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diff --git a/old/lwfan10h.htm b/old/lwfan10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ae66e20 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/lwfan10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2581 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Lady Windermere's Fan</title> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">Lady Windermere's Fan, by Oscar Wilde</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lady Windermere's Fan, by Oscar Wilde +(#5 in our series by Oscar Wilde) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Lady Windermere's Fan + +Author: Oscar Wilde + +Release Date: January, 1997 [EBook #790] +[This file was first posted on January 25, 1997] +[Most recently updated: September 17, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1917 Methuen & Co. Ltd edition by David +Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<h1>LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN</h1> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<p>THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY</p> +<p>Lord Windermere<br />Lord Darlington<br />Lord Augustus Lorton<br />Mr. +Dumby<br />Mr. Cecil Graham<br />Mr. Hopper<br />Parker, Butler</p> +<p>Lady Windermere<br />The Duchess of Berwick<br />Lady Agatha Carlisle<br />Lady +Plymdale<br />Lady Stutfield<br />Lady Jedburgh<br />Mrs. Cowper-Cowper<br />Mrs. +Erlynne<br />Rosalie, Maid</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>THE SCENES OF THE PLAY</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<pre>ACT I. </pre> +<pre><i>Morning-room in Lord Windermere’s house.<br /></i></pre> +<pre>ACT II. </pre> +<pre><i>Drawing-room in Lord Windermere’s house.<br /></i></pre> +<pre>ACT III. </pre> +<pre><i>Lord Darlington’s rooms.<br /></i></pre> +<pre>ACT IV. </pre> +<pre><i>Same as Act I.</i></pre> +<p> </p> +<pre>TIME: </pre> +<pre><i>The Present<br /></i></pre> +<pre>PLACE: </pre> +<pre><i>London</i></pre> +<pre>.</pre> +<p><i>The action of the play takes place within twenty-four hours, beginning +on a Tuesday afternoon at five o’clock, and ending the next day +at</i> 1.30 <i>p.m.</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>LONDON: ST. JAMES’S THEATRE</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p><i>Lessee and Manager: Mr. George Alexander<br />February</i> 22<i>nd</i>, +1892.</p> +<p>Lord Windermere, Mr. George Alexander.<br />Lord Darlington, Mr. +Nutcombe Gould.<br />Lord Augustus Lorton, Mr. H. H. Vincent.<br />Mr. +Cecil Graham, Mr. Ben Webster.<br />Mr. Dumby, Mr. Vane-Tempest.<br />Mr. +Hopper, Mr. Alfred Holles.<br />Parker (<i>Butler</i>), Mr. V. Sansbury.<br />Lady +Windermere, Miss Lily Hanbury.<br />The Duchess of Berwick, Miss Fanny +Coleman.<br />Lady Agatha Carlisle, Miss Laura Graves.<br />Lady Plymdale, +Miss Granville.<br />Lady Jedburgh, Miss B. Page.<br />Lady Stutfield, +Miss Madge Girdlestone.<br />Mrs. Cowper-Cowper, Miss A. de Winton.<br />Mrs. +Erlynne, Miss Marion Terry.<br />Rosalie (<i>Maid</i>), Miss Winifred +Dolan.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>FIRST ACT</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>SCENCE</p> +<p><i>Morning-room of Lord Windermere’s house in Carlton House +Terrace. Doors C. and R. Bureau with books and papers R. +Sofa with small tea-table L. Window opening on to terrace L. +Table R.</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>[LADY WINDERMERE is at table R., arranging roses in a blue bowl.]</p> +<p>[Enter PARKER.]</p> +<p>PARKER. Is your ladyship at home this afternoon?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes - who has called?</p> +<p>PARKER. Lord Darlington, my lady.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Hesitates for a moment.] Show him up +- and I’m at home to any one who calls.</p> +<p>PARKER. Yes, my lady.</p> +<p>[Exit C.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. It’s best for me to see him before to-night. +I’m glad he’s come.</p> +<p>[Enter PARKER C.]</p> +<p>PARKER. Lord Darlington,</p> +<p>[Enter LORD DARLINGTON C.]</p> +<p>[Exit PARKER.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. How do you do, Lady Windermere?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. How do you do, Lord Darlington? No, +I can’t shake hands with you. My hands are all wet with +these roses. Aren’t they lovely? They came up from +Selby this morning.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. They are quite perfect. [Sees a fan +lying on the table.] And what a wonderful fan! May I look +at it?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Do. Pretty, isn’t it! It’s +got my name on it, and everything. I have only just seen it myself. +It’s my husband’s birthday present to me. You know +to-day is my birthday?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. No? Is it really?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes, I’m of age to-day. Quite +an important day in my life, isn’t it? That is why I am +giving this party to-night. Do sit down. [Still arranging +flowers.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Sitting down.] I wish I had known it +was your birthday, Lady Windermere. I would have covered the whole +street in front of your house with flowers for you to walk on. +They are made for you. [A short pause.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Lord Darlington, you annoyed me last night +at the Foreign Office. I am afraid you are going to annoy me again.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. I, Lady Windermere?</p> +<p>[Enter PARKER and FOOTMAN C., with tray and tea things.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Put it there, Parker. That will do. +[Wipes her hands with her pocket-handkerchief, goes to tea-table, and +sits down.] Won’t you come over, Lord Darlington?</p> +<p>[Exit PARKER C.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Takes chair and goes across L.C.] I +am quite miserable, Lady Windermere. You must tell me what I did. +[Sits down at table L.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Well, you kept paying me elaborate compliments +the whole evening.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Smiling.] Ah, nowadays we are all of +us so hard up, that the only pleasant things to pay <i>are</i> compliments. +They’re the only things we <i>can</i> pay.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Shaking her head.] No, I am talking +very seriously. You mustn’t laugh, I am quite serious. +I don’t like compliments, and I don’t see why a man should +think he is pleasing a woman enormously when he says to her a whole +heap of things that he doesn’t mean.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Ah, but I did mean them. [Takes tea +which she offers him.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Gravely.] I hope not. I should +be sorry to have to quarrel with you, Lord Darlington. I like +you very much, you know that. But I shouldn’t like you at +all if I thought you were what most other men are. Believe me, +you are better than most other men, and I sometimes think you pretend +to be worse.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. We all have our little vanities, Lady Windermere.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Why do you make that your special one? +[Still seated at table L.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Still seated L.C.] Oh, nowadays so +many conceited people go about Society pretending to be good, that I +think it shows rather a sweet and modest disposition to pretend to be +bad. Besides, there is this to be said. If you pretend to +be good, the world takes you very seriously. If you pretend to +be bad, it doesn’t. Such is the astounding stupidity of +optimism.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Don’t you <i>want</i> the world to take +you seriously then, Lord Darlington?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. No, not the world. Who are the people +the world takes seriously? All the dull people one can think of, +from the Bishops down to the bores. I should like <i>you</i> to +take me very seriously, Lady Windermere, <i>you</i> more than any one +else in life.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Why - why me?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [After a slight hesitation.] Because +I think we might be great friends. Let us be great friends. +You may want a friend some day.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Why do you say that?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Oh! - we all want friends at times.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I think we’re very good friends already, +Lord Darlington. We can always remain so as long as you don’t +-</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Don’t what?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Don’t spoil it by saying extravagant +silly things to me. You think I am a Puritan, I suppose? +Well, I have something of the Puritan in me. I was brought up +like that. I am glad of it. My mother died when I was a +mere child. I lived always with Lady Julia, my father’s +elder sister, you know. She was stern to me, but she taught me +what the world is forgetting, the difference that there is between what +is right and what is wrong. <i>She</i> allowed of no compromise. +<i>I</i> allow of none.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. My dear Lady Windermere!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Leaning back on the sofa.] You look +on me as being behind the age. - Well, I am! I should be sorry +to be on the same level as an age like this.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. You think the age very bad?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes. Nowadays people seem to look on +life as a speculation. It is not a speculation. It is a +sacrament. Its ideal is Love. Its purification is sacrifice.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Smiling.] Oh, anything is better than +being sacrificed!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Leaning forward.] Don’t say that.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. I do say it. I feel it - I know it.</p> +<p>[Enter PARKER C.]</p> +<p>PARKER. The men want to know if they are to put the carpets +on the terrace for to-night, my lady?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You don’t think it will rain, Lord Darlington, +do you?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. I won’t hear of its raining on your +birthday!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Tell them to do it at once, Parker.</p> +<p>[Exit PARKER C.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Still seated.] Do you think then - +of course I am only putting an imaginary instance - do you think that +in the case of a young married couple, say about two years married, +if the husband suddenly becomes the intimate friend of a woman of - +well, more than doubtful character - is always calling upon her, lunching +with her, and probably paying her bills - do you think that the wife +should not console herself?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Frowning] Console herself?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Yes, I think she should - I think she has +the right.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Because the husband is vile - should the wife +be vile also?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Vileness is a terrible word, Lady Windermere.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. It is a terrible thing, Lord Darlington.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Do you know I am afraid that good people do +a great deal of harm in this world. Certainly the greatest harm +they do is that they make badness of such extraordinary importance. +It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either +charming or tedious. I take the side of the charming, and you, +Lady Windermere, can’t help belonging to them.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Now, Lord Darlington. [Rising and crossing +R., front of him.] Don’t stir, I am merely going to finish +my flowers. [Goes to table R.C.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Rising and moving chair.] And I must +say I think you are very hard on modern life, Lady Windermere. +Of course there is much against it, I admit. Most women, for instance, +nowadays, are rather mercenary.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Don’t talk about such people.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Well then, setting aside mercenary people, +who, of course, are dreadful, do you think seriously that women who +have committed what the world calls a fault should never be forgiven?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Standing at table.] I think they should +never be forgiven.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. And men? Do you think that there should +be the same laws for men as there are for women?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Certainly!</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. I think life too complex a thing to be settled +by these hard and fast rules.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. If we had ‘these hard and fast rules,’ +we should find life much more simple.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. You allow of no exceptions?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. None!</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Ah, what a fascinating Puritan you are, Lady +Windermere!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. The adjective was unnecessary, Lord Darlington.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. I couldn’t help it. I can resist +everything except temptation.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You have the modern affectation of weakness.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Looking at her.] It’s only an +affectation, Lady Windermere.</p> +<p>[Enter PARKER C.]</p> +<p>PARKER. The Duchess of Berwick and Lady Agatha Carlisle.</p> +<p>[Enter the DUCHESS OF BERWICK and LADY AGATHA CARLISLE C.]</p> +<p>[Exit PARKER C.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Coming down C., and shaking hands.] +Dear Margaret, I am so pleased to see you. You remember Agatha, +don’t you? [Crossing L.C.] How do you do, Lord Darlington? +I won’t let you know my daughter, you are far too wicked.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Don’t say that, Duchess. As a +wicked man I am a complete failure. Why, there are lots of people +who say I have never really done anything wrong in the whole course +of my life. Of course they only say it behind my back.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Isn’t he dreadful? Agatha, +this is Lord Darlington. Mind you don’t believe a word he +says. [LORD DARLINGTON crosses R.C.] No, no tea, thank you, +dear. [Crosses and sits on sofa.] We have just had tea at +Lady Markby’s. Such bad tea, too. It was quite undrinkable. +I wasn’t at all surprised. Her own son-in-law supplies it. +Agatha is looking forward so much to your ball to-night, dear Margaret.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Seated L.C.] Oh, you mustn’t +think it is going to be a ball, Duchess. It is only a dance in +honour of my birthday. A small and early.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Standing L.C.] Very small, very early, +and very select, Duchess.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [On sofa L.] Of course it’s +going to be select. But we know <i>that</i>, dear Margaret, about +<i>your</i> house. It is really one of the few houses in London +where I can take Agatha, and where I feel perfectly secure about dear +Berwick. I don’t know what society is coming to. The +most dreadful people seem to go everywhere. They certainly come +to my parties - the men get quite furious if one doesn’t ask them. +Really, some one should make a stand against it.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. <i>I</i> will, Duchess. I will have +no one in my house about whom there is any scandal.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [R.C.] Oh, don’t say that, Lady +Windermere. I should never be admitted! [Sitting.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Oh, men don’t matter. With +women it is different. We’re good. Some of us are, +at least. But we are positively getting elbowed into the corner. +Our husbands would really forget our existence if we didn’t nag +at them from time to time, just to remind them that we have a perfect +legal right to do so.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. It’s a curious thing, Duchess, about +the game of marriage - a game, by the way, that is going out of fashion +- the wives hold all the honours, and invariably lose the odd trick.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. The odd trick? Is that the husband, +Lord Darlington?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. It would be rather a good name for the modern +husband.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Dear Lord Darlington, how thoroughly depraved +you are!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Lord Darlington is trivial.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Ah, don’t say that, Lady Windermere.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Why do you <i>talk</i> so trivially about +life, then?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Because I think that life is far too important +a thing ever to talk seriously about it. [Moves up C.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. What does he mean? Do, as a concession +to my poor wits, Lord Darlington, just explain to me what you really +mean.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Coming down back of table.] I think +I had better not, Duchess. Nowadays to be intelligible is to be +found out. Good-bye! [Shakes hands with DUCHESS.] +And now - [goes up stage] Lady Windermere, good-bye. I may come +to-night, mayn’t I? Do let me come.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Standing up stage with LORD DARLINGTON.] +Yes, certainly. But you are not to say foolish, insincere things +to people.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Smiling.] Ah! you are beginning to +reform me. It is a dangerous thing to reform any one, Lady Windermere. +[Bows, and exit C.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Who has risen, goes C.] What a charming, +wicked creature! I like him so much. I’m quite delighted +he’s gone! How sweet you’re looking! Where <i>do</i> +you get your gowns? And now I must tell you how sorry I am for +you, dear Margaret. [Crosses to sofa and sits with LADY WINDERMERE.] +Agatha, darling!</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma. [Rises.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Will you go and look over the photograph +album that I see there?</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma. [Goes to table up L.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Dear girl! She is so fond of photographs +of Switzerland. Such a pure taste, I think. But I really +am so sorry for you, Margaret</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Smiling.] Why, Duchess?</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Oh, on account of that horrid woman. +She dresses so well, too, which makes it much worse, sets such a dreadful +example. Augustus - you know my disreputable brother - such a +trial to us all - well, Augustus is completely infatuated about her. +It is quite scandalous, for she is absolutely inadmissible into society. +Many a woman has a past, but I am told that she has at least a dozen, +and that they all fit.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Whom are you talking about, Duchess?</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. About Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne? I never heard of her, +Duchess. And what <i>has</i> she to do with me?</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. My poor child! Agatha, darling!</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Will you go out on the terrace and look +at the sunset?</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma. [Exit through window, L.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Sweet girl! So devoted to sunsets! +Shows such refinement of feeling, does it not? After all, there +is nothing like Nature, is there?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. But what is it, Duchess? Why do you +talk to me about this person?</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Don’t you really know? I assure +you we’re all so distressed about it. Only last night at +dear Lady Jansen’s every one was saying how extraordinary it was +that, of all men in London, Windermere should behave in such a way.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. My husband - what has <i>he</i> got to do +with any woman of that kind?</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Ah, what indeed, dear? That is the +point. He goes to see her continually, and stops for hours at +a time, and while he is there she is not at home to any one. Not +that many ladies call on her, dear, but she has a great many disreputable +men friends - my own brother particularly, as I told you - and that +is what makes it so dreadful about Windermere. We looked upon +<i>him</i> as being such a model husband, but I am afraid there is no +doubt about it. My dear nieces - you know the Saville girls, don’t +you? - such nice domestic creatures - plain, dreadfully plain, but so +good - well, they’re always at the window doing fancy work, and +making ugly things for the poor, which I think so useful of them in +these dreadful socialistic days, and this terrible woman has taken a +house in Curzon Street, right opposite them - such a respectable street, +too! I don’t know what we’re coming to! And +they tell me that Windermere goes there four and five times a week - +they <i>see</i> him. They can’t help it - and although they +never talk scandal, they - well, of course - they remark on it to every +one. And the worst of it all is that I have been told that this +woman has got a great deal of money out of somebody, for it seems that +she came to London six months ago without anything at all to speak of, +and now she has this charming house in Mayfair, drives her ponies in +the Park every afternoon and all - well, all - since she has known poor +dear Windermere.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Oh, I can’t believe it!</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. But it’s quite true, my dear. +The whole of London knows it. That is why I felt it was better +to come and talk to you, and advise you to take Windermere away at once +to Homburg or to Aix, where he’ll have something to amuse him, +and where you can watch him all day long. I assure you, my dear, +that on several occasions after I was first married, I had to pretend +to be very ill, and was obliged to drink the most unpleasant mineral +waters, merely to get Berwick out of town. He was so extremely +susceptible. Though I am bound to say he never gave away any large +sums of money to anybody. He is far too high-principled for that!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Interrupting.] Duchess, Duchess, it’s +impossible! [Rising and crossing stage to C.] We are only +married two years. Our child is but six months old. [Sits +in chair R. of L. table.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Ah, the dear pretty baby! How is +the little darling? Is it a boy or a girl? I hope a girl +- Ah, no, I remember it’s a boy! I’m so sorry. +Boys are so wicked. My boy is excessively immoral. You wouldn’t +believe at what hours he comes home. And he’s only left +Oxford a few months - I really don’t know what they teach them +there.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Are <i>all</i> men bad?</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Oh, all of them, my dear, all of them, +without any exception. And they never grow any better. Men +become old, but they never become good.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Windermere and I married for love.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Yes, we begin like that. It was only +Berwick’s brutal and incessant threats of suicide that made me +accept him at all, and before the year was out, he was running after +all kinds of petticoats, every colour, every shape, every material. +In fact, before the honeymoon was over, I caught him winking at my maid, +a most pretty, respectable girl. I dismissed her at once without +a character. - No, I remember I passed her on to my sister; poor 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.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Come back to me? [C.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [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!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. 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.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. 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?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You needn’t be afraid, Duchess, I never +cry.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. That’s quite right, dear. Crying +is the refuge of plain women but the ruin of pretty ones. Agatha, +darling!</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. [Entering L.] Yes, mamma. [Stands +back of table L.C.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. 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.</p> +<p>[Exeunt DUCHESS and LADY AGATHA C.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. 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 <i>will</i> find out. [Opens drawer.] No, +it is some hideous mistake. [Rises and goes C.] Some silly +scandal! He loves <i>me</i>! He loves <i>me</i>! 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 dranver. +As the 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 - £600 - Mrs. Erlynne +- £700 - Mrs. Erlynne - £400.’ Oh! it is true! +It is true! How horrible! [Throws book on floor.] +[Enter LORD WINDERMERE C.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. 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!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You think it wrong that you are found out, +don’t you?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I think it wrong that a wife should spy on +her husband.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. 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.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Margaret! don’t talk like that of Mrs. +Erlynne, you don’t know how unjust it is!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Turning to him.] You are very jealous +of Mrs. Erlynne’s honour. I wish you had been as jealous +of mine.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Your honour is untouched, Margaret. +You don’t think for a moment that - [Puts book back into desk.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. 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 <i>do</i> 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! <i>you</i> don’t feel anything. +I feel stained, utterly stained. You can’t realise how hideous +the last six months seems to me now - every kiss you have given me is +tainted in my memory.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Crossing to her.] Don’t say that, +Margaret. I never loved any one in the whole world but you.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Rises.] Who is this woman, then? +Why do you take a house for her?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I did not take a house for her.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You gave her the money to do it, which is +the same thing.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Margaret, as far as I have known Mrs. Erlynne +-</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Is there a Mr. Erlynne - or is he a myth?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Her husband died many years ago. She +is alone in the world.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. No relations? [A pause.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. None.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Rather curious, isn’t it? [L.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [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 -</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Oh! [Crossing R.C.] I don’t +want details about her life!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [C.] 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 +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.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. 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.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Margaret, you could save this woman. +She wants to get back into society, and she wants you to help her. +[Crossing to her.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Me!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Yes, you.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. How impertinent of her! [A pause.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. 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.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You are mad! [Rises.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. 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 nowadays do go. That does not +content her. She wants you to receive her once.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. As a triumph for her, I suppose?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. No; but because she knows that you are a good +woman - and that 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?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. No! If a woman really repents, she never +wishes to return to the society that has made or seen her ruin.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I beg of you.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [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.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [L.C.] Margaret, you are talking foolishly, +recklessly. I won’t argue with you, but I insist upon your +asking Mrs. Erlynne to-night.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [R.C.] I shall do nothing of the kind. +[Crossing L. C.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. You refuse? [C.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Absolutely!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Ah, Margaret, do this for my sake; it is her +last chance.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. What has that to do with me?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. How hard good women are!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. How weak bad men are!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. 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!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Why should <i>you</i> be different from other +men? I am told that there is hardly a husband in London who does +not waste his life over <i>some</i> shameful passion.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I am not one of them.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I am not sure of that!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. 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.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Nothing in the whole world would induce me.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Crossing to bureau.] Then I will! +[Rings electric bell, sits and writes card.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You are going to invite this woman? +[Crossing to him.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Yes. [Pause. Enter PARKER.] +Parker!</p> +<p>PARKER. Yes, my lord. [Comes down L.C.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Have this note sent to Mrs. Erlynne at No. +84A Curzon Street. [Crossing to L.C. and giving note to PARKER.] +There is no answer!</p> +<p>[Exit PARKER C.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Arthur, if that woman comes here, I shall +insult her.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Margaret, don’t say that.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I mean it.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Child, if you did such a thing, there’s +not a woman in London who wouldn’t pity you.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. There is not a <i>good</i> woman in London +who would not applaud me. We have been too lax. We must +make an example. I propose to begin to-night. [Picking up +fan.] Yes, you gave me this fan to-day; it was your birthday present. +If that woman crosses my threshold, I shall strike her across the face +with it.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Margaret, you couldn’t do such a thing.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You don’t know me! [Moves R.]</p> +<p>[Enter PARKER.]</p> +<p>Parker!</p> +<p>PARKER. Yes, my lady.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I shall dine in my own room. I don’t +want dinner, in fact. See that everything is ready by half-past +ten. And, Parker, be sure you pronounce the names of the guests +very distinctly to-night. Sometimes you speak so fast that I miss +them. I am particularly anxious to hear the names quite clearly, +so as to make no mistake. You understand, Parker?</p> +<p>PARKER. Yes, my lady.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. That will do!</p> +<p>[Exit PARKER C.]</p> +<p>[Speaking to LORD WINDERMERE] Arthur, if that woman comes here +- I warn you -</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Margaret, you’ll ruin us!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Us! From this moment my life is separate +from yours. But if you wish to avoid a public scandal, write at +once to this woman, and tell her that I forbid her to come here!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I will not - I cannot - she must come!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Then I shall do exactly as I have said. +[Goes R.] You leave me no choice. [Exit R.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Calling after her.] Margaret! +Margaret! [A pause.] My God! What shall I do? +I dare not tell her who this woman really is. The shame would +kill her. [Sinks down into a chair and buries his face in his +hands.]</p> +<p>ACT DROP</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SECOND ACT</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>SCENE</p> +<p>Drawing-room in Lord Windermere’s house. Door R.U. opening +into ball-room, where band is playing. Door L. through which guests +are entering. Door L.U. opens on to illuminated terrace. +Palms, flowers, and brilliant lights. Room crowded with guests. +Lady Windermere is receiving them.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Up C.] So strange Lord Windermere +isn’t here. Mr. Hopper is very late, too. You have +kept those five dances for him, Agatha? [Comes down.]</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Sitting on sofa.] Just let me see +your card. I’m so glad Lady Windermere has revived cards. +- They’re a mother’s only safeguard. You dear simple +little thing! [Scratches out two names.] No nice girl should +ever waltz with such particularly younger sons! It looks so fast! +The last two dances you might pass on the terrace with Mr. Hopper.</p> +<p>[Enter MR. DUMBY and LADY PLYMDALE from the ball-room.]</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Fanning herself.] The air is so +pleasant there.</p> +<p>PARKER. Mrs. Cowper-Cowper. Lady Stutfield. Sir +James Royston. Mr. Guy Berkeley.</p> +<p>[These people enter as announced.]</p> +<p>DUMBY. Good evening, Lady Stutfield. I suppose this will +be the last ball of the season?</p> +<p>LADY STUTFIELD. I suppose so, Mr. Dumby. It’s been +a delightful season, hasn’t it?</p> +<p>DUMBY. Quite delightful! Good evening, Duchess. +I suppose this will be the last ball of the season?</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. I suppose so, Mr. Dumby. It has been +a very dull season, hasn’t it?</p> +<p>DUMBY. Dreadfully dull! Dreadfully dull!</p> +<p>MR. COWPER-COWPER. Good evening, Mr. Dumby. I suppose +this will be the last ball of the season?</p> +<p>DUMBY. Oh, I think not. There’ll probably be two +more. [Wanders back to LADY PLYMDALE.]</p> +<p>PARKER. Mr. Rufford. Lady Jedburgh and Miss Graham. +Mr. Hopper.</p> +<p>[These people enter as announced.]</p> +<p>HOPPER. How do you do, Lady Windermere? How do you do, +Duchess? [Bows to LADY AGATHA.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Dear Mr. Hopper, how nice of you to come +so early. We all know how you are run after in London.</p> +<p>HOPPER. Capital place, London! They are not nearly so +exclusive in London as they are in Sydney.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Ah! we know your value, Mr. Hopper. +We wish there were more like you. It would make life so much easier. +Do you know, Mr. Hopper, dear Agatha and I are so much interested in +Australia. It must be so pretty with all the dear little kangaroos +flying about. Agatha has found it on the map. What a curious +shape it is! Just like a large packing case. However, it +is a very young country, isn’t it?</p> +<p>HOPPER. Wasn’t it made at the same time as the others, +Duchess?</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. How clever you are, Mr. Hopper. You +have a cleverness quite of your own. Now I mustn’t keep +you.</p> +<p>HOPPER. But I should like to dance with Lady Agatha, Duchess.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Well, I hope she has a dance left. +Have you a dance left, Agatha?</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. The next one?</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.</p> +<p>HOPPER. May I have the pleasure? [LADY AGATHA bows.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Mind you take great care of my little chatterbox, +Mr. Hopper.</p> +<p>[LADY AGATHA and MR. HOPPER pass into ball-room.]</p> +<p>[Enter LORD WINDERMERE.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Margaret, I want to speak to you.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. In a moment. [The music drops.]</p> +<p>PARKER. Lord Augustus Lorton.</p> +<p>[Enter LORD AUGUSTUS.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Good evening, Lady Windermere.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Sir James, will you take me into the ball-room? +Augustus has been dining with us to-night. I really have had quite +enough of dear Augustus for the moment.</p> +<p>[SIR JAMES ROYSTON gives the DUCHESS his aim and escorts her into +the ball-room.]</p> +<p>PARKER. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Bowden. Lord and Lady Paisley. +Lord Darlington.</p> +<p>[These people enter as announced.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [Coming up to LORD WINDERMERE.] Want to +speak to you particularly, dear boy. I’m worn to a shadow. +Know I don’t look it. None of us men do look what we really +are. Demmed good thing, too. What I want to know is this. +Who is she? Where does she come from? Why hasn’t she +got any demmed relations? Demmed nuisance, relations! But +they make one so demmed respectable.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. You are talking of Mrs. Erlynne, I suppose? +I only met her six months ago. Till then, I never knew of her +existence.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. You have seen a good deal of her since then.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Coldly.] Yes, I have seen a good deal +of her since then. I have just seen her.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Egad! the women are very down on her. +I have been dining with Arabella this evening! By Jove! you should +have heard what she said about Mrs. Erlynne. She didn’t +leave a rag on her. . . [Aside.] Berwick and I told her +that didn’t matter much, as the lady in question must have an +extremely fine figure. You should have seen Arabella’s expression! +. . . But, look here, dear boy. I don’t know what to do +about Mrs. Erlynne. Egad! I might be married to her; she +treats me with such demmed indifference. She’s deuced clever, +too! She explains everything. Egad! she explains you. +She has got any amount of explanations for you - and all of them different.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. No explanations are necessary about my friendship +with Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Hem! Well, look here, dear old fellow. +Do you think she will ever get into this demmed thing called Society? +Would you introduce her to your wife? No use beating about the +confounded bush. Would you do that?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne is coming here to-night.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Your wife has sent her a card?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne has received a card.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Then she’s all right, dear boy. +But why didn’t you tell me that before? It would have saved +me a heap of worry and demmed misunderstandings!</p> +<p>[LADY AGATHA and MR. HOPPER cross and exit on terrace L.U.E.]</p> +<p>PARKER. Mr. Cecil Graham!</p> +<p>[Enter MR. CECIL GRAHAM.]</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. [Bows to LADY WINDERMERE, passes over and shakes +hands with LORD WINDERMERE.] Good evening, Arthur. Why don’t +you ask me how I am? I like people to ask me how I am. It +shows a wide-spread interest in my health. Now, to-night I am +not at all well. Been dining with my people. Wonder why +it is one’s people are always so tedious? My father would +talk morality after dinner. I told him he was old enough to know +better. But my experience is that as soon as people are old enough +to know better, they don’t know anything at all. Hallo, +Tuppy! Hear you’re going to be married again; thought you +were tired of that game.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. You’re excessively trivial, my dear boy, +excessively trivial!</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. By the way, Tuppy, which is it? Have you +been twice married and once divorced, or twice divorced and once married? +I say you’ve been twice divorced and once married. It seems +so much more probable.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. I have a very bad memory. I really don’t +remember which. [Moves away R.]</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. Lord Windermere, I’ve something most particular +to ask you.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I am afraid - if you will excuse me - I must +join my wife.</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. Oh, you mustn’t dream of such a thing. +It’s most dangerous nowadays for a husband to pay any attention +to his wife in public. It always makes people think that he beats +her when they’re alone. The world has grown so suspicious +of anything that looks like a happy married life. But I’ll +tell you what it is at supper. [Moves towards door of ball-room.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [C.] Margaret! I <i>must</i> speak +to you.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Will you hold my fan for me, Lord Darlington? +Thanks. [Comes down to him.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Crossing to her.] Margaret, what you +said before dinner was, of course, impossible?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. That woman is not coming here to-night!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [R.C.] Mrs. Erlynne is coming here, +and if you in any way annoy or wound her, you will bring shame and sorrow +on us both. Remember that! Ah, Margaret! only trust me! +A wife should trust her husband!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [C.] London is full of women who trust +their husbands. One can always recognise them. They look +so thoroughly unhappy. I am not going to be one of them. +[Moves up.] Lord Darlington, will you give me back my fan, please? +Thanks. . . . A useful thing a fan, isn’t it? . . . I want a friend +to-night, Lord Darlington: I didn’t know I would want one so soon.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Lady Windermere! I knew the time would +come some day; but why to-night?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I <i>will</i> tell her. I must. +It would be terrible if there were any scene. Margaret . . .</p> +<p>PARKER. Mrs. Erlynne!</p> +<p>[LORD WINDERMERE starts. MRS. ERLYNNE enters, very beautifully +dressed and very dignified. LADY WINDERMERE clutches at her fan, +then lets it drop on the door. She bows coldly to MRS. ERLYNNE, +who bows to her sweetly in turn, and sails into the room.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. You have dropped your fan, Lady Windermere. +[Picks it up and hands it to her.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [C.] How do you do, again, Lord Windermere? +How charming your sweet wife looks! Quite a picture!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [In a low voice.] It was terribly rash +of you to come!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Smiling.] The wisest thing I ever did +in my life. And, by the way, you must pay me a good deal of attention +this evening. I am afraid of the women. You must introduce +me to some of them. The men I can always manage. How do +you do, Lord Augustus? You have quite neglected me lately. +I have not seen you since yesterday. I am afraid you’re +faithless. Every one told me so.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [R.] Now really, Mrs. Erlynne, allow me +to explain.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [R.C.] No, dear Lord Augustus, you can’t +explain anything. It is your chief charm.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Ah! if you find charms in me, Mrs. Erlynne -</p> +<p>[They converse together. LORD WINDERMERE moves uneasily about +the room watching MRS. ERLYNNE.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [To LADY WINDERMERE.] How pale you are!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Cowards are always pale!</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. You look faint. Come out on the terrace.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes. [To PARKER.] Parker, send +my cloak out.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Crossing to her.] Lady Windermere, how +beautifully your terrace is illuminated. Reminds me of Prince +Doria’s at Rome.</p> +<p>[LADY WINDERMERE bows coldly, and goes off with LORD DARLINGTON.]</p> +<p>Oh, how do you do, Mr. Graham? Isn’t that your aunt, +Lady Jedburgh? I should so much like to know her.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. [After a moment’s hesitation and embarrassment.] +Oh, certainly, if you wish it. Aunt Caroline, allow me to introduce +Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. So pleased to meet you, Lady Jedburgh. +[Sits beside her on the sofa.] Your nephew and I are great friends. +I am so much interested in his political career. I think he’s +sure to be a wonderful success. He thinks like a Tory, and talks +like a Radical, and that’s so important nowadays. He’s +such a brilliant talker, too. But we all know from whom he inherits +that. Lord Allandale was saying to me only yesterday, in the Park, +that Mr. Graham talks almost as well as his aunt.</p> +<p>LADY JEDBURGH. [R.] Most kind of you to say these charming +things to me! [MRS. ERLYNNE smiles, and continues conversation.]</p> +<p>DUMBY. [To CECIL GRAHAM.] Did you introduce Mrs. Erlynne +to Lady Jedburgh?</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Had to, my dear fellow. Couldn’t +help it! That woman can make one do anything she wants. +How, I don’t know.</p> +<p>DUMBY. Hope to goodness she won’t speak to me! +[Saunters towards LADY PLYMDALE.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [C. To LADY JEDBURGH.] On Thursday? +With great pleasure. [Rises, and speaks to LORD WINDERMERE, laughing.] +What a bore it is to have to be civil to these old dowagers! But +they always insist on it!</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. [To MR. DUMBY.] Who is that well-dressed +woman talking to Windermere?</p> +<p>DUMBY. Haven’t got the slightest idea! Looks like +an <i>édition de luxe</i> of a wicked French novel, meant specially +for the English market.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. So that is poor Dumby with Lady Plymdale? +I hear she is frightfully jealous of him. He doesn’t seem +anxious to speak to me to-night. I suppose he is afraid of her. +Those straw-coloured women have dreadful tempers. Do you know, +I think I’ll dance with you first, Windermere. [LORD WINDERMERE +bits his lip and frowns.] It will make Lord Augustus so jealous! +Lord Augustus! [LORD AUGUSTUS comes down.] Lord Windermere +insists on my dancing with him first, and, as it’s his own house, +I can’t well refuse. You know I would much sooner dance +with you.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [With a low bow.] I wish I could think +so, Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>MRS ERLYNNE. You know it far too well. I can fancy a +person dancing through life with you and finding it charming.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [Placing his hand on his white waistcoat.] +Oh, thank you, thank you. You are the most adorable of all ladies!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. What a nice speech! So simple and so sincere! +Just the sort of speech I like. Well, you shall hold my bouquet. +[Goes towards ball-room on LORD WINDERMERE’S arm.] Ah, Mr. +Dumby, how are you? I am so sorry I have been out the last three +times you have called. Come and lunch on Friday.</p> +<p>DUMBY. [With perfect nonchalance.] Delighted!</p> +<p>[LADY PLYMDALE glares with indignation at MR. DUMBY. LORD AUGUSTUS +follows MRS. ERLYNNE and LORD WINDERMERE into the ball-room holding +bouquet]</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. [To MR. DUMBY.] What an absolute brute +you are! I never can believe a word you say! Why did you +tell me you didn’t know her? What do you mean by calling +on her three times running? You are not to go to lunch there; +of course you understand that?</p> +<p>DUMBY. My dear Laura, I wouldn’t dream of going!</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. You haven’t told me her name yet! +Who is she?</p> +<p>DUMBY. [Coughs slightly and smooths his hair.] She’s +a Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. That woman!</p> +<p>DUMBY. Yes; that is what every one calls her.</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. How very interesting! How intensely interesting! +I really must have a good stare at her. [Goes to door of ball-room +and looks in.] I have heard the most shocking things about her. +They say she is ruining poor Windermere. And Lady Windermere, +who goes in for being so proper, invites her! How extremely amusing! +It takes a thoroughly good woman to do a thoroughly stupid thing. +You are to lunch there on Friday!</p> +<p>DUMBY. Why?</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. Because I want you to take my husband with you. +He has been so attentive lately, that he has become a perfect nuisance. +Now, this woman is just the thing for him. He’ll dance attendance +upon her as long as she lets him, and won’t bother me. I +assure you, women of that kind are most useful. They form the +basis of other people’s marriages.</p> +<p>DUMBY. What a mystery you are!</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. [Looking at him.] I wish <i>you</i> were!</p> +<p>DUMBY. I am - to myself. I am the only person in the +world I should like to know thoroughly; but I don’t see any chance +of it just at present.</p> +<p>[They pass into the ball-room, and LADY WINDERMERE and LORD DARLINGTON +enter from the terrace.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes. Her coming here is monstrous, unbearable. +I know now what you meant to-day at tea-time. Why didn’t +you tell me right out? You should have!</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. I couldn’t! A man can’t +tell these things about another man! But if I had known he was +going to make you ask her here to-night, I think I would have told you. +That insult, at any rate, you would have been spared.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I did not ask her. He insisted on her +coming - against my entreaties - against my commands. Oh! the +house is tainted for me! I feel that every woman here sneers at +me as she dances by with my husband. What have I done to deserve +this? I gave him all my life. He took it - used it - spoiled +it! I am degraded in my own eyes; and I lack courage - I am a +coward! [Sits down on sofa.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. If I know you at all, I know that you can’t +live with a man who treats you like this! What sort of life would +you have with him? You would feel that he was lying to you every +moment of the day. You would feel that the look in his eyes was +false, his voice false, his touch false, his passion false. He +would come to you when he was weary of others; you would have to comfort +him. He would come to you when he was devoted to others; you would +have to charm him. You would have to be to him the mask of his +real life, the cloak to hide his secret.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You are right - you are terribly right. +But where am I to turn? You said you would be my friend, Lord +Darlington. - Tell me, what am I to do? Be my friend now.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Between men and women there is no friendship +possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship. +I love you -</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. No, no! [Rises.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Yes, I love you! You are more to me +than anything in the whole world. What does your husband give +you? Nothing. Whatever is in him he gives to this wretched +woman, whom he has thrust into your society, into your home, to shame +you before every one. I offer you my life -</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Lord Darlington!</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. My life - my whole life. Take it, and +do with it what you will. . . . I love you - love you as I have never +loved any living thing. From the moment I met you I loved you, +loved you blindly, adoringly, madly! You did not know it then +- you know it now! Leave this house to-night. I won’t +tell you that the world matters nothing, or the world’s voice, +or the voice of society. They matter a great deal. They +matter far too much. But there are moments when one has to choose +between living one’s own life, fully, entirely, completely - or +dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world +in its hypocrisy demands. You have that moment now. Choose! +Oh, my love, choose.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Moving slowly away from him, and looking +at him with startled eyes.] I have not the courage.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Following her.] Yes; you have the courage. +There may be six months of pain, of disgrace even, but when you no longer +bear his name, when you bear mine, all will be well. Margaret, +my love, my wife that shall be some day - yes, my wife! You know +it! What are you now? This woman has the place that belongs +by right to you. Oh! go - go out of this house, with head erect, +with a smile upon your lips, with courage in your eyes. All London +will know why you did it; and who will blame you? No one. +If they do, what matter? Wrong? What is wrong? It’s +wrong for a man to abandon his wife for a shameless woman. It +is wrong for a wife to remain with a man who so dishonours her. +You said once you would make no compromise with things. Make none +now. Be brave! Be yourself!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I am afraid of being myself. Let me +think! Let me wait! My husband may return to me. [Sits +down on sofa.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. And you would take him back! You are +not what I thought you were. You are just the same as every other +woman. You would stand anything rather than face the censure of +a world, whose praise you would despise. In a week you will be +driving with this woman in the Park. She will be your constant +guest - your dearest friend. You would endure anything rather +than break with one blow this monstrous tie. You are right. +You have no courage; none!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Ah, give me time to think. I cannot +answer you now. [Passes her hand nervously over her brow.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. It must be now or not at all.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Rising from the sofa.] Then, not at +all! [A pause.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. You break my heart!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Mine is already broken. [A pause.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. To-morrow I leave England. This is the +last time I shall ever look on you. You will never see me again. +For one moment our lives met - our souls touched. They must never +meet or touch again. Good-bye, Margaret. [Exit.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. How alone I am in life! How terribly +alone!</p> +<p>[The music stops. Enter the DUCHESS OF BERWICK and LORD PAISLEY +laughing and talking. Other guests come on from ball-room.]</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Dear Margaret, I’ve just been having +such a delightful chat with Mrs. Erlynne. I am so sorry for what +I said to you this afternoon about her. Of course, she must be +all right if <i>you</i> invite her. A most attractive woman, and +has such sensible views on life. Told me she entirely disapproved +of people marrying more than once, so I feel quite safe about poor Augustus. +Can’t imagine why people speak against her. It’s those +horrid nieces of mine - the Saville girls - they’re always talking +scandal. Still, I should go to Homburg, dear, I really should. +She is just a little too attractive. But where is Agatha? +Oh, there she is: [LADY AGATHA and MR. HOPPER enter from terrace +L.U.E.] Mr. Hopper, I am very, very angry with you. You +have taken Agatha out on the terrace, and she is so delicate.</p> +<p>HOPPER. Awfully sorry, Duchess. We went out for a moment +and then got chatting together.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [C.] Ah, about dear Australia, I +suppose?</p> +<p>HOPPER. Yes!</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Agatha, darling! [Beckons her over.]</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma!</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Aside.] Did Mr. Hopper definitely +-</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. And what answer did you give him, dear +child?</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Affectionately.] My dear one! +You always say the right thing. Mr. Hopper! James! +Agatha has told me everything. How cleverly you have both kept +your secret.</p> +<p>HOPPER. You don’t mind my taking Agatha off to Australia, +then, Duchess?</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Indignantly.] To Australia? +Oh, don’t mention that dreadful vulgar place.</p> +<p>HOPPER. But she said she’d like to come with me.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Severely.] Did you say that, Agatha?</p> +<p>LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Agatha, you say the most silly things possible. +I think on the whole that Grosvenor Square would be a more healthy place +to reside in. There are lots of vulgar people live in Grosvenor +Square, but at any rate there are no horrid kangaroos crawling about. +But we’ll talk about that to-morrow. James, you can take +Agatha down. You’ll come to lunch, of course, James. +At half-past one, instead of two. The Duke will wish to say a +few words to you, I am sure.</p> +<p>HOPPER. I should like to have a chat with the Duke, Duchess. +He has not said a single word to me yet.</p> +<p>DUCHESS OF BERWICK. I think you’ll find he will have +a great deal to say to you to-morrow. [Exit LADY AGATHA with MR. +HOPPER.] And now good-night, Margaret. I’m afraid +it’s the old, old story, dear. Love - well, not love at +first sight, but love at the end of the season, which is so much more +satisfactory.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Good-night, Duchess.</p> +<p>[Exit the DUCHESS OF BERWICK on LORD PAISLEY’S arm.]</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. My dear Margaret, what a handsome woman your +husband has been dancing with! I should be quite jealous if I +were you! Is she a great friend of yours?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. No!</p> +<p>LADY PLYMDALE. Really? Good-night, dear. [Looks +at MR. DUMBY and exit.]</p> +<p>DUMBY. Awful manners young Hopper has!</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Ah! Hopper is one of Nature’s gentlemen, +the worst type of gentleman I know.</p> +<p>DUMBY. Sensible woman, Lady Windermere. Lots of wives +would have objected to Mrs. Erlynne coming. But Lady Windermere +has that uncommon thing called common sense.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. And Windermere knows that nothing looks so like +innocence as an indiscretion.</p> +<p>DUMBY. Yes; dear Windermere is becoming almost modern. +Never thought he would. [Bows to LADY WINDERMERE and exit.]</p> +<p>LADY JEDBURGH. Good night, Lady Windermere. What a fascinating +woman Mrs. Erlynne is! She is coming to lunch on Thursday, won’t +you come too? I expect the Bishop and dear Lady Merton.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I am afraid I am engaged, Lady Jedburgh.</p> +<p>LADY JEDBURGH. So sorry. Come, dear. [Exeunt LADY +JEDBURGH and MISS GRAHAM.]</p> +<p>[Enter MRS. ERLYNNE and LORD WINDERMERE.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Charming ball it has been! Quite reminds +me of old days. [Sits on sofa.] And I see that there are +just as many fools in society as there used to be. So pleased +to find that nothing has altered! Except Margaret. She’s +grown quite pretty. The last time I saw her - twenty years ago, +she was a fright in flannel. Positive fright, I assure you. +The dear Duchess! and that sweet Lady Agatha! Just the type of +girl I like! Well, really, Windermere, if I am to be the Duchess’s +sister-in-law</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Sitting L. of her.] But are you - ?</p> +<p>[Exit MR. CECIL GRAHAM with rest of guests. LADY WINDERMERE +watches, with a look of scorn and pain, MRS. ERLYNNE and her husband. +They are unconscious of her presence.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh, yes! He’s to call to-morrow at +twelve o’clock! He wanted to propose to-night. In +fact he did. He kept on proposing. Poor Augustus, you know +how he repeats himself. Such a bad habit! But I told him +I wouldn’t give him an answer till to-morrow. Of course +I am going to take him. And I dare say I’ll make him an +admirable wife, as wives go. And there is a great deal of good +in Lord Augustus. Fortunately it is all on the surface. +Just where good qualities should be. Of course you must help me +in this matter.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I am not called on to encourage Lord Augustus, +I suppose?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh, no! I do the encouraging. But +you will make me a handsome settlement, Windermere, won’t you?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Frowning.] Is that what you want to +talk to me about to-night?</p> +<p>MRS ERLYNNE. Yes.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [With a gesture of impatience.] I will +not talk of it here.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Laughing.] Then we will talk of it on +the terrace. Even business should have a picturesque background. +Should it not, Windermere? With a proper background women can +do anything.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Won’t to-morrow do as well?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. No; you see, to-morrow I am going to accept him. +And I think it would be a good thing if I was able to tell him that +I had - well, what shall I say? - £2000 a year left to me by a +third cousin - or a second husband - or some distant relative of that +kind. It would be an additional attraction, wouldn’t it? +You have a delightful opportunity now of paying me a compliment, Windermere. +But you are not very clever at paying compliments. I am afraid +Margaret doesn’t encourage you in that excellent habit. +It’s a great mistake on her part. When men give up saying +what is charming, they give up thinking what is charming. But +seriously, what do you say to £2000? £2500, I think. +In modern life margin is everything. Windermere, don’t you +think the world an intensely amusing place? I do!</p> +<p>[Exit on terrace with LORD WINDERMERE. Music strikes up in +ball-room.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. To stay in this house any longer is impossible. +To-night a man who loves me offered me his whole life. I refused +it. It was foolish of me. I will offer him mine now. +I will give him mine. I will go to him! [Puts on cloak and +goes to the door, then turns back. Sits down at table and writes +a letter, puts it into an envelope, and leaves it on table.] Arthur +has never understood me. When he reads this, he will. He +may do as he chooses now with his life. I have done with mine +as I think best, as I think right. It is he who has broken the +bond of marriage - not I. I only break its bondage.</p> +<p>[Exit.]</p> +<p>[PARKER enters L. and crosses towards the ball-room R. Enter +MRS. ERLYNNE.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Is Lady Windermere in the ball-room?</p> +<p>PARKER. Her ladyship has just gone out.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Gone out? She’s not on the terrace?</p> +<p>PARKER. No, madam. Her ladyship has just gone out of +the house.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Starts, and looks at the servant with a puzzled +expression in her face.] Out of the house?</p> +<p>PARKER. Yes, madam - her ladyship told me she had left a letter +for his lordship on the table.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. A letter for Lord Windermere?</p> +<p>PARKER. Yes, madam.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Thank you.</p> +<p>[Exit PARKER. The music in the ball-room stops.] Gone +out of her house! A letter addressed to her husband! [Goes +over to bureau and looks at letter. Takes it up and lays it down +again with a shudder of fear.] No, no! It would be impossible! +Life doesn’t repeat its tragedies like that! Oh, why does +this horrible fancy come across me? Why do I remember now the +one moment of my life I most wish to forget? Does life repeat +its tragedies? [Tears letter open and reads it, then sinks down +into a chair with a gesture of anguish.] Oh, how terrible! +The same words that twenty years ago I wrote to her father! and how +bitterly I have been punished for it! No; my punishment, my real +punishment is to-night, is now! [Still seated R.]</p> +<p>[Enter LORD WINDERMERE L.U.E.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Have you said good-night to my wife? +[Comes C.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Crushing letter in her hand.] Yes.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Where is she?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. She is very tired. She has gone to bed. +She said she had a headache.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I must go to her. You’ll excuse +me?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Rising hurriedly.] Oh, no! It’s +nothing serious. She’s only very tired, that is all. +Besides, there are people still in the supper-room. She wants +you to make her apologies to them. She said she didn’t wish +to be disturbed. [Drops letter.] She asked me to tell you!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Picks up letter.] You have dropped +something.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh yes, thank you, that is mine. [Puts +out her hand to take it.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Still looking at letter.] But it’s +my wife’s handwriting, isn’t it?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Takes the letter quickly.] Yes, it’s +- an address. Will you ask them to call my carriage, please?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Certainly.</p> +<p>[Goes L. and Exit.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Thanks! What can I do? What can I +do? I feel a passion awakening within me that I never felt before. +What can it mean? The daughter must not be like the mother - that +would be terrible. How can I save her? How can I save my +child? A moment may ruin a life. Who knows that better than +I? Windermere must be got out of the house; that is absolutely +necessary. [Goes L.] But how shall I do it? It must +be done somehow. Ah!</p> +<p>[Enter LORD AUGUSTUS R.U.E. carrying bouquet.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Dear lady, I am in such suspense! May +I not have an answer to my request?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Lord Augustus, listen to me. You are to +take Lord Windermere down to your club at once, and keep him there as +long as possible. You understand?</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. But you said you wished me to keep early hours!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Nervously.] Do what I tell you. +Do what I tell you.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. And my reward?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Your reward? Your reward? Oh! ask +me that to-morrow. But don’t let Windermere out of your +sight to-night. If you do I will never forgive you. I will +never speak to you again. I’ll have nothing to do with you. +Remember you are to keep Windermere at your club, and don’t let +him come back to-night.</p> +<p>[Exit L.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Well, really, I might be her husband already. +Positively I might. [Follows her in a bewildered manner.]</p> +<p>ACT DROP.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>THIRD ACT</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>SCENE</p> +<p>Lord Darlington’s Rooms. A large sofa is in front of +fireplace R. At the back of the stage a curtain is drawn across +the window. Doors L. and R. Table R. with writing materials. +Table C. with syphons, glasses, and Tantalus frame. Table L. with +cigar and cigarette box. Lamps lit.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Standing by the fireplace.] Why doesn’t +he come? This waiting is horrible. He should be here. +Why is he not here, to wake by passionate words some fire within me? +I am cold - cold as a loveless thing. Arthur must have read my +letter by this time. If he cared for me, he would have come after +me, would have taken me back by force. But he doesn’t care. +He’s entrammelled by this woman - fascinated by her - dominated +by her. If a woman wants to hold a man, she has merely to appeal +to what is worst in him. We make gods of men and they leave us. +Others make brutes of them and they fawn and are faithful. How +hideous life is! . . . Oh! it was mad of me to come here, horribly mad. +And yet, which is the worst, I wonder, to be at the mercy of a man who +loves one, or the wife of a man who in one’s own house dishonours +one? What woman knows? What woman in the whole world? +But will he love me always, this man to whom I am giving my life? +What do I bring him? Lips that have lost the note of joy, eyes +that are blinded by tears, chill hands and icy heart. I bring +him nothing. I must go back - no; I can’t go back, my letter +has put me in their power - Arthur would not take me back! That +fatal letter! No! Lord Darlington leaves England to-morrow. +I will go with him - I have no choice. [Sits down for a few moments. +Then starts up and puts on her cloak.] No, no! I will go +back, let Arthur do with me what he pleases. I can’t wait +here. It has been madness my coming. I must go at once. +As for Lord Darlington - Oh! here he is! What shall I do? +What can I say to him? Will he let me go away at all? I +have heard that men are brutal, horrible . . . Oh! [Hides her +face in her hands.]</p> +<p>[Enter MRS. ERLYNNE L.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Lady Windermere! [LADY WINDERMERE starts +and looks up. Then recoils in contempt.] Thank Heaven I +am in time. You must go back to your husband’s house immediately.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Must?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Authoritatively.] Yes, you must! +There is not a second to be lost. Lord Darlington may return at +any moment.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Don’t come near me!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh! You are on the brink of ruin, you are +on the brink of a hideous precipice. You must leave this place +at once, my carriage is waiting at the corner of the street. You +must come with me and drive straight home.</p> +<p>[LADY WINDERMERE throws off her cloak and flings it on the sofa.]</p> +<p>What are you doing?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne - if you had not come here, I +would have gone back. But now that I see you, I feel that nothing +in the whole world would induce me to live under the same roof as Lord +Windermere. You fill me with horror. There is something +about you that stirs the wildest - rage within me. And I know +why you are here. My husband sent you to lure me back that I might +serve as a blind to whatever relations exist between you and him.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh! You don’t think that - you can’t.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Go back to my husband, Mrs. Erlynne. +He belongs to you and not to me. I suppose he is afraid of a scandal. +Men are such cowards. They outrage every law of the world, and +are afraid of the world’s tongue. But he had better prepare +himself. He shall have a scandal. He shall have the worst +scandal there has been in London for years. He shall see his name +in every vile paper, mine on every hideous placard.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. No - no -</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes! he shall. Had he come himself, +I admit I would have gone back to the life of degradation you and he +had prepared for me - I was going back - but to stay himself at home, +and to send you as his messenger - oh! it was infamous - infamous.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [C.] Lady Windermere, you wrong me horribly +- you wrong your husband horribly. He doesn’t know you are +here - he thinks you are safe in your own house. He thinks you +are asleep in your own room. He never read the mad letter you +wrote to him!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [R.] Never read it!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. No - he knows nothing about it.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. How simple you think me! [Going to her.] +You are lying to me!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Restraining herself.] I am not. +I am telling you the truth.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. If my husband didn’t read my letter, +how is it that you are here? Who told you I had left the house +you were shameless enough to enter? Who told you where I had gone +to? My husband told you, and sent you to decoy me back. +[Crosses L.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [R.C.] Your husband has never seen the +letter. I - saw it, I opened it. I - read it.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Turning to her.] You opened a letter +of mine to my husband? You wouldn’t dare!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Dare! Oh! to save you from the abyss into +which you are falling, there is nothing in the world I would not dare, +nothing in the whole world. Here is the letter. Your husband +has never read it. He never shall read it. [Going to fireplace.] +It should never have been written. [Tears it and throws it into +the fire.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [With infinite contempt in her voice and look.] +How do I know that that was my letter after all? You seem to think +the commonest device can take me in!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh! why do you disbelieve everything I tell you? +What object do you think I have in coming here, except to save you from +utter ruin, to save you from the consequence of a hideous mistake? +That letter that is burnt now <i>was</i> your letter. I swear +it to you!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Slowly.] You took good care to burn +it before I had examined it. I cannot trust you. You, whose +whole life is a lie, could you speak the truth about anything? +[Sits down.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Hurriedly.] Think as you like about me +- say what you choose against me, but go back, go back to the husband +you love.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Sullenly.] I do <i>not</i> love him!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. You do, and you know that he loves you.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. He does not understand what love is. +He understands it as little as you do - but I see what you want. +It would be a great advantage for you to get me back. Dear Heaven! +what a life I would have then! Living at the mercy of a woman +who has neither mercy nor pity in her, a woman whom it is an infamy +to meet, a degradation to know, a vile woman, a woman who comes between +husband and wife!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [With a gesture of despair.] Lady Windermere, +Lady Windermere, don’t say such terrible things. You don’t +know how terrible they are, how terrible and how unjust. Listen, +you must listen! Only go back to your husband, and I promise you +never to communicate with him again on any pretext - never to see him +- never to have anything to do with his life or yours. The money +that he gave me, he gave me not through love, but through hatred, not +in worship, but in contempt. The hold I have over him -</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Rising.] Ah! you admit you have a hold!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Yes, and I will tell you what it is. It +is his love for you, Lady Windermere.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You expect me to believe that?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. You must believe it! It is true. +It is his love for you that has made him submit to - oh! call it what +you like, tyranny, threats, anything you choose. But it is his +love for you. His desire to spare you - shame, yes, shame and +disgrace.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. What do you mean? You are insolent! +What have I to do with you?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Humbly.] Nothing. I know it - but +I tell you that your husband loves you - that you may never meet with +such love again in your whole life - that such love you will never meet +- and that if you throw it away, the day may come when you will starve +for love and it will not be given to you, beg for love and it will be +denied you - Oh! Arthur loves you!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Arthur? And you tell me there is nothing +between you?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Lady Windermere, before Heaven your husband is +guiltless of all offence towards you! And I - I tell you that +had it ever occurred to me that such a monstrous suspicion would have +entered your mind, I would have died rather than have crossed your life +or his - oh! died, gladly died! [Moves away to sofa R.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You talk as if you had a heart. Women +like you have no hearts. Heart is not in you. You are bought +and sold. [Sits L.C.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Starts, with a gesture of pain. Then restrains +herself, and comes over to where LADY WINDERMERE is sitting. As +she speaks, she stretches out her hands towards her, but does not dare +to touch her.] Believe what you choose about me. I am not +worth a moment’s sorrow. But don’t spoil your beautiful +young life on my account! You don’t know what may be in +store for you, unless you leave this house at once. You don’t +know what it is to fall into the pit, to be despised, mocked, abandoned, +sneered at - to be an outcast! to find the door shut against one, to +have to creep in by hideous byways, afraid every moment lest the mask +should be stripped from one’s face, and all the while to hear +the laughter, the horrible laughter of the world, a thing more tragic +than all the tears the world has ever shed. You don’t know +what it is. One pays for one’s sin, and then one pays again, +and all one’s life one pays. You must never know that. - +As for me, if suffering be an expiation, then at this moment I have +expiated all my faults, whatever they have been; for to-night you have +made a heart in one who had it not, made it and broken it. - But let +that pass. I may have wrecked my own life, but I will not let +you wreck yours. You - why, you are a mere girl, you would be +lost. You haven’t got the kind of brains that enables a +woman to get back. You have neither the wit nor the courage. +You couldn’t stand dishonour! No! Go back, Lady Windermere, +to the husband who loves you, whom you love. You have a child, +Lady Windermere. Go back to that child who even now, in pain or +in joy, may be calling to you. [LADY WINDERMERE rises.] +God gave you that child. He will require from you that you make +his life fine, that you watch over him. What answer will you make +to God if his life is ruined through you? Back to your house, +Lady Windermere - your husband loves you! He has never swerved +for a moment from the love he bears you. But even if he had a +thousand loves, you must stay with your child. If he was harsh +to you, you must stay with your child. If he ill-treated you, +you must stay with your child. If he abandoned you, your place +is with your child.</p> +<p>[LADY WINDERMERE bursts into tears and buries her face in her hands.]</p> +<p>[Rushing to her.] Lady Windermere!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Holding out her hands to her, helplessly, +as a child might do.] Take me home. Take me home.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Is about to embrace her. Then restrains +herself. There is a look of wonderful joy in her face.] +Come! Where is your cloak? [Getting it from sofa.] +Here. Put it on. Come at once!</p> +<p>[They go to the door.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Stop! Don’t you hear voices?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. No, no! There was no one!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes, there is! Listen! Oh! that +is my husband’s voice! He is coming in! Save me! +Oh, it’s some plot! You have sent for him.</p> +<p>[Voices outside.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Silence! I’m here to save you, if +I can. But I fear it is too late! There! [Points to the +curtain across the window.] The first chance you have, slip out, +if you ever get a chance!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. But you?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh! never mind me. I’ll face them.</p> +<p>[LADY WINDERMERE hides herself behind the curtain.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [Outside.] Nonsense, dear Windermere, +you must not leave me!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Lord Augustus! Then it is I who am lost! +[Hesitates for a moment, then looks round and sees door R., and exits +through it.]</p> +<p> [Enter LORD DARLINGTON, MR. DUMBY, LORD WINDERMERE, LORD AUGUSTUS +LORTON, and MR. CECIL GRAHAM.</p> +<p>DUMBY. What a nuisance their turning us out of the club at +this hour! It’s only two o’clock. [Sinks into +a chair.] The lively part of the evening is only just beginning. +[Yawns and closes his eyes.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. It is very good of you, Lord Darlington, allowing +Augustus to force our company on you, but I’m afraid I can’t +stay long.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Really! I am so sorry! You’ll +take a cigar, won’t you?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Thanks! [Sits down.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [To LORD WINDERMERE.] My dear boy, you +must not dream of going. I have a great deal to talk to you about, +of demmed importance, too. [Sits down with him at L. table.]</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Oh! We all know what that is! Tuppy +can’t talk about anything but Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Well, that is no business of yours, is it, +Cecil?</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. None! That is why it interests me. +My own business always bores me to death. I prefer other people’s.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Have something to drink, you fellows. +Cecil, you’ll have a whisky and soda?</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Thanks. [Goes to table with LORD DARLINGTON.] +Mrs. Erlynne looked very handsome to-night, didn’t she?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. I am not one of her admirers.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. I usen’t to be, but I am now. Why! +she actually made me introduce her to poor dear Aunt Caroline. +I believe she is going to lunch there.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [In Purple.] No?</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. She is, really.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Excuse me, you fellows. I’m going +away to-morrow. And I have to write a few letters. [Goes +to writing table and sits down.]</p> +<p>DUMBY. Clever woman, Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Hallo, Dumby! I thought you were asleep.</p> +<p>DUMBY. I am, I usually am!</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. A very clever woman. Knows perfectly well +what a demmed fool I am - knows it as well as I do myself.</p> +<p>[CECIL GRAHAM comes towards him laughing.]</p> +<p>Ah, you may laugh, my boy, but it is a great thing to come across +a woman who thoroughly understands one.</p> +<p>DUMBY. It is an awfully dangerous thing. They always +end by marrying one.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. But I thought, Tuppy, you were never going to +see her again! Yes! you told me so yesterday evening at the club. +You said you’d heard -</p> +<p>[Whispering to him.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Oh, she’s explained that.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. And the Wiesbaden affair?</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. She’s explained that too.</p> +<p>DUMBY. And her income, Tuppy? Has she explained that?</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [In a very serious voice.] She’s +going to explain that to-morrow.</p> +<p>[CECIL GRAHAM goes back to C. table.]</p> +<p>DUMBY. Awfully commercial, women nowadays. Our grandmothers +threw their caps over the mills, of course, but, by Jove, their granddaughters +only throw their caps over mills that can raise the wind for them.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. You want to make her out a wicked woman. +She is not!</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Oh! Wicked women bother one. Good +women bore one. That is the only difference between them.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [Puffing a cigar.] Mrs. Erlynne has a +future before her.</p> +<p>DUMBY. Mrs. Erlynne has a past before her.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. I prefer women with a past. They’re +always so demmed amusing to talk to.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Well, you’ll have lots of topics of conversation +with <i>her</i>, Tuppy. [Rising and going to him.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. You’re getting annoying, dear-boy; you’re +getting demmed annoying.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. [Puts his hands on his shoulders.] Now, +Tuppy, you’ve lost your figure and you’ve lost your character. +Don’t lose your temper; you have only got one.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. My dear boy, if I wasn’t the most good-natured +man in London -</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. We’d treat you with more respect, wouldn’t +we, Tuppy? [Strolls away.]</p> +<p>DUMBY. The youth of the present day are quite monstrous. +They have absolutely no respect for dyed hair. [LORD AUGUSTUS +looks round angrily.]</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Mrs. Erlynne has a very great respect for dear +Tuppy.</p> +<p>DUMBY. Then Mrs. Erlynne sets an admirable example to the rest +of her sex. It is perfectly brutal the way most women nowadays +behave to men who are not their husbands.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Dumby, you are ridiculous, and Cecil, you +let your tongue run away with you. You must leave Mrs. Erlynne +alone. You don’t really know anything about her, and you’re +always talking scandal against her.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. [Coming towards him L.C.] My dear Arthur, +I never talk scandal. <i>I</i> only talk gossip.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. What is the difference between scandal and +gossip?</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Oh! gossip is charming! History is merely +gossip. But scandal is gossip made tedious by morality. +Now, I never moralise. A man who moralises is usually a hypocrite, +and a woman who moralises is invariably plain. There is nothing +in the whole world so unbecoming to a woman as a Nonconformist conscience. +And most women know it, I’m glad to say.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Just my sentiments, dear boy, just my sentiments.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Sorry to hear it, Tuppy; whenever people agree +with me, I always feel I must be wrong.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. My dear boy, when I was your age -</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. But you never were, Tuppy, and you never will +be. [Goes up C.] I say, Darlington, let us have some cards. +You’ll play, Arthur, won’t you?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. No, thanks, Cecil.</p> +<p>DUMBY. [With a sigh.] Good heavens! how marriage ruins +a man! It’s as demoralising as cigarettes, and far more +expensive.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. You’ll play, of course, Tuppy?</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [Pouring himself out a brandy and soda at table.] +Can’t, dear boy. Promised Mrs. Erlynne never to play or +drink again.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Now, my dear Tuppy, don’t be led astray +into the paths of virtue. Reformed, you would be perfectly tedious. +That is the worst of women. They always want one to be good. +And if we are good, when they meet us, they don’t love us at all. +They like to find us quite irretrievably bad, and to leave us quite +unattractively good.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Rising from R. table, where he has been writing +letters.] They always do find us bad!</p> +<p>DUMBY. I don’t think we are bad. I think we are +all good, except Tuppy.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. No, we are all in the gutter, but some of +us are looking at the stars. [Sits down at C. table.]</p> +<p>DUMBY. We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking +at the stars? Upon my word, you are very romantic to-night, Darlington.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Too romantic! You must be in love. +Who is the girl?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. The woman I love is not free, or thinks she +isn’t. [Glances instinctively at LORD WINDERMERE while he +speaks.]</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. A married woman, then! Well, there’s +nothing in the world like the devotion of a married woman. It’s +a thing no married man knows anything about.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Oh! she doesn’t love me. She is +a good woman. She is the only good woman I have ever met in my +life.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. The only good woman you have ever met in your +life?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Yes!</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. [Lighting a cigarette.] Well, you are a +lucky fellow! Why, I have met hundreds of good women. I +never seem to meet any but good women. The world is perfectly +packed with good women. To know them is a middle-class education.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. This woman has purity and innocence. +She has everything we men have lost.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. My dear fellow, what on earth should we men do +going about with purity and innocence? A carefully thought-out +buttonhole is much more effective.</p> +<p>DUMBY. She doesn’t really love you then?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. No, she does not!</p> +<p>DUMBY. I congratulate you, my dear fellow. In this world +there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, +and the other is getting it. The last is much the worst; the last +is a real tragedy! But I am interested to hear she does not love +you. How long could you love a woman who didn’t love you, +Cecil?</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. A woman who didn’t love me? Oh, all +my life!</p> +<p>DUMBY. So could I. But it’s so difficult to meet +one.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. How can you be so conceited, DUMBY?</p> +<p>DUMBY. I didn’t say it as a matter of conceit. +I said it as a matter of regret. I have been wildly, madly adored. +I am sorry I have. It has been an immense nuisance. I should +like to be allowed a little time to myself now and then.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [Looking round.] Time to educate yourself, +I suppose.</p> +<p>DUMBY. No, time to forget all I have learned. That is +much more important, dear Tuppy. [LORD AUGUSTUS moves uneasily +in his chair.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. What cynics you fellows are!</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. What is a cynic? [Sitting on the back of +the sofa.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. A man who knows the price of everything and +the value of nothing.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. And a sentimentalist, my dear Darlington, is +a man who sees an absurd value in everything, and doesn’t know +the market price of any single thing.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. You always amuse me, Cecil. You talk +as if you were a man of experience.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. I am. [Moves up to front off fireplace.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. You are far too young!</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. That is a great error. Experience is a +question of instinct about life. I have got it. Tuppy hasn’t. +Experience is the name Tuppy gives to his mistakes. That is all. +[LORD AUGUSTUS looks round indignantly.]</p> +<p>DUMBY. Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. [Standing with his back to the fireplace.] +One shouldn’t commit any. [Sees LADY WINDERMERE’S +fan on sofa.]</p> +<p>DUMBY. Life would be very dull without them.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Of course you are quite faithful to this woman +you are in love with, Darlington, to this good woman?</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Cecil, if on really loves a woman, all other +women in the world become absolutely meaningless to one. Love +changes one - <i>I</i> am changed.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Dear me! How very interesting! Tuppy, +I want to talk to you. [LORD AUGUSTUS takes no notice.]</p> +<p>DUMBY. It’s no use talking to Tuppy. You might +just as well talk to a brick wall.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. But I like talking to a brick wall - it’s +the only thing in the world that never contradicts me! Tuppy!</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Well, what is it? What is it? [Rising +and going over to CECIL GRAHAM.]</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Come over here. I want you particularly. +[Aside.] Darlington has been moralising and talking about the +purity of love, and that sort of thing, and he has got some woman in +his rooms all the time.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. No, really! really!</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. [In a low voice.] Yes, here is her fan. +[Points to the fan.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [Chuckling.] By Jove! By Jove!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Up by door.] I am really off now, Lord +Darlington. I am sorry you are leaving England so soon. +Pray call on us when you come back! My wife and I will be charmed +to see you!</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Up sage with LORD WINDERMERE.] I am +afraid I shall be away for many years. Good-night!</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Arthur!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. What?</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. I want to speak to you for a moment. No, +do come!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Putting on his coat.] I can’t +- I’m off!</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. It is something very particular. It will +interest you enormously.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Smiling.] It is some of your nonsense, +Cecil.</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. It isn’t! It isn’t really.</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [Going to him.] My dear fellow, you mustn’t +go yet. I have a lot to talk to you about. And Cecil has +something to show you.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Walking over.] Well, what is it?</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. Darlington has got a woman here in his rooms. +Here is her fan. Amusing, isn’t it? [A pause.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Good God! [Seizes the fan - DUMBY rises.]</p> +<p>CECIL GRAHAM. What is the matter?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Lord Darlington!</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Turning round.] Yes!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. What is my wife’s fan doing here in +your rooms? Hands off, Cecil. Don’t touch me.</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. Your wife’s fan?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Yes, here it is!</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Walking towards him.] I don’t +know!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. You must know. I demand an explanation. +Don’t hold me, you fool. [To CECIL GRAHAM.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. [Aside.] She is here after all!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Speak, sir! Why is my wife’s fan +here? Answer me! By God! I’ll search your rooms, +and if my wife’s here, I’ll - [Moves.]</p> +<p>LORD DARLINGTON. You shall not search my rooms. You have +no right to do so. I forbid you!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. You scoundrel! I’ll not leave +your room till I have searched every corner of it! What moves +behind that curtain? [Rushes towards the curtain C.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Enters behind R.] Lord Windermere!</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne!</p> +<p>[Every one starts and turns round. LADY WINDERMERE slips out +from behind the curtain and glides from the room L.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. I am afraid I took your wife’s fan in mistake +for my own, when I was leaving your house to-night. I am so sorry. +[Takes fan from him. LORD WINDERMERE looks at her in contempt. +LORD DARLINGTON in mingled astonishment and anger. LORD AUGUSTUS +turns away. The other men smile at each other.]</p> +<p>ACT DROP.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>FOURTH ACT</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>SCENE - Same as in Act I.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Lying on sofa.] How can I tell him? +I can’t tell him. It would kill me. I wonder what +happened after I escaped from that horrible room. Perhaps she +told them the true reason of her being there, and the real meaning of +that - fatal fan of mine. Oh, if he knows - how can I look him +in the face again? He would never forgive me. [Touches bell.] +How securely one thinks one lives - out of reach of temptation, sin, +folly. And then suddenly - Oh! Life is terrible. It +rules us, we do not rule it.</p> +<p>[Enter ROSALIE R.]</p> +<p>ROSALIE. Did your ladyship ring for me?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes. Have you found out at what time +Lord Windermere came in last night?</p> +<p>ROSALIE. His lordship did not come in till five o’clock.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Five o’clock? He knocked at my +door this morning, didn’t he?</p> +<p>ROSALIE. Yes, my lady - at half-past nine. I told him +your ladyship was not awake yet.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Did he say anything?</p> +<p>ROSALIE. Something about your ladyship’s fan. I +didn’t quite catch what his lordship said. Has the fan been +lost, my lady? I can’t find it, and Parker says it was not +left in any of the rooms. He has looked in all of them and on +the terrace as well.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. It doesn’t matter. Tell Parker +not to trouble. That will do.</p> +<p>[Exit ROSALIE.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Rising.] She is sure to tell him. +I can fancy a person doing a wonderful act of self-sacrifice, doing +it spontaneously, recklessly, nobly - and afterwards finding out that +it costs too much. Why should she hesitate between her ruin and +mine? . . . How strange! I would have publicly disgraced her in +my own house. She accepts public disgrace in the house of another +to save me. . . . There is a bitter irony in things, a bitter irony +in the way we talk of good and bad women. . . . Oh, what a lesson! and +what a pity that in life we only get our lessons when they are of no +use to us! For even if she doesn’t tell, I must. Oh! +the shame of it, the shame of it. To tell it is to live through +it all again. Actions are the first tragedy in life, words are +the second. Words are perhaps the worst. Words are merciless. +. . Oh! [Starts as LORD WINDERMERE enters.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Kisses her.] Margaret - how pale you +look!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I slept very badly.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Sitting on sofa with her.] I am so +sorry. I came in dreadfully late, and didn’t like to wake +you. You are crying, dear.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes, I am crying, for I have something to +tell you, Arthur.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. My dear child, you are not well. You’ve +been doing too much. Let us go away to the country. You’ll +be all right at Selby. The season is almost over. There +is no use staying on. Poor darling! We’ll go away +to-day, if you like. [Rises.] We can easily catch the 3.40. +I’ll send a wire to Fannen. [Crosses and sits down at table +to write a telegram.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes; let us go away to-day. No; I can’t +go to-day, Arthur. There is some one I must see before I leave +town - some one who has been kind to me.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Rising and leaning over sofa.] Kind +to you?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Far more than that. [Rises and goes +to him.] I will tell you, Arthur, but only love me, love me as +you used to love me.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Used to? You are not thinking of that +wretched woman who came here last night? [Coming round and sitting +R. of her.] You don’t still imagine - no, you couldn’t.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I don’t. I know now I was wrong +and foolish.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. It was very good of you to receive her last +night - but you are never to see her again.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Why do you say that? [A pause.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Holding her hand.] Margaret, I thought +Mrs. Erlynne was a woman more sinned against than sinning, as the phrase +goes. I thought she wanted to be good, to get back into a place +that she had lost by a moment’s folly, to lead again a decent +life. I believed what she told me - I was mistaken in her. +She is bad - as bad as a woman can be.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Arthur, Arthur, don’t talk so bitterly +about any woman. I don’t think now that people can be divided +into the good and the bad as though they were two separate races or +creations. What are called good women may have terrible things +in them, mad moods of recklessness, assertion, jealousy, sin. +Bad women, as they are termed, may have in them sorrow, repentance, +pity, sacrifice. And I don’t think Mrs. Erlynne a bad woman +- I know she’s not.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. My dear child, the woman’s impossible. +No matter what harm she tries to do us, you must never see her again. +She is inadmissible anywhere.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. But I want to see her. I want her to +come here.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Never!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. She came here once as <i>your</i> guest. +She must come now as <i>mine</i>. That is but fair.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. She should never have come here.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Rising.] It is too late, Arthur, to +say that now. [Moves away.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Rising.] Margaret, if you knew where +Mrs. Erlynne went last night, after she left this house, you would not +sit in the same room with her. It was absolutely shameless, the +whole thing.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Arthur, I can’t bear it any longer. +I must tell you. Last night -</p> +<p>[Enter PARKER with a tray on which lie LADY WINDERMERE’S fan +and a card.]</p> +<p>PARKER. Mrs. Erlynne has called to return your ladyship’s +fan which she took away by mistake last night. Mrs. Erlynne has +written a message on the card.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Oh, ask Mrs. Erlynne to be kind enough to +come up. [Reads card.] Say I shall be very glad to see her. +[Exit PARKER.] She wants to see me, Arthur.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Takes card and looks at it.] Margaret, +I <i>beg</i> you not to. Let me see her first, at any rate. +She’s a very dangerous woman. She is the most dangerous +woman I know. You don’t realise what you’re doing.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. It is right that I should see her.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. My child, you may be on the brink of a great +sorrow. Don’t go to meet it. It is absolutely necessary +that I should see her before you do.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Why should it be necessary?</p> +<p>[Enter PARKER.]</p> +<p>PARKER. Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>[Enter MRS. ERLYNNE.]</p> +<p>[Exit PARKER.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. How do you do, Lady Windermere? [To LORD +WINDERMERE.] How do you do? Do you know, Lady Windermere, +I am so sorry about your fan. I can’t imagine how I made +such a silly mistake. Most stupid of me. And as I was driving +in your direction, I thought I would take the opportunity of returning +your property in person with many apologies for my carelessness, and +of bidding you good-bye.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Good-bye? [Moves towards sofa with MRS. +ERLYNNE and sits down beside her.] Are you going away, then, Mrs. +Erlynne?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Yes; I am going to live abroad again. The +English climate doesn’t suit me. My - heart is affected +here, and that I don’t like. I prefer living in the south. +London is too full of fogs and - and serious people, Lord Windermere. +Whether the fogs produce the serious people or whether the serious people +produce the fogs, I don’t know, but the whole thing rather gets +on my nerves, and so I’m leaving this afternoon by the Club Train.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. This afternoon? But I wanted so much +to come and see you.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. How kind of you! But I am afraid I have +to go.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Shall I never see you again, Mrs. Erlynne?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. I am afraid not. Our lives lie too far +apart. But there is a little thing I would like you to do for +me. I want a photograph of you, Lady Windermere - would you give +me one? You don’t know how gratified I should be.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Oh, with pleasure. There is one on that +table. I’ll show it to you. [Goes across to the table.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Coming up to MRS. ERLYNNE and speaking in +a low voice.] It is monstrous your intruding yourself here after +your conduct last night.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [With an amused smile.] My dear Windermere, +manners before morals!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Returning.] I’m afraid it is +very flattering - I am not so pretty as that. [Showing photograph.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. You are much prettier. But haven’t +you got one of yourself with your little boy?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I have. Would you prefer one of those?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Yes.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I’ll go and get it for you, if you’ll +excuse me for a moment. I have one upstairs.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. So sorry, Lady Windermere, to give you so much +trouble.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Moves to door R.] No trouble at all, +Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Thanks so much.</p> +<p>[Exit LADY WINDERMERE R.] You seem rather out of temper this +morning, Windermere. Why should you be? Margaret and I get +on charmingly together.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I can’t bear to see you with her. +Besides, you have not told me the truth, Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. I have not told <i>her</i> the truth, you mean.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Standing C.] I sometimes wish you had. +I should have been spared then the misery, the anxiety, the annoyance +of the last six months. But rather than my wife should know - +that the mother whom she was taught to consider as dead, the mother +whom she has mourned as dead, is living - a divorced woman, going about +under an assumed name, a bad woman preying upon life, as I know you +now to be - rather than that, I was ready to supply you with money to +pay bill after bill, extravagance after extravagance, to risk what occurred +yesterday, the first quarrel I have ever had with my wife. You +don’t understand what that means to me. How could you? +But I tell you that the only bitter words that ever came from those +sweet lips of hers were on your account, and I hate to see you next +her. You sully the innocence that is in her. [Moves L.C.] +And then I used to think that with all your faults you were frank and +honest. You are not.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Why do you say that?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. You made me get you an invitation to my wife’s +ball.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. For my daughter’s ball - yes.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. You came, and within an hour of your leaving +the house you are found in a man’s rooms - you are disgraced before +every one. [Goes up stage C.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Yes.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Turning round on her.] Therefore I +have a right to look upon you as what you are - a worthless, vicious +woman. I have the right to tell you never to enter this house, +never to attempt to come near my wife -</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Coldly.] My daughter, you mean.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. You have no right to claim her as your daughter. +You left her, abandoned her when she was but a child in the cradle, +abandoned her for your lover, who abandoned you in turn.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Rising.] Do you count that to his credit, +Lord Windermere - or to mine?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. To his, now that I know you.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Take care - you had better be careful.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Oh, I am not going to mince words for you. +I know you thoroughly.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Looks steadily at him.] I question that.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I <i>do</i> know you. For twenty years +of your life you lived without your child, without a thought of your +child. One day you read in the papers that she had married a rich +man. You saw your hideous chance. You knew that to spare +her the ignominy of learning that a woman like you was her mother, I +would endure anything. You began your blackmailing,</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Shrugging her shoulders.] Don’t +use ugly words, Windermere. They are vulgar. I saw my chance, +it is true, and took it.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Yes, you took it - and spoiled it all last +night by being found out.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [With a strange smile.] You are quite right, +I spoiled it all last night.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. And as for your blunder in taking my wife’s +fan from here and then leaving it about in Darlington’s rooms, +it is unpardonable. I can’t bear the sight of it now. +I shall never let my wife use it again. The thing is soiled for +me. You should have kept it and not brought it back.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. I think I shall keep it. [Goes up.] +It’s extremely pretty. [Takes up fan.] I shall ask +Margaret to give it to me.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I hope my wife will give it you.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh, I’m sure she will have no objection.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I wish that at the same time she would give +you a miniature she kisses every night before she prays - It’s +the miniature of a young innocent-looking girl with beautiful <i>dark</i> +hair.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Ah, yes, I remember. How long ago that +seems! [Goes to sofa and sits down.] It was done before +I was married. Dark hair and an innocent expression were the fashion +then, Windermere! [A pause.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. What do you mean by coming here this morning? +What is your object? [Crossing L.C. and sitting.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [With a note of irony in her voice.] To +bid good-bye to my dear daughter, of course. [LORD WINDERMERE +bites his under lip in anger. MRS. ERLYNNE looks at him, and her +voice and manner become serious. In her accents at she talks there +is a note of deep tragedy. For a moment she reveals herself.] +Oh, don’t imagine I am going to have a pathetic scene with her, +weep on her neck and tell her who I am, and all that kind of thing. +I have no ambition to play the part of a mother. Only once in +my life like I known a mother’s feelings. That was last +night. They were terrible - they made me suffer - they made me +suffer too much. For twenty years, as you say, I have lived childless, +- I want to live childless still. [Hiding her feelings with a +trivial laugh.] Besides, my dear Windermere, how on earth could +I pose as a mother with a grown-up daughter? Margaret is twenty-one, +and I have never admitted that I am more than twenty-nine, or thirty +at the most. Twenty-nine when there are pink shades, thirty when +there are not. So you see what difficulties it would involve. +No, as far as I am concerned, let your wife cherish the memory of this +dead, stainless mother. Why should I interfere with her illusions? +I find it hard enough to keep my own. I lost one illusion last +night. I thought I had no heart. I find I have, and a heart +doesn’t suit me, Windermere. Somehow it doesn’t go +with modern dress. It makes one look old. [Takes up hand-mirror +from table and looks into it.] And it spoils one’s career +at critical moments.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. You fill me with horror - with absolute horror.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Rising.] I suppose, Windermere, you would +like me to retire into a convent, or become a hospital nurse, or something +of that kind, as people do in silly modern novels. That is stupid +of you, Arthur; in real life we don’t do such things - not as +long as we have any good looks left, at any rate. No - what consoles +one nowadays is not repentance, but pleasure. Repentance is quite +out of date. And besides, if a woman really repents, she has to +go to a bad dressmaker, otherwise no one believes in her. And +nothing in the world would induce me to do that. No; I am going +to pass entirely out of your two lives. My coming into them has +been a mistake - I discovered that last night.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. A fatal mistake.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Smiling.] Almost fatal.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I am sorry now I did not tell my wife the +whole thing at once.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. I regret my bad actions. You regret your +good ones - that is the difference between us.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I don’t trust you. I <i>will</i> +tell my wife. It’s better for her to know, and from me. +It will cause her infinite pain - it will humiliate her terribly, but +it’s right that she should know.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. You propose to tell her?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I am going to tell her.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Going up to him.] If you do, I will make +my name so infamous that it will mar every moment of her life. +It will ruin her, and make her wretched. If you dare to tell her, +there is no depth of degradation I will not sink to, no pit of shame +I will not enter. You shall not tell her - I forbid you.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Why?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [After a pause.] If I said to you that +I cared for her, perhaps loved her even - you would sneer at me, wouldn’t +you?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. I should feel it was not true. A mother’s +love means devotion, unselfishness, sacrifice. What could you +know of such things?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. You are right. What could I know of such +things? Don’t let us talk any more about it - as for telling +my daughter who I am, that I do not allow. It is my secret, it +is not yours. If I make up my mind to tell her, and I think I +will, I shall tell her before I leave the house - if not, I shall never +tell her.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Angrily.] Then let me beg of you to +leave our house at once. I will make your excuses to Margaret.</p> +<p>[Enter LADY WINDERMERE R. She goes over to MRS. ERLYNNE with +the photograph in her hand. LORD WINDERMERE moves to back of sofa, +and anxiously watches MRS. ERLYNNE as the scene progresses.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I am so sorry, Mrs. Erlynne, to have kept +you waiting. I couldn’t find the photograph anywhere. +At last I discovered it in my husband’s dressing-room - he had +stolen it.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Takes the photograph from her and looks at it.] +I am not surprised - it is charming. [Goes over to sofa with LADY +WINDERMERE, and sits down beside her. Looks again at the photograph.] +And so that is your little boy! What is he called?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Gerard, after my dear father.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Laying the photograph down.] Really?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes. If it had been a girl, I would +have called it after my mother. My mother had the same name as +myself, Margaret.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. My name is Margaret too.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Indeed!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Yes. [Pause.] You are devoted to +your mother’s memory, Lady Windermere, your husband tells me.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. We all have ideals in life. At least +we all should have. Mine is my mother.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Ideals are dangerous things. Realities +are better. They wound, but they’re better.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Shaking her head.] If I lost my ideals, +I should lose everything.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Everything?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes. [Pause.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Did your father often speak to you of your mother?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. No, it gave him too much pain. He told +me how my mother had died a few months after I was born. His eyes +filled with tears as he spoke. Then he begged me never to mention +her name to him again. It made him suffer even to hear it. +My father - my father really died of a broken heart. His was the +most ruined life know,</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Rising.] I am afraid I must go now, Lady +Windermere.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Rising.] Oh no, don’t.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. I think I had better. My carriage must +have come back by this time. I sent it to Lady Jedburgh’s +with a note.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Arthur, would you mind seeing if Mrs. Erlynne’s +carriage has come back?</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Pray don’t trouble, Lord Windermere.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Yes, Arthur, do go, please.</p> +<p>[LORD WINDERMERE hesitated for a moment and looks at MRS. ERLYNNE. +She remains quite impassive. He leaves the room.]</p> +<p>[To MRS. ERLYNNE.] Oh! What am I to say to you? +You saved me last night? [Goes towards her.]</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Hush - don’t speak of it.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I must speak of it. I can’t let +you think that I am going to accept this sacrifice. I am not. +It is too great. I am going to tell my husband everything. +It is my duty.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. It is not your duty - at least you have duties +to others besides him. You say you owe me something?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. I owe you everything.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Then pay your debt by silence. That is +the only way in which it can be paid. Don’t spoil the one +good thing I have done in my life by telling it to any one. Promise +me that what passed last night will remain a secret between us. +You must not bring misery into your husband’s life. Why +spoil his love? You must not spoil it. Love is easily killed. +Oh! how easily love is killed. Pledge me your word, Lady Windermere, +that you will never tell him. I insist upon it.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [With bowed head.] It is your will, +not mine.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Yes, it is my will. And never forget your +child - I like to think of you as a mother. I like you to think +of yourself as one.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Looking up.] I always will now. +Only once in my life I have forgotten my own mother - that was last +night. Oh, if I had remembered her I should not have been so foolish, +so wicked.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [With a slight shudder.] Hush, last night +is quite over.</p> +<p>[Enter LORD WINDERMERE.]</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Your carriage has not come back yet, Mrs. +Erlynne.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. It makes no matter. I’ll take a hansom. +There is nothing in the world so respectable as a good Shrewsbury and +Talbot. And now, dear Lady Windermere, I am afraid it is really +good-bye. [Moves up C.] Oh, I remember. You’ll +think me absurd, but do you know I’ve taken a great fancy to this +fan that I was silly enough to run away with last night from your ball. +Now, I wonder would you give it to me? Lord Windermere says you +may. I know it is his present.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Oh, certainly, if it will give you any pleasure. +But it has my name on it. It has ‘Margaret’ on it.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. But we have the same Christian name.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Oh, I forgot. Of course, do have it. +What a wonderful chance our names being the same!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. Quite wonderful. Thanks - it will always +remind me of you. [Shakes hands with her.]</p> +<p>[Enter PARKER.]</p> +<p>PARKER. Lord Augustus Lorton. Mrs. Erlynne’s carriage +has come.</p> +<p>[Enter LORD AUGUSTUS.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Good morning, dear boy. Good morning, +Lady Windermere. [Sees MRS. ERLYNNE.] Mrs. Erlynne!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. How do you do, Lord Augustus? Are you quite +well this morning?</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [Coldly.] Quite well, thank you, Mrs. +Erlynne.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. You don’t look at all well, Lord Augustus. +You stop up too late - it is so bad for you. You really should +take more care of yourself. Good-bye, Lord Windermere. [Goes towards +door with a bow to LORD AUGUSTUS. Suddenly smiles and looks back +at him.] Lord Augustus! Won’t you see me to my carriage? +You might carry the fan.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Allow me!</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. No; I want Lord Augustus. I have a special +message for the dear Duchess. Won’t you carry the fan, Lord +Augustus?</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. If you really desire it, Mrs. Erlynne.</p> +<p>MRS. ERLYNNE. [Laughing.] Of course I do. You’ll +carry it so gracefully. You would carry off anything gracefully, +dear Lord Augustus.</p> +<p>[When she reaches the door she looks back for a moment at LADY WINDERMERE. +Their eyes meet. Then she turns, and exit C. followed by LORD +AUGUSTUS.]</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. You will never speak against Mrs. Erlynne +again, Arthur, will you?</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Gravely.] She is better than one thought +her.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. She is better than I am.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Smiling as he strokes her hair.] Child, +you and she belong to different worlds. Into your world evil has +never entered.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. Don’t say that, Arthur. There +is the same world for all of us, and good and evil, sin and innocence, +go through it hand in hand. To shut one’s eyes to half of +life that one may live securely is as though one blinded oneself that +one might walk with more safety in a land of pit and precipice.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. [Moves down with her.] Darling, why +do you say that?</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Sits on sofa.] Because I, who had shut +my eyes to life, came to the brink. And one who had separated +us -</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. We were never separated.</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. We never must be again. O Arthur, don’t +love me less, and I will trust you more. I will trust you absolutely. +Let us go to Selby. In the Rose Garden at Selby the roses are +white and red.</p> +<p>[Enter LORD AUGUSTUS C.]</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. Arthur, she has explained everything!</p> +<p>[LADY WINDERMERE looks horribly frightened at this. LORD WINDERMERE +starts. LORD AUGUSTUS takes WINDERMERE by the arm and brings him +to front of stage. He talks rapidly and in a low voice. +LADY WINDERMERE stands watching them in terror.] My dear fellow, +she has explained every demmed thing. We all wronged her immensely. +It was entirely for my sake she went to Darlington’s rooms. +Called first at the Club - fact is, wanted to put me out of suspense +- and being told I had gone on - followed - naturally frightened when +she heard a lot of us coming in - retired to another room - I assure +you, most gratifying to me, the whole thing. We all behaved brutally +to her. She is just the woman for me. Suits me down to the +ground. All the conditions she makes are that we live entirely +out of England. A very good thing too. Demmed clubs, demmed +climate, demmed cooks, demmed everything. Sick of it all!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Frightened.] Has Mrs. Erlynne - ?</p> +<p>LORD AUGUSTUS. [Advancing towards her with a low bow.] +Yes, Lady Windermere - Mrs. Erlynne has done me the honour of +accepting my hand.</p> +<p>LORD WINDERMERE. Well, you are certainly marrying a very clever +woman!</p> +<p>LADY WINDERMERE. [Taking her husband’s hand.] Ah, +you’re marrying a very good woman!</p> +<p>CURTAIN</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<p>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN ***</p> +<pre> + +******This file should be named lwfan10h.htm or lwfan10h.zip****** +Corrected EDITIONS of our EBooks get a new NUMBER, lwfan11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, lwfan10ah.htm + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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