Lord Goring The fact is, I am horribly busy tonight, Robert, and I gave orders I was not at home to anyone. Even my father had a comparatively cold reception. He complained of a draught the whole time.

Sir Robert Chiltern Ah! you must be at home to me, Arthur. You are my best friend. Perhaps by tomorrow you will be my only friend. My wife has discovered everything.

Lord Goring Ah! I guessed as much!°

Sir Robert Chiltern (looking at him) Really! How?

Lord Goring (after some hesitation) Oh merely by something in the expression of your face as you came in. Who told her?

Sir Robert Chiltern Mrs Cheveley herself. And the woman I love knows that I began my career with an act of low dishonesty, that I built up my life upon sands of shame—that I sold, like a common huckster, the secret that had been intrusted to me as a man of honour. I thank heaven poor Lord Radley died without knowing that I betrayed him. I would to God I had died before I had been so horribly tempted, or had fallen so low.

Burying his face in his hands. [A pause]

Lord Goring You have heard nothing from Vienna yet, in answer to your wire?

Sir Robert Chiltern (looking up) Yes; I got a telegram from the first secretary at eight o’clock tonight.

Lord Goring Well?

Sir Robert Chiltern Nothing is absolutely known against her. On the contrary, she occupies a rather high position in society. It is a sort of open secret that Baron Arnheim left her the greater portion of his immense fortune. Beyond that I can learn nothing.

Lord Goring She doesn’t turn out to be a spy, then?

Sir Robert Chiltern Oh! spies are of no use nowadays. Their profession is over. The newspapers do their work instead.

Lord Goring And thunderingly° well they do it.

Sir Robert Chiltern Arthur, I am parched with thirst. May I ring for something? Some hock and seltzer?°

Lord Goring Certainly. Let me.

Rings the bell

Sir Robert Chiltern Thanks! I don’t know what to do, Arthur, I don’t know what to do, and you are my only friend. But what a friend you are—the one friend I can trust. I can trust you absolutely, can’t I?

Enter Phipps

Lord Goring My dear Robert, of course. Oh! (To Phipps) Bring some hock and seltzer.

Phipps Yes, my lord.

Lord Goring And Phipps!

Phipps Yes, my lord.