第10章
“They’lltellyouthatattheoffice，“themananswered。“Getin，please。“
Mr。SabinlookedaroundforFelix，buthehaddisappeared。Hetookouthiscigarette-case。
“Youwillpermitmefirsttolightacigarette，“heremarked。
“Allright！Onlylooksharp。“
Mr。Sabinkeptsilenceinthecarriage。Thedrivewasalongone。
WhentheydescendedhelookedupatDuson，whosatuponthebox。
“Duson，“hesaid，andhisvoice，thoughlow，wasterrible，“IseethatIcanbemistakeninmen。Youareavillain。“
Themansprungtohisfeet，hatinhand。Hisfacewaswrungwithemotion。
“YourGrace，“hesaid，“itistruethatIbetrayedyou。ButIdiditwithoutreward。Iamaruinedman。IdiditbecausetheorderswhichcametomeweresuchasIdarenotdisobey。Hereareyourkeys，yourGrace，andmoney。“
Mr。Sabinlookedathimsteadily。
“You，too，Duson？“
“Itoo，alas，yourGrace！“
Mr。Sabinconsideredforamoment。
“Duson，“hesaid，“Iretainyouinmyservice。TakemyluggageonboardtheCampaniato-morrowafternoon，andpaythebillatthehotel。Ishalljoinyouontheboat。“
Dusonwasamazed。Themanwhowasstandingbylaughed。
“Ifyoutakemyadvice，sir，“heremarked，“you’llorderyourclothestobesenthere。I’veakindoffancytheCampaniawillsailwithoutyouto-morrow。“
“Youhavemyorders，Duson，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Youcanrelyuponseeingme。“
Thedetectiveledthewayintothebuilding，andopenedthedoorleadingintoalarge，barelyfurnishedoffice。
“Chief’sgonehomeforthenight，Iguess，“heremarked。“Wecanfixupashakedownforyouinoneoftheroomsbehind。“
“Ithankyou，“Mr。Sabinsaid，sittingdowninahigh-backedwoodenchair；“Ideclinetomoveuntilthechargeagainstmeisproperlyexplained。“
“Thereisnooneheretodoitjustnow，“themananswered。Bettermakeyourselfcomfortableforabit。“
“Youdetainmehere，then，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“withoutevenasightofyourwarrantoranyintimationastothechargeagainstme？“
“Oh，thechief’llfixallthat，“themananswered。“Don’tyouworry。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
InamagnificentlyfurnishedapartmentsomewhereintheneighbourhoodofFifthAvenueasmallpartyofmenwereseatedroundacardtablepiledwithchipsandrollsofbills。Onthesideboardtherewasagreatcollectionofemptybottles，spiritdecantersandVichysyphons。
Mr。Horserwashelpinghimselftobrandyandwaterwithonehandandholdinghimselfupwiththeother。Therewasaknockatthedoor。
Amanwhowasstillplayinglookedup。Hewasaboutfiftyyearsofage，cleanshaven，withvacuouseyesandaweakmouth。Hewasthehostoftheparty。
“Comein！“heshouted。
Ayoungmanenteredinalongblackovercoatandsofthat。Helookedabouthimwithoutsurprise，butheseemedtonoteMr。
Horser’spresencewithsomeconcern。Themanatthetablethrewdownhiscards。
“Whatthedevildoyouwant，Smith？“
“AnimportantdespatchfromWashingtonhasjustarrived，sir。I
havebroughtitupwiththecodebook。“
“FromWashingtonatthistimeofthenight，“heexclaimedthickly。
“Comeinhere，Smith。“
Heraisedthecurtainsleadingintoasmallanteroom，andturneduptheelectriclight。Hisclerklaidthemessagedownonthetablebeforehim。
“Hereisthedespatch，Mr。Mace，“hesaid，“andhereisthetranslation。“
“EnglishAmbassadordemandsimmediateexplanationofarrestofDukeSouspennieratWaldorfto-night。Replyimmediatelywhatchargeandevidence。SouspenniernaturalisedEnglishman。“
Mr。Macesprangtohisfeetwithanoath。Hethrewasidethecurtainwhichshieldedtheroomfromthelargerapartment。
“Horser，comehere，youdamnedfool！“
Horser，withastreamofmagnificentinvectives，obeyedthesummons。
Hishostpointedtothemessage。
“Readthat！“
Mr。Horserreadandhisfacegrewevenmorerepulsive。Adullpurpleflushsuffusedhischeeks，hiseyeswerebloodshot，andtheveinsonhisforeheadstoodoutlikecords。HeleanedforseveralmomentsagainstthetableandsteadilycursedMr。Sabin，thegovernmentatWashington，andsomethingunderhisbreathwhichhedidnotdaretonameopenly。
“Oh，shutup！“hishostsaidatlast。“Howthedevilarewegoingtogetoutofthis？“
Mr。Horserlefttheroomandreturnedwithatumblerfullofbrandyandaverylittlewater。
“Takeadrinkyourself，“hesaid。“It’llsteadyyou。
“Oh，I’msteadyenough，“Mr。Macerepliedimpatiently。“Iwanttoknowhowyou’regoingtogetusoutofthis。Whatwasthecharge，anyhow？“
“Passingforgedbills，“Horseranswered。“Parsonsfixeditup。“
Mr。Maceturnedashadepaler。
“Wherethedevil’sthesenseinachargelikethat？“heansweredfiercely。“Theman’samillionaire。He’llturnthetablesonusnicely。“
“We’vegottokeephimtillaftertheCampaniasails，anyhow，“
Horsersaiddoggedly。
“We’renotgoingtokeephimtenminutes，“Macereplied。“I’mgoingtosigntheorderforhisrelease。“
Horser’sspeechwasthickwithdrunkenfury。“By——I’llseethatyoudon’t！“heexclaimed。
Maceturneduponhimangrily。
“Youselfishfool！“hemuttered。“You’renotinthething，anyhow。
IfyouthinkI’mgoingtoriskmypositionforthesakeofonelittlejobyou’rewrong。Ishallgodownmyselfandreleasehim，withanapology。“
“He’llhavehisrevengeallthesame，“Horseranswered。“It’stoolatenowtofunkthething。Theycan’tbudgeyou。We’llseetothat。WeholdNewYorkinourhands。Beaman，Mace，andrunalittlerisk。It’sfiftythousand。“
Macelookedupathimcuriously。
“Whatdoyougetoutofit，Horser？“
Horser’sfacehardened。
“Notonecent！“hedeclaredfiercely。“OnlyifIfailitmightbeunpleasantformenexttimeIcrossed。“
“Idon’tknow！“Macedeclaredweakly。“Idon’tknowwhattodo。
It’stwelvehours，Horser，andthechargeisridiculous。“
“Youhavemebehindyou。“
“Ican’ttellthemthatatWashington，“Macesaid。
“It’safact，allthesame。Don’tbesodamnednervous。“
Macedismissedhisclerk，andfoundhisotherguests，too，onthepointofdeparture。Butthelasthadscarcelyleftbeforeaservantenteredwithanotherdespatch。
“ReleaseSouspennier。
Macehandedittohiscompanion。
“Thissettlesit，“hedeclared。“Ishallgoroundandtryandmakemypeacewiththefellow。“
Horserstoodintheway，burly，half-drunkandvicious。Hestruckhishostinthefacewithclenchedfist。Macewentdownwithscarcelyagroan。Aservant，hearingthefall，camehurryingback。
“Yourmasterisdrunkandhehasfallendown，“Horsersaid。“Puthimtobed-givehimasleepingdraughtifyou’vegotone。“
Theservantbentovertheunconsciousman。