married. Suspicion fell on a wretched servant, who was sent away in disgrace. I recognized it last night. I determined to say nothing about it till I had found the thief. I have found the thief now, and I have heard her own confession.
·163· mrs. cheveley
[Tossing her head.] It is not true.
lord goring
You know it is true. Why, thief is written across your face at this moment.
mrs. cheveley
I will deny the whole affair from beginning to end. I will say that I have never seen this wretched thing, that it was never in my possession.
[Mrs. Cheveley tries to get the bracelet off her arm, but fails. Lord Goring looks on amused. Her thin fingers tear at the jewel to no purpose. A curse breaks from her.]
lord goring
The drawback of stealing a thing, Mrs. Cheveley, is that one never knows how wonderful the thing that one steals is. You can’t get that bracelet off, unless you know where the spring is. And I see you don’t know where the spring is. It is rather difficult to find.
mrs. cheveley
You brute! You coward! [She tries again to unclasp the bracelet, but fails.]
·164· lord goring
Oh! don’t use big words. They mean so little.
mrs. cheveley
[Again tears at the bracelet in a paroxysm of rage, with inarticulate sounds. Then stops, and looks at Lord Goring.] What are you going to do?
lord goring
I am going to ring for my servant. He is an admirable servant. Always comes in the moment one rings for him. When he comes I will tell him to fetch the police.
mrs. cheveley
[Trembling.] The police? What for?
lord goring
To-morrow the Berkshires will prosecute you. That is what the police are for.
mrs. cheveley
[Is now in an agony of physical terror. Her face is distorted. Her mouth awry. A mask has fallen from her. She is, for the moment, dreadful to look at.] Don’t do that. I will do anything you want. Anything in the world you want.
lord goring
Give me Robert Chiltern’s letter.
·165· mrs. cheveley
Stop! Stop! Let me have time to think.
lord goring
Give me Robert Chiltern’s letter.
mrs. cheveley
I have not got it with me. I will give it to you to-morrow.
lord goring
You know you are lying. Give it to me at once. [Mrs. Cheveley pulls the letter out, and hands it to him. She is horribly pale.] This is it?
mrs. cheveley
[In a hoarse voice.] Yes.
lord goring
[Takes the letter, examines it, sighs, and burns it over the lamp.] For so well-dressed a woman, Mrs. Cheveley, you have moments of admirable common sense. I congratulate you.
mrs. cheveley
[Catches sight of Lady Chiltern’s letter, the cover of which is just showing from under the blotting-book.] Please get me a glass of water.
·166· lord goring
Certainly. [Goes to the corner of the room and pours out a glass of water. While his back is turned Mrs. Cheveley steals Lady Chiltern’s letter. When Lord Goring returns with the glass she refuses it with a gesture.]
mrs. cheveley
Thank you. Will you help me on with my cloak?
lord goring
With pleasure. [Puts her cloak on.]
mrs. cheveley
Thanks. I am never going to try to harm Robert Chiltern again.
lord goring
Fortunately you have not the chance, Mrs. Cheveley.
mrs. cheveley
Well, if even I had the chance, I wouldn’t. On the contrary, I am going to render him a great service.
lord goring
I am charmed to hear it. It is a reformation.
·167· mrs. cheveley
Yes. I can’t bear so upright a gentleman, so honourable an English gentleman, being so shamefully deceived, and so——
lord goring
Well?
mrs. cheveley
I find that somehow Gertrude Chiltern’s dying speech and confession has strayed into my pocket.
lord goring
What do you mean?
mrs. cheveley
[With a bitter note of triumph in her voice.] I mean that I am going to send Robert Chiltern the love letter his wife wrote to you to-night.
lord goring
Love letter?
mrs. cheveley
[Laughing.] “I want you. I trust you. I am coming to you. Gertrude.”
[Lord Goring rushes to the bureau and takes up the envelope, finds it empty, and turns round.]
·168· lord goring
You wretched woman, must you always be thieving? Give me back that letter. I’ll take it from you by force. You shall not leave my room till I have got it.
[He rushes towards her, but Mrs. Cheveley at once puts her hand on the electric bell that is on the table. The bell sounds with shrill reverberations, and Phipps enters.]
mrs. cheveley
[After a pause.] Lord Goring merely rang that you should show me out. Good-night, Lord Goring!
[Goes out, followed
