A Good Woman Page #5

champagne?

Let's get us both some.

Why don't you ask me how I am?

I like people to ask.

It shows a widespread

interest in my health.

And you can't imagine how

comforting that is.

Lovely party.

- How are you, Cecil?

- Oh, not well at all.

I'd like Alessandra...

to know Mr. Hopper

from Austrlia.

- Would you introduce her?

- Would you just excuse me for a moment?

Go with Mr Windemere.

Thank you.

She's my last, you know.

I will miss her.

But it's best to get them out

of the nest...

before they turn on you.

Girls begin by loving their mothers.

But as they grow they judge us.

Rarely do they forgive us.

Oh, poor fool.

He'll never learn.

Which fool?

Don't make me choose.

Tuppy,

he's brought Mrs Erlynne.

All the women will snub her.

She may have better

luck with the men.

It is because of men...

that women distrust other women.

Women don't trust women,

men don't trust women...

no-one trusts women.

It's what binds the Hindu

and the Catholic.

I know I promised, but I must tell

you how beautiful you look tonight.

Well, if you must, you must.

I beg your pardon, I was

looking for someone else.

Well, you found me.

Mrs Erlynne.

May I call you Stella?

Lord Augustus is getting

me champagne.

You and I can trade favours.

Tempting, but no.

I'd rather he didn't see us under the

moonlight. He might misunderstand.

Hear me out.

Windemere's fortune exceeds Tuppy's.

Why change horses now?

You can have waht you

want and Meg's free.

Free?

She hasn't the courage to leave him.

But if it's clear to her that

he's with you...

He's not.

You've been buying idle gossip.

You should get a refund.

Excuse me.

I had to invite her, Dumby.

The point is, she's a changed woman.

You can see it in her eyes.

Do you think she'd look at

you if you were poor?

Do you think I'd look at her

if she were ugly?

Fair's fair, exchange rates

and so forth.

I know she's had her this

and her that, but...

if a man can tolerate

his own past...

Why not a past in his wife?

At any rate...

it's wipe the slate.

Clean start.

She and I, we...

understand each other.

And you know what they say.

Every saint has past,

every sinner has a future.

I'm going to ask her to marry

me if she'll have me.

You know why they call it

an altar, Tuppy?

It's where they make

human sacrifices.

I had a dream about

Mrs Erlynne today.

Yes, well...

you couldn't help it,

I suppose. She...

she is quite the woman.

But in future...

please try to dream of

someone else.

Don't you think you've

had enough?

- Lovely party.

- Thanks for coming.

Meg?

I have to change.

- Did you see her?

- Don't.

You're lovely.

It's ridiculous on a woman at her age.

Why didn't you tell me?

You said you were my friend.

Men and women can't be friends.

- Meg?

- No.

Can you stay with him?

Can you get into bed

with him tonight?

Tomorrow night?

Nights after that?

You said yourself, there's no

forgiving a man who betrays his wife.

What will you choose?

A false degrading marriage, or your

own true self, free of compromise?

I've loved you from the beginning.

It's the truth.

Moment you held out your hand to me in

the glove shop, I thought 'there she is".

And then, suppose I'd walked

by without stopping?

Just the thought of it.

I've never loved anyone until now.

Stop.

John?

I'm sorry, I didn't mean

to startle you.

I'm looking for Meg. If you see her,

it's important.

Have you had a row?

A little misunderstanding.

Try the bar.

Tuppy's given up smokes for her.

Women.

Women inspire us to great things.

Then somehow prevent us

from doing any of them.

He's proposing to her.

It will be his third time up the aisle.

Hope trumps experience, Dumby.

It's God's joke on the human race.

He's quite convinced she's

changed her spots.

Care to make it interesting?

I told you I was serious.

Hasn't anyone warned you

against me?

Oh, yes. Everyone.

Put it away.

Now, you don't have to love

me right away.

Think of the money.

Suppose I marry you, and in a year

your investments go sour.

I'll be stuck with a pauper.

On the other hand...

I could drop dead on the golf course

next Tuesday...

and you'd be left very

well-appointed.

Life's a gamble, Stella.

I don't know what to say.

People say too much as it is.

Mrs Windemere and

Mrs Erlynne...

Iook like mother and daughter,

don't they?

They're wearing the same dress.

Well, that'll be it.

Come away with me.

We could set sail tonight.

Please.

Is this your idea of a joke?

I need to speak to you.

It's about Darlington.

Follow me.

He's in love with Meg.

I know we said cash, so I'm raising

the amount. I want you to leave now.

I'd be more concerned

if I were you.

You're not me.

The problem is I've been

lying to my wife...

and I'm not very good at it.

I can add up the rumours...

and show her a big fat zero.

I'm Tuppy's girl.

- Case closed.

- I'll do my own explaining, get out.

I'd like to say goodbye to her.

You said goodbye to her twenty

years ago. No second chances.

I'll leave first.

- We shouldn't walk out together.

- You're the expert.

Count to a 100.

Mrs Windemere?

Dear Robert, I thought our

marriage was perfect.

I thought we would

always be together.

If you love Mrs Erlynne,

you should be with her.

I feel so foolish.

Everyone knew but me.

Meg, let me in,

I wanna talk to you.

Please, open the door.

There is nothing between me

and Stella Erlynne.

How can you think it?

She's old for God's sake.

She dyes her hair.

She paints her face

like an Indian.

She's a cold,

selfish woman.

Not all attractive

once you know her.

Look, she was going

to damage someone.

A person who'd never done

her any harm.

She came here with a secret that

would have broken your heart.

Look, I wanted to tell you. I just

didn't know how.

I was trying to protect you,

you have to believe me.

She asked me for money

and I gave it to her, but...

I'm not proud of

being blackmailed...

I didn't know what else to do.

I should have told you

at the start.

I'm not lying to you now, I...

I love you.

And there's no other

woman in my heart...

or in my bed.

Meg...

please open the door.

We both had too

much champagne.

We can talk in the morning.

- Splendid.

- Thank you for coming.

- Lovely party. Goodnight, Robert.

- I'll see you at the club.

- There's the girl.

- Take Windemere to the club.

Keep him out all night.

Get him drunk if you have to.

- Just don't let him come home.

- Why?

What? What?

I like you, I do.

But if this is going to work

between us, you can't do that.

- Do what?

- "Where? What? Why?"

I can't always explain

myself to myself...

let alone anyone else.

Good for you -

takes the pressure off.

Nine times out of ten, men

don't give two pins about why...

they just feel obliged

to take an interest.

So, I'll do exactly as you wish...

and I'll feel as if

we're married already.

Oh, can you get yourself

home all right?

Why, Tuppy...

you're the first man who's

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