In the first act we find Lady Chiltern, whose husband is Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, giving a party at her house in Grosvenor Square. Here, among other fashionable folk who flit across the scene, we are introduced to Lord Goring, between whom and Mabel Chiltern there is evidently a more or less serious flirtation going on, especially on the young lady's side. Shortly after his first entrance Lord Goring "saunters over to Mabel Chiltern." _Mabel Chiltern._ You are very late! _Lord Goring._ Have you missed me? _Mabel Chiltern._ Awfully! _Lord Goring._ Then I am sorry I did not stay away longer. I like being missed. _Mabel Chiltern._ How very selfish of you. _Lord Goring._ I am very selfish. _Mabel Chiltern._ You are always telling me of your bad qualities, Lord Goring. _Lord Goring._ I have only told you half of them as yet, Miss Mabel.... _Mabel Chiltern._ Well, I delight in your bad qualities. I wouldn't have you part with one of them. _Lord Goring._ How very nice of you! But then you are always nice. By the way, I want to ask you a question, Miss Mabel. Who brought Mrs Cheveley here? That woman in heliotrope who has just gone out of the room with your brother? _Mabel Chiltern._ Oh, I think Lady Markby brought her. Why do you ask? _Lord Goring._ I hadn't seen her for years, that is all. But Lord Goring did not say, of course, all he knew about the brilliant Mrs Cheveley, who is very _répondue_ in the diplomatic world at Vienna, and has, in her day, been the heroine of much pretty gossip. The object of her present visit to London is to obtain an introduction to Sir Robert Chiltern, and it is when they first meet that the dramatic interest of the story commences. The lady, it appears, has invested largely, too largely, in a great political and financial scheme called the Argentine Canal Company, acting on the advice of a certain Baron Arnheim, now dead, who was also a friend of Sir Robert Chiltern's. When Mrs Cheveley informs Sir Robert what her position is, he denounces the scheme as "a commonplace Stock Exchange swindle." _Sir Robert Chiltern._ Believe me, Mrs Cheveley, it is a swindle.... I sent out a special commission to inquire into the matter privately and they report that the works are hardly begun, and as for the money already subscribed, no one seems to know what has become of it. A little later on he says "the success of the Canal depends of course on the attitude of England, and I am going to lay the report of the Commissioners before the House of Commons." _Mrs Cheveley._ That you must not do. In your own interests, Sir Robert, to say nothing of mine, you must not do that. _Sir Robert Chiltern._ (_Looking at her in wonder._) In my own interests? My dear Mrs Cheveley, what do you mean? (_Sits down beside her._)