Part 2 - Pages 51-93 Flashcards
[beginning of act 2 OR] Ah, there she is
Oh, I merely came back to water the roses. I thought you were with Uncle Jack
He’s gone to order the dog cart for me
Oh, is he going to take you for a nice drive?
He’s going to send me away
Then have we got to part?
..It’s a very painful parting
It is always painful to part from people whom one has known for a very brief space of time. The absence of old friends one can endure with equanimity. But even a momentary separation from anyone to whom one has just been introduced is almost unbearable.
the dog cart is at the door, sir
It can wait, Merriman, for 5 minutes
..in every way the visible personification of absolute perfection
I think your frankness does you great credit, Ernest. If you will allow me, I will copy your remarks into my diary.
..May I?
Oh no. You see, it is simply a very young girl’s record of her own thoughts and impressions, and consequently meant for publication. When it appears in volume form I hope you will order a copy. But pray, Ernest, don’t stop. I delight in taking down from dictation. I have reached ‘absolute perfection.’ You can go on. I am quite ready for more.
Ahem Ahem
Oh, don’t cough, Ernest. When one is dictating one should speak fluently and not cough. Besides, I don’t know how to spell a cough.
..wildly passionately devotedly hopelessly
I don’t think that you should tell me that you love me wildly, passionately, devotedly, hopelessly. Hopelessly doesn’t seem to make much sense, does it?
..yes sir
Uncle Jack would be very much annoyed if he knew you were staying on til next week at the same hour
you will marry me, won’t you?
You silly boy! of course. why, we have been engaged for the last 3 months
for the last 3 months?
yes, it will be exactly 3 months on thursday
but how did we become engaged?
well, ever since dear uncle jack first confessed to us that he had a younger brother who was very wicked and bad, you of course have formed the chief topic of conversation between myself and ms. prism. and of course a man who is much talked about is always very attractive. One feels there must be something in him, after all. I daresay it was foolish of me, but I fell in love with you ernest.
..when was the engagement actually settled?
on the 14th of february last. worn out by your entire ignorance of my existence I determined to end the matter one way or the other, and after a long struggle with myself I accepted you under this dear old tree here. The next day I bought this little ring in your name, and this is the little bangle with the true lover’s knot I promised you always to wear.
It’s very pretty, isn’t it?
Yes, you’ve wonderfully good taste ernest. It;s the excuse I’ve always given for your leading such a bad life. and this is the box in which I keep all your dear letters.
i have never written you any letters
you need hardly remind me of that, ernest. I remember only too well that I was forced to write your letters for you. I wrote always 3 times a week, and sometimes oftener
do let me read them cecily
oh, i couldn’t possibly. They would make you far too conceited. the 3 you wrote me after i had broken off the engagement are so beautiful and so badly spelled that even now i can hardly read them without crying a little.
but was our engagement ever broken off?
of course it was. on the 22nd of last march. you can see the entry if you life. today i broke off my engagement with ernest. i feel it is better to do so. the weather still continues charming.
..particularly when the weather was so charming
it would hardly have been a really serious engagement if it hadn’t been broken off at least once. but i forgave you before the week was out
what a perfect angel you are cecily
you dear romantic boy. i hope your hair curls naturally, does it?
..with a little help from others
i am so glad
..never break off our engagement again, cecily?
i don’t think i could break it off now that i have actually met you. besides, of course, there is the question of your name.
yes of course
you must not laugh at me, darling, but it had always been a girlish dream of mine to love someone whose name was ernest. there is something in that name that seems to inspire absolute confidence. i pity any poor married woman whose husband is not called ernest.
..you could not love me if i had some other name?
but what name?
..algernon, for instance
but i don’t like the name of algernon
..if my name was algy, couldn’t you love me?
i might respect you, ernest, i might admire your character, but i fear that i should not be able to give you my undivided attention.
..all the rites and ceremonials of the church?
oh yes. dr. chasuble is a most learned man. he has never written a single book, so you can imagine how much he knows.
..on most important business
oh!
i shan’t be away more than half an hour
Considering that we have been engaged since february the 14th, and that i only met you today for the first time, I think it is rather hard that you should leave me for so long a period as half an hour. couldn’t you make it 20 minutes?
I’ll be back in no time
what an impetuous boy he is! i like his hair so much. I must enter his proposal in my diary.
important business, ms fairfax states
isn’t mr worthing in his library?
..the rectory some time ago
pray ask the lady to come out here. mr worthing is sure to be back soon. and you can bring tea
Yes miss (p.58)
Ms. Fairfax! I suppose one of the many good elderly women who are associated with Uncle Jack in some of his philanthropic work in London. I don’t quite like women who are interested in philanthropic work. I think it is so forward of them.
Ms. Fairfax.
Pray let me introduce myself to you. My name is Cecily Cardew.
My first impressions of people are never wrong.
How nice of you to like me so much after we have known each other such a comparatively short time. Pray sit down.
I may call you Cecily, may I not?
With pleasure!
And you will always call me Gwendolen, won’t you?
If you wish.
Then that is all quite settled, is it not?
I hope so.
You have never heard of papa, I suppose?
I don’t think so.
Do you mind my looking at you through my glasses?
Oh! Not at all, Gwendolen. I am very fond of being looked at.
You are here on a short visit, I suppose.
Oh no! I live here.
…relative of advanced years, resides here also?
Oh no! I have no mother, nor, in fact, any relations.
Indeed?
My dear guardian, with the assistance of Ms. Prism, has the arduous task of looking after me.
Your guardian?
Yes, I am Mr. Worthing’s ward.
… in fact, if I may speak candidly
Pray do! I think that whenever one has anything unpleasant to say, one should always be quite candid.
…history would be quite unreadable.
I beg your pardon, Gwendolen, did you say Ernest?
Yes.
Oh, but it is not Mr. Ernest Worthing who is my guardian. It is his brother, his elder brother.
Ernest never mentioned to me that he had a brother.
I am sorry to say that they have not been on good terms for a long time.
…quite sure that it is not Mr. Ernest Worthing who is your guardian?
Quite sure. In fact, I am going to be his.
I beg your pardon?
Dearest Gwendolen, there is no reason why I should make a secret of it to you. Our little county newspaper is sure to chronicle the fact next week. Mr. Ernest Worthing and I are engaged to be married.
…in the Morning Post on Saturday at the latest
I am afraid you must be under some misconception. Ernest proposed to me exactly ten minutes ago
…but I am afraid I have the prior claim.
It would distress me more than I can tell you, dear Gwendolen, if it caused you any mental or physical anguish, but I feel bound to point out that since Ernest proposed to you he clearly has changed his mind.
…rescue him at once, and with a firm hand.
Whatever unfortunate entanglement my dear boy may have gotten into, I will never reproach him with it after we are married.
…it becomes a pleasure
Do you suggest, ms. Fairfax, that I entrapped Ernest into an engagement? How dare you? This is no time for wearing the shallow mask of manners. When I see a spade I call it a spade.
…tea here as usual, miss?
Yes, as usual.
…walks in the vicinity, ms. Cardew?
Oh! Yes! A great many. From the top of one of the hills quite close one can see five counties.
…I hate crowds
I suppose that is why you live in town.
Quite a well kept garden this is, ms. Cardew.
So glad you like it, ms. Fairfax.
I had no idea there were any flowers in the country.
Oh, flowers are as common here, ms farifax, as people are in London
…the country always bores me to death.
Ah! This is what the newspapers call agricultural depression, is it not? I believe the aristocracy are suffering very much from it just at present. It is almost an epidemic amongst them, I have been told. May I offer you some tea, ms Fairfax?
…I require tea.
Sugar?
…not fashionable anymore.
Cake or bread and butter?
…rarely seen at the best houses nowadays.
Hand that to ms. Fairfax.
…Ms. Cardew, you may go too far
To save my poor, innocent, trusting boy from the machinations of any other girl there are no lengths to which I would not go
..my first impressions of people are invariably right.
It seems to me, ms Fairfax, that I am trespassing on your valuable time. No doubt you have many other calls of a similar character to make in the neighborhood
…thank you! You may.
I knew there must be some misunderstanding, ms. Fairfax. The gentleman whose arm is at present round your waist is my guardian, mr. John Worthing.
I beg your pardon?
This is Uncle Jack
Jack! Oh!
Here is Ernest
My own love!
A moment, Ernest. May I ask you, are you engaged to be married to this young lady?
Good heavens! Gwendolen!
Yes! To good heavens, Gwendolen, I mean to Gwendolen.
…what could have put such an idea into your pretty little head?
Thank you. You may.
…my cousin, mr. Algernon Moncrieff
Algernon Moncrieff? Oh! Are you called Algernon?
I cannot deny it
Oh!
It has been John for years
A gross deception has been practised on both of us
My poor wounded cecily
My sweet wronged Gwendolen!
You will call me sister, will you not?
There is just one question I would like to be allowed to ask my guardian.
…ever having one in the future
No brother at all?
…neither of us is engaged to be married to anyone
It is not a very pleasant position for a young girl to suddenly find herself in. Is it?
…they will hardly venture to come after us there.
No, men are so cowardly, aren’t they?
..they have some sense of shame left.
They have been eating muffins. That looks like repentance.
..couldn’t you cough?
But I haven’t got a cough.
…what effrontery!
They’re approaching. That’s very forward of them.
Let us preserve a dignified silence.
Certainly. It’s the only thing to do now.
…seems to produce an unpleasant effect
A most distasteful one
But we will not be the 1st to speak
Certainly not
…much depends on your reply.
Gwendolen, your common sense is invaluable. Mr. Moncrieff, kindly answer me the following question. Why did you pretend to be my guardian’s brother?
…have an opportunity of meeting you
That certainly seems a satisfactory explanation, does it not?
..If you can believe him
I don’t. But that does not effect the wonderful beauty of his answer.
…to have the stamp of truth upon it.
I am more than content with what mr. Moncrieff said. His voice alone inspires one with absolute credulity.
Then you think we should forgive them?
Yes. I mean no
..the task is not a pleasant one
Could we not both speak at the same time?
Will you take the time from me?
Certainly
(Said together with Gwendolen)
Your Christian names are still an insuperable barrier. That is all!
I am
To please me you are ready to face this fearful ordeal?
We are.
They have moments of physical courage of which we women know absolutely nothing.
Augusta: I beg your pardon?
Mr. Moncrieff and I are engaged to be married, lady bracknell.
Cecily, you may kiss me
Thank you lady bracknell
You may also address me as aunt augusta for the future
Thank you aunt augusta
How old are you, dear?
Well, i am really only 18, but i always admit to 20 when i go to evening parties
…there will be a large accumulation of property.
Algy, could you wait for me til i was 35?
..you know I could
Yes, I felt it instinctively, but I couldn’t wait all that time. I hate waiting even 5 minutes for anybody. It always makes me rather cross. I am not punctual myself, i know, but i do like punctuality in others, and waiting, even to be married, is quite out of the question
Then what is to be done, cecily?
I don’t know, mr. Moncrieff
Thank you aunt augusta
Thank you aunt augusta
Strange coincidences are not supposed to occur. They are hardly considered the thing.
Uncle Jack seems strangely agitated.
I never change, except in my affections
What a noble nature you have, Gwendolen!
