Mrs Cheveley (bitterly) I only war against one woman, against Gertrude Chiltern. I hate her. I hate her now more than ever.

Lord Goring Because you have brought a real tragedy into her life, I suppose.

Mrs Cheveley (with a sneer) Oh, there is only one real tragedy in a woman’s life. The fact that her past is always her lover, and her future invariably her husband.

Lord Goring Lady Chiltern knows nothing of the kind of life to which you are alluding.

Mrs Cheveley A woman whose size in gloves is seven and three-quarters° never knows much about anything. You know Gertrude has always worn seven and three-quarters? That is one of the reasons why there was never any moral sympathy between us.… Well, Arthur, I suppose this romantic interview may be regarded as at an end. You admit it was romantic, don’t you? For the privilege of being your wife I was ready to surrender a great prize, the climax of my diplomatic career. You decline. Very well. If Sir Robert doesn’t uphold my Argentine scheme, I expose him. Voilà tout.°

Lord Goring You mustn’t do that. It would be vile, horrible, infamous.

Mrs Cheveley (shrugging her shoulders) Oh! don’t use big words. They mean so little. It is a commercial transaction. That is all. There is no good mixing sentimentality in it. I offered to sell Robert Chiltern a certain thing. If he won’t pay me my price, he will have to pay the world a greater price. There is no more to be said. I must go. Good-bye. Won’t you shake hands?

Lord Goring With you? No. Your transaction with Robert Chiltern may pass as a loathsome commercial transaction of a loathsome commercial age; but you seem to have forgotten that you came her tonight to talk of love, you whose lips desecrated the word love, you to whom the thing is a book closely sealed, went this afternoon to the house of one of the most noble and gentle women in the world to degrade her husband in her eyes, to try and kill her love for him, to put poison in her heart, and bitterness in her life, to break her idol, and, it may be, spoil her soul. That I cannot forgive you. That was horrible. For that there can be no forgiveness.

Mrs Cheveley Arthur, you are unjust to me. Believe me, you are quite unjust to me. I didn’t go to taunt Gertrude at all. I had no idea of doing anything of the kind when I entered. I called with Lady Markby simply to ask whether an ornament, a jewel, that I lost somewhere last night, had been found at the Chilterns’. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Lady Markby. She will tell you it is true. The scene that occurred happened after Lady Markby had left, and was really forced on me by Gertrude’s rudeness and sneers. I called, oh!—a little out of malice if you like—but really to ask if a diamond brooch of mine had been found. That was the origin of the whole thing.

Lord Goring A diamond snake-brooch with a ruby?

Mrs Cheveley Yes. How do you know?

Lord Goring: Because it is found. In point of fact, I found it myself, and stupidly forgot to tell the butler anything about it as I was leaving. (Goes over to the writing-table and pulls out the drawers) It is in this drawer. No, that one. This is the brooch, isn’t it?

Holds up the brooch

Mrs Cheveley Yes. I am so glad to get it back. It was… a present.

Lord Goring Won’t you wear it?

Mrs Cheveley Certainly, if you pin it in. (Lord Goring suddenly clasps it on her arm)° Why do you put it on as a bracelet? I never knew it could be worn as a bracelet.