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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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13 GWEN Certainly, mamma. [Lady Bracknell and Algernon go into the music-room, Gwendolen remains behind.] JACK Charming day it has been, Miss Fairfax. GWEN Pray don’t talk to me about the weather, Mr. Worthing. Whenever people talk to me about the weather, I always feel quite certain that they mean something else. And that makes me so nervous. JACK I do mean something else. GWEN I thought so. In fact, I am never wrong. JACK And I would like to be allowed to take advantage of Lady Bracknell’s temporary absence... GWEN I would certainly advise you to do so. Mamma has a way of coming back suddenly into a room that I have often had to speak to her about. JACK [Nervously.] Miss Fairfax, ever since I met you I have admired you more than any girl... I have ever met since... I met you. GWEN Yes, I am quite aware of the fact. And I often wish that in public, at any rate, you had been more demonstrative. For me you have always had an irresistible fascination. Even before I met you I was far from indifferent to you. [Jack looks at her in amazement.] We live, as I hope you know, Mr. Worthing, in an age of ideals. The fact is constantly mentioned in the more expensive monthly magazines, and has reached the provincial pulpits I am told: and my ideal has always been to love some one of the name of Ernest. There is something in that name that inspires absolute confidence. The moment Algernon first mentioned to me that he had a friend called Ernest, I knew I was destined to love you. JACK You really love me, Gwendolen? GWEN Passionately! JACK Darling! You don’t know how happy you’ve made me. GWEN My own Ernest! JACK But you don’t really mean to say that you couldn’t love me if my name wasn’t Ernest? GWEN But your name is Ernest. |
