The Way of the World

Mrs. Marwood and Mrs. Fainall discuss their distaste for men, but Mrs. Marwood says she only pretends to hate men to earn Lady Wishfort’s favor. Mrs. Fainall says she even hates her own husband, and Mrs. Marwood confesses she was testing Mrs. Fainall. Mrs. Marwood says she would like to get married to torment her husband, and both women become nervous when they discuss Mirabell. Mirabell and Fainall enter, and Mrs. Fainall chooses to walk with Mirabell, noting that Fainall does not want to walk with his wife. When Mrs. Fainall and Mirabell leave, Fainall reveals his affair with Mrs. Marwood, but he accuses Mrs. Marwood and Mrs. Fainall of loving Mirabell. Mrs. Marwood denies the charge herself, but she admits that Mrs. Fainall may be in love with Mirabell. Fainall explains his plan to marry Mrs. Fainall, who was a widow, to get her money through Lady Wishfort’s death. Millamant stands to inherit half of Lady Wishfort’s fortune, but Lady Wishfort would disown Millamant if she married Mirabell. Fainall promises to inherit Mrs. Fainall’s wealth and run away with Mrs. Marwood. Fainall tells Mrs.