9 November.

A time will come when under changed circumstances she will recover her beauty.  I thought of it to-day and at once asked myself what would be our relations towards each other in the future, and whether it would make any change.  I am certain it will not.  I know already how it feels to live without her, and shall not do anything which might make her cast me off.  She will always remain the same; I have now not the slightest doubt that I am necessary to her life, but I know also that she will never call the feeling she has for me by any other name than great sisterly affection.  What matters the name? it will be always the ideal love of one soul towards another; and that is lawful, because permitted to brother and sister.  Were it otherwise, she would be in arms against it at once.

In regard to this I have no illusion whatever.  I have already said that since she changed our mutual relations into ideal feelings, they have become dear to her.  Let it remain thus, provided they be dear to her.

10 November.

It is an altogether wrong idea that the modern product of civilization is less susceptible to love.  I sometimes think it is the other way.  He who is deprived of one lung breathes all the harder with the remaining one; we have lost much of what makes up the sum of life, and are endowed instead with a nervous system more highly strung and more sensitive than that of our ancestors.  It is quite another matter that a lack of red globules in our blood creates abnormal and unhealthy feelings, and the tragedy of human life rather increases therefore than grows less.  It is increased for the very reason that, whereas the former man in his disappointments found consolation in religion and social duties, the modern man does not find it there.  Formerly character proved a strong curb for passions; in the present there is not much strength in character, and it grows less and less because of the prevailing scepticism, which is a decomposing element.  It is like a bacillus breeding in the human soul; it destroys the resistant power against the physiological craving of the nerves, of nerves diseased.  The modern man is conscious of everything, and cannot find a remedy against anything.

11 November.

There has been no news from Kromitzki for some time; even Aniela has not heard from him.  I sent him a telegram to inform him that a lawyer was coming out to him to set his affairs straight; then I wrote to him,—­trusting to chance that he may get the letter; for we do not know where he is at present.  No doubt the telegram and letter will find him in time, but where or when we do not know.  The elder Chwastowski has written to his son; perhaps he first will hear something as to how matters stand.