Mr. Sabin as from some
unholy thing. Lady Carey had fallen back across her chair. Her hand was
still pressed to her side, and her face was very pale. A nervous little
laugh broke from her lips.

CHAPTER XXX

Mr. Sabin found a fourth chair, and calmly seated himself by Lucille's
side. But his eyes were fixed upon Lady Carey. She was slowly recovering
herself, but Mr. Sabin, who had never properly understood her attitude
towards him, was puzzled at the air of intense relief which almost shone
in her face.

"You seem--all of you," he remarked suavely, "to have found the music
a little exciting. Wagner certainly knew how to find his way to the
emotions. Or perhaps I interrupted an interesting discussion?"

Lucille smiled gently upon him.

"These two," she said, looking from the Prince to Lady Carey, "seem to
have been afflicted with a sudden nervous excitement, and yet I do not
think that they are, either of them, very susceptible to music."

Lady Carey leaned forward, and looked at him from behind the large fan
of white feathers which she was lazily fluttering before her face.

"Your entrance," she murmured, "was most opportune, besides being very
welcome. The Prince and I were literally--on the point of flying at one
another's throats."

Mr. Sabin glanced at his neighbour and smiled.

"You are certainly a little out of sorts, Saxe Leinitzer," he remarked.
"You look pale, and your hands are not quite steady. Nerves, I suppose.
You should see Dr. Carson in Brook Street."

The Prince shrugged his shoulders.

"My health," he said, "was never better. It is true that your coming
was somewhat of a surprise," he added, looking steadily at Mr. Sabin.
"I understood that you had gone for a short journey, and I was not
expecting to see you back again so soon."

"Duson," Mr. Sabin said, "has taken that short journey instead. It
was rather a liberty, but he left a letter for me fully explaining his
motives. I cannot blame him."

The Prince stroked his moustache.

"Ah!" he remarked. "That is a pity. You may, however, find it politic,
even necessary, to join him very shortly."

Mr. Sabin smiled grimly.

"I shall go when I am ready," he said, "not before!"

Lucille looked from one to the other with protesting eyebrows.

"Come," she said, "it is very impolite of you to talk in riddles before
my face. I have been flattering myself, Victor, that you were here to
see me. Do not wound my vanity."

He whispered some