Read Online The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde - Free Book Online
Authors: Oscar Wilde
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Lady Windermere, to the husband who loves you, whom you love. You have a child, Lady Windermere. Go back to that child who even now, in pain or in joy, may be calling to you.
(Lady Windermere rises.)
God gave you that child. He will require from you that you make his life fine, that you watch over him. What answer will you make to God if his life is ruined through you? Back to your house, Lady Windermere—your husband loves you! He has never swerved for a moment from the love he bears you. But even if he had a thousand loves, you must stay with your child. If he was harsh to you, you must stay with your child. If he ill-treated you, you must stay with your child. If he abandoned you, your place is with your child.
(Lady Windermere bursts into tears and buries her face in her hands.) (Rushing to her.)
Lady Windermere!
L ADY W INDERMERE .
(Holding out her hands to her, helplessly, as a child might do.)
Take me home. Take me home.
M RS . E RLYNNE .
(Is about to embrace her. Then restrains herself. There is a look of wonderful joy in her face.)
Come! Where is your cloak?
(Getting it from sofa.)
Here. Put it on. Come at once!
(They go to the door.)
L ADY W INDERMERE . Stop! Don’t you hear voices?
M RS . E RLYNNE . No, no! There is no one!
L ADY W INDERMERE . Yes, there is! Listen! Oh! that is my husband’s voice! He is coming in! Save me! Oh, it’s some plot! You have sent for him.
(Voices outside.)
M RS . E RLYNNE . Silence! I’m here to save you, if I can. But I fear it is too late! There!
(Points to the curtain across the window.)
The first chance you have, slip out, if you ever get a chance!
L ADY W INDERMERE . But you?
M RS . E RLYNNE . Oh! never mind me. I’ll face them.
(Lady Windermere hides herself behind the curtain.)
L ORD A UGUSTUS .
(Outside.)
Nonsense, dear Windermere, you must not leave me!
M RS . E RLYNNE . Lord Augustus! Then it is I who am lost!
(Hesitates for a moment, then looks round and sees door R., and exit through it.) (Enter Lord Darlington, Mr. Dumby, Lord Windermere, Lord Augustus Lorton, and Mr. Cecil Graham.)
D UMBY . What a nuisance their turning us out of the club at this hour! It’s only two o’clock.
(Sinks into a chair.)
The lively part of the evening is only just beginning.
(Yawns and closes his eyes.)
L ORD W INDERMERE . It is very good of you, Lord Darlington, allowing Augustus to force our company on you, but I’m afraid I can’t stay long.
L ORD D ARLINGTON . Really! I am so sorry! You’ll take a cigar, won’t you?
L ORD W INDERMERE . Thanks!
(Sits down.)
L ORD A UGUSTUS .
(To Lord Windermere.)
My dear boy, you must not dream of going. I have a great deal to talk to you about, of demmed importance, too.
(Sits down with him at L. table.)
C ECIL G RAHAM . Oh! We all know what that is! Tuppy can’t talk about anything but Mrs. Erlynne!
L ORD W INDERMERE . Well, that is no business of yours, is it, Cecil?
C ECIL G RAHAM . None! That is why it interests me. My own business always bores me to death. I prefer other people’s.
L ORD D ARLINGTON . Have something to drink, you fellows. Cecil, you’ll have a whisky and soda?
C ECIL G RAHAM . Thanks.
(Goes to table with Lord Darlington.)
Mrs. Erlynne looked very handsome to-night, didn’t she?
L ORD D ARLINGTON . I am not one of her admirers.
C ECIL G RAHAM . I usen’t to be, but I am now. Why! she actually made me introduce her to poor dear Aunt Caroline. I believe she is going to lunch there.
L ORD D ARLINGTON .
(In surprise.)
No?
C ECIL G RAHAM . She is, really.
L ORD D ARLINGTON . Excuse me, you fellows. I’m going away tomorrow. And I have to write a few letters.
(Goes to writing table and sits down.)
D UMBY . Clever woman, Mrs. Erlynne.
C ECIL G RAHAM . Hallo, Dumby! I thought you were asleep.
D UMBY . I am, I usually am!
L ORD A UGUSTUS . A very clever woman. Knows perfectly well what a demmed fool I am—knows it as well as I do myself.
(Cecil Graham comes towards him laughing.)
Ah! you may
(Lady Windermere rises.)
God gave you that child. He will require from you that you make his life fine, that you watch over him. What answer will you make to God if his life is ruined through you? Back to your house, Lady Windermere—your husband loves you! He has never swerved for a moment from the love he bears you. But even if he had a thousand loves, you must stay with your child. If he was harsh to you, you must stay with your child. If he ill-treated you, you must stay with your child. If he abandoned you, your place is with your child.
(Lady Windermere bursts into tears and buries her face in her hands.) (Rushing to her.)
Lady Windermere!
L ADY W INDERMERE .
(Holding out her hands to her, helplessly, as a child might do.)
Take me home. Take me home.
M RS . E RLYNNE .
(Is about to embrace her. Then restrains herself. There is a look of wonderful joy in her face.)
Come! Where is your cloak?
(Getting it from sofa.)
Here. Put it on. Come at once!
(They go to the door.)
L ADY W INDERMERE . Stop! Don’t you hear voices?
M RS . E RLYNNE . No, no! There is no one!
L ADY W INDERMERE . Yes, there is! Listen! Oh! that is my husband’s voice! He is coming in! Save me! Oh, it’s some plot! You have sent for him.
(Voices outside.)
M RS . E RLYNNE . Silence! I’m here to save you, if I can. But I fear it is too late! There!
(Points to the curtain across the window.)
The first chance you have, slip out, if you ever get a chance!
L ADY W INDERMERE . But you?
M RS . E RLYNNE . Oh! never mind me. I’ll face them.
(Lady Windermere hides herself behind the curtain.)
L ORD A UGUSTUS .
(Outside.)
Nonsense, dear Windermere, you must not leave me!
M RS . E RLYNNE . Lord Augustus! Then it is I who am lost!
(Hesitates for a moment, then looks round and sees door R., and exit through it.) (Enter Lord Darlington, Mr. Dumby, Lord Windermere, Lord Augustus Lorton, and Mr. Cecil Graham.)
D UMBY . What a nuisance their turning us out of the club at this hour! It’s only two o’clock.
(Sinks into a chair.)
The lively part of the evening is only just beginning.
(Yawns and closes his eyes.)
L ORD W INDERMERE . It is very good of you, Lord Darlington, allowing Augustus to force our company on you, but I’m afraid I can’t stay long.
L ORD D ARLINGTON . Really! I am so sorry! You’ll take a cigar, won’t you?
L ORD W INDERMERE . Thanks!
(Sits down.)
L ORD A UGUSTUS .
(To Lord Windermere.)
My dear boy, you must not dream of going. I have a great deal to talk to you about, of demmed importance, too.
(Sits down with him at L. table.)
C ECIL G RAHAM . Oh! We all know what that is! Tuppy can’t talk about anything but Mrs. Erlynne!
L ORD W INDERMERE . Well, that is no business of yours, is it, Cecil?
C ECIL G RAHAM . None! That is why it interests me. My own business always bores me to death. I prefer other people’s.
L ORD D ARLINGTON . Have something to drink, you fellows. Cecil, you’ll have a whisky and soda?
C ECIL G RAHAM . Thanks.
(Goes to table with Lord Darlington.)
Mrs. Erlynne looked very handsome to-night, didn’t she?
L ORD D ARLINGTON . I am not one of her admirers.
C ECIL G RAHAM . I usen’t to be, but I am now. Why! she actually made me introduce her to poor dear Aunt Caroline. I believe she is going to lunch there.
L ORD D ARLINGTON .
(In surprise.)
No?
C ECIL G RAHAM . She is, really.
L ORD D ARLINGTON . Excuse me, you fellows. I’m going away tomorrow. And I have to write a few letters.
(Goes to writing table and sits down.)
D UMBY . Clever woman, Mrs. Erlynne.
C ECIL G RAHAM . Hallo, Dumby! I thought you were asleep.
D UMBY . I am, I usually am!
L ORD A UGUSTUS . A very clever woman. Knows perfectly well what a demmed fool I am—knows it as well as I do myself.
(Cecil Graham comes towards him laughing.)
Ah! you may
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