Aagot. It is wonderfully sweet of you, aunt!
Leonarda. Yes, love one another! Bring some beauty, some warmth, some colour into
this cold house!
Leonarda. Have you kissed her yet? (AAGOT moves a little away from HAGBART.)
Go on! (They embrace.)
Aagot (running from him to LEONARDA). But, dearest aunt, are you crying?
Leonarda. Don't bother about me!--Have you told your uncle, the bishop, about it?
Leonarda. You haven't?--Well, you have the worst of it before you yet, I am afraid.
Hagbart. No; now that I have got as far as this, nothing shall stand in my way!
Aagot. Do you hear that, aunt?
(SCENE.--A room in the BISHOP's house, some weeks later. A door at the back of the
room leads to another large room. Another door in the right-hand wall; windows in the
left. Well forward, by one of the windows, a large easy-chair. Farther back, a writing-
desk and chair. On the right, near the door, a couch, and chairs ranged along the wall.
Chairs also alongside the door at the back. The Bishop is sitting on the couch, talking to
HAGBART.)
Bishop. My dear Hagbart, you keep on telling me that you have acted up to your
convictions. Very well, do you want to forbid my acting up to mine?
Hagbart. You know that all I ask, uncle, is that you will see her and talk to her first.
Bishop. But if that is exactly what I don't wish to do? You have made things difficult for
us, you know, by choosing a wife out of your own class--although at the same time we
have grown fonder of her every day, and are ready to do anything for _her_. But farther
than that we cannot go. Do you want to read my letter?
Bishop. I think you should. It is quite a polite letter.
