Oscar Wilde: The Complete Works. Knowledge house
She should not.
hester
And the man should be punished in the same way?
mrs. arbuthnot
In the same way. And the children, if there are children, in the same way also?
·109· hester
Yes, it is right that the sins of the parents should be visited on the children. It is a just law. It is God’s law.
mrs. arbuthnot
It is one of God’s terrible laws.
[Moves away to fireplace.]
hester
You are distressed about your son leaving you, Mrs. Arbuthnot?
mrs. arbuthnot
Yes.
hester
Do you like him going away with Lord Illingworth? Of course there is position, no doubt, and money, but position and money are not everything, are they?
mrs. arbuthnot
They are nothing; they bring misery.
hester
Then why do you let your son go with him?
mrs. arbuthnot
He wishes it himself.
·110· hester
But if you asked him he would stay, would he not?
mrs. arbuthnot
He has set his heart on going.
hester
He couldn’t refuse you anything. He loves you too much. Ask him to stay. Let me send him in to you. He is on the terrace at this moment with Lord Illingworth. I heard them laughing together as I passed through the Music-room.
mrs. arbuthnot
Don’t trouble, Miss Worsley, I can wait. It is of no consequence.
hester
No, I’ll tell him you want him. Do—do ask him to stay. [Exit Hester.]
mrs. arbuthnot
He won’t come—I know he won’t come.
[Enter Lady Caroline. She looks round anxiously. Enter Gerald.]
lady caroline
Mr. Arbuthnot, may I ask you is Sir John anywhere on the terrace?
·111· gerald
No, Lady Caroline, he is not on the terrace.
lady caroline
It is very curious. It is time for him to retire.
[Exit Lady Caroline.]
gerald
Dear mother, I am afraid I kept you waiting. I forgot all about it. I am so happy to-night, mother; I have never been so happy.
mrs. arbuthnot
At the prospect of going away?
gerald
Don’t put it like that, mother. Of course I am sorry to leave you. Why, you are the best mother in the whole world. But after all, as Lord Illingworth says, it is impossible to live in such a place as Wrockley. You don’t mind it. But I’m ambitious; I want something more than that. I want to have a career. I want to do something that will make you proud of me, and Lord Illingworth is going to help me. He is going to do everything for me.
mrs. arbuthnot
Gerald, don’t go away with Lord Illingworth. I implore you not to. Gerald, I beg you!
·112· gerald
Mother, how changeable you are! You don’t seem to know your own mind for a single moment. An hour and a half ago in the Drawing-room you agreed to the whole thing; now you turn round and make objections, and try to force me to give up my one chance in life. Yes, my one chance. You don’t suppose that men like Lord Illingworth are to be found every day, do you, mother? It is very strange that when I have had such a wonderful piece of good luck, the one person to put difficulties in my way should be my own mother. Besides, you know, mother, I love Hester Worsley. Who could help loving her? I love her more than I have ever told you, far more. And if I had a position, if I had prospects, I could—I could ask her to—Don’t you understand now, mother, what it means to me to be Lord Illingworth’s secretary? To start like that is to find a career ready for one—before one—waiting for one. If I were Lord Illingworth’s secretary I could ask Hester to be my wife. As a wretched bank clerk with a hundred a year it would be an impertinence.
mrs. arbuthnot
I fear you need have no hopes of Miss Worsley. I know her views on life. She has just told them to me. [A pause.]
gerald
Then I have my ambition left, at any rate. ·113· That is something—I am glad I have that! You have always tried to crush my ambition, mother—haven’t you? You have told me that the world is a wicked place, that success is not worth having, that society is shallow, and all that sort of thing—well, I don’t believe it, mother. I think the world must be delightful. I think society must be exquisite. I think success is a thing worth having. You have been wrong in all that you taught me, mother, quite wrong. Lord Illingworth is a successful man. He is a fashionable man. He is a man who lives in the world and for it. Well, I would give anything to be just like Lord Illingworth.
mrs. arbuthnot
I would sooner see you dead.
gerald
Mother, what is your objection to Lord Illingworth? Tell me—tell me right out. What is it?
mrs. arbuthnot
He is a bad man.
gerald
In what way bad? I don’t understand what you mean.
mrs. arbuthnot
I will tell you.
·114· gerald
I suppose you think him bad, because he doesn’t believe the same things as you do. Well, men are different from women, mother. It is natural that they should have different views.
mrs. arbuthnot
It is not what Lord Illingworth believes, or what he does not believe, that makes him bad. It is what he is.
gerald
Mother, is it something you know of him? Something you actually know?
mrs. arbuthnot
It is something I know.
gerald
Something you are quite sure of?
mrs. arbuthnot
Quite sure of.
gerald
How long have you known it?
mrs. arbuthnot
For twenty years.
gerald
Is it fair to go back twenty years in any ·115· man’s career? And what have you or I to do with Lord Illingworth’s early life? What business is it of ours?
mrs. arbuthnot
What this man has been, he is now, and will be always.
gerald
Mother, tell me what Lord Illingworth did? If he did anything shameful, I will not go away with him. Surely you know me well enough for that?
mrs. arbuthnot
Gerald,