After dinner, the women at the party engage in witty conversation in the drawing room. Mrs. Allonby amuses the group by giving an ironic speech about how the ideal man is one who satisfies his wife’s whims, giving her a life of luxury and drama, rather than being a paragon of virtue. While the other women are amused by Mrs. Allonby’s cynical banter, Hester objects. She condemns English high society for the ways that it excludes all virtue and sincerity in favor of cleverness. Furthermore, she insists that only women are ever punished for sexual sins; she points out that men, on the other hand, continue to be included in society even after it is common knowledge that they had an affair. In her speech, she accidentally insults Lady Caroline’s brother, who is a known flirt. Lady Caroline does not dispute that her brother has affairs with women he has no intention of marrying, but she does not mind this because he is a charming guest at dinner parties.

At this point, Mrs. Arbuthnot arrives at the party, shifting the direction of the conversation. Lady Hunstanton asks her if she has met Lord Illingworth previously, but Mrs.