ep a
man's love, and love him in return, has done all the world wants of
women, or should want of them.

LADY CHILTERN. [_Troubled and hesitating_.] But it is my husband
himself who wishes to retire from public life. He feels it is his duty.
It was he who first said so.

LORD GORING. Rather than lose your love, Robert would do anything, wreck
his whole career, as he is on the brink of doing now. He is making for
you a terrible sacrifice. Take my advice, Lady Chiltern, and do not
accept a sacrifice so great. If you do, you will live to repent it
bitterly. We men and women are not made to accept such sacrifices from
each other. We are not worthy of them. Besides, Robert has been
punished enough.

LADY CHILTERN. We have both been punished. I set him up too high.

LORD GORING. [_With deep feeling in his voice_.] Do not for that reason
set him down now too low. If he has fallen from his altar, do not thrust
him into the mire. Failure to Robert would be the very mire of shame.
Power is his passion. He would lose everything, even his power to feel
love. Your husband's life is at this moment in your hands, your
husband's love is in your hands. Don't mar both for him.

[_Enter_ SIR ROBERT CHILTERN.]

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Gertrude, here is the draft of my letter. Shall I
read it to you?

LADY CHILTERN. Let me see it.

[SIR ROBERT _hands her the letter_. _She reads it_, _and then_, _with a
gesture of passion_, _tears it up_.]

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. What are you doing?

LADY CHILTERN. A man's life is of more value than a woman's. It has
larger issues, wider scope, greater ambitions. Our lives revolve in
curves of emotions. It is upon lines of intellect that a man's life
progresses. I have just learnt this, and much else with it, from Lord
Goring. And I will not spoil your life for you, nor see you spoil it as
a sacrifice to me, a useless sacrifice!

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Gertrude! Gertrude!

LADY CHILTERN. You can forget. Men easily forget. And I forgive. That
is how women help the world. I see that now.

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. [_Deeply overcome by emotion_, _embraces her_.] My
wife! my wife! [_To_ LORD GORING.] Arthur, it seems that I am always to
be in your debt.

LORD GORING. Oh dear no, Robert. Your debt is to Lady Chiltern, not to
me!

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. I owe you much. And now tell me what you were
going to ask me just now as Lord Caversham came in.

LORD GORING