Lady Windermere's Fan, Oscar Wilde

First Act

LADY WINDERMERE. Lord Darlington, you annoyed me last night at the Foreign Office. I am afraid you are going to annoy me again.
LADY WINDERMERE. Well, you kept paying me elaborate compliments the whole evening.
LADY WINDERMERE. Because the husband is vile--should the wife be vile also?
LORD DARLINGTON. Do you know I am afraid that good people do a great deal of harm in this world. Certainly the greatest harm they do is that they make badness of such extraordinary importance. It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious. I take the side of the charming, and you, Lady Windermere, can't help belonging to them.
LORD DARLINGTON. Well then, setting aside mercenary people, who, of course, are dreadful, do you think seriously that women who have committed what the world calls a fault should never be forgiven.
LADY WINDERMERE. [Standing at table.] I think they should never be forgiven.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Oh, on account of that horrid woman. She dresses so well, too, which makes it much worse, sets such a dreadful example. Augustus--you know my disreputable brother--such a trial to us all--well, Augustus is completely infatuated about her. It is quite scandalous, for she is absolutely inadmissible into society. Many a woman has a past, but I am told that she has at least a dozen, and that they all fit.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Ah, what indeed, dear? That is the point. He goes to see her continually, and stops for hours at a time, and while he is there she is not t home to any one. Not many ladies call on her, dear, but she has a great many disreputable men friends--my own brother particularly, as I told you--and that is what makes it so dreadful about Windermere. We looked upon him as being such a model husband, but I am afraid there is no doubt about it.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Oh, all of them, my dear, all of them, without any exception. And they never grow any better. Men become old, but they never become good.
LADY WINDERMERE. How horrible! I understand now what Lord Darlington meant by the imaginary instance of the couple not two years married. Oh! it can't be true--she spoke of enormous sums of money paid to this woman.
... Oh! it is true! It is true! How horrible! [Throws book on floor.]
LORD WINDERMERE. Margaret, you could save this woman. She wants to get back into society, and she wants you to help her. [Crossing to her.]
LORD WINDERMERE. [L.C.] Margaret, you are talking foolishly, recklessly. I won't argue with you, but I insist upon your asking Mrs. Erlynne to-night.
LORD WINDERMERE. Margaret, none of us men may be good enough for the women we marry--that is quite true--but you don't imagine I would ever--oh, the suggestion is monstrous!
LADY WINDERMERE. Arthur, if that woman comes here, I shall insult her.
LORD WINDERMERE. [Calling after her.] Margaret! Margaret! [A pause.] My God! What shall I do? I dare not tell her who this woman really is. The shame would kill her. [Sinks down into a chair and buries his face in his hands.

Second Act

LORD WINDERMERE. [R.C.] Mrs. Erlynne is coming here, and if you in any way annoy or wound her, you will bring shame and sorrow on us both. Remember that! Ah, Margaret! only trust me! A wife should trust her husband!
LADY WINDERMERE. [C.] London is full of women who trust their husbands. One can always recognize them. They look so thoroughly unhappy. I am not going to be one of them.
MRS. ERLYNNE. ... Do you know, I think I'll dance with you first Windermere. [LORD WINDERMERE bites his lip and frowns.] It will make Lord Augustus so jealous! Lord Augustus!
LORD DARLINGTON. I couldn't! A man can't tell these things about another man! But if I had known he was going to make you ask her here to-night, I think I would have told you. That insult, at any rate, you would have been spared.
LORD DARLINGTON. If I know you at all, I know that you can't live with a man who treats you like this! What sort of life would you have with him? You would feel that he was lying to you every moment of the day.
LORD DARLINGTON. Between men and women there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship. I love you--
LORD DARLINGTON. Yes, I love you! You are more to me than anything in the whole world. What does your husband give you? Nothing. Whatever is in him he gives to this wretched woman, whom he has thrust into your society, into your home, to shame you before every one. I offer you my life--
LORD DARLINGTON. [Following her.] Yes; you have the courage. There may be six months of pain, of disgrace even, but when you no longer bear his name, when you bear mine, all will be well. Margaret, my love, my wife that shall be some day--yes, my wife!
LORD DARLINGTON. To-morrow I leave England. This is the last time I shall ever look on you. You will never se me again. For one moment our lives met--our souls touched. They must never meet or touch again. Good-bye, Margaret. [Exit.]
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.
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?
MRS. ERLYNNE. Charming ball it has been! Quite reminds me of old days. [Sits on sofa.] And I see that there are just as many fools in society as there used to be. So pleased to find that nothing has altered! Except Margaret. She's grown quite pretty. The last time I saw her--twenty years ago, she was a fright in flannel. Positive fright, I assure you. The dear Duchess! and the sweet Lady Agatha! Just the type of girl I like! Well, really, Windermere, if I am to be the Duchess's sister-in-law--
MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh, yes! He's to call to-morrow at twelve o'clock! He wanted to propose to-night. In fact he did. He kept on proposing. Poor Augustus, you know how he repeats himself. Such a bad habit! But I told him I wouldn't give him an answer till to-morrow. Of course I am going to take him. And dare say I'll make him an admirable wife, as wives go. And there is a great deal of good in Lord Augustus. Fortunately it is all on the surface. Just where good qualities should be. Of course you must help in this matter.
MRS. ERLYNNE. Oh, no! I do the encouraging. But you will make me a handsome settlement, Windermere, won't you?
LADY WINDERMERE. To stay in this house any longer is impossible. To-night a man who loves me offered me his whole life. I refused it. It was foolish of me. I will ofder him mine now. I will give him mine. I will go to him! [Puts on cloak and goes to the door, then turns back. Sits down at table and writes a letter, puts in into an envelope, and leaves it on the table.] Arthur has never understood me. When he reads this, he will. He may do as he chooses now with his life. I have done with mine as I think best, as I think right. It is he who has broken the bond of marriage--not I. I only break its bondage.
MRS. ERLYNNE. ... [Exit PARKER. The music in the ball-room stops.] Gone out of her house! A letter addressed to her husband! [Goes over to bureau and looks at letter. Takes it up and lays it down again with a shudder of fear.] No, no! It would be impossible! Life doesn't repeat its tragedies like that! Oh, why does this horrible fancy come across me? Why do I remember now the one moment of my life I most wish to forget? Does life repeat its tragedies? [Tears letter open and reads it, then sinks down into a chair with a gesture of anguish.] Oh, how terrible! The same words that twenty years ago I wrote to her father! and how bitterly I have been punished for it! No; my punishment, my real punishment is to-night, is now! [Still seated R.]
MRS. ERLYNNE. She is very tired. She has gone to bed. She said she had a headache.
MRS. ERLYNNE. ... The daughter must not be like the mother--that would be terrible. How can I save her? How can I save my child? A moment may ruin a life. Who knows better than I? Windermere must be got out of the house; that is absolutely necessary.
MRS. ERLYNNE. Lord Augustus, listen to me. You are to take Lord Windermere down to your club at once, and keep him there as long as possible. You understand?
MRS. ERLYNNE. Your reward? Your reward? Oh! ask me that to-morrow. But don't let Windermere out of your sight to-night. If you do I will never forgive you. I will never speak to you again. I'll have nothing to do with you.

Third Act

LADY WINDERMERE. [Standing by the fireplace.] Why doesn't he come? The waiting is horrible. he should be here. Why is he not here, to wake by passionate words some fire within me? I am cold--cold as a loveless thing. Arthur must have read my letter by this time. If he cared for me, he would have come after me, would have taken me back by force. But he doesn't care. He's entrammelled by this woman--fascinated by her--dominated by her.
... I must go back--no; I can't go back, my letter has put me in their power--Arthur would not take me back! That fatal letter! No! Lord Darlington leaves England to-morrow. I will go with him--I have no choice.
... No, no! I will go back, let Arthur do with me what he pleases. I can't wait here. It has been madness my coming. I must go at once.
MRS. ERLYNNE. Lady Windermere! [LADY WINDERMERE starts and looks up. Then recoils in contempt.] Thank Heaven I am in time. you must go back to your husband's house immediately.
LADY WINDERMERE. Go back to my husband, Mrs. Erlynne. He belongs to you and not to me.
MRS. ERLYNNE. [C.] Lady Windermere, you wrong me horribly--you wrong your husband horribly. he doesn't know you are here--he thinks you are safe in your own house. He thinks you are asleep in your own room. He never read the mad letter you wrote him!
MRS. ERLYNNE. ... It should never have been written. [Tears it and throws it into the fire.]
MRS. ERLYNNE. ... Listen, you must listen! Only go back to your husband, and I promise you never to communicate with him again on any pretext--never to see him--never to have anything o do with his life or yours. The money that he gave me, he gave me not through love, but through hatred, not in worship, but in contempt. The hold I have over him--
MRS. ERLYNNE. ... Believe what you choose about me. I am not worth a moment's sorrow. But don't spoil your beautiful young life on my account! You don't know what may be in store for you, unless you leave this house at once. You don't know what it is to fall into the pit, to be despised, mocked, abandoned, sneered at--to be an outcast! to find the door shut against one, to have to creep in hideous byways, afraid every moment lest the task should be stripped from one's face, and all the while to hear the laughter, the horrible laughter of the world, a thing more tragic than all the tears the world has ever shed.
MRS. ERLYNNE. 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!
LORD AUGUSTUS. [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.]
CECIL GRAHAM. Oh! gossip is charming! History is merely gossip. But scandal is gossip made tedious by morality. Now, I never moralise. A man who moralises is usually a hypocrite, and a woman who moralises is invariably plain.
LORD DARLINGTON. The woman I love is not free, or thinks she isn't. [Glances instinctively at LORD WINDERMERE while he speaks.]
DUMBY. I congratulate you, my dear fellow. In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it. The last is much the worst; the last is a real tragedy! But I am interested to hear she does not love you. How long could you love a woman who didn't love you, Cecil?
DUMBY. So could I. But it's so difficult to meet one.
CECIL GRAHAM. [Standing with his back to the fireplace.] One shouldn't commit any. [Sees LADY WINDERMERE'S fan on sofa.]
CECIL GRAHAM. Come over here. I want you particularly. [Aside.] Darlington has been moralising and talking about the purity of love, and that sort of thing, and he has got some woman in his rooms all the time.
CECIL GRAHAM. Darlington has got a woman here in his rooms. Here is her fan. Amusing, isn't it? [A pause.]
LORD DARLINGTON. [Aside.] She is here after all!
MRS ERLYNNE. I am afraid I took your wife's fan in mistake for my own, when I was leaving your house to-night. I am so sorry. [Takes fan from him. LORD WINDERMERE looks at her in contempt. LORD DARLINGTON in mingled astonishment and anger. LORD AUGUSTUS turns away. The other men smile at each other.]

Fourth Act

LADY WINDERMERE. [Lying on sofa.] How can I tell him? I can't tell him. It would kill me.
LADY WINDERMERE. [Rising.] She is sure to tell him. I can fancy a person doing a wonderful act of self-sacrifice, doing it spontaneously, recklessly, nobly--and afterwards finding out that it costs too much. Why should she hesitate between her ruin and mine? ...How strange! I would have publicly disgraced her in my own house. She accepts public disgrace in the house of another to save me. ...There is a bitter irony of things, a bitter irony in the way we talk of good and bad women.
LORD WINDERMERE. My dear child, you are not well. You've been doing too much. let us go away to the country.
LORD WINDERMERE. [Holding her hand.] Margaret, I thought Mrs. Erlynne was a woman more sinned against than sinning, as the phrase goes. I thought she wanted to be good, to get back into a place that she had lost by a moment's folly, to lead a decent life. I believed what she told me--I was mistaken in her. She is bad--as bad as a woman can be.
LADY WINDERMERE. Arthur, Arthur, don't talk so bitterly about any woman. I don't think now that people can be divided into the good and the bad as though they were two separate races or creations. What are called good women may have terrible things in them, mad moods of recklessness, assertion, jealousy, sin. Bad women, as they are termed, may have in them sorrow, repentance, pity, sacrifice. And I don't think Mrs. Erlynne a bad woman--I know she's not.
LADY WINDERMERE. She came here once as your guest. She must come now as mine. That is but fair.
MRS. ERLYNNE. Yes; I am going to live abroad again. The English climate doesn't suit me. My--heart is affected here, and that I don't like. I prefer living in the south. London is too full of fogs and--and serious people, Lord Windermere. Whether the fogs produce the serious people or whether the serious people produce the fogs, I don't know, but the whole thing rather gets on my nerves, so I'm leaving this afternoon by the Club Train.
MRS. ERLYNNE. You are much prettier. But haven't you got one of yourself with your little boy?
MRS. ERLYNNE. I have not told her the truth, you mean.
LORD WINDERMERE. [Standing C.] I sometimes wish you had. I should have been spared then the misery, the anxiety, the annoyance of the last six months. But rather than my wife should know--that the mother whom she was taught to consider as dead, the mother whom she has mourned as dead, is living--a divorced woman, going about under an assumed name, a bad woman preying upon life, as I know you now to be--rather than that, I was ready to supply you with money to pay bill after bill, extravagance after extravagance, to risk what occurred yesterday, the first quarrel I have ever had with my wife.
LORD WINDERMERE. [Turning round on her.] Therefore I have a right to look upon you as what you are--a worthless, vicious woman. I have the right to tell you never to enter this house, never to attempt to come near my wife--
LORD WINDERMERE. I do know you. For twenty years of your life you loved without your child, without a thought of your child. One day you read in the paper that she had married a rich man. You saw your hideous chance. You knew that to spare her the ignominy of learning that a woman like you was her mother, I would endure anything. You began your blackmailing.
MRS. ERLYNNE. [With a strange smile.] You are quite right, I spoiled it all last night.
MRS. ERLYNNE. ... Besides, my dear Windermere, how on earth could I pose as a mother with a grown-up daughter? Margaret is twenty-one, and I have never admitted that I am more than twenty-nine, or thirty at most.
... Why should I interfere with her illusions? I find it hard enough to keep my own. I lost one illusion last night. I thought I had no heart. I find I have, and a heart doesn't suit me, Windermere. Somehow it doesn't go with the modern dress. It makes one look old.
MRS. ERLYNNE. I regret my bad actions. You regret your good ones--that is the difference between us.
MRS. ERLYNNBE. [After a pause.] If I said to you that I cared for her, perhaps loved her even--you would sneer at me, wouldn't you?
LADY WINDERMERE. Yes. If it had been a girl, I would have called it after my mother. My mother had the same name as myself, Margaret.
MRS. ERLYNNE. Ideals are dangerous things. Realities are better. They wound, but they're better.
MRS. ERLYNNE. It is not your duty--at least you have duties to others besides him. You say you owe me something?
MRS. ERLYNNE. Then pay your debt by silence.
MRS. ERLYNNE. Yes it is my will. And never forget your child--I like to think of you as a mother. I like to think of yourself as one.
LADY WINDERMERE. [Looking up.] I always will now. Only once in my life I have forgotten my own mother--that was last night. Oh, if I had remembered her I should not have been so foolish, so wicked.
LADY WINDERMERE. Don't say that, Arthur. There is the same world for all of us, and good and evil, sin and innocence, go through it hand in hand. To shut one's eyes to half of life that one may live securely is as though one blinding oneself that one might walk with more safety in a land of pit and precipice.
LADY WINDERMERE. We never must be again. O Arthur, don't love me less, and I will trust you more. I will trust you absolutely. Let us go to Selby. In the Rose Garden at Selby the roses are white and red.
LORD AUGUSTUS. [Advancing towards her with a low bow.] Yes, Lady Windermere-- Mrs. Erlynne has done me the honor of accepting my hand.
LORD WINDERMERE. Well, you are certainly marrying a very clever woman!
LADY WINDERMERE. [Taking her husband's hand.] Ah, you're marrying a very good woman!