LADY WINDERMERE. _I_ will, Duchess. I will have no one in my house about whom there is any scandal.
LORD DARLINGTON. [_R.C._] Oh, don’t say that, Lady Windermere. I should never be admitted! [_Sitting_.]
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Oh, men don’t matter. With women it is different. We’re good. Some of us are, at least. But we are positively getting elbowed into the corner. Our husbands would really forget our existence if we didn’t nag at them from time to time, just to remind them that we have a perfect legal right to do so.
LORD DARLINGTON. It’s a curious thing, Duchess, about the game of marriage—a game, by the way, that is going out of fashion—the wives hold all the honours, and invariably lose the odd trick.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. The odd trick? Is that the husband, Lord Darlington?
LORD DARLINGTON. It would be rather a good name for the modern husband.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Dear Lord Darlington, how thoroughly depraved you are!
LADY WINDERMERE. Lord Darlington is trivial.
LORD DARLINGTON. Ah, don’t say that, Lady Windermere.
LADY WINDERMERE. Why do you _talk_ so trivially about life, then?
LORD DARLINGTON. Because I think that life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about it. [_Moves up C._]
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. What does he mean? Do, as a concession to my poor wits, Lord Darlington, just explain to me what you really mean.
LORD DARLINGTON. [_Coming down back of table_.] I think I had better not, Duchess. Nowadays to be intelligible is to be found out. Good-bye! [_Shakes hands with_ DUCHESS.] And now—[_goes up stage_] Lady Windermere, good-bye. I may come to-night, mayn’t I? Do let me come.
LADY WINDERMERE. [_Standing up stage with_ LORD DARLINGTON.] Yes, certainly. But you are not to say foolish, insincere things to people.
LORD DARLINGTON. [_Smiling_.] Ah! you are beginning to reform me. It is a dangerous thing to reform any one, Lady Windermere. [_Bows_, _and exit C._]
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [_Who has risen_, _goes C._] What a charming, wicked creature! I like him so much. I’m quite delighted he’s gone! How sweet you’re looking! Where _do_ you get your gowns? And now I must tell you how sorry I am for you, dear Margaret. [_Crosses to sofa and sits with_ LADY WINDERMERE.] Agatha, darling!