Lady Windermeres Fan | Page 9

have seen
Arabella's expression! . . . But, look here, dear boy. I don't know what to do about Mrs.
Erlynne. Egad! I might be married to her; she treats me with such demmed indifference.
She's deuced clever, too! She explains everything. Egad! she explains you. She has got
any amount of explanations for you--and all of them different.
LORD WINDERMERE. No explanations are necessary about my friendship with Mrs.
Erlynne.
LORD AUGUSTUS. Hem! Well, look here, dear old fellow. Do you think she will ever
get into this demmed thing called Society? Would you introduce her to your wife? No use
beating about the confounded bush. Would you do that?
LORD WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne is coming here to-night.
LORD AUGUSTUS. Your wife has sent her a card?
LORD WINDERMERE. Mrs. Erlynne has received a card.
LORD AUGUSTUS. Then she's all right, dear boy. But why didn't you tell me that
before? It would have saved me a heap of worry and demmed misunderstandings!
[LADY AGATHA and MR. HOPPER cross and exit on terrace L.U.E.]
PARKER. Mr. Cecil Graham!
[Enter MR. CECIL GRAHAM.]
CECIL GRAHAM. [Bows to LADY WINDERMERE, passes over and shakes hands
with LORD WINDERMERE.] Good evening, Arthur. Why don't you ask me how I am? I
like people to ask me how I am. It shows a wide-spread interest in my health. Now,
to-night I am not at all well. Been dining with my people. Wonder why it is one's people
are always so tedious? My father would talk morality after dinner. I told him he was old
enough to know better. But my experience is that as soon as people are old enough to
know better, they don't know anything at all. Hallo, Tuppy! Hear you're going to be
married again; thought you were tired of that game.
LORD AUGUSTUS. You're excessively trivial, my dear boy, excessively trivial!
CECIL GRAHAM. By the way, Tuppy, which is it? Have you been twice married and
once divorced, or twice divorced and once married? I say you've been twice divorced and
once married. It seems so much more probable.
LORD AUGUSTUS. I have a very bad memory. I really don't remember which. [Moves
away R.]
LADY PLYMDALE. Lord Windermere, I've something most particular to ask you.

LORD WINDERMERE. I am afraid--if you will excuse me--I must join my wife.
LADY PLYMDALE. Oh, you mustn't dream of such a thing. It's most dangerous
nowadays for a husband to pay any attention to his wife in public. It always makes people
think that he beats her when they're alone. The world has grown so suspicious of
anything that looks like a happy married life. But I'll tell you what it is at supper. [Moves
towards door of ball-room.]
LORD WINDERMERE. [C.] Margaret! I MUST speak to you.
LADY WINDERMERE. Will you hold my fan for me, Lord Darlington? Thanks.
[Comes down to him.]
LORD WINDERMERE. [Crossing to her.] Margaret, what you said before dinner was, of
course, impossible?
LADY WINDERMERE. That woman is not coming here to-night!
LORD WINDERMERE. [R.C.] Mrs. Erlynne is coming here, and if you in any way
annoy or wound her, you will bring shame and sorrow on us both. Remember that! Ah,
Margaret! only trust me! A wife should trust her husband!
LADY WINDERMERE. [C.] London is full of women who trust their husbands. One can
always recognise them. They look so thoroughly unhappy. I am not going to be one of
them. [Moves up.] Lord Darlington, will you give me back my fan, please? Thanks. . . . A
useful thing a fan, isn't it? . . . I want a friend to-night, Lord Darlington: I didn't know I
would want one so soon.
LORD DARLINGTON. Lady Windermere! I knew the time would come some day; but
why to-night?
LORD WINDERMERE. I WILL tell her. I must. It would be terrible if there were any
scene. Margaret . . .
PARKER. Mrs. Erlynne!
[LORD WINDERMERE starts. MRS. ERLYNNE enters, very beautifully dressed and
very dignified. LADY WINDERMERE clutches at her fan, then lets it drop on the door.
She bows coldly to MRS. ERLYNNE, who bows to her sweetly in turn, and sails into the
room.]
LORD DARLINGTON. You have dropped your fan, Lady Windermere. [Picks it up and
hands it to her.]
MRS. ERLYNNE. [C.] How do you do, again, Lord Windermere? How charming your
sweet wife looks! Quite a picture!
LORD WINDERMERE. [In a low voice.] It was terribly rash of you to come!

MRS. ERLYNNE. [Smiling.] The wisest thing I ever did in my life. And, by the way,
you must pay me a good deal of attention this evening. I am afraid of the women. You
must introduce me to some of them. The men I can always manage. How do you do,