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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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30 MISS PRI That depends on the intellectual sympathies of the woman. Maturity can always be depended on. Ripeness can be trusted. Young women are green. [Dr. Chasuble starts.] I spoke horticulturally. My metaphor was drawn from fruits. But where is Cecily? CHAS Perhaps she followed us to the schools. [Enter Jack slowly from the back of the garden. He is dressed in the deepest mourning, with crape hatband and black gloves.] MISS PRI Mr. Worthing! CHAS Mr. Worthing! MISS PRI This is indeed a surprise. We did not look for you till Monday afternoon. JACK [Shakes Miss Prism’s hand in a tragic manner.] I have returned sooner than I expected. Dr. Chasuble, I hope you are well? CHAS Dear Mr. Worthing, I trust this garb of woe does not betoken some terrible calamity? JACK My brother. MISS PRI More shameful debts and extravagance? CHAS Still leading his life of pleasure? JACK [Shaking his head.] Dead! CHAS Your brother Ernest dead? JACK Quite dead. MISS PRI What a lesson for him! I trust he will profit by it. CHAS Mr. Worthing, I offer you my sincere condolence. You have at least the consolation of knowing that you were always the most generous and forgiving of brothers. JACK Poor Ernest! He had many faults, but it is a sad, sad blow. CHAS Very sad indeed. Were you with him at the end? JACK No. He died abroad; in Paris, in fact. I had a telegram last night from the manager of the Grand Hotel. CHAS Was the cause of death mentioned? JACK A severe chill, it seems. MISS. PRI. As a man sows, so shall he reap. |
