Lady Windermere's Fan Read Online Free PDF Page B

your constant guest—your dearest
friend. You would endure anything rather than break with one blow
this monstrous tie. You are right. You have no courage; none!
    LADY WINDERMERE. Ah, give me time to think. I cannot answer you
now.
(Passes her hand nervously over her brow.)
    LORD DARLINGTON. It must be now or not at all.
    LADY WINDERMERE.
(Rising from the sofa.)
Then, not at all!
(A
pause.)
    LORD DARLINGTON. You break my heart!
    LADY WINDERMERE. Mine is already broken.
(A pause.)
    LORD DARLINGTON. To-morrow I leave England. This is the last time
I shall ever look on you. You will never see me again. For one
moment our lives met—our souls touched. They must never meet or
touch again. Good-bye, Margaret.
(Exit.)
    LADY WINDERMERE. How alone I am in life! How terribly alone!
    (The music stops. Enter the DUCHESS OF BERWICK and LORD PAISLEY
laughing and talking. Other guests come on from ball-room.)
    DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Dear Margaret, I've just been having such a
delightful chat with Mrs. Erlynne. I am so sorry for what I said
to you this afternoon about her. Of course, she must be all right
if YOU invite her. A most attractive woman, and has such sensible
views on life. Told me she entirely disapproved of people marrying
more than once, so I feel quite safe about poor Augustus. Can't
imagine why people speak against her. It's those horrid nieces of
mine—the Saville girls—they're always talking scandal. Still, I
should go to Homburg, dear, I really should. She is just a little
too attractive. But where is Agatha? Oh, there she is:
(LADY
AGATHA and MR. HOPPER enter from terrace L.U.E.)
Mr. Hopper, I am
very, very angry with you. You have taken Agatha out on the
terrace, and she is so delicate.
    HOPPER. Awfully sorry, Duchess. We went out for a moment and then
got chatting together.
    DUCHESS OF BERWICK.
(C.)
Ah, about dear Australia, I suppose?
    HOPPER. Yes!
    DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Agatha, darling!
(Beckons her over.)
    LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma!
    DUCHESS OF BERWICK.
(Aside.)
Did Mr. Hopper definitely -
    LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
    DUCHESS OF BERWICK. And what answer did you give him, dear child?
    LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
    DUCHESS OF BERWICK.
(Affectionately.)
My dear one! You always
say the right thing. Mr. Hopper! James! Agatha has told me
everything. How cleverly you have both kept your secret.
    HOPPER. You don't mind my taking Agatha off to Australia, then,
Duchess?
    DUCHESS OF BERWICK.
(Indignantly.)
To Australia? Oh, don't
mention that dreadful vulgar place.
    HOPPER. But she said she'd like to come with me.
    DUCHESS OF BERWICK.
(Severely.)
Did you say that, Agatha?
    LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
    DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Agatha, you say the most silly things
possible. I think on the whole that Grosvenor Square would be a
more healthy place to reside in. There are lots of vulgar people
live in Grosvenor Square, but at any rate there are no horrid
kangaroos crawling about. But we'll talk about that to-morrow.
James, you can take Agatha down. You'll come to lunch, of course,
James. At half-past one, instead of two. The Duke will wish to
say a few words to you, I am sure.
    HOPPER. I should like to have a chat with the Duke, Duchess. He
has not said a single word to me yet.
    DUCHESS OF BERWICK. I think you'll find he will have a great deal
to say to you to-morrow.
(Exit LADY AGATHA with MR. HOPPER.)
And
now good-night, Margaret. I'm afraid it's the old, old story,
dear. Love—well, not love at first sight, but love at the end of
the season, which is so much more satisfactory.
    LADY WINDERMERE. Good-night, Duchess.
    (Exit the DUCHESS OF BERWICK on LORD PAISLEY'S arm.)
    LADY PLYMDALE. My dear Margaret, what a handsome woman your
husband has been dancing with! I should be quite jealous if I were
you! Is she a great friend of yours?
    LADY WINDERMERE. No!
    LADY PLYMDALE. Really? Good-night, dear.
(Looks at MR. DUMBY and
exit.)
    DUMBY. Awful manners young Hopper has!
    CECIL GRAHAM. Ah! Hopper is one of Nature's gentlemen, the worst
type of gentleman