman spoke with
such confidence--so quietly, and yet with such absolute conviction--that
I felt the barriers which I had built about myself crumbling away. I
answered her lamely, and without conviction.

"My secret! I do not kno