An Ideal Husband Page #2

It's a pity he never wrote his memoirs.

They'd have been most interesting.

Allow me to introduce my dearest friend,

the idlest man in London.

- Lord Goring.

- You've met!

I did not think you'd remember me,

Mrs, er... Cheveley.

My memory is under admirable control.

Sir Robert, the Indian Ambassador.

Excuse me.

And so, my dear Arthur, are you not

just a little bit pleased to see me?

Oh, my dear woman,...

.. possibly even less than that.

Should you wish to avoid me entirely,

I am at Claridge's until Friday...

.. when I shall return to Vienna.

Are you still a bachelor?

- Resolutely so.

- He is the result of Boodle's Club.

He reflects every credit on the institution.

Thank you.

And now, Sir Robert,

I have something to say to you.

- You'll find me an eager audience.

- I'm so glad.

I want to talk to you about a great

political and financial scheme,...

.. about this Argentine Canal Company,

in fact.

What a tedious, practical subject

to talk about, Mrs Cheveley.

Oh, I like tedious, practical subjects.

I don't like tedious, practical people.

Besides, you're interested, I know,

in international canal schemes.

Yes.

But the Suez Canal was a very great

and splendid undertaking.

It gave us our direct route into India.

This Argentine scheme is

a commonplace Stock Exchange swindle.

It is a speculation.

A brilliant, daring speculation.

Believe me, Mrs Cheveley, it is a swindle.

Let us call things by their proper names.

It makes matters simpler.

I hope you have not invested in it.

You're far too clever to have done that.

I have invested very largely in it.

Who advised you

to do such a foolish thing?

Your old friend and mine - Baron Arnheim.

It was one of the last things he said.

The future of the canal depends...

.. of course, on the attitude

of Her Majesty's government.

And...

.. I will personally

be presenting my report...

.. to the House of Commons

on Thursday night.

I can tell you now...

.. I will be condemning the scheme

in no uncertain terms.

You must not. In your own interests, to

say nothing of mine, you must not do that.

My dear Mrs Cheveley,...

-.. what do you mean?

- I will be frank.

Amend that report to state the canal

will be of great international value.

Will you do that for me?

- You cannot be serious.

- I am quite serious.

If you do what I ask,

I will pay you very handsomely.

Pay me?

You are a man of the world

and you have your price.

Everybody has nowadays.

If you will allow me,

I will call your carriage for you.

You have lived so long abroad...

.. that you seem to be unable to realise

you are talking to an English gentleman!

I realise I am talking to a man

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