Lady Chiltern No.

Lord Goring (gravely) You are wrong, Lady Chiltern.

Lady Chiltern No. The letter must be intercepted. That is all. But how can I do it? Letters arrive for him every moment of the day. His secretaries open them and hand them to him. I dare not ask the servants to bring me his letters. It would be impossible. Oh! why don’t you tell me what to do?

Lord Goring Pray be calm, Lady Chiltern, and answer the questions I am going to put to you. You said his secretaries open his letters.

Lady Chiltern Yes.

Lord Goring Who is with him today? Mr Trafford, isn’t it?

Lady Chiltern No. Mr Montford° I think.

Lord Goring You can trust him?

Lady Chiltern (with a gesture of despair) Oh! how do I know?

Lord Goring He would do what you asked him, wouldn’t he?

Lady Chiltern I think so.

Lord Goring Your letter was on pink paper. He could recognize it without reading it, couldn’t he? By the colour?

Lady Chiltern I suppose so.

Lord Goring Is he in the house now?

Lady Chiltern Yes.

Lord Goring Then I will go and see him myself, and tell him that a certain letter, written on pink paper, is to be forwarded to Robert today, and that at all costs it must not reach him. (Goes to the door, and opens it) Oh! Robert is coming upstairs with the letter in his hand. It has reached him already.

Lady Chiltern (with a cry of pain) Oh! you have saved his life; what have you done with mine?

Enter Sir Robert Chiltern. He has the letter in his hand, and is reading it. He comes towards his wife, not noticing Lord Goring’s presence

Sir Robert Chiltern ‘I want you.° I trust you. I am coming to you. Gertrude.’ Oh, my love! is this true? Do you indeed trust me, and want me? If so, it was for me to come to you, not for you to write of coming to me. This letter of yours, Gertrude, makes me feel that nothing that the world may do can hurt me now. You want me, Gertrude?

Lord Goring, unseen by Sir Robert Chiltern, makes an imploring sign to Lady Chiltern to accept the situation and Sir Robert’s error

Lady Chiltern Yes.

Sir Robert Chiltern You trust me, Gertrude?

Lady Chiltern Yes.