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"Oh you--perhaps two"

"Two o beyond antiquity, Madame"

"You see, you cannot stand the truth"

Wanda walked across the rooone of her aran anew

"Whatever you wish," I replied with resignation, "whatever will give you pleasure"

"How illogical!" she cried, "first you want to maketo toy with"

"Wanda--I love you"

"Noe are back to the place where we started You love me, and want to make e, because I doubt the per to take the risk with you?" I replied

"But it also depends on whether I a to risk it with you," she said quietly "I can easily i to one man for my entire life, but he would have to be a whole ate th, do you understand? And every man--I know this very well--as soon as he falls in love becomes weak, pliable, ridiculous He puts himself into the woman's hands, kneels down before her The only man whom I could love permanently would be he before whootten to like you so much, however, that I'll try it with you"

I fell down at her feet

"For heaven's sake, here you are kneeling already," she said " When I had risen again she continued, "I will give you a year's time to win me, to convince ether If you succeed, I will become your wife, and a wife, Severin, ill conscientiously and strictly perforh ere married--"

My blood rose to my head

In her eyes too there was a sudden flaether," she continued, "share our daily life, so that we rant you all the rights of a husband, of a lover, of a friend Are you satisfied?"