GERALD. Who? Who has dared—? [LORD ILLINGWORTH _enters at back of stage_. HESTER _breaks from_ GERALD’S _arms and points to him_.] GERALD [_He is quite beside himself with rage and indignation_.] Lord Illingworth, you have insulted the purest thing on God’s earth, a thing as pure as my own mother. You have insulted the woman I love most in the world with my own mother. As there is a God in Heaven, I will kill you! MRS. ARBUTHNOT. [_Rushing across and catching hold of him_] No! no! GERALD. [_Thrusting her back_.] Don’t hold me, mother. Don’t hold me—I’ll kill him! MRS. ARBUTHNOT. Gerald! GERALD. Let me go, I say! MRS. ARBUTHNOT. Stop, Gerald, stop! He is your own father! [GERALD _clutches his mother’s hands and looks into her face_. _She sinks slowly on the ground in shame_. HESTER _steals towards the door_. LORD ILLINGWORTH _frowns and bites his lip_. _After a time_ GERALD _raises his mother up_, _puts his arm round her_, _and leads her from the room_.] ACT DROP FOURTH ACT SCENE _Sitting-room at Mrs. Arbuthnot’s_. _Large open French window at back_, _looking on to garden_. _Doors_ R.C. _and_ L.C. [GERALD ARBUTHNOT _writing at table_.] [_Enter_ ALICE R.C. _followed by_ LADY HUNSTANTON _and_ MRS. ALLONBY.] ALICE. Lady Hunstanton and Mrs. Allonby. [_Exit_ L.C.] LADY HUNSTANTON. Good morning, Gerald. GERALD. [_Rising_.] Good morning, Lady Hunstanton. Good morning, Mrs. Allonby. LADY HUNSTANTON. [_Sitting down_.] We came to inquire for your dear mother, Gerald. I hope she is better? GERALD. My mother has not come down yet, Lady Hunstanton. LADY HUNSTANTON. Ah, I am afraid the heat was too much for her last night. I think there must have been thunder in the air. Or perhaps it was the music. Music makes one feel so romantic—at least it always gets on one’s nerves. MRS. ALLONBY. It’s the same thing, nowadays. LADY HUNSTANTON. I am so glad I don’t know what you mean, dear. I am afraid you mean something wrong. Ah, I see you’re examining Mrs. Arbuthnot’s pretty room. Isn’t it nice and old-fashioned? MRS. ALLONBY. [_Surveying the room through her lorgnette_.] It looks quite the happy English home. LADY HUNSTANTON. That’s just the word, dear; that just describes it. One feels your mother’s good influence in everything she has about her, Gerald. MRS. ALLONBY. Lord Illingworth says that all influence is bad, but that a good influence is the worst in the world. LADY HUNSTANTON. When Lord Illingworth knows Mrs. Arbuthnot better he will change his mind. I must certainly bring him here. MRS. ALLONBY. I should like to see Lord Illingworth in a happy English home.