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.