"And this Pierre Clément?"
"He was, of course, betrayed. He was a young artist, in love with another man's mistress...."
"I remember the book; I liked it very much. Wasn't she later on engaged to a man whom she really loved? Yes, that was it, and during all the time she kept up her old liaison. The author wanted to show that a woman can love in two ways; a man only in one. That's true enough, isn't it?"
"Certainly! But the day came when her fiancé was going to compete with a picture. To cut my tale short, she gave herself to the president, and Pierre Clément was happy and could be married."
"And by this the author wanted to show that a woman will sacrifice everything to the man she loves—a man, on the other hand...."
"That is the most infamous statement I ever heard!" burst out Falander.
He rose, went to his writing-desk, threw open the flap and took out a black box.
"Here," he said, handing it to Agnes; "go home and rid the world of a monster."
"What's that?" laughed Agnes, opening the box and taking out a six-barrelled revolver. "I say, what a sweet thing! Didn't you use this as Carl Moor? I believe it is loaded."
She raised the revolver and fired up the chimney.