Ah! A life crowded with incident, I see; though perhaps somewhat too exciting for a young girl. I am not myself in favor of premature experiences. [Rises, looks at her ivatch.] Gwendolen! the time approaches for our departure. We have not a moment to lose. As a matter of form, Mr.
Worthing, I had better ask you if Miss Cardew has any little fortune?
JACK Oh! about a hundred and thirty thousand pounds in the Funds.' That is all. Good-bye, Lady Bracknell. So pleased to have seen you. LADY BRACKNELL [Sitting down again.] A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds! Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her. Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualities that last, and improve with time. We live, I regret to say, in an age of surfaces. [To CECILY.] Come over here, dear, [CECILYgoes across.] Pretty child! your dress is sadly simple, and your hair seems almost as Nature might have left it. But we can soon alter all that. A thoroughly experienced French maid produces a really marvellous result in a very brief space of time. I remember recommending one to young Lady Lancing, and after three months her own husband did not
know her. JACK [Aside.] And after six months nobody knew her.4 LADY BRACKNELL [Glares at JACK for a few moments. Then bends, with a practiced
smile, to CECILY.] Kindly turn round, sweet child, [CECILY turns completely round.] No, the side view is what I want, [CECILY presents her profile.] Yes, quite as I expected. There are distinct social possibilities in your profile. The two weak points in our age are its want of principle and its want of profile. The chin a little higher, dear. Style largely depends on the way the chin is
worn. They are worn very high, just at present. Algernon!
ALGERNON
Yes, Aunt Augusta! LADY BRACKNELL There are distinct social possibilities in Miss Cardew's profile.
ALGERNON
Cecily is the sweetest, dearest, prettiest girl in the whole world.
And I don't care twopence about social possibilities.
LADY BRACKNELL
Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only peo
2. Directories commonly used in this era. 4. I.e., she became socially unacceptable because 3. Interest- bearing government bonds. of her scandalous behavior.
.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, ACT 1 / 17 11
pie who can't get into it do that. [To CECILY.] Dear child, of course you know that Algernon has nothing but his debts to depend upon. But I do not approve of mercenary marriages. When I married Lord Bracknell I had no fortune of any kind. But I never dreamed for a moment of allowing that to
stand in my way. Well, I suppose I must give my consent.
ALGERNON Thank you, Aunt Augusta.
LADY BRACKNELL
Cecily, you may kiss me! CECILY [Kisses her. ] Thank you, Lady Bracknell. LADY BRACKNELL
You may also address me as Aunt Augusta for the future.
CECILY
Thank you, Aunt Augusta.
LADY BRACKNELL
The marriage, I think, had better take place quite soon.
ALGERNON
Thank you, Aunt Augusta.
CECILY
Thank you, Aunt Augusta.
LADY BRACKNELL
TO speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements.
They give people the opportunity of finding out each other's character before
marriage, which I think is never advisable.
JACK
I beg your pardon for interrupting you, Lady Bracknell, but this engage
ment is quite out of the question. I am Miss Cardew's guardian, and she
cannot marry without my consent until she comes of age. That consent I
absolutely decline to give.
LADY BRACKNELL
Upon what grounds may I ask? Algernon is an extremely, I
may almost say an ostentatiously, eligible young man. He has nothing, but
