dear Sir George is so short-sighted, I thought it wouldn’t
matter. But it did, though it was most unfortunate. [Rises.] And
now, my dear child, I must go, as we are dining out. And mind
you don’t take this little aberration of Windermere’s too much
to heart. Just take him abroad, and he’ll come back to you all
right.
LADY WIN. Come back to me? [C.]
DUCH. [L. C.] Yes, dear, these wicked women get our husbands away
from us, but they always come back, slightly damaged, of course.
And don’t make scenes, men hate them!
LADY WIN. It is very kind of you, Duchess, to come and tell me all
this. But I can’t believe that my husband is untrue to me.
DUCH. Pretty child! I was like that once. Now I know that all men
are monsters. [Lady Windermere rings bell.] The only thing to do
is to feed the wretches well. A good cook does wonders, and that
I know you have. My dear, Margaret, you are not going to cry?
LADY WIN. You needn’t be afraid, Duchess, I never cry.
DUCH. That’s quite right, dear. Crying is the refuge of plain
women, but the ruin of pretty ones. Agatha, darling!
LADY AGA. [Entering L.] Yes, mama. [Stands back of table L. C.]
DUCH. Come and bid good-bye to Lady Windermere, and thank her for
your charming visit. [Coming down again.] And by the way, I must
thank you for sending a card to Mr. Hopper- he’s that rich young
Australian people are taking such notice of just at present. His
father made a great fortune by selling some kind of food in
circular tins- most palatable, I believe- I fancy it is the
thing the servants always refuse to eat. But the son is quite
interesting. I think he’s attracted by dear Agatha’s clever
talk. Of course, we should be very sorry to lose her, but I
think that a mother who doesn’t part with a daughter every
season has no real affection. We’re coming to-night, dear.
[Parker opens C. doors.] And remember my advice, take the poor
fellow out of town at once, it is the only thing to do.
Good-bye, once more; come, Agatha.
[Exeunt Duchess and Lady Agatha C.]
LADY WIN. How horrible! I understand now what Lord Darlington meant
by the imaginary instance of the couple not two years married.
Oh! it can’t be true- she spoke of enormous sums of money paid
to this woman. I know where Arthur keeps his bank book- in one
of the drawers of that desk. I might find out by that. I will
find out. [Opens drawer.] No, it is some hideous mistake. [Rises
and goes C.] Some silly scandal! He loves me! He loves me!
But why should I not look! I am his wife, I have a right to look!
[Returns to bureau, takes out book and examines it, page by
page, smiles and gives a sigh of relief] I knew it, there is not
a word of truth in this stupid story. [Puts book back in drawer.
As she does so, starts and takes out another book.] A second
book- private- locked! [Tries to open it, but fails. Sees paper
knife on bureau, and with it cuts cover from book. Begins to
start at the first page.] Mrs. Erlynne- L600- Mrs. Erlynne-
L700- Mrs. Erlynne- L400. Oh! it is true! it is true! How
horrible! [Throws book on floor.]
[Enter Lord Windermere C.]
LORD WIN. Well, dear, has the fan been sent home yet? [Going R. C.
sees book.] Margaret, you have cut open my bank book. You have
no right to do such a thing!
LADY WIN. You think it wrong that you are found out, don't you?
LORD WIN. I think it wrong that a wife should spy on her husband.
LADY WIN. I did not spy on you. I never knew of this woman's
existence till half an hour ago. Some one who pitied me was kind
enough to tell me what every one in London knows already- your
daily visits to Curzon Street, your mad infatuation, the
monstrous sums of money you squander on this infamous woman.
[Crossing L.]
LORD WIN. Margaret, don't talk like that of Mrs. Erlynne, you don't
know how unjust it is!
LADY WIN. [Turning to him.] You are very jealous of Mrs. Erlynne's
honour. I wish you had been as jealous of mine.
LORD WIN. Your honour is untouched, Margaret. You don't think for a
moment that- [Puts book back into desk.]
LADY WIN. I think that you spend your money strangely. That is all.
Oh, don't imagine I mind about the money. As far as I am
concerned, you may squander everything we have. But what I do
mind is that you who have loved me, you who have taught me to
love you, should pass from the love that is given to the love
that is bought. Oh, it's horrible. [Sits on sofa.] And it is I
who feel degraded. You don't feel anything. I feel stained,
utterly stained. You can't realise how hideous the last six months seem to me now- every kiss you have given me is tainted
in my memory.
LORD WIN. [Crossing to her.] Don’t say that, Margaret. I never
loved any one in the whole world but you.
LADY WIN. [Rises.] Who is this woman, then? Why do you take a house
for her?
LORD WIN. I did not take a house for her.
LADY WIN. You gave her the money to do it, which is the same thing.
LORD WIN. Margaret, as far as I have known Mrs. Erlynne-
LADY WIN. Is there a Mr. Erlynne- or is he a myth?
LORD WIN. Her husband died many years ago. She is alone in the
world.
LADY WIN. No relations? [A pause.]
LORD WIN. None.
LADY WIN. Rather curious, isn’t it? [L.]
LORD WIN. [L. C.] Margaret, I was saying to you- and I beg you to
listen to me- that as far as I have known Mrs. Erlynne, she has
conducted herself well. If years ago-
LADY WIN. Oh! [Crossing R. C.] I don’t want details about her life.
LORD WIN. I am not going to give you any details about her life. I
tell you simply this- Mrs. Erlynne was once honoured, loved,
respected. She was well born, she had a position- she lost
everything- threw it away, if you like. That makes it all the
more bitter. Misfortunes one can endure- they come from outside,
they are accidents. But to suffer for one’s own faults- ah!
there is the sting of life. It was twenty years ago, too. She
was little more than a girl then. She had been a wife for even
less time than you have.
LADY WIN. I am not interested in her- and- you should not mention
this woman and me in the same breath. It is an error of taste.
[Sitting R. at desk.]
LORD WIN. Margaret, you could save this woman. She wants to get
back into society, and she wants you to help her. [Crossing to
her.]
LADY WIN. Me!
LORD WIN. Yes, you.
LADY WIN. How impertinent of her! [A pause.]
LORD WIN. Margaret, I came to ask you a great favour, and I still
ask it of you, though you have discovered what I had intended
you should never have known, that I have given Mrs. Erlynne a
large sum of money. I want you to send her an invitation for our
party to-night. [Standing L. of her.]
LADY WIN. You are mad! [Rises.]
LORD WIN. I entreat you. People may chatter about her, do chatter
about her, of course, but they don’t know anything definite
against her. She has been to several houses- not to houses where
you would go, I admit, but still to houses where women who are
in what is called Society now-a-days do go. That does not
content her. She wants you to receive her once.
LADY WIN. As a triumph for her, I suppose?
LORD WIN. No; but because she knows that you are a good woman- and
if she comes here once she will have a chance of a happier, a
surer life, than she has had. She will make no further effort to
know you. Won’t you help a woman who is trying to get back?
LADY WIN. No! If a woman really repents, she never wishes to return
to the society that has made or seen her ruin.
LORD WIN. I beg of you.
LADY WIN. [Crossing to door R.] I am going to dress for dinner, and
don’t mention the subject again this evening. Arthur [going to
him C.], you fancy because I have no father or mother that I am
alone in the world, and that you can treat me as you choose. You
are wrong, I have friends, many friends.
LORD WIN. [L. C.] Margaret, you are talking foolishly, recklessly.
I won’t argue with you, but I insist upon your asking Mrs.
Erlynne to-night.
LADY WIN. [R. C.] I shall do nothing of the kind. [Crossing L. C.]
LORD WIN. You refuse? [C.]
LADY WIN. Absolutely!
LORD WIN. Ah, Margaret, do this for my sake; it is her last chance.
LADY WIN. What has that to do with me?
LORD WIN. How hard good women are!
LADY WIN. How weak bad men are!
LORD WIN. Margaret, none of us men may be good enough for the women
we marry- that is quite true- but you don’t imagine I would
ever- oh, the suggestion is monstrous!
LADY WIN. Why should you be different from other men? I am told
there is hardly a husband in London who does not waste his life
over some shameful passion.
LORD WIN. I am not one of them.
LADY WIN. I am not sure of that!
LORD WIN. You are sure in your heart. But don’t make chasm after
chasm between us. God knows the last few minutes have thrust us
wide enough apart. Sit down and write the card.
LADY WIN. Nothing in the whole world would induce me.
LORD WIN. [Crossing to the bureau.] Then I will. [Rings electric
bell, sits and writes card.]
LADY WIN. You are going to invite this woman? [Crossing to him.]
LORD WIN. Yes.
[Pause. Enter Parker.]
Parker!
PAR. Yes, my lord. [Comes down L. C.]
LORD WIN. Have this note sent
