e of escorting you to the
music-room, Mademoiselle?

MABEL CHILTERN. [_Looking very disappointed_.] Delighted, Vicomte,
quite delighted! [_Turning to_ LORD GORING.] Aren't you coming to the
music-room?

LORD GORING. Not if there is any music going on, Miss Mabel.

MABEL CHILTERN. [_Severely_.] The music is in German. You would not
understand it.

[_Goes out with the_ VICOMTE DE NANJAC. LORD CAVERSHAM _comes up to his
son_.]

LORD CAVERSHAM. Well, sir! what are you doing here? Wasting your life
as usual! You should be in bed, sir. You keep too late hours! I heard
of you the other night at Lady Rufford's dancing till four o'clock in the
morning!

LORD GORING. Only a quarter to four, father.

LORD CAVERSHAM. Can't make out how you stand London Society. The thing
has gone to the dogs, a lot of damned nobodies talking about nothing.

LORD GORING. I love talking about nothing, father. It is the only thing
I know anything about.

LORD CAVERSHAM. You seem to me to be living entirely for pleasure.

LORD GORING. What else is there to live for, father? Nothing ages like
happiness.

LORD CAVERSHAM. You are heartless, sir, very heartless!

LORD GORING. I hope not, father. Good evening, Lady Basildon!

LADY BASILDON. [_Arching two pretty eyebrows_.] Are you here? I had no
idea you ever came to political parties!

LORD GORING. I adore political parties. They are the only place left to
us where people don't talk politics.

LADY BASILDON. I delight in talking politics. I talk them all day long.
But I can't bear listening to them. I don't know how the unfortunate men
in the House stand these long debates.

LORD GORING. By never listening.

LADY BASILDON. Really?

LORD GORING. [_In his most serious manner_.] Of course. You see, it is
a very dangerous thing to listen. If one listens one may be convinced;
and a man who allows himself to be convinced by an argument is a
thoroughly unreasonable person.

LADY BASILDON. Ah! that accounts for so much in men that I have never
understood, and so much in women that their husbands never appreciate in
them!

MRS. MARCHMONT. [_With a sigh_.] Our husbands never appreciate anything
in us. We have to go to others for that!

LADY BASILDON. [_Emphatically_.] Yes, always to others, have we not?

LORD GORING. [_Smiling_.] And those are the views of the two ladies who
are known to have the most admirable husbands in London.

MRS. MA