“Fanny, you say?”

“Yes. Do you know her?”

“I think I do.”

“She was in love with Oswald herself. To keep Oswald from courting me she had committed a heartless treachery. After saving me from poverty, she cast me into a situation even worse than what she had rescued me from. She abused the blind confidence I had in her. But I’ll have my revenge; yes, I’ll have my revenge. Fanny is here with Oswald. I’ve seen them. I have written to him, making an appointment for tomorrow.”

“That was a mistake, Esther.”

“Why? Is that the way to play with a person’s life?”

“But what will you gain by this?”

“Revenge. Does that seem little?”

“Very little. If you’ve retained some affection for Oswald, that’s a different matter.”

“No, not a bit. I don’t care for him. But I won’t let Fanny get off without punishment for her perfidy.”