married to this young lady? [Points to CECILY.] JACK [Laughing.] To dear little Cecily! Of course not! What could have put
such an idea into your pretty little head? GWENDOLEN Thank you. You may! [Offers her cheek.] CECILY [Very sweetly.] I knew there must be some misunderstanding, Miss
Fairfax. The gentleman whose arm is at present round your waist is my dear
guardian, Mr. John Worthing.
GWENDOLEN
I beg your pardon?
CECILY
This is Uncle Jack. GWENDOLEN [Receding.] Jack! Oh! [Enter ALGERNON.]
CECILY
Here is Ernest. ALGERNON [Goes straight over to CECILY without noticing anyone else.] Myown love! [Offers to kiss her.] CECILY [Drawing hack.] A moment, Ernest! May I ask you?are you engaged
to be married to this young lady? ALGERNON [Looking round.] To what young lady? Good heavens! Gwendolen! CECILY
Yes! to good heavens, Gwendolen, I mean to Gwendolen. ALGERNON [Laughing.] Of course not! What could have put such an idea into your pretty little head? CECILY Thank you. [Presenting her cheek to he kissed.] You may. [ALGERNON kisses her.]
GWENDOLEN
I felt there was some slight error, Miss Cardew. The gentleman who is now embracing you is my cousin, Mr. Algernon Moncrieff.
CECILY. [Breaking away from ALGERNON.] Algernon Moncrieff! Oh! [The two girls move toivards each other and put their arms round each other's waists as if for protection.]
CECILY
Are you called Algernon?
ALGERNON
I cannot deny it.
CECILY Oh!
GWENDOLEN
Is your name really John? JACK [Standing rather proudly.] I could deny it if I liked, I could deny anything if I liked. But my name certainly is John. It has been John for years. CECILY [To GWENDOLEN.] A gross deception has been practiced on both of us.
GWENDOLEN
My poor wounded Cecily!
CECILY
My sweet wronged Gwendolen! GWENDOLEN [Slowly and seriously.] You will call me sister, will you not? [They embrace, JACK and ALGERNON groan and walk up and down.] CECILY [Rather brightly.] There is just one question I would like to be allowed to ask my guardian.
GWENDOLEN
An admirable idea! Mr. Worthing, there is just one question I
.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, ACT 1 / 17 11
would like to be permitted to put to you. Where is your brother Ernest? We
are both engaged to be married to your brother Ernest, so it is a matter of
some importance to us to know where your brother Ernest is at present. JACK [Slowly and hesitatingly. ] Gwendolen?Cecily?it is very painful for me to be forced to speak the truth. It is the first time in my life that I have ever
been reduced to such a painful position, and I am really quite inexperienced
in doing anything of the kind. However I will tell you quite frankly that I
have no brother Ernest. I have no brother at all. I never had a brother in
my life, and I certainly have not the smallest intention of ever having one
in the future. CECILY [Surprised.} No brother at all? JACK [Cheerily.] None! GWENDOLEN [Sex'erely.] Had you never a brother of any kind? JACK [Pleasantly.] Never. Not even of any kind. GWENDOLEN
I am afraid it is quite clear, Cecily, that neither of us is engaged
to be married to anyone.
CECILY
It is not a very pleasant position for a young girl suddenly to find
