Lord Illingworth Let us go and look at it. To look at anything that is inconstant is charming nowadays.

Mrs Allonby You have your looking-glass.

Lord Illingworth It is unkind. It merely shows me my wrinkles.

Mrs Allonby Mine is better behaved. It never tells me the truth.

Lord Illingworth Then it is in love with you.

Exeunt Sir John, Lady Stutfield, Mr Kelvil, and Lord Alfred

Gerald (to Lord Illingworth) May I come too?

Lord Illingworth Do, my dear boy.

Moves towards door with Mrs Allonby and Gerald. Lady Caroline enters, looks rapidly round and goes out in opposite direction to that taken by Sir John and Lady Stutfield

Mrs Arbuthnot Gerald!

Gerald What, mother!

Exit Lord Illingworth with Mrs Allonby

Mrs Arbuthnot It is getting late. Let us go home.

Gerald My dear mother. Do let us wait a little longer. Lord Illingworth is so delightful, and, by the way, mother, I have a great surprise for you. We are starting for India° at the end of this month.

Mrs Arbuthnot Let us go home.

Gerald If you really want to, of course, mother, but I must bid good-bye to Lord Illingworth first. I’ll be back in five minutes.

Exit

Mrs Arbuthnot Let him leave me if he chooses, but not with him—not with him! I couldn’t bear it.

Walks up and down. Enter Hester

Hester What a lovely night it is, Mrs Arbuthnot.

Mrs Arbuthnot Is it?

Hester Mrs Arbuthnot, I wish you would let us be friends. You are so different from the other women here. When you came into the drawing-room this evening, somehow you brought with you a sense of what is good and pure in life. I had been foolish. There are things that are right to say, but that may be said at the wrong time and to the wrong people.

Mrs Arbuthnot I heard what you said. I agree with it, Miss Worsley.

Hester I didn’t know you had heard it. But I knew you would agree with me. A woman who has sinned should be punished, shouldn’t she?

Mrs Arbuthnot Yes.