mabel chiltern. Oh, I think Lady Markby brought her. Why do you ask?

lord goring. I haven’t seen her for years, that is all.

mabel chiltern. What an absurd reason!

lord goring. All reasons are absurd.

mabel chiltern. What sort of a woman is she?

lord goring. Oh! a genius in the daytime and a beauty at night!

mabel chiltern. I dislike her already.

lord goring. That shows your admirable good taste.

vicomte de nanjac. [Approaching.] Ah, the English young lady is the dragon of good taste, is she not? Quite the dragon of good taste.

lord goring. So the newspapers are always telling us.