a woman of no importance-第10部分

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ld　…　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。　　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。

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　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；　come　near　to　me。　　Quite　close　to　me；　as　you　used　to　do　when　you　were　a　little　boy；　when　you　were　mother's　own　boy。　　＇GERALD　sits　down　betide　his　mother。　　She　runs　her　fingers　through　his　hair；　and　strokes　his　hands。＇　　Gerald；　there　was　a　girl　once；　she　was　very　young；　she　was　little　over　eighteen　at　the　time。　　George　Harford　…　that　was　Lord　Illingworth's　name　then　…　George　Harford　met　her。　　She　knew　nothing　about　life。　　He　…　knew　everything。　　He　made　this　girl　love　him。　　He　made　her　love　him　so　much　that　she　left　her　father's　house　with　him　one　morning。　　She　loved　him　so　much；　and　he　had　promised　to　marry　her！　　He　had　solemnly　promised　to　marry　her；　and　she　had　believed　him。　　She　was　very　young；　and　…　and　ignorant　of　what　life　really　is。　　But　he　put　the　marriage　off　from　week　to　week；　and　month　to　month。　…　She　trusted　in　him　all　the　while。　　She　loved　him。　…　Before　her　child　was　born　…　for　she　had　a　child　…　she　implored　him　for　the　child's　sake　to　marry　her；　that　the　child　might　have　a　name；　that　her　sin　might　not　be　visited　on　the　child；　who　was　innocent。　　He　refused。　After　the　child　was　born　she　left　him；　taking　the　child　away；　and　her　life　was　ruined；　and　her　soul　ruined；　and　all　that　was　sweet；　and　good；　and　pure　in　her　ruined　also。　　She　suffered　terribly　…　she　suffers　now。　　She　will　always　suffer。　　For　her　there　is　no　joy；　no　peace；　no　atonement。　　She　is　a　woman　who　drags　a　chain　like　a　guilty　thing。　　She　is　a　woman　who　wears　a　mask；　like　a　thing　that　is　a　leper。　　The　fire　cannot　purify　her。　　The　waters　cannot　quench　her　anguish。　　Nothing　can　heal　her！　no　anodyne　can　give　her　sleep！　no　poppies　forgetfulness！　　She　is　lost！　　She　is　a　lost　soul！　…　That　is　why　I　call　Lord　Illingworth　a　bad　man。　　That　is　why　I　don't　want　my　boy　to　be　with　him。

GERALD。　　My　dear　mother；　it　all　sounds　very　tragic；　of　course。　　But　I　dare　say　the　girl　was　just　as　much　to　blame　as　Lord　Illingworth　was。　…　After　all；　would　a　really　nice　girl；　a　girl　with　any　nice　feelings　at　all；　go　away　from　her　home　with　a　man　to　whom　she　was　not　married；　and　live　with　him　as　his　wife？　　No　nice　girl　would。

MRS。　ARBUTHNOT。　　＇After　a　pause。＇　　Gerald；　I　withdraw　all　my　objections。　　You　are　at　liberty　to　go　away　with　Lord　Illingworth；　when　and　where　you　choose。

GERALD。　　Dear　mother；　I　knew　you　wouldn't　stand　in　my　way。　　You　are　the　best　woman　God　ever　made。　　And；　as　for　Lord　Illingworth；　I　don't　believe　he　is　capable　of　anything　infamous　or　base。　　I　can't　believe　it　of　him　…　I　can't。

HESTER。　　＇Outside。＇　　Let　me　go！　　Let　me　go！　　＇Enter　HESTER　in　terror；　and　rushes　over　to　GERALD　and　flings　herself　in　his　arms。＇

HESTER。　　Oh！　save　me　…　save　me　from　him！

GERALD。　　From　whom？

HESTER。　　He　has　insulted　me！　　Horribly　insulted　me！　　Save　me！

GERALD。　　Who？　　Who　has　dared　…　？

＇LORD　ILLINGWORTH　enters　at　back　of　stage。　　HESTER　breaks　from　GERALD'S　arms　and　points　to　him。＇

GERALD　　＇He　is　quite　beside　himself　with　rage　and　indignation。＇　Lord　Illingworth；　you　have　insulted　the　purest　thing　on　God's　earth；　a　thing　as　pure　as　my　own　mother。　　You　have　insulted　the　woman　I　love　most　in　the　world　with　my　own　mother。　　As　there　is　a　God　in　Heaven；　I　will　kill　you！

MRS。　ARBUTHNOT。　　＇Rushing　across　and　catching　hold　of　him＇　　No！　no！

GERALD。　　＇Thrusting　her　back。＇　　Don't　hold　me；　mother。　　Don't　hold　me　…　I'll　kill　him！

MRS。　ARBUTHNOT。　　Gerald！

GERALD。　　Let　me　go；　I　say！

MRS。　ARBUTHNOT。　　Stop；　Gerald；　stop！　　He　is　your　own　father！

＇GERALD　clutches　his　mother's　hands　and　looks　into　her　face。　　She　sinks　slowly　on　the　ground　in　shame。　　HESTER　steals　towards　the　door。　　LORD　ILLINGWORTH　frowns　and　bites　his　lip。　　After　a　time　GERALD　raises　his　mother　up；　puts　his　am　round　her；　and　leads　her　from　the　room。＇

ACT　DROP



FOURTH　ACT



SCENE

Sitting…room　at　Mrs。　Arbuthnot's。　　Large　open　French　window　at　back；　looking　on　to　garden。　　Doors　R。C。　and　L。C。

＇GERALD　ARBUTHNOT　writing　at　table。＇

＇Enter　ALICE　R。C。　followed　by　LADY　HUNSTANTON　and　MRS。　ALLONBY。＇

ALICE。　　Lady　Hunstanton　and　Mrs。　Allonby。

＇Exit　L。C。＇

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　Good　morning；　Gerald。

GERALD。　　＇Rising。＇　　Good　morning；　Lady　Hunstanton。　　Good　morning；　Mrs。　Allonby。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　＇Sitting　down。＇　　We　came　to　inquire　for　your　dear　mother；　Gerald。　　I　hope　she　is　better？

GERALD。　　My　mother　has　not　come　down　yet；　Lady　Hunstanton。

LADY　　HUNSTANTON。　　Ah；　I　am　afraid　the　heat　was　too　much　for　her　last　night。　　I　think　there　must　have　been　thunder　in　the　air。　　Or　perhaps　it　was　the　music。　　Music　makes　one　feel　so　romantic　…　at　least　it　always　gets　on　one's　nerves。

MRS。　ALLONBY。　　It's　the　same　thing；　nowadays。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　I　am　so　glad　I　don't　know　what　you　mean；　dear。　　I　am　afraid　you　mean　something　wrong。　　Ah；　I　see　you're　examining　Mrs。　Arbuthnot's　pretty　room。　　Isn't　it　nice　and　old…fashioned？

MRS。　ALLONBY。　　＇Surveying　the　room　through　her　lorgnette。＇　　It　looks　quite　the　happy　English　home。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　That's　just　the　word；　dear；　that　just　describes　it。　　One　feels　your　mother's　good　influence　in　everything　she　has　about　her；　Gerald。

MRS。　ALLONBY。　　Lord　Illingworth　says　that　all　influence　is　bad；　but　that　a　good　influence　is　the　worst　in　the　world。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　When　Lord　Illingworth　knows　Mrs。　Arbuthnot　better　he　will　change　his　mind。　　I　must　certainly　bring　him　here。

MRS。　ALLONBY。　　I　should　like　to　see　Lord　Illingworth　in　a　happy　English　home。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　It　would　do　him　a　great　deal　of　good；　dear。　　Most　women　in　London；　nowadays；　seem　to　furnish　their　rooms　with　nothing　but　orchids；　foreigners；　and　French　novels。　　But　here　we　have　the　room　of　a　sweet　saint。　　Fresh　natural　flowers；　books　that　don't　shock　one；　pictures　that　one　can　look　at　without　blushing。

MRS。　ALLONBY。　　But　I　like　blushing。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　Well；　there　IS　a　good　deal　to　be　said　for　blushing；　if　one　can　do　it　at　the　proper　moment。　　Poor　dear　Hunstanton　used　to　tell　me　I　didn't　blush　nearly　often　enough。　　But　then　he　was　so　very　particular。　　He　wouldn't　let　me　know　any　of　his　men　friends；　except　those　who　were　over　seventy；　like　poor　Lord　Ashton：　who　afterwards；　by　the　way；　was　brought　into　the　Divorce　Court。　　A　most　unfortunate　case。

MRS。　ALLONBY。　　I　delight　in　men　over　seventy。　　They　always　offer　one　the　devotion　of　a　lifetime。　　I　think　seventy　an　ideal　age　for　a　man。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　She　is　quite　incorrigible；　Gerald；　isn't　she？　By…the…by；　Gerald；　I　hope　your　dear　mother　will　come　and　see　me　more　often　now。　　You　and　Lord　Illingworth　start　almost　immediately；　don't　you？

GERALD。　　I　have　given　up　my　intention　of　being　Lord　Illingworth's　secretary。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　Surely　not；　Gerald！　　It　would　be　most　unwise　of　you。　　What　reason　can　you　have？

GERALD。　　I　don't　think　I　should　be　suitable　for　the　post。

MRS。　ALLONBY。　　I　wish　Lord　Illingworth　would　ask　me　to　be　his　secretary。　　But　he　says　I　am　not　serious　enough。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　My　dear；　you　really　mustn't　talk　like　that　in　this　house。　　Mrs。　Arbuthnot　doesn't　know　anything　about　the　wicked　society　in　which　we　all　live。　　She　won't　go　into　it。　　She　is　far　too　good。　　I　consider　it　was　a　great　honour　her　coming　to　me　last　night。　　It　gave　quite　an　atmosphere　of　respectability　to　the　party。

MRS。　ALLONBY。　　Ah；　that　must　have　been　what　you　thought　was　thunder　in　the　air。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　My　dear；　how　can　you　say　that？　　There　is　no　resemblance　between　the　two　things　at　all。　　But　really；　Gerald；　what　do　you　mean　by　not　being　suitable？

GERALD。　　Lord　Illingworth's　views　of　life　and　mine　are　too　different。

LADY　HUNSTANTON。　　But；　my　dear　Gerald；　at　your　age　you　shouldn't　have　any　views　of　life。　　They　are　quite　out　of　place。　　You　must　be　guided　by　others　in　this　matter。　　Lord　Illingworth　has　made　you　the　most　flattering　offer；　and　t