."

"I don't understand you," said Father Brown, and began to move away.

The woman took a step nearer to him, with thunderous brows and a sort of
savage stoop, like a bull lowering his horns.

"There isn't a good one," she hissed. "There was badness enough in the
captain taking all that money, but I don't think there was much goodness
in the prince giving it. The captain's not the only one with something
against him."

A light dawned on the cleric's averted face, and his mouth formed
silently the word "blackmail." Even as he did so the woman turned an
abrupt white face over her shoulder and almost fell. The door had opened
soundlessly and the pale Paul stood like a ghost in the doorway. By
the weird trick of the reflecting walls, it seemed as if five Pauls had
entered by five doors simultaneously.

"His Highness," he said, "has just arrived."

In the same flash the figure of a man had passed outside the first
window, crossing the sunlit pane like a lighted stage. An instant
later he passed at the second window and the many mirrors repainted in
successive frames the same eagle profile and marching figure. He was
erect and alert, but his hair was white and his complexion of an odd
ivory yellow. He had that short, curved Roman nose which generally
goes with long, lean cheeks and chin, but these were partly masked by
moustache and imperial. The moustache was much darker than the beard,
giving an effect slightly theatrical, and he was dressed up to the same
dashing part, having a white top hat, an orchid in his coat, a yellow
waistcoat and yellow gloves which he flapped and swung as he walked.
When he came round to the front door they heard the stiff Paul open it,
and heard the new arrival say cheerfully, "Well, you see I have come."
The stiff Mr. Paul bowed and answered in his inaudible manner; for a
few minutes their conversation could not be heard. Then the butler said,
"Everything is at your disposal;" and the glove-flapping Prince Saradine
came gaily into the room to greet them. They beheld once more that
spectral scene--five princes entering a room with five doors.

The prince put the white hat and yellow gloves on the table and offered
his hand quite cordially.

"Delighted to see you here, Mr. Flambeau," he said. "Knowing you very
well by reputation, if that's not an indiscreet remark."

"Not at all," answered Flambeau, laughing. "I am not sensitive. Very few
reputations are gained by unsullied virtue."