Nevertheless，Mr。Sabinlunchedwithdiscretion，asusual，butwithnolackofappetite。Itchancedthattheywerealone。LordCamperdownwasdownintheMidlandsforaday’shunting，andHelenehadensuredtheirseclusionfromanyonewhomightdropinbyawhisperedwordtothehailporterastheypassedintothehouse。
ItseemedtoherthatshehadneverfoundMr。Sabinmoreentertaining，hadnevermoreappreciatedhisraregiftofeffortlessandanecdotalconversation。Whatamarvelousmemory！Heknewsomethingofeverycountryfromtheinside。Hehadbeenbroughtatvarioustimesduringhislongdiplomaticcareerintocontactwithmostoftheinterestingpeopleintheworld。Heknewwellhowtoseparatethegrainfromthechaffaccordingtothetastesofhislistener。Thepathosofhispresentpositionappealedtoherirresistibly。Thepossibilitiesofhislifehadbeensogreat，fortunehadtreatedhimalwayssostrangely。Thegreatestofhisschemeshadcomesoneartosuccess，theluckhadturnedagainsthimonlyattheverymomentoffruition。HelenefeltverykindlytowardsherUNCLEassheledhim，afterluncheon，toaquietcornerofthewintergarden，whereaservanthadalreadyarrangedatablewithcoffeeandliqueursandcigarettes。Unscrupulousallhislife，therehadbeenanelementofgreatnessinallhisschemes。Evenhisfailureshadbeenmagnificent，forhissuccesseshehimselfhadseldomreapedthereward。Andnowintheautumnofhisdaysshefeltdimlythathewasthreatenedwithsomeevilthingagainstwhichhestoodatbaysingle-handed，likelyperhapstobeoverpowered。
Fortherewassomethinginhisfacejustnowwhichwasstrangetoher。
“Helene，“hesaidquietly，“Isupposethatyou，whoknewnothingofmetillyouleftschool，havelookeduponmealwaysasaselfish，passionlesscreature-aweaverofplots，perhapssometimesadreamerofdreams，butapersonwhollyself-centred，alwaysself-engrossed？“
Sheshookherhead。