Don’t say that, Arthur. There is the same world for all of us, and good and evil, sin and innocence, go through it hand in hand. To shut one’s eyes to half of life that one may live securely is as though one blinded oneself that one might walk with more safety in a land of pit and precipice.
·131· lord windermere
[Moves down with her.] Darling, why do you say that?
lady windermere
[Sits on sofa.] Because I, who had shut my eyes to life, came to the brink. And one who had separated us——
lord windermere
We were never separated.
lady windermere
We never must be again. Oh Arthur, don’t love me less, and I will trust you more. I will trust you absolutely. Let us go to Selby. In the Rose Garden at Selby the roses are white and red.
[Enter Lord Augustus C.
lord augustus
Arthur, she has explained everything!
[Lady Windermere looks horribly frightened at this. Lord Windermere starts. Lord Augustus takes Windermere by the arm and brings him to front of stage. He talks rapidly and in a low voice. Lady Windermere stands watching them in terror.]
My dear fellow, she has explained every demmed thing. We all wronged her immensely. It was ·132· entirely for my sake she went to Darlington’s rooms. Called first at the Club—fact is, wanted to put me out of suspense—and being told I had gone on—followed—naturally frightened when she heard a lot of us coming in—retired to another room—I assure you, most gratifying to me, the whole thing. We all behaved brutally to her. She is just the woman for me. Suits me down to the ground. All the conditions she makes are that we live entirely out of England. A very good thing, too. Demmed clubs, demmed climate, demmed cooks, demmed everything. Sick of it all!
lady windermere
[Frightened.] Has Mrs. Erlynne——?
lord augustus
[Advancing towards her with a low bow.] Yes, Lady Windermere—Mrs. Erlynne has done me the honour of accepting my hand.
lord windermere
Well, you are certainly marrying a very clever woman!
lady windermere
[Taking her husband’s hand.] Ah, you’re marrying a very good woman!
Curtain
A Woman
of
No Importance.
by
Oscar Wilde
London: John Lane at the
Sign of the Bodley Head
in Vigo Street, 1894
[The text follows the
first edition.]
contents.
·[v]· to
gladys
countess de grey
·[vii]· the persons of the play
lord illingworth
sir john pontefract
lord alfred rufford
mr. kelvil, M.P.
the ven. archdeacon daubeny, D.D.
gerald arbuthnot
farquhar, Butler
francis, Footman
lady hunstanton
lady caroline pontefract
lady stutfield
mrs. allonby
miss hester worsley
alice, Maid
mrs. arbuthnot
·[ix]· the scenes of the play
Act I: The Terrace at Hunstanton Chase.
Act II: The Drawing-room at Hunstanton Chase.
Act III: The Hall at Hunstanton Chase.
Act IV: Sitting-room in Mrs. Arbuthnot’s House at Wrockley.
Time The Present.
Place The Shires.
The action of the play takes place within twenty-four hours.
·[xi]· LONDON: HAYMARKET THEATRE
Lessee and Manager: Mr. H. Beerbohm Tree April 19th, 1893
| Lord Illingworth | Mr. Tree. |
| Sir John Pontefract | Mr. E. Holman Clark. |
| Lord Alfred Rufford | Mr. Ernest Lawford. |
| Mr. Kelvil, M.P. | Mr. Charles Allan. |
| The Ven. Archdeacon Daubeny, D.D. | Mr. Kemble. |
| Gerald Arbuthnot | Mr. Terry. |
| Farquhar (Butler) | Mr. Hay. |
| Francis (Footman) | Mr. Montague. |
| Lady Hunstanton | Miss Rose Leclercq. |
| Lady Caroline Pontefract | Miss Le Thière. |
| Lady Stutfield | Miss Blanche Horlock. |
| Mrs. Allonby | Mrs. Tree. |
| Miss Hester Worsley | Miss Julia Neilson. |
| Alice (Maid) | Miss Kelly. |
| Mrs. Arbuthnot | Mrs. Bernard-Beere. |
·[xv]· First Act.