An Ideal Husband Page #2

I have invested very largely in it.

Who advised you

to do such a foolish thing?

Your old friend and mine - Baron Arnheim.

It was one of the last things he said.

The future of the canal depends...

.. of course, on the attitude

of Her Majesty's government.

And...

.. I will personally

be presenting my report...

.. to the House of Commons

on Thursday night.

I can tell you now...

.. I will be condemning the scheme

in no uncertain terms.

You must not. In your own interests, to

say nothing of mine, you must not do that.

My dear Mrs Cheveley,...

-.. what do you mean?

- I will be frank.

Amend that report to state the canal

will be of great international value.

Will you do that for me?

- You cannot be serious.

- I am quite serious.

If you do what I ask,

I will pay you very handsomely.

Pay me?

You are a man of the world

and you have your price.

Everybody has nowadays.

If you will allow me,

I will call your carriage for you.

You have lived so long abroad...

.. that you seem to be unable to realise

you are talking to an English gentleman!

I realise I am talking to a man

whose past is less perfect...

.. than his reputation would suggest.

What are you saying?

I am saying that I know the real origin

of your wealth and your career...

.. and I have got your letter, too.

You are very late!

- Did you miss me?

- Awfully.

I'm sorry I did not stay away later.

I like being missed.

- How very selfish.

- I am selfish.

You always tell me

about your bad qualities.

- I haven't told you half of them.

- Really? Are the others very bad?

Quite dreadful. When I think of them

at night, I can go to sleep at once.

Well, I must tell you

that I like your bad qualities...

.. and I would not have you

part with a single one.

It shows admirable good taste.

May I have the pleasure

of escorting you to the music room?

- Why, Tommy, I'd be delighted.

- As would I.

Are you coming to the music room?

Not if there's any music

going on, Miss Mabel.

Well,... the music is in German,

so you would not understand it.

Quite so, quite so.

- Arthur!

- Gertrude, good evening.

I didn't think you liked political parties.

I adore them. They're the only place left

where people don't talk politics.

The affair to which you allude

was no more than a speculation.

It was a swindle, Sir Robert.

Let us call things by their proper names.

It makes matters simpler.

Now I'm going to sell you

that letter back...

.. and the price I ask is your public support

of the Argentine scheme.

I cannot do what you ask me.

You are standing

on the edge of a precipice.

- Supposing you refuse...

- What then?

Suppose I were to pay a visit

to a newspaper office...

.. and give them this scandal

and the proof of it.

Think of their joy and the delight

they would have in tearing you down.

Think of... Sir Edward!

My dear Mrs Cheveley,...

.. I do hope

we have the opportunity to meet up.

I so enjoy the cut and thrust

of continental politics.

I shall make it a particular priority.

Sir Robert.

It is infamous, what you propose.

Infamous!

Oh, no. It is the game of life, Sir Robert,...

.. as we all have to play it...

.. sooner or later.

What a charming house.

I have spent a delightful evening.

I'm so glad.

And so glad, too, you had a chance

to meet my husband, Mrs Cheveley.

Though I must confess

to some curiosity...

.. as to the matter of your conversation.

Your carriage is waiting, Mrs Cheveley.

Thanks. Well, another time perhaps,

Lady Chiltern. Good evening.

Good evening, Mrs Cheveley.

Will you see me out, Sir Robert?

Now that we have the same interests,

we will be great friends, I hope.

Certainly.

Let me have more time

to consider your proposal.

There is nothing to consider.

Support the scheme

and I will return the letter.

Scandals once lent charm

or interest to a man.

Nowadays they crush him.

Yours is a very nasty scandal.

You would be hounded out of public life.

You would disappear completely.

My God!

What brought you into my life?

Circumstances. At some point,

we all have to pay for what we do.

You have to pay now.

I will give you

any sum of money you want.

Even you are not rich enough

to buy back your past.

No man is.

Father, this is not my day

for talking seriously.

What do you mean, sir?

During the season I only talk seriously

on the first Tuesday in every month...

.. between noon and three.

Well, make it Tuesday, sir!

Ah, yes, but it is before noon, Father.

- My doctor said specifically...

- You are 36...

Shh! Father!

I only admit to 32.

You are 36 and you must get a wife.

Wife?!

A shade lacklustre this morning, Chiltern.

Mind on other matters,

I shouldn't wonder.

I had that Cheveley woman

drive by the office last night.

Really?

Yes.

Wanted me to write a piece...

.. about this Argentine thing.

Quite interesting, really.

- Mentioned you.

- Did she?

She did indeed.

So what did she say?

Oh, outlined the virtues of the scheme,

that sort of thing.

Wouldn't be surprised

if she had shares in it.

What did she say about me?

About your speech on it.

Said I should be prepared for a surprise.

Wouldn't say what.

Can I take it

you've changed your position?

I wonder what kind of a woman she is.

Who?

That woman - Mrs Cheveley.

Smallish.

So the question remains,

where to from there, hm?

To the Hartlocks and the Basildons...

.. or should we go straight

to the Bachelors' Ball?

Arthur, I almost wish

I were you sometimes.

I almost wish you were, too,...

.. except you'd make something useful

out of my life and that would never do.

You could always get married.

It's the "always" bit that alarms me.

I could see by the glare in his eye

he was about to do it again.

Poor Mr Trafford.

- It sounds quite serious.

- Oh, it is.

He proposed to me in broad daylight...

.. in front of that dreadful

statue of Achilles.

The things that go on

in front of it are quite appalling!

The police should interfere!

It may not suit a modern girl

like you, Mabel,...

.. but there is, of course,

one extremely effective way...

-.. to stop his proposals.

- What would that be?

- To accept one of them!

- Oh, no!

Ladies!

By the way,...

have you been talking to my father?

- Why? Should I?

- Certainly not.

He was foolish enough to suggest

that I model myself on you.

I have always said he was a man

of exquisite taste and rare judgment.

Hard work, probity, and a good woman.

He neglected to mention that you took

the last good woman I know.

Took her right out of my arms,

if I remember correctly.

What's that saying about the sea

and there being plenty of fish in it?

Mmm, yes, but I couldn't

possibly marry a fish.

I'd be sure to land an old trout.

I never change... except in my affections.

What a noble nature you have.

The question...

But you told me yesterday.

I have reason to believe

the information I received...

.. was prejudiced.

- Or, at any rate, misinformed.

- But...

I now believe there may be

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