An Ideal Husband
MC OC March 16-15
MRS. CHEVELEY-And now Sir Robert, I want to talk to you about a great political and financial scheme, about this Argentine Canal Company. SIR ROBERT-What a tedious, practical subject to talk about, Mrs. Cheveley! MRS. CHEVELEY-Oh I like tedious, practical subjects. What I don't like are tedious, practical people. Besides, you are interested, I know, in International Canal schemes. SIR ROBERT-Yes. But the Suez Canal was a very great and splendid undertaking. It gave us our direct route to India. This Argentine scheme is a commonplace Stock Exchange swindle. MRS. CHEVELEY-It is a speculation, Sir Robert. A brilliant, daring speculation. SIR ROBERT- 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. I am sure you are far too clever to have done that. MRS. CHEVELEY-I have invested very largely in it. SIR ROBERT-Ah. 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 that I will be condemning the scheme in no uncertain terms. MRS. CHEVELEY-That you must not do Sir Robert, I will be quite frank with you. I want you to amend that report to state that the Canal will be of great international value. Will you do that for me? SIR ROBERT-You cannot be serious. MRS. CHEVELEY-I am quite serious. And if you do what I ask, I will pay you very handsomely. I realize that I am talking to a man whose past perhaps was less perfect than his reputation would suggest. SIR ROBERT-What are you saying? MRS. CHEVELEY-I am saying that I know the real origin of your wealth and your career and I have got your letter, too.
