Duchess of Berwick Oh, on account of that horrid woman. She dresses so well, too, which makes it much worse, sets such a dreadful example. Augustus—you know my disreputable brother—such a trial to us all—well, Augustus is completely infatuated about her. It is quite scandalous, for she is absolutely inadmissible into society. Many a woman has a past, but I am told that she has at least a dozen, and that they all fit.

Lady windermere Whom are you talking about, Duchess?

Duchess of Berwick About Mrs Erlynne.

Lady windermere Mrs Erlynne? I never heard of her, Duchess. And what has she to do with me?

Duchess of Berwick My poor child! Agatha, darling!

Lady Agatha Yes, mamma.

Duchess of Berwick Will you go out on the terrace and look at the sunset?

Lady Agatha Yes, mamma.

Exit through window L.

Duchess of Berwick Sweet girl! So devoted to sunsets! Shows such refinement of feeling, does it not? After all, there is nothing like Nature, is there?

Lady windermere But what is it, Duchess? Why do you talk to me about this person?

Duchess of Berwick Don’t you really know? I assure you we’re all so distressed about it. Only last night at dear Lady Jansen’s everyone was saying how extraordinary it was that, of all men in London, Windermere° should behave in such a way.

Lady windermere My husband—what has he got to do with any woman of that kind?

Duchess of Berwick Ah, what indeed, dear? That is the point. He goes to see her continually, and stops for hours at a time, and while he is there she is not at home to anyone.° Not that many ladies call on her, dear, but she has a great many disreputable men friends—my own brother particularly, as I told you—and that is what makes it so dreadful about Windermere. We looked upon him as being such a model husband, but I am afraid there is no doubt about it. My dear nieces—you know the Saville girls, don’t you?—such nice domestic creatures—plain, dreadfully plain, but so good—well, they’re always at the window doing fancy work, and making ugly things for the poor, which I think so useful of them in these dreadful socialistic days, and this terrible woman has taken a house in Curzon Street,° right opposite them—such a respectable street, too! I don’t know what we’re coming to! And they tell me that Windermere goes there four and five times a week—they see him. They can’t help it—and although they never talk scandal, they—well, of course—they remark on it to every one. And the worst of it all is that I have been told that this woman has got a great deal of money out of somebody, for it seems that she came to London six months ago without anything at all to speak of, and now she has this charming house in Mayfair, drives her ponies in the Park° every afternoon and all—well, all—since she has known poor dear Windermere.

Lady windermere Oh, I can’t believe it!

Duchess of Berwick But it’s quite true, my dear. The whole of London knows it. That is why I felt it was better to come and talk to you, and advise you to take Windermere away at once to Homburg or to Aix,° where he’ll have something to amuse him, and where you can watch him all day long. I assure you, my dear, that on several occasions after I was first married, I had to pretend to be very ill, and was obliged to drink the most unpleasant mineral waters, merely to get Berwick out of town. He was