Servant.—­The lady will be here in a minute.

Leon (alone).—­I cannot overcome my emotion nor can I tranquillize the throbbing of my heart.  Three times have I touched the bell and three times have I wished to retreat.  I am troubled.  Why does she wish to see me! (Takes out a letter).  “Be so kind as to come to see me on a very important matter.  In spite of all that has happened I hope you will not refuse to grant the request of—­a woman.  Jadwiga Karlowiecka.”  Perhaps it would have been better and more honest to have left this letter without an answer.  But I see that I have cheated myself in thinking that nothing will happen, and that it would be brutal of me not to come.  The soul—­poor moth—­flies toward the light which may burn, but can neither warm nor light it.  What has attracted me here?  Is it love?  Can I answer the question as to whether I still love this woman—­so unlike my pure sweetheart of former years—­this half lioness, whose reputation has been torn to shreds by human tongues?  No!  It is rather some painful curiosity which has attracted me here.  It is the unmeasurable grief which in two years I have been unable to appease, that desire for a full explanation:  “Why?” has been repeated over and over during my sleepless nights.  And then let her see this emaciated face—­let her look from nearby on that broken life.  I could not resist.  Such vengeance is my right.  I shall be proud enough to set my teeth to stifle all groans.  What is done cannot be undone, and I swear to myself that it shall never be done again.

SCENE II.

Jadwiga (entering).—­You must excuse me for keeping you waiting.

Leon.—­It is my fault.  I came too early, although I tried to be exact.

Jadwiga.—­No, I must be frank and tell you how it happened.  In former times we were such dear friends, and then we have not seen each other for two years.  I asked you to come, but I was not sure that you would grant my request, therefore—­when the bell rang—­after two years—­(smiling) I needed a few moments to overcome the emotion.  I thought it was necessary for both of us.

Leon.—­I am calm, madam, and I listen to you.

Jadwiga.—­I wished also that we should greet each other like people who have forgotten about the past, who know that it will not return, and to be at once on the footing of good friends; I do not dare say like brother and sisters.  Therefore, Sir, here is my hand, and now be seated and tell me if you accept my proposition.

Leon.—­I leave that to you.

Jadwiga.—­If that is so, then I must tell you that such an agreement, based on mutual well-wishing, excludes excessive solemnity.  We must be natural, sincere, and frank.

Leon.—­Frankly speaking, it will be a little difficult, still.

Jadwiga.—­It would be difficult if there were no condition:  “Not a word about the past!” If we both keep to this, a good understanding will return of itself and in time we may become good friends.  What have you been doing during the past two years?