Stella.—­That confidence in the future is exactly what I need—­some of your optimism.  I knew that you would frown and say:  No matter!  I am now more happy.  Only I am afraid of our doctor.  Well (looking through the window), our gentlemen are coming.  Mr. Pretwic and Count Drahomir.

Czeska (looking through the window.)—­Your future husband is looking very well, but so is Count Drahomir.  Since when is he with Mr. Pretwic?

Stella (looking through the window).—­For the past two weeks.  Mr. Pretwic has invited him.  They are coming.

Czeska.—­And your little heart is throbbing—­

Stella.—­Do not tease me again.

SCENE II.

Mrs. Czeska.  Stella.  George Pretwic.  Count Drahomir.—­The count has his left arm in a sling.—­A servant.

Servant (opening the door).—­The princess is in the drawing-room.

Stella.—­How late you are to-day!

George.—­It is true.  The sun is already setting.  But we could not come earlier.  Do you not know that there has been a fire in the neighboring village?  We went there.

Czeska.—­We have heard of it.  It seems that several houses were burned.

George.—­The fire began in the morning, and it was extinguished only now.  Some twenty families are without a roof and bread.  We are also late because Karol had an accident.

Stella (with animation).—­It is true.  Your arm is in a sling!

Drahomir.—­Oh, it is a mere trifle.  If there were no more serious wounds in the world, courage would be sold in all the markets.  Only a slight scratch—­

Stella.—­Mr. Pretwic, how did it happen?

George.—­When it happened I was at the other end of the village, and I could not see anything on account of the smoke.  I was only told that Karol had jumped into a burning house.

Stella.—­Oh, Lord!

Drahomir (laughing).—­I see that my deed gains with distance.

Czeska.—­You must tell us about it yourself.

Drahomir.—­They told me that there was a woman in a house of which the roof had begun to burn.  Thinking that this salamander who was not afraid of fire was some enchanted beauty, I entered the house out of pure curiosity.  It was quite dark owing to the smoke.  I looked and saw that I had no luck, because the salamander was only an old Jewish woman packing some feathers in a bag.  Amidst the cloud of down she looked like anything you please but an enchantress.  I shouted that there was a fire, and she shouted too, evidently taking me for a thief—­so we both screamed.  Finally I seized hold of my salamander, fainting with fear, and carried her out, not even through a window, but through the door.

George.—­But you omitted to say that the roof fell in and that a spar struck your hand.

Drahomir.—­True—­and I destroyed the dam of my modesty, and will add that one of the selectmen of the village made a speech in my honor.  It seems to me that he made some mention of a monument which they would erect for me.  But pray believe that the fire was quenched by George and his people.  I think they ought to erect two monuments.