MRS. CHEVELEY. Sometimes. And sometimes it is a clever game, Sir Robert. And sometimes it is a great nuisance.
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Which do you find it?
MRS. CHEVELEY. I? A combination of all three. [_Drops her fan_.]
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. [_Picks up fan_.] Allow me!
MRS. CHEVELEY. Thanks.
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. But you have not told me yet what makes you honour London so suddenly. Our season is almost over.
MRS. CHEVELEY. Oh! I don"t care about the London season! It is too matrimonial. People are either hunting for husbands, or hiding from them. I wanted to meet you. It is quite true. You know what a woman"s curiosity is. Almost as great as a man"s! I wanted immensely to meet you, and ... to ask you to do something for me.
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. I hope it is not a little thing, Mrs. Cheveley. I find that little things are so very difficult to do.
MRS. CHEVELEY. [_After a moment"s reflection_.] No, I don"t think it is quite a little thing.
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. I am so glad. Do tell me what it is.
MRS. CHEVELEY. Later on. [_Rises_.] And now may I walk through your beautiful house? I hear your pictures are charming. Poor Baron Arnheim-you remember the Baron?-used to tell me you had some wonderful Corots.
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. [_With an almost imperceptible start_.] Did you know Baron Arnheim well?
MRS. CHEVELEY. [_Smiling_.] Intimately. Did you?
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. At one time.
MRS. CHEVELEY. Wonderful man, wasn"t he?
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. [_After a pause_.] He was very remarkable, in many ways.
MRS. CHEVELEY. I often think it such a pity he never wrote his memoirs.
They would have been most interesting.
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Yes: he knew men and cities well, like the old Greek.
MRS. CHEVELEY. Without the dreadful disadvantage of having a Penelope waiting at home for him.
MASON. Lord Goring.
[_Enter_ LORD GORING. _Thirty-four_, _but always says he is younger_.
_A well-bred_, _expressionless face_. _He is clever_, _but would not like to be thought so_. _A flawless dandy_, _he would be annoyed if he were considered romantic_. _He plays with life_, _and is on perfectly good terms with the world_. _He is fond of being misunderstood_. _It gives him a post of vantage_.]
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Good evening, my dear Arthur! Mrs. Cheveley, allow me to introduce to you Lord Goring, the idlest man in London.
MRS. CHEVELEY. I have met Lord Goring before.
LORD GORING. [_Bowing_.] I did not think you would remember me, Mrs.
Cheveley.
MRS. CHEVELEY. My memory is under admirable control. And are you still a bachelor?
LORD GORING. I ... believe so.
MRS. CHEVELEY. How very romantic!
LORD GORING. Oh! I am not at all romantic. I am not old enough. I leave romance to my seniors.
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Lord Goring is the result of Boodle"s Club, Mrs.
Cheveley.
MRS. CHEVELEY. He reflects every credit on the inst.i.tution.
LORD GORING. May I ask are you staying in London long?
MRS. CHEVELEY. That depends partly on the weather, partly on the cooking, and partly on Sir Robert.
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. You are not going to plunge us into a European war, I hope?
MRS. CHEVELEY. There is no danger, at present!
[_She nods to_ LORD GORING, _with a look of amus.e.m.e.nt in her eyes_, _and goes out with_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. LORD GORING _saunters over to_ MABEL CHILTERN.]
MABEL CHILTERN. You are very late!
LORD GORING. Have you missed me?
MABEL CHILTERN. Awfully!
LORD GORING. Then I am sorry I did not stay away longer. I like being missed.
MABEL CHILTERN. How very selfish of you!
LORD GORING. I am very selfish.
MABEL CHILTERN. You are always telling me of your bad qualities, Lord Goring.
LORD GORING. I have only told you half of them as yet, Miss Mabel!
MABEL CHILTERN. Are the others very bad?
LORD GORING. Quite dreadful! When I think of them at night I go to sleep at once.
MABEL CHILTERN. Well, I delight in your bad qualities. I wouldn"t have you part with one of them.
LORD GORING. How very nice of you! But then you are always nice. By the way, I want to ask you a question, Miss Mabel. Who brought Mrs.
Cheveley here? That woman in heliotrope, who has just gone out of the room with your brother?
MABEL CHILTERN. Oh, I think Lady Markby brought her. Why do you ask?