PRINCE SERGIUS. I did. Me voila. (Sits L. on sofa L.) Sophia Karenina (working up to distress). Oh, my dear friend, I begin to lose hope. She's bewitched him, positively bewitched him. Il est ensorcele. I never knew he could be so obstinate, so heartless, and so indifferent to me. He's changed completely since that woman left her husband. PRINCE SERGIUS. How do matters actually stand? SOPHIA KARENINA. Well, he's made up his mind to marry her at any cost. PRINCE SERGIUS. And her husband? SOPHIA KARENINA. He agrees to a divorce. PRINCE SERGIUS. Really? SOPHIA KARENINA. And Victor is willing to put up with all the sordidness, the vulgarity of the divorce court, the lawyers, evidences of guilt ... tout ca est degoutant. I can't understand his sensitive nature not being repelled by it. PRINCE SERGIUS (smiling). He's in love, and when a man's really in love-- SOPHIA KARENINA (interrupting). In our time love could remain pure, coloring one's whole life with a romantic friendship. Such love I understand and value. PRINCE SERGIUS (sighing). However, the present generation refuses to live on dreams. (He coughs delicately.) La possession de l'ame ne leur suffit plus. So what is the alternative? But tell me more of Victor. SOPHIA KARENINA. There's not very much to say. He seems bewitched, hardly my son. Did you know I'd called upon her? Victor pressed me so it was impossible to refuse. But Dieu merci, I found her out. So I merely left my card, and now she has asked me if I could receive her to-day, and I am expecting her (she glances at her watch) any moment now. I am doing all this to please Victor, but conceive my feelings. I know you always can. Really, really, I need your help. PRINCE SERGIUS (bowing). Thank you for the honor you do me. SOPHIA KARENINA. You realize this visit decides Victor's fate. I must refuse my consent, or---- But that's impossible. PRINCE SERGIUS. Have you met her? SOPHIA KARENINA. I've never seen her, but I'm afraid of her. No good woman leaves her husband, especially when there's nothing obviously intolerable about him. Why, I've seen Protosov often with Victor, and found him even quite charming. PRINCE SERGIUS (murmurs). So I've heard. So I've heard. SOPHIA KARENINA (continuing). She should bear her cross without complaint. And Victor must cease trying to persuade himself that his happiness lies in defying his principles. What I don't understand is how Victor, with his religious views, can think of marrying a divorced woman. I've heard him say over and over again--once quite lately-- that divorce is totally inconsistent with true Christianity. If she's been able to fascinate him to that point, I am afraid of her.--But how stupid of me to talk all the time! Have you spoken to him at all? What does he say? And don't you thoroughly agree with me?