Miss Anney withdrew her forehead from the pane. Her countenance was calmer, but her eyes were dimmed as if with tears. Approaching the table, she sat down opposite to Ladislaus.
"Before I relate what it is now necessary for me to state," she said, "I have a great favor to ask of you. And if you--love me truly--then you will not refuse--"
"Lady, if you demanded my life, I would not refuse it. I pledge you my word," he exclaimed.
"Very well. Give me your word. Then I will be certain."
"I pledge it in advance and swear upon our future happiness that I will comply with your every wish."
"Very well," repeated Miss Anney. "Then I first beg of you, by all you hold most precious, not to feel at all bound by anything you have said to me just now."
"I not feel bound? In what way? Of course, it may not be binding upon you, lady--but on me--"
"Well, then, I release you from all obligations and consider that nothing has been said. You promised me that you would not refuse me anything, but this is not all."
"No, I am anxious that after what I shall tell you, you shall not give me any answer--and for a whole week shall not return to me and shall not try to see me."
"But in the name of God, what is it?" cried Ladislaus; "why should I suffer a week of torments? What does this mean?"
"And for me it also will be a torment," she answered in a soft voice. "But it is necessary, it is imperative. You will have to explain everything to yourself; weigh everything, unravel and decide everything--and form a resolution--afterwards you may return or may not return--and a week for all that will be rather too little."
And perceiving the agitation on Ladislaus' face, she hurriedly added, as if alarmed:
"Sir, you promised--you pledged me your word!"
Ladislaus drew his hand across the hair of his head; after which he began to rub his forehead with his palm.
"I gave the word," he said at last, "because you requested it, lady--but why?"
And Miss Anney turned pale to the eyes; for a while her lips quivered as though she struggled vainly to draw the words from her bosom, and only after an interval did she reply:
"Because--atone time I--did not bear the name of Anney."
Ladislaus rose, staggered like a drunken man, and began to stare at her with a bewildered look.