第13章
Mr。Sabinwasforamomentveryseriousindeed。Theadvicegiveninsuchamannerwasfullofforebodingstohim。Thelinesfromthecornersofhismouthseemedgravenintohisface。
“Felix，“hesaidslowly，“IamsometimesconsciousofthefactthatIampassingintothatperiodoflifewhichwecalloldage。Myambitionsaredead，myenergiesareweakened。FormanyyearsIhavetoiled-thetimehascomeforrest。OfallthegreatpassionswhichIhavefeltthereremainsbutone-Lucille。Lifewithoutherisworthnothingtome。Iamwearyofsolitude，IamwearyofeverythingexceptLucille。HowthencanIlistentosuchadvice？
FormeitmustbeLucille，orthatlittlejourneyintothemists，fromwhichonedoesnotreturn。“
Felixwassilent。Thepathosofthisthingtouchedhim。
“Iwillnotdisputetherightofthosewhohavetakenherfromme，“
Mr。Sabincontinued，“butIwantherback。Sheisnecessarytome。
Mypurse，mylife，mybrainsaretheretobethrownintothescales。
Iwillbuyher，orfightforher，orrejointheirranksmyself。ButIwantherback。“
StillFelixwassilent。Hewaslookingsteadfastlyintothefire。
“Youhaveheardme，“Mr。Sabinsaid。
“Ihaveheardyou，“Felixanswered。“Myadvicestands，“
“Iknownow，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“thatIhaveahardtaskbeforeme。
Theyshallhavemeforafriendoranenemy。Icanstillmakemyselffeltaseither。Youhavenothingmoretosay？“
“Nothing！“
“Thenletuspartcompany，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“ortalkofsomethingmorecheerful。Youdepressme，Felix。LetDusonbringuswine。
Youlooklikeadeath’shead。“
Felixrousedhimself。
“Youwillgoyourownway，“hesaid。“NowthatyouhavechosenI
willtellyouthis。Iamglad。Yes，letDusonbringwine。Iwilldrinktoyourhealthandtoyoursuccess。Therehavebeentimeswhenmenhaveperformedmiracles。Ishalldrinktothatmiracle。“
Dusonbroughtalsoaletter，whichMr。Sabin，withanodtowardsFelix，opened。ItwasfromHelene。
“15ParkLane，London，“ThursdayMorning。
“MyDEARUNCLE，-
“Iwantyoutocometoluncheonto-day。ThePrincessdeCatelanishere，andIamexpectingalsoMr。Brott，theHomeSecretary-ouronegreatpolitician，youknow。ManypeoplesaythatheisthemostinterestingmaninEngland，andmustbeournextPrimeMinister。
Suchpeopleinterestyou，Iknow。Docome。
“Yourssincerely，“HELENE。“
Mr。Sabinrepeatedthenametohimselfashestoodforamomentwiththeletterinhishand。
“Brott！Whatanameforastatesman！Well，hereisyourhealth，Felix。Idonotoftendrinkwineinthemorning，but-“
Hebrokeoffinthemiddleofhissentence。TheglasswhichFelixhadbeenintheactofraisingtohislipslayshattereduponthefloor，andalittlestreamofwinetrickledacrossthecarpet。
Felixhimselfseemedscarcelyconsciousofthedisaster。Hischeekswerewhite，andheleanedacrossthetabletowardsMr。Sabin。
“Whatnamedidyousay-whatname？“
Mr。Sabinreferredagaintotheletterwhichheheldinhishand。
“Brott！“herepeated。“HeisHomeSecretary，Ibelieve。“
“Whatdoyouknowabouthim？“
“Nothing，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“Myniece，theCountessofCamperdown，asksmetomeethimto-dayatluncheon。Explainyourself，myyoungfriend。Thereisafreshglassbyyourside。“
Felixpouredhimselfoutaglassanddrankitoff。Butheremainedsilent。
“Well？“
Felixpickeduphisglovesandstick。
“YouareaskedtomeetMr。Brottatluncheonto-day？“
“Yes。“
“Areyougoing？“
“Certainly！“
Felixnodded。
“Verygood，“hesaid。“Ishouldadviseyoutocultivatehisacquaintance。Heisaveryextraordinaryman。“
“Come，Felix，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Youowemesomethingmorelucidinthewayofexplanations。Whoisbe？“
“Astatesman-successful，ambitious。HeexpectstobePrimeMinister。“
“AndwhathaveItodowithhim，orhewithme？“Mr。Sabinaskedquietly。
Felixshookhishead。
“Icannottellyou，“hesaid。“YetIfancythatyouandhemaysometimebedrawntogether。“
Mr。Sabinaskednomorequestions，buthepromptlysatdownandacceptedhisniece’sinvitation。WhenhelookedroundFelixhadgone。HerangthebellforDusonandhandedhimthenote。
“Mytownclothes，Duson，“heordered。“Iamlunchingout。“
Themanbowedandwithdrew。Mr。Sabinremainedforafewmomentsindeepthought。
“Brott！“herepeated。“Brott！Itisasingularname。
Sothiswastheman！Mr。Sabindidnotneglecthisluncheon，norwasheeverforamomentunmindfulofthegrey-headedprincesswhochattedawaybyhissidewithallthevivacityofherraceandsex。
ButhewatchedMr。Brott。
Amanthis！Mr。Sabinwasajudge，andheappraisedhimrightly。
Hesawthroughthatcourteousgenialityoftoneandgesture；theready-madesmile，althoughitseemednaturalenough，didnotdeceivehim。Underneathwasamanofiron，square-jawed，nervous，forceful。Mr。Brottwasprobablyatthattimetheablestpoliticianofeitherpartyinthecountry。Mr。Sabinknewit。
Hefoundhimselfwonderingexactlyatwhatpointoftheirlivesthismanandhewouldcomeintocontact。
AfterluncheonHelenebroughtthemtogether。
“Ibelieve，“shesaidtoMr。Brott，“thatyouhavenevermetmyUNCLE。MayImakeyouformallyacquainted？UNCLE，thisisMr。
Brott，whomyoumustknowagreatdealabouteventhoughyouhavebeenawayforsolong-theDucdeSouspennier。“
ThetwomenbowedandHelenepassedon。Mr。Sabinleaneduponhisstickandwatchedkeenlyforanysignintheother’sface。Ifheexpectedtofindithewasdisappointed。Eitherthismanhadnoknowledgeofwhohewas，orthosethingswhichweretocomebetweenthemwereasyetunborn。
Theystrolledtogetheraftertheotherguestsintothewintergardens，whichweretheenvyofeveryhostessinLondon。Mr。Sabinlitacigarette，Mr。Brottregretfullydeclined。Heneithersmokednordrankwine。Yethewasdisposedtobefriendly，andselectedaseatwheretheywerealittleapartfromtheotherguests。
“Youatleast，“heremarked，inanswertoanobservationofMr。
Sabin’s，“arefreefromthetyrannyofpolitics。Iamassuming，ofcourse，thatyourcountryunderitspresentformofgovernmenthaslostitsholduponyou。“
Mr。Sabinsmiled。
“Itisadoubtfulboon，“hesaid。“ItistruethatIampracticallyanexile。RepublicanFrancehasnoneedofme。HadIbeenasoldierIcouldstillhaveremainedapatriot。Butforonewhoseleaningsweretowardspolitics，neithermyfatherbeforemenorI
couldbeofservicetoourcountry。Youshouldbethankful，“hecontinuedwithaslightsmile，“thatyouareanEnglishman。Noconstitutionintheworldcanoffersomuchtothepoliticianwhoisstrongenoughandfearlessenough。“
Mr。Brottglancedtowardshistwinklingeyes。
“Doyouhappentoknowwhatmypoliticsare？“heasked。
Mr。Sabinhesitated。
“Yourviews，Iknow，areadvanced，“hesaid。“FortherestIhavebeenabroadforyears。Ihavelosttouchalittlewithaffairsinthiscountry。“
“Iamafraid，“Mr。Brottsaid，“thatIshallshockyou。Youareanaristocratofthearistocrats，Iademocratofthedemocrats。
ThepeoplearetheonlymasterswhomIown。TheyfirstsentmetoParliament。“