·124· mrs. erlynne
Yes. [Pause.] You are devoted to your mother’s memory, Lady Windermere, your husband tells me.
lady windermere
We all have ideals in life. At least we all should have. Mine is my mother.
mrs. erlynne
Ideals are dangerous things. Realities are better. They wound, but they’re better.
lady windermere
[Shaking her head.] If I lost my ideals, I should lose everything.
mrs. erlynne
Everything?
lady windermere
Yes. [Pause]. [E: [Pause.]]
mrs. erlynne
Did your father often speak to you of your mother?
lady windermere
No, it gave him too much pain. He told me how my mother had died a few months after I ·125· 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 I know.
mrs. erlynne
[Rising.] I am afraid I must go now, Lady Windermere.
lady windermere
[Rising.] Oh no, don’t.
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.
lady windermere
Arthur, would you mind seeing if Mrs. Erlynne’s carriage has come back?
mrs. erlynne
Pray don’t trouble, Lord Windermere.
lady windermere
Yes, Arthur, do go, please.
[Lord Windermere hesitates for a moment and looks at Mrs. Erlynne. She remains quite impassive. He leaves the room.]
[To Mrs. Erlynne.] Oh! What am I to say to ·126· you? You saved me last night? [Goes towards her.]
mrs. erlynne
Hush—don’t speak of it.
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.
mrs. erlynne
It is not your duty—at least you have duties to others besides him. You say you owe me something?
lady windermere
I owe you everything.
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 ·127· killed! Pledge me your word, Lady Windermere, that you will never tell him. I insist upon it.
lady windermere
[With bowed head.] It is your will, not mine.
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.
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.
mrs. erlynne
[With a slight shudder.] Hush, last night is quite over.
[Enter Lord Windermere.
lord windermere
Your carriage has not come back yet, Mrs. Erlynne.
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. ·128· [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.
lady windermere
Oh, certainly, if it will give you any pleasure. But it has my name on it. It has ‘Margaret’ on it.
mrs. erlynne
But we have the same Christian name.
lady windermere
Oh, I forgot. Of course, do have it. What a wonderful chance our names being the same!
mrs. erlynne
Quite wonderful. Thanks—it will always remind me of you. [Shakes hands with her.]
[Enter Parker.
parker
Lord Augustus Lorton. Mrs. Erlynne’s carriage has come.
[Enter Lord Augustus.
lord augustus
Good morning, dear boy. Good morning, Lady Windermere. [Sees Mrs. Erlynne.] Mrs. Erlynne!
·129· mrs. erlynne
How do you do, Lord Augustus? Are you quite well this morning?
lord augustus
[Coldly.] Quite well, thank you, Mrs. Erlynne.
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.
lord windermere
Allow me!
mrs. erlynne
No; I want Lord Augustus. I have a special message for the dear Duchess. Won’t you carry the fan, Lord Augustus?
lord augustus
If you really desire it, Mrs. Erlynne.
mrs. erlynne
[Laughing.] Of course I do. You’ll carry it ·130· so gracefully. You would carry off anything gracefully, dear Lord Augustus.
[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.]
lady windermere
You will never speak against Mrs. Erlynne again, Arthur, will you?
lord windermere
[Gravely.] She is better than one thought her.
lady windermere
She is better than I am.
lord windermere
[Smiling as he strokes her hair.] Child, you and she belong to different worlds. Into your world evil has never entered.