Part 2

Rosalie, Maid

THE SCENES OF THE PLAY

ACT I. Morning-room in Lord Windermere’s house. ACT II. Drawing-room in Lord Windermere’s house. ACT III. Lord Darlington’s rooms. ACT IV. Same as Act I. TIME: The Present. PLACE: London.

The action of the play takes place within twenty-four hours, beginning on a Tuesday afternoon at five o’clock, and ending the next day at 1.30 p.m.

LONDON: ST. JAMES’S THEATRE

Lessee and Manager: Mr. George Alexander February 22nd, 1892.

LORD WINDERMERE Mr. George Alexander. LORD DARLINGTON Mr. Nutcombe Gould. LORD AUGUSTUS LORTON Mr. H. H. Vincent. MR. CECIL GRAHAM Mr. Ben Webster. MR. DUMBY Mr. Vane-Tempest. MR. HOPPER Mr. Alfred Holles. PARKER (Butler) Mr. V. Sansbury. LADY WINDERMERE Miss Lily Hanbury. THE DUCHESS OF BERWICK Miss Fanny Coleman. LADY AGATHA CARLISLE Miss Laura Graves. LADY PLYMDALE Miss Granville. LADY JEDBURGH Miss B. Page. LADY STUTFIELD Miss Madge Girdlestone. MRS. COWPER-COWPER Miss A. de Winton. MRS. ERLYNNE Miss Marion Terry. ROSALIE (Maid) Miss Winifred Dolan.

FIRST ACT

SCENE

Morning-room of Lord Windermere’s house in Carlton House Terrace. Doors C. and R. Bureau with books and papers R. Sofa with small tea-table L. Window opening on to terrace L. Table R.

PARKER. Is your ladyship at home this afternoon?

LADY WINDERMERE. Yes—who has called?

PARKER. Lord Darlington, my lady.

LADY WINDERMERE. [Hesitates for a moment.] Show him up—and I’m at home to any one who calls.

PARKER. Yes, my lady.

LADY WINDERMERE. It’s best for me to see him before to-night. I’m glad he’s come.

PARKER. Lord Darlington,

LORD DARLINGTON. How do you do, Lady Windermere?

LADY WINDERMERE. How do you do, Lord Darlington? No, I can’t shake hands with you. My hands are all wet with these roses. Aren’t they lovely? They came up from Selby this morning.

LORD DARLINGTON. They are quite perfect. [Sees a fan lying on the table.] And what a wonderful fan! May I look at it?

LADY WINDERMERE. Do. Pretty, isn’t it! It’s got my name on it, and everything. I have only just seen it myself. It’s my husband’s birthday present to me. You know to-day is my birthday?

LORD DARLINGTON. No? Is it really?

LADY WINDERMERE. Yes, I’m of age to-day. Quite an important day in my life, isn’t it? That is why I am giving this party to-night. Do sit down. [Still arranging flowers.]

LORD DARLINGTON. [Sitting down.] I wish I had known it was your birthday, Lady Windermere. I would have covered the whole street in front of your house with flowers for you to walk on. They are made for you.

LADY WINDERMERE. Lord Darlington, you annoyed me last night at the Foreign Office. I am afraid you are going to annoy me again.

LORD DARLINGTON. I, Lady Windermere?

LADY WINDERMERE. Put it there, Parker. That will do. [Wipes her hands with her pocket-handkerchief, goes to tea-table, and sits down.] Won’t you come over, Lord Darlington?

LORD DARLINGTON. [Takes chair and goes across L.C.] I am quite miserable, Lady Windermere. You must tell me what I did. [Sits down at table L.]