ant you. I trust you. I am coming to
you. Gertrude.'

[LORD GORING _rushes to the bureau and takes up the envelope_, _finds is
empty_, _and turns round_.]

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 by_ PHIPPS. _Her face it illumined with evil
triumph_. _There is joy in her eyes_. _Youth seems to have come back to
her_. _Her last glance is like a swift arrow_. LORD GORING _bites his
lip_, _and lights his a cigarette_.]

ACT DROPS

FOURTH ACT

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 any one 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.

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.]

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
pay