Leonarda. By the way, Pedersen, how has that little affair of yours been going? Pedersen. Oh-- Leonarda. Come to me this evening. We will see if we can continue our little talk about it. Pedersen. I have been wishing for that for a long time, ma'am. Leonarda. Yes, for the last eight or ten days I have not been able to think of anything properly. Pedersen. We have all noticed that there has been something wrong with you, ma'am. Leonarda. We all have our troubles. (PEDERSEN waits; but as LEONARDA begins to pick apples carefully from a young tree and put them in a small basket that is on her arm, he goes out to the left. HAGBART appears from the right, and stands for a minute without her seeing him.) Hagbart. Mrs. Falk! (LEONARDA gives a. little scream.) I beg your pardon, but I have been looking for you everywhere. How are you? I have only just this moment got back. Leonarda. Aagot is not at home. Hagbart. I know. Has she been away the whole time? Leonarda. Yes. Hagbart. Will she be away long? Leonarda. I am sending the horses up to-day, so she should be here by the day after to-morrow. Hagbart. It was you I wanted to speak to, Mrs. Falk. Leonarda. About Aagot? Hagbart. Yes, about Aagot--amongst other things. Leonarda. But couldn't you wait--till some other time? Hagbart. Mrs. Falk, I came straight here from the steamer; so you can see for yourself-- Leonarda. But if it concerns Aagot, and she is not here? Hagbart. The part of it that concerns Aagot is soon said. She was perfectly right--only I did not know it at the time. Leonarda. Good God! Hagbart. I do not love Aagot. Leonarda. But if Aagot loves you? Hagbart. She has showed me lately that she does not. Did she not tell you so, plainly? Leonarda. She was--how shall I put it?--too excited for me to attach much importance to what she said. Hagbart. Then she did tell you so. I thought she had--indeed I was sure of it. Aagot does not love me, but she loves you. She wants you to be happy. Leonarda. If you do not love Aagot, it seems to me you ought not to have come here. Hagbart. Perhaps you are right. But I am not the same man as I was when I used to come here before; nor do I come for the same reason. Leonarda. If you do not love Aagot, I must repeat that you have no right to be here. You owe that much consideration both to her and to me. Hagbart. I assure you that it is from nothing but the sincerest consideration for you that I am here now. Leonarda (who up to this point has been standing by the tree). Then I must go! Hagbart. You won't do that! Leonarda. You seem to me completely changed. Hagbart. Thank goodness for that!--because I don't feel any great respect for the man I was before. Many people can decide such things in a moment, but it has taken me time to see my course clearly. Leonarda. I don't understand you. Hagbart (almost before the words are out of her mouth, coming close to her). You do understand me! Leonarda. It would be wicked! Take care!