A look of triumph comes over her face. She is just about to steal the letter, when Phipps comes in

Phipps The candles in the drawing-room are lit, madam, as you directed.

Mrs Cheveley Thank you.

Rises hastily and slips the letter° under a large silver-cased blotting-book that is lying on the table

Phipps I trust the shades will be to your liking, madam. They are the most becoming we have. They are the same as his lordship uses himself when he is dressing for dinner.

Mrs Cheveley (with a smile) Then I am sure they will be perfectly right.

Phipps (gravely) Thank you, madam.

Mrs Cheveley goes into the drawing-room. Phipps closes the door and retires. The door is then slowly opened, and Mrs Cheveley comes out and creeps stealthily° towards the writing-table. Suddenly voices are heard from the smoking-room. Mrs Cheveley grows pale, and stops. The voices grow louder, and she goes back into the drawing-room, biting her lip.

Enter Lord Goring and Lord Caversham

Lord Goring (expostulating) My dear father, if I am to get married, surely you will allow me to choose the time, place, and person? Particularly the person.

Lord Caversham (testily) That is a matter for me, sir. You would probably make a very poor choice. It is I who should be consulted, not you. There is property at stake. It is not a matter for affection. Affection comes later on in married life.

Lord Goring Yes. In married life affection comes when people thoroughly dislike each other, father, doesn’t it?

Puts on Lord Caversham’s cloak for him

Lord Caversham Certainly, sir. I mean certainly not, sir. You are talking very foolishly tonight. What I say is that marriage is a matter for common sense.

Lord Goring But women who have common sense are so curiously plain, father, aren’t they? Of course I only speak from hearsay.

Lord Caversham No woman, plain or pretty, has any common sense at all, sir. Common sense is the privilege of our sex.

Lord Goring Quite so. And we men are so self-sacrificing that we never use it, do we, father?

Lord Caversham I use it, sir. I use nothing else.

Lord Goring So my mother tells me.

Lord Caversham It is the secret of your mother’s happiness. You are very heartless, sir, very heartless.

Lord Goring I hope not, father.

Goes out for a moment.° Then returns, looking rather put out, with Sir Robert Chiltern

Sir Robert Chiltern My dear Arthur, what a piece of good luck meeting you on the doorstep! Your servant had just told me you were not at home. How extraordinary!