AN IDEAL HUSBAND

A PLAY

BY OSCAR WILDE

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METHUEN & CO. LTD. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON

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_First Published_, _at 1s. net_, _in 1912_

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_This book was First Published in 1893_

_First Published_ (_Second Edition_) _by _February_ _1908_ Methuen & Co._ _Third Edition_ _October_ _1909_ _Fourth edition_ _October_ _1910_ _Fifth Edition_ _May_ _1912_

THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY

THE EARL OF CAVERSHAM, K.G.

VISCOUNT GORING, his Son

SIR ROBERT CHILTERN, Bart., Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs

VICOMTE DE NANJAC, Attache at the French Embassy in London

MR. MONTFORD

MASON, Butler to Sir Robert Chiltern

PHIPPS, Lord Goring's Servant

JAMES }

HAROLD } Footmen

LADY CHILTERN

LADY MARKBY

THE COUNTESS OF BASILDON

MRS. MARCHMONT

MISS MABEL CHILTERN, Sir Robert Chiltern's Sister

MRS. CHEVELEY

THE SCENES OF THE PLAY

ACT I. _The Octagon Room in Sir Robert Chiltern's House in Grosvenor Square_.

ACT II. _Morning-room in Sir Robert Chiltern's House_.

ACT III. _The Library of Lord Goring's House in Curzon Street_.

ACT IV. _Same as Act II_.

TIME: _The Present_

PLACE: _London_.

_The action of the play is completed within twenty-four hours_.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET

_Sole Lessee_: _Mr. Herbert Beerbohm Tree_

_Managers_: _Mr. Lewis Waller and Mr. H. H. Morell_

_January_ 3_rd_, 1895

THE EARL OF CAVERSHAM _Mr. Alfred Bishop_. VISCOUNT GORING _Mr. Charles H. Hawtrey_. SIR ROBERT CHILTERN _Mr. Lewis Waller_. VICOMTE DE NANJAC _Mr. Cosmo Stuart_. MR. MONTFORD _Mr. Harry Stanford_. PHIPPS _Mr. C. H. Brookfield_. MASON _Mr. H. Deane_. JAMES _Mr. Charles Meyrick_. HAROLD _Mr. Goodhart_. LADY CHILTERN _Miss Julia Neilson_. LADY MARKBY _Miss Fanny Brough_. COUNTESS OF BASILDON _Miss Vane Featherston_. MRS. MARCHMONT _Miss Helen Forsyth_. MISS MABEL CHILTERN _Miss Maud Millet_. MRS. CHEVELEY _Miss Florence West_.

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde
• 2: At the top of the staircase stands LADY CHILTERN
• 3: Cheveley and I have met before
• 4: I have not seen you since Berlin
• 5: One of the Dorsetshire Cheveleys
• 6: Questions are never indiscreet
• 7: LORD GORING saunters over to MABEL CHILTERN
• 8: Goes out with the VICOMTE DE NANJAC
• 9: It is tragic how much they trust us
• 10: Marchmont and I have been married for seven years
• 11: Passing SIR ROBERT CHILTERN and MRS
• 12: But you have not seen my Corots yet
• 13: The letter you wrote to Baron Arnheim
• 14: Supposing you refuse SIR ROBERT CHILTERN
• 15: And Lady Chiltern has a very ennobling effect on life
• 16: I wonder whom the brooch belongs to
• 17: You see I gave this brooch to somebody once
• 18: Cheveley may have changed since then
• 19: But if I told you LADY CHILTERN
• 20: LADY CHILTERN kneels down beside her husband
• 21: Is Lady Chiltern as perfect as all that
• 22: What this century worships is wealth
• 23: That it is weakness that yields to temptation
• 24: She used to be confoundedly fond of money
• 25: I shall send a cipher telegram to the Embassy at Vienna
• 26: Enter LADY CHILTERN in walking dress
• 27: That in practical life LADY CHILTERN
• 28: Don't say such a dreadful thing to Lord Goring
• 29: Tommy Trafford is in great disgrace
• 30: I must shake hands with Lady Markby
• 31: A diamond snake brooch with a ruby
• 32: I am so sorry to have put you to any inconvenience
• 33: I am afraid Lord Brancaster knew a good deal about that
• 34: CHEVELEY Elevating her eyebrows
• 35: CHEVELEY With a bitter laugh
• 36: SIR ROBERT CHILTERN strikes the bell
• 37: The distinction of Phipps is his impassivity
• 38: Goes towards bell Enter PHIPPS
• 39: Your sneezes are quite heartrending
• 40: His lordship is engaged at present with Lord Caversham
• 41: CHEVELEY goes into the drawing room
• 42: Nothing is absolutely known against her
• 43: Hands hock and seltzer to SIR ROBERT CHILTERN
• 44: SIR ROBERT CHILTERN comes back
• 45: CHEVELEY motions to him to sit down beside her
• 46: You mean that you amused yourself immensely
• 47: As if anything could demoralise Robert Chiltern
• 48: CHEVELEY tries to get the bracelet off her arm
• 49: CHEVELEY pulls the letter out
• 50: Miss Chiltern has just come in from riding
• 51: Did Chiltern uphold the scheme
• 52: I hope Lady Caversham is quite well
• 53: Shakes hands with MABEL CHILTERN
• 54: I make it a rule never to accept Tommy
• 55: Cheveley stole that letter from my rooms
• 56: Cheveley was concealed in a room adjoining my library
• 57: Unseen by SIR ROBERT CHILTERN
• 58: LORD GORING returns from the conservatory
• 59: LORD CAVERSHAM goes out into the conservatory
• 60: Cheveley tried to do and failed
• 61: Cheveley concealed in your rooms
• 62: Enter MABEL CHILTERN and LORD CAVERSHAM