Ochocki, Julian
Wokulski first meets Julian Ochocki at the Łęckis’, and he recognises him as Izabela’s former suitor. In their conversation, it turns out that Ochocki’s interest in his beautiful cousin has lessened and that he does not occupy himself with courting women anymore because science has become his true love. He is highly educated: he graduated with a degree natural sciences at the university and in mechanical engineering at the polytechnic. Although he is only twenty-eight, he can take pride in a number of inventions, but he is not satisfied with them (Ochocki’s electric lamp – how absurd!), because his restless mind and imagination have been concerned with the idea of a flying machine which, unlike a balloon, would be heavier than air. Wokulski used to build models of guided balloons when he was young, but he realised he was on the wrong track and agreed that a flying machine, like every flying organism (from a fly to a vulture) must be heavier than air. He shares his impressions with Ochocki from the meeting with Professor Geist, who works on ultralight metals, and thus arouses his hopes. The young inventor does not feel at home in the aristocratic society; in Zasławek, where most of the Baroness’s guests are engaged in leisure activities, Ochocki runs an astronomical observatory and flies kites. With time, he gets more and more irritated with Warsaw and its lack of understanding of the sense of mission felt by scientists. He considers moving West, to Zurich, but his lack of financial means necessary for further research in lighter-than-air metal prevents him from getting in touch with Geist. Some time after Wokulski disappears from Warsaw, it turns out that he has left a will, in which he divides his enormous fortune. A large sum of money goes to Ochocki, which could finally enable him to fulfil his dreams, yet the plot of The Doll does not contain any information about his future actions.
→ Professor Geist; → Testaments; → Holiday;
