The scene opens in the middle of the night, in front of the house of the Governess's stepbrother. The Governess and her maid, who is also in the room, are discussing a problem: one of the light bulbs in her room is out, and it is too dark to see the two of them from the window. When the maid asks if she can help, she is told that a man can do the job. When she asks if he is in pain, he says that he is not, because he is standing for a long time, and the pain is not from the pain, but from the discomfort of standing for so long. The maid asks him if he would be hurt if she touched the light bulb, and he replies that he would not be if he touched it. He says that it happens to him when he stands for long periods of time, but that it is not the pain that he feels, it is the discomfort that he experiences. He asks her if there is a quiet place where they can talk, and she says that is the best place. He tells her that he doesn't want his father to see them, and they go to his room, where he asks her to come in. When they are alone, she asks him what he is doing there, and when he answers that they are at the same school, she tells him that they know each other there. She asks him about his relationship with her stepbrother, but he says it is complicated, and that he does not want to talk to his father either.