An Ideal Husband - Oscar Wilde (unputdownable books .txt) 📗

room till I have got it. He rushes towards her, but Mrs. Cheveley at once puts her hand on the electric bell that is on the table. The bell sounds with shrill reverberations, and Phipps enters. Mrs. Cheveley After a pause. Lord Goring merely rang that you should show me out. Good night, Lord Goring! Goes out followed by Phipps. Her face is illumined with evil triumph. There is joy in her eyes. Youth seems to have come back to her. Her last glance is like a swift arrow. Lord Goring bites his lip, and lights his a cigarette. Act IV

Same as Act II.

Lord Goring is standing by the fireplace with his hands in his pockets. He is looking rather bored. Lord Goring Pulls out his watch, inspects it, and rings the bell. It is a great nuisance. I can’t find anyone in this house to talk to. And I am full of interesting information. I feel like the latest edition of something or other. Enter servant. James Sir Robert is still at the Foreign Office, my lord. Lord Goring Lady Chiltern not down yet? James Her ladyship has not yet left her room. Miss Chiltern has just come in from riding. Lord Goring To himself. Ah! that is something. James Lord Caversham has been waiting some time in the library for Sir Robert. I told him your lordship was here. Lord Goring Thank you! Would you kindly tell him I’ve gone? James Bowing. I shall do so, my lord. Exit servant. Lord Goring Really, I don’t want to meet my father three days running. It is a great deal too much excitement for any son. I hope to goodness he won’t come up. Fathers should be neither seen nor heard. That is the only proper basis for family life. Mothers are different. Mothers are darlings. Throws himself down into a chair, picks up a paper and begins to read it. Enter Lord Caversham. Lord Caversham Well, sir, what are you doing here? Wasting your time as usual, I suppose? Lord Goring Throws down paper and rises. My dear father, when one pays a visit it is for the purpose of wasting other people’s time, not one’s own. Lord Caversham Have you been thinking over what I spoke to you about last night? Lord Goring I have been thinking about nothing else. Lord Caversham Engaged to be married yet? Lord Goring Genially. Not yet: but I hope to be before lunchtime. Lord Caversham Caustically. You can have till dinnertime if it would be of any convenience to you. Lord Goring Thanks awfully, but I think I’d sooner be engaged before lunch. Lord Caversham Humph! Never know when you are serious or not. Lord Goring Neither do I, father. A pause. Lord Caversham I suppose you have read The Times this morning? Lord Goring Airily. The Times? Certainly not. I only read The Morning Post. All that one should know about modern life is where the Duchesses are; anything else is quite demoralising. Lord Caversham Do you mean to say you have not read The Times leading article on Robert Chiltern’s career? Lord Goring Good heavens! No. What does it say? Lord Caversham What should it say, sir? Everything complimentary, of course. Chiltern’s speech last night on this Argentine Canal scheme was one of the finest pieces of oratory ever delivered in the House since Canning. Lord Goring Ah! Never heard of Canning. Never wanted to. And did⁠ ⁠… did Chiltern uphold the scheme? Lord Caversham Uphold it, sir? How little you know him! Why, he denounced it roundly, and the whole system of modern political finance. This speech is the turning-point in his career, as The Times points out. You should read this article, sir. Opens The Times. “Sir Robert Chiltern⁠ ⁠… most rising of our young statesmen⁠ ⁠… Brilliant orator⁠ ⁠… Unblemished career⁠ ⁠… Well-known integrity of character⁠ ⁠… Represents what is best in English public life⁠ ⁠… Noble contrast to the lax morality so common among foreign politicians.” They will never say that of you, sir. Lord Goring I sincerely hope not, father. However, I am delighted at what you tell me about Robert, thoroughly delighted. It shows he has got pluck. Lord Caversham He has got more than pluck, sir, he has got genius. Lord Goring Ah! I prefer pluck. It is not so common, nowadays, as genius is. Lord Caversham I wish you would go into Parliament. Lord Goring My dear father, only people who look dull ever get into the House of Commons, and only people who are dull ever succeed there. Lord Caversham Why don’t you try to do something useful in life? Lord Goring I am far too young. Lord Caversham Testily. I hate this affectation of youth, sir. It is a great deal too prevalent nowadays. Lord Goring Youth isn’t an affectation. Youth is an art. Lord Caversham Why don’t you propose to that pretty Miss Chiltern? Lord Goring I am of a very nervous disposition, especially in the morning. Lord Caversham I don’t suppose there is the smallest chance of her accepting you. Lord Goring I don’t know how the betting stands today. Lord Caversham If she did accept you she would be the prettiest fool in England. Lord Goring That is just what I should like to marry. A thoroughly sensible wife would reduce me to a condition of absolute idiocy in less than six months. Lord Caversham You don’t deserve her, sir. Lord Goring My dear father, if we men married the women we deserved, we should have a very bad time of it. Enter Mabel Chiltern. Mabel Chiltern Oh!⁠ ⁠… How do you do, Lord Caversham? I hope Lady Caversham is quite well? Lord Caversham Lady Caversham is as usual, as usual. Lord Goring Good morning, Miss Mabel! Mabel Chiltern Taking no notice at all of Lord Goring, and addressing herself exclusively to Lord Caversham. And Lady Caversham’s bonnets⁠ ⁠… are they at all better? Lord Caversham They have had a serious relapse, I am sorry to say. Lord Goring Good morning, Miss Mabel! Mabel Chiltern To Lord Caversham. I