MRS. CHEVELEY. I will deny the whole affair from beginning to end. I will say that I have never seen this wretched thing, that it was never in my possession. [MRS. CHEVELEY _tries to get the bracelet off her arm_, _but fails_. LORD GORING _looks on amused_. _Her thin fingers tear at the jewel to no purpose_. _A curse breaks from her_.] LORD GORING. The drawback of stealing a thing, Mrs. Cheveley, is that one never knows how wonderful the thing that one steals is. You can’t get that bracelet off, unless you know where the spring is. And I see you don’t know where the spring is. It is rather difficult to find. MRS. CHEVELEY. You brute! You coward! [_She tries again to unclasp the bracelet_, _but fails_.] LORD GORING. Oh! don’t use big words. They mean so little. MRS. CHEVELEY. [_Again tears at the bracelet in a paroxysm of rage_, _with inarticulate sounds_. _Then stops_, _and looks at_ LORD GORING.] What are you going to do? LORD GORING. I am going to ring for my servant. He is an admirable servant. Always comes in the moment one rings for him. When he comes I will tell him to fetch the police. MRS. CHEVELEY. [_Trembling_.] The police? What for? LORD GORING. To-morrow the Berkshires will prosecute you. That is what the police are for. MRS. CHEVELEY. [_Is now in an agony of physical terror_. _Her face is distorted_. _Her mouth awry_. _A mask has fallen from her_. _She is_, _for the moment_, _dreadful to look at_.] Don’t do that. I will do anything you want. Anything in the world you want. LORD GORING. Give me Robert Chiltern’s letter. MRS. CHEVELEY. Stop! Stop! Let me have time to think. LORD GORING. Give me Robert Chiltern’s letter. MRS. CHEVELEY. I have not got it with me. I will give it to you to-morrow. LORD GORING. You know you are lying. Give it to me at once. [MRS. CHEVELEY _pulls the letter out_, _and hands it to him_. _She is horribly pale_.] This is it? MRS. CHEVELEY. [_In a hoarse voice_.] Yes. LORD GORING. [_Takes the letter_, _examines it_, _sighs_, _and burns it with the lamp_.] For so well-dressed a woman, Mrs. Cheveley, you have moments of admirable common sense. I congratulate you. MRS. CHEVELEY. [_Catches sight of_ LADY CHILTERN’S _letter_, _the cover of which is just showing from under the blotting-book_.] Please get me a glass of water. LORD GORING. Certainly. [_Goes to the corner of the room and pours out a glass of water_. _While his back is turned_ MRS. CHEVELEY _steals_ LADY CHILTERN’S _letter_. _When_ LORD GORING _returns the glass she refuses it with a gesture_.] MRS. CHEVELEY. Thank you. Will you help me on with my cloak? LORD GORING. With pleasure. [_Puts her cloak on_.] MRS. CHEVELEY. Thanks. I am never going to try to harm Robert Chiltern again. LORD GORING. Fortunately you have not the chance, Mrs. Cheveley. MRS. CHEVELEY. Well, if even I had the chance, I wouldn’t. On the contrary, I am going to render him a great service.