Youth seems to have come back to her. Her last glance is like a swift arrow. Lord Goring bites his lip, and lights a cigarette.]
Act-drop.
·169· Fourth Act.
·171· Scene—Same as Act II.
[Lord Goring is standing by the fireplace with his hands in his pockets. He is looking rather bored.]
lord goring
[Pulls out his watch, inspects it, and rings the bell.] It is a great nuisance. I can’t find anyone in this house to talk to. And I am full of interesting information. I feel like the latest edition of something or other.
[Enter Servant.]
james
Sir Robert is still at the Foreign Office, my lord.
lord goring
Lady Chiltern not down yet?
james
Her ladyship has not yet left her room. Miss Chiltern has just come in from riding.
·172· lord goring
[To himself.] Ah! that is something.
james
Lord Caversham has been waiting some time in the library for Sir Robert. I told him your lordship was here.
lord goring
Thank you. Would you kindly tell him I’ve gone?
james
[Bowing.] I shall do so, my lord.
[Exit Servant.]
lord goring
Really, I don’t want to meet my father three days running. It is a great deal too much excitement for any son. I hope to goodness he won’t come up. Fathers should be neither seen nor heard. That is the only proper basis for family life. Mothers are different. Mothers are darlings. [Throws himself down into a chair, picks up a paper and begins to read it.]
[Enter Lord Caversham.]
·173· lord caversham
Well, sir, what are you doing here? Wasting your time as usual, I suppose?
lord goring
[Throws down paper and rises.] My dear father, when one pays a visit it is for the purpose of wasting other people’s time, not one’s own.
lord caversham
Have you been thinking over what I spoke to you about last night?
lord goring
I have been thinking about nothing else.
lord caversham
Engaged to be married yet?
lord goring
[Genially.] Not yet: but I hope to be before lunch-time.
lord caversham
[Caustically.] You can have till dinner-time if it would be of any convenience to you.
lord goring
Thanks awfully, but I think I’d sooner be engaged before lunch.
·174· lord caversham
Humph! Never know when you are serious or not.
lord goring
Neither do I, father.
[A pause.]
lord caversham
I suppose you have read “The Times” this morning?
lord goring
[Airily.] “The Times”? Certainly not. I only read “The Morning Post.” All that one should know about modern life is where the Duchesses are; anything else is quite demoralizing.
lord caversham
Do you mean to say you have not read “The Times” leading article on Robert Chiltern’s career?
lord goring
Good heavens! No. What does it say?
lord caversham
What should it say, sir? Everything complimentary, of course. Chiltern’s speech last night on ·175· this Argentine Canal Scheme was one of the finest pieces of oratory ever delivered in the House since Canning.
lord goring
Ah! Never heard of Canning. Never wanted to. And did … did Chiltern uphold the scheme?
lord caversham
Uphold it, sir? How little you know him! Why, he denounced it roundly, and the whole system of modern political finance. This speech is the turning-point in his career, as “The Times” points out. You should read this article, sir. [Opens “The Times.”] “Sir Robert Chiltern … most rising of all our young statesmen … Brilliant orator … Unblemished career … Well-known integrity of character … Represents what is best in English public life … Noble contrast to the lax morality so common among foreign politicians.” They will never say that of you, sir.
lord goring
I sincerely hope not, father. However, I am delighted at what you tell me about Robert, thoroughly delighted. It shows he has got pluck.
lord caversham
He has got more than pluck, sir, he has got genius.
·176· lord goring
Ah! I prefer pluck. It is not so common, nowadays, as genius is.
lord caversham
I wish you would go into Parliament?
lord goring
My dear father, only people who look dull ever get into the House of Commons, and only people who are dull ever succeed there.
lord caversham
Why don’t you try to do something useful in life?
lord goring
I am far too young.
lord caversham
[Testily.]
