An Ideal Husband Oscar Wilde (pride and prejudice read TXT) š
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delight they would have in dragging you down, of the mud and mire they would plunge you in. Think of the hypocrite with his greasy smile penning his leading article, and arranging the foulness of the public placard.
Sir Robert Chiltern
Stop! You want me to withdraw the report and to make a short speech stating that I believe there are possibilities in the scheme?
Mrs. Cheveley
Sitting down on the sofa. Those are my terms.
Sir Robert Chiltern
In a low voice. I will give you any sum of money you want.
Mrs. Cheveley
Even you are not rich enough, Sir Robert, to buy back your past. No man is.
Sir Robert Chiltern
I will not do what you ask me. I will not.
Mrs. Cheveley
You have to. If you donātā āā ā¦ Rises from the sofa.
Sir Robert Chiltern
Bewildered and unnerved. Wait a moment! What did you propose? You said that you would give me back my letter, didnāt you?
Mrs. Cheveley
Yes. That is agreed. I will be in the Ladiesā Gallery tomorrow night at half-past eleven. If by that timeā āand you will have had heaps of opportunityā āyou have made an announcement to the House in the terms I wish, I shall hand you back your letter with the prettiest thanks, and the best, or at any rate the most suitable, compliment I can think of. I intend to play quite fairly with you. One should always play fairlyā āā ā¦ when one has the winning cards. The Baron taught me thatā āā ā¦ amongst other things.
Sir Robert Chiltern
You must let me have time to consider your proposal.
Mrs. Cheveley
No; you must settle now!
Sir Robert Chiltern
Give me a weekā āthree days!
Mrs. Cheveley
Impossible! I have got to telegraph to Vienna tonight.
Sir Robert Chiltern
My God! what brought you into my life?
Mrs. Cheveley
Circumstances. Moves towards the door.
Sir Robert Chiltern
Donāt go. I consent. The report shall be withdrawn. I will arrange for a question to be put to me on the subject.
Mrs. Cheveley
Thank you. I knew we should come to an amicable agreement. I understood your nature from the first. I analysed you, though you did not adore me. And now you can get my carriage for me, Sir Robert. I see the people coming up from supper, and Englishmen always get romantic after a meal, and that bores me dreadfully. Exit Sir Robert Chiltern.
Enter Guests, Lady Chiltern, Lady Markby, Lord Caversham, Lady Basildon, Mrs. Marchmont, Vicomte de Nanjac, Mr. Montford.
Lady Markby
Well, dear Mrs. Cheveley, I hope you have enjoyed yourself. Sir Robert is very entertaining, is he not?
Mrs. Cheveley
Most entertaining! I have enjoyed my talk with him immensely.
Lady Markby
He has had a very interesting and brilliant career. And he has married a most admirable wife. Lady Chiltern is a woman of the very highest principles, I am glad to say. I am a little too old now, myself, to trouble about setting a good example, but I always admire people who do. And Lady Chiltern has a very ennobling effect on life, though her dinner-parties are rather dull sometimes. But one canāt have everything, can one? And now I must go, dear. Shall I call for you tomorrow?
Mrs. Cheveley
Thanks.
Lady Markby
We might drive in the Park at five. Everything looks so fresh in the Park now!
Mrs. Cheveley
Except the people!
Lady Markby
Perhaps the people are a little jaded. I have often observed that the Season as it goes on produces a kind of softening of the brain. However, I think anything is better than high intellectual pressure. That is the most unbecoming thing there is. It makes the noses of the young girls so particularly large. And there is nothing so difficult to marry as a large nose; men donāt like them. Good night, dear! To Lady Chiltern. Good night, Gertrude! Goes out on Lord Cavershamās arm.
Mrs. Cheveley
What a charming house you have, Lady Chiltern! I have spent a delightful evening. It has been so interesting getting to know your husband.
Lady Chiltern
Why did you wish to meet my husband, Mrs. Cheveley?
Mrs. Cheveley
Oh, I will tell you. I wanted to interest him in this Argentine Canal scheme, of which I dare say you have heard. And I found him most susceptibleā āsusceptible to reason, I mean. A rare thing in a man. I converted him in ten minutes. He is going to make a speech in the House tomorrow night in favour of the idea. We must go to the Ladiesā Gallery and hear him! It will be a great occasion!
Lady Chiltern
There must be some mistake. That scheme could never have my husbandās support.
Mrs. Cheveley
Oh, I assure you itās all settled. I donāt regret my tedious journey from Vienna now. It has been a great success. But, of course, for the next twenty-four hours the whole thing is a dead secret.
Lady Chiltern
Gently. A secret? Between whom?
Mrs. Cheveley
With a flash of amusement in her eyes. Between your husband and myself.
Sir Robert Chiltern
Entering. Your carriage is here, Mrs. Cheveley!
Mrs. Cheveley
Thanks! Good evening, Lady Chiltern! Good night, Lord Goring! I am at Claridgeās. Donāt you think you might leave a card?
Lord Goring
If you wish it, Mrs. Cheveley!
Mrs. Cheveley
Oh, donāt be so solemn about it, or I shall be obliged to leave a card on you. In England I suppose that would hardly be considered en rĆØgle. Abroad, we are more civilised. Will you see me down, Sir Robert? Now that we have both the same interests at heart we shall be great friends, I hope!
Sails out on Sir Robert Chilternās arm. Lady Chiltern goes to the top of the staircase and looks down at them as they descend. Her expression is troubled. After a little time she is joined by some of the guests, and passes with them into another reception room.
Mabel Chiltern
What a horrid woman!
Lord Goring
You should go to bed, Miss Mabel.
Mabel Chiltern
Lord Goring!
Lord Goring
My father told me to go to bed an hour ago. I donāt
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