Act 2, Part 1 Summary

The following morning, Sir Robert talks with Goring. Conversation reveals that Sir Robert has revealed everything. Goring believes that Sir Robert should have told Lady Chiltern the truth. Sir Robert believes that he could never have told her, out of fear of losing the only woman who ever awakened feelings of love in him. Goring offers to talk with her, but Sir Robert tells him that it would be useless, talking about himself and his past with bitterness and asking who was hurt by what he did. Goring suggests that he hurt himself, but Sir Robert doesn't respond. He instead asks whether Goring thinks it's fair that someone's entire career should be ruined by a youthful mistake.

When Goring says that life itself isn't fair, Sir Robert talks about how each century has its own definitions of success. This century (the...