An Ideal Husband Page #5

Put my cloak down, sir.

I hate seeing things through, Father,

especially through someone else's eyes.

Afraid I don't follow you there.

As far as I can make out, you seem

to follow me everywhere, Father.

Oh, God!

Good evening, Arthur.

My dear Robert, the fact is

I really am horribly busy tonight.

But, Arthur, I must speak with you.

Gertrude has discovered the truth?

Yes, I'm afraid she has.

Come in, Robert. But if you wouldn't

mind waiting for a short while,...

.. I am right in the middle of giving

my performance of the attentive son.

- Oh, I'm sorry.

- Mmm, so am I.

Oh...

God!

When you left this afternoon,

my life fell apart.

My love is in ruins.

I need you after all.

I am coming to you now,...

.. Gertrude.

A lady is coming to see me

on particular business.

- Show her into the drawing room.

- Yes, my lord.

This is a matter of the gravest importance.

I understand.

No-one else is to be admitted.

Tell them I'm not at home.

I understand, my lord.

- Arthur...

- Yes, Father.

Good evening, Phipps.

How nice to see you again, madam.

His lordship is engaged at present

with Lord Caversham, madam.

How very filial.

His lordship told me to ask you,

madam,...

.. to be kind enough

to wait in the drawing room for him.

His lordship will come to you there.

- Lord Goring expects me?

- Yes, madam.

Are you quite sure?

His lordship's directions...

.. on the subject were very precise.

No, I don't care for that lamp.

It is too glaring. Light some candles.

Certainly, madam.

Marriage is not a matter...

.. of affection, sir,

it is a question of common sense.

But women who have common sense

are always so curiously plain.

I'm only speaking from hearsay.

No woman has any common sense

at all, sir.

- It is the privilege of our sex.

- Quite so.

And we men are so self-sacrificing

we never use it, do we?

- I use it, sir! I use nothing else!

- Mmm, so my mother tells me.

It is the secret

of your mother's happiness.

What was that?

Nothing, Father, nothing.

You are heartless, sir,... very heartless.

Oh, I hope not, Father.

When you left this afternoon,...

.. my life fell apart.

I am coming to you now,...

.. Gertrude.

There we are, madam.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam.

I'm afraid his lordship's

not at home this evening, my lady.

I-I see.

- I'm sorry, Lady Chiltern.

- Not at all.

As you keep saying!

- Is she in there?

- Yes, my lord.

Oh, my dear fellow.

I'm sorry, Arthur,

I didn't know where else to go.

I don't know what to do, Arthur.

Robert,...

.. last night you were telling me...

.. how much Gertrude means to you,

how much you love her.

More than anything in the world.

There is a wide gulf...

.. between us now

and I fear I shall never bridge it.

I fear she will never forgive me.

Surely there must be some sin

in her past life, any sin,...

.. weakness, perhaps, that might

help her to understand yours.

I don't believe Gertrude knows

what weakness is.

But she loves you, Robert.

She cannot but forgive you.

I feel certain, if she could hear you now,...

.. the regret you feel about your past.

Regret?

Yes, regret.

I feel certain that she would pity you.

Perhaps, even at this moment,

she is pitying you,...

.. praying that she might

once again be in your arms.

God grant it, but I doubt it.

There is something else

I need to tell you about, Arthur.

The debate on the Argentine canal

is to begin at 10.30.

I have made up my mind

what I'm going to say.

I... have decided...

What was that?

Nothing.

- I heard a noise from next door.

- No, no, you didn't.

Is there someone there?

- Arthur.

- Robert, you are unnerved.

There is no-one. Sit down, for God's sake!

Do you give me your word of honour?

Oh, yes.

Let me look for myself!

- Robert...

- If there is no-one there...

Robert,... there is someone in that room.

I do apologise,...

.. but I must state

she is guiltless in this matter.

She is... scheming, devious and deceitful.

- I beg your pardon?

- And you!

You are false as a friend...

.. and treacherous.

- Robert...

- Good evening, Lord Goring.

Sir Robert.

So how the devil

do you explain her presence here?

To be quite honest I can't...

I take it you two have been...

planning this for some time!

We have never planned anything!

Except marriage.

You can't have forgotten, we were

engaged for at least three weeks.

- Yes, but...

- Why did you break it off?

You seem to be...

entirely well suited to each other!

- Robert, I give you my word...

- No, sir.

Oh, no, sir.

You have lied enough upon your...

word of honour.

I appear to have caused

something of a commotion.

Goodnight, Sir Robert.

So...

.. you've come here to sell me

Robert Chiltern's letter.

To offer it to you on condition.

How did you guess?

- What is your price for it?

- My price.

I've arrived at the romantic stage.

When I saw you the other night

at the Chilterns',...

.. I knew you were the only person

I'd ever cared for,...

.. if I've ever cared for anybody, Arthur.

So...

.. on the morning of the day...

.. that you marry me,

I will give you Robert Chiltern's letter.

That is my offer.

- Are you quite serious?

- Yes.

Quite serious.

My dear Mrs Cheveley,...

.. I'm afraid I should make you

a very bad husband.

I don't mind bad husbands.

I've had two. They amuse me immensely.

Here is a chance to rise

to great heights of self-sacrifice.

I think you should.

The rest of your life, you can spend

contemplating your own perfections.

I do that as it is.

For the privilege of being your wife,...

.. I am ready to sacrifice

the greatest prize in my possession.

I'm honoured.

- Arthur,...

- Mmm?

.. you loved me once.

You asked me to be your wife.

Ask me again.

Ask me now.

Bonsoir.

My dear Mrs Cheveley...

My dear Lord Goring.

I'm going to give you some good advice.

Never give a woman anything

she can't wear in the evening.

I don't seem to be able to stop myself.

I'm going to tell you...

.. that love...

.. about which, I admit, I know so little...

Love cannot be bought,

it can only be given.

And I sense it is not in my power

to give to you...

.. nor is it in yours, I suspect,... at all.

Dear boy, you underestimate us both.

To give...

.. and not expect return,...

.. that is what lies at the heart of love.

I fear, though,...

.. the notion is a stranger to us both.

And yet,...

.. if we are honest,...

.. it is something we both long for.

Something...

.. that it takes great courage to do.

Yes,...

.. that is our dark secret.

Your coming here tonight

is the first whisper of it.

And for that, I admire you.

Give me the letter.

Prove your affections to me

and give me the letter.

And surrender my position of power?

The future of a great man

is in your hands, Mrs Cheveley.

Crush him

and your power dies with him,...

.. as will any feeling I've ever had for you.

If you ever loved me...

I did love you.

I know, I know.

But not that much.

I know. I must admit

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