A to Z Classics - Complete Works Of Oscar Wilde (Best Navigation) (A to Z Classics)

Yes, Sir Robert.

sir robert chiltern

Oh! just give that back to me again.

[ Writes something on the envelope. Mason then goes out with the letter .]

sir robert chiltern

She must have had some curious hold over Baron Arnheim. I wonder what it was.

·82· lord goring

[ Smiling .] I wonder.

sir robert chiltern

I will fight her to the death, as long as my wife knows nothing.

lord goring

[ Strongly .] Oh, fight in any case—in any case.

sir robert chiltern

[ With a gesture of despair .] If my wife found out, there would be little left to fight for. Well, as soon as I hear from Vienna, I shall let you know the result. It is a chance, just a chance, but I believe in it. And as I fought the age with its own weapons, I will fight her with her weapons. It is only fair, and she looks like a woman with a past, doesn’t she?

lord goring

Most pretty women do. But there is a fashion in pasts just as there is a fashion in frocks. Perhaps Mrs. Cheveley’s past is merely a slightly décolleté one, and they are excessively popular nowadays. Besides, my dear Robert, I should not build too high hopes on frightening Mrs. Cheveley. I should not fancy Mrs. Cheveley is a woman who would be easily frightened. She has survived all her creditors, and she shows wonderful presence of mind.

·83· sir robert chiltern

Oh! I live on hopes now. I clutch at every chance. I feel like a man on a ship that is sinking. The water is round my feet, and the very air is bitter with storm. Hush! I hear my wife’s voice.

[ Enter Lady Chiltern in walking dress .]

lady chiltern

Good afternoon, Lord Goring!

lord goring

Good afternoon, Lady Chiltern! Have you been in the Park?

lady chiltern

No: I have just come from the Woman’s Liberal Association, where, by the way, Robert, your name was received with loud applause, and now I have come in to have my tea. [ To Lord Goring .] You will wait and have some tea, won’t you?

lord goring

I’ll wait for a short time, thanks.

lady chiltern

I will be back in a moment. I am only going to take my hat off.

lord goring

[ In his most earnest manner .] Oh! please don’t. ·84· It is so pretty. One of the prettiest hats I ever saw. I hope the Woman’s Liberal Association received it with loud applause.

lady chiltern

[ With a smile .] We have much more important work to do than to look at each other’s bonnets, Lord Goring.

lord goring

Really? What sort of work?

lady chiltern

Oh! dull, useful, delightful things, Factory Acts, Female Inspectors, the Eight Hours’ Bill, the Parliamentary Franchise…. Everything, in fact, that you would find thoroughly uninteresting.

lord goring

And never bonnets?

lady chiltern

[ With mock indignation .] Never bonnets, never!

[ Lady Chiltern goes out through the door leading to her boudoir .]

sir robert chiltern

[ Takes Lord Goring’s hand .] You have been a good friend to me, Arthur, a thoroughly good friend.

·85· lord goring

I don’t know that I have been able to do much for you, Robert, as yet. In fact, I have not been able to do anything for you, as far as I can see. I am thoroughly disappointed with myself.

sir robert chiltern

You have enabled me to tell you the truth. That is something. The truth has always stifled me.

lord goring

Ah! the truth is a thing I get rid of as soon as possible! Bad habit, by the way. Makes one very unpopular at the club … with the older members. They call it being conceited. Perhaps it is.

sir robert chiltern

I would to God that I had been able to tell the truth … to live the truth. Ah! that is the great thing in life, to live the truth. [ Sighs, and goes towards the door .] I’ll see you soon again, Arthur, shan’t I?

lord goring

Certainly. Whenever you like. I’m going to look in at the Bachelors’ Ball to-night, unless I find something better to do. But I’ll come round to-morrow morning. If you should want me to-night by any chance, send round a note to Curzon Street.

·86· sir robert chiltern

Thank you.

[ As he reaches the door, Lady Chiltern enters from her boudoir .]

lady chiltern

You are not going, Robert?

sir robert chiltern

I have some letters to write, dear.

lady chiltern

[ Going to him .] You work too hard, Robert. You seem never to think of yourself, and you are looking so tired.

sir robert chiltern

It is nothing, dear, nothing.

[ He kisses her and goes out .]

lady chiltern

[ To Lord Goring .] Do sit down. I am so glad you have called. I want to talk to you about … well, not about bonnets, or the Woman’s Liberal Association. You take far too much interest in the first subject, and not nearly enough in the second.

lord goring

You want to talk to me about Mrs. Cheveley?

·87· lady chiltern

Yes. You have guessed it. After you left last night I found out that what she had said was really true. Of course I made Robert write her a letter at once, withdrawing his promise.

lord goring

So he gave me to understand.

lady chiltern

To have kept it would have been the first stain on a career that has been stainless always. Robert must be above reproach. He is not like other men. He cannot afford to do what other men do. [ She looks at Lord Goring, who remains silent .] Don’t you agree with me? You are Robert’s greatest friend. You are our greatest friend, Lord Goring. No one, except myself, knows Robert better than you do. He has no secrets from me, and I don’t think he has any from you.

lord goring

He certainly has no secrets from me. At least I don’t think so.

lady chiltern

Then am I not right in my estimate of him? I know I am right. But speak to me frankly.

lord goring

[ Looking straight at her .] Quite frankly?

·88· lady chiltern

Surely. You have nothing to conceal, have you?

lord goring

Nothing. But, my dear Lady Chiltern, I think, if you will allow me to say so, that in practical life——

lady chiltern

[ Smiling .] Of which you know so little, Lord Goring——

lord goring

Of which I know nothing by experience, though I know something by observation. I think that in practical life there is something about success, actual success, that is a little unscrupulous, something about ambition that is unscrupulous always. Once a man has set his heart and soul on getting to a certain point, if he has to climb the crag, he climbs the crag; if he has to walk in the mire——

lady chiltern

Well?

lord goring

He walks in the mire. Of course I am only talking generally about life.

·89· lady chiltern

[ Gravely .] I hope so. Why do you look at me so strangely, Lord Goring?

lord goring

Lady Chiltern, I have sometimes thought that … perhaps you are a little hard in some of your views on life. I think that … often you don’t make sufficient allowances. In every nature there are elements of weakness, or worse than weakness. Supposing, for instance, that—that any public man, my father, or Lord Merton, or Robert, say, had, years ago, written some foolish letter to some one …

lady chiltern

What do you mean by a foolish letter?

lord goring

A letter gravely compromising one’s position. I am only putting an imaginary case.

lady chiltern

Robert is as incapable of doing a foolish thing as he is of doing a wrong thing.

lord goring

[ After a long pause .] Nobody is incapable of doing a foolish thing. Nobody is incapable of doing a wrong thing.