An Ideal Husband

Mabel Chiltern: Well, Tommy has proposed to me again. Tommy really does nothing but propose to me. He proposed last night in the music room, when I was quite unprepared, and there was an elaborate trio going on. I didn't dare to make the smallest repartee, I need hardly tell you. If I had, it would have stopped the music at once. Musical people are so absurdly unreasonable. They always want to one to be perfectly dumb at the very moment when one is longing to be absolutely deaf. Then he proposed to me in broad daylight this morning in front of the dreadful statue of Achilles. Really, the things that go on in front of that work of art are quite appaling. The police should interfere. And Tommy is so annoying in the way he proposes. If he proposed at the top of his voice, i should not mind so much. That might produce some effect on the public. But he does it in a horrid confidential way. When Tommy wants to be romantic he talks to one just like a doctor. I am very fond of Tommy, but his methods of proposing are quite out of date. I wish, Gertrude, you would speak to him, and tell him that once a week is quite often enough to propose to any one, and that it should always be done in a manner that attracts some attention!