. Thanks.

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. But you have not told me yet what makes you honour
London so suddenly. Our season is almost over.

MRS. CHEVELEY. Oh! I don't care about the London season! It is too
matrimonial. People are either hunting for husbands, or hiding from
them. I wanted to meet you. It is quite true. You know what a woman's
curiosity is. Almost as great as a man's! I wanted immensely to meet
you, and . . . to ask you to do something for me.

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. I hope it is not a little thing, Mrs. Cheveley. I
find that little things are so very difficult to do.

MRS. CHEVELEY. [_After a moment's reflection_.] No, I don't think it is
quite a little thing.

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. I am so glad. Do tell me what it is.

MRS. CHEVELEY. Later on. [_Rises_.] And now may I walk through your
beautiful house? I hear your pictures are charming. Poor Baron
Arnheim--you remember the Baron?--used to tell me you had some wonderful
Corots.

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. [_With an almost imperceptible start_.] Did you
know Baron Arnheim well?

MRS. CHEVELEY. [_Smiling_.] Intimately. Did you?

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. At one time.

MRS. CHEVELEY. Wonderful man, wasn't he?

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. [_After a pause_.] He was very remarkable, in many
ways.

MRS. CHEVELEY. I often think it such a pity he never wrote his memoirs.
They would have been most interesting.

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Yes: he knew men and cities well, like the old
Greek.

MRS. CHEVELEY. Without the dreadful disadvantage of having a Penelope
waiting at home for him.

MASON. Lord Goring.

[_Enter_ LORD GORING. _Thirty-four_, _but always says he is younger_.
_A well-bred_, _expressionless face_. _He is clever_, _but would not
like to be thought so_. _A flawless dandy_, _he would be annoyed if he
were considered romantic_. _He plays with life_, _and is on perfectly
good terms with the world_. _He is fond of being misunderstood_. _It
gives him a post of vantage_.]

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Good evening, my dear Arthur! Mrs. Cheveley, allow
me to introduce to you Lord Goring, the idlest man in London.

MRS. CHEVELEY. I have met Lord Goring before.

LORD GORING. [_Bowing_.] I did not think you would remember me, Mrs.
Cheveley.

MRS. CHEVELEY. My memory is under admirable control. And are you still
a bachelor?

LORD GORING. I . . . believe so.

MRS. CHEVELEY. How very romantic!

LORD GORING. Oh! I am not at a