The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious PeopleWilde, Oscar
Science
The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People
Wilde, Oscar
Comedy plays; England -- Drama; Foundlings -- Drama; Identity (Psychology) -- Drama
JACK.
Well, this is the last time I shall ever do it. [Shakes with Algernon
and glares.]
CHASUBLE.
It’s pleasant, is it not, to see so perfect a reconciliation? I think
we might leave the two brothers together.
MISS PRISM.
Cecily, you will come with us.
CECILY.
Certainly, Miss Prism. My little task of reconciliation is over.
CHASUBLE.
You have done a beautiful action to-day, dear child.
MISS PRISM.
We must not be premature in our judgments.
CECILY.
I feel very happy. [They all go off except Jack and Algernon.]
JACK.
You young scoundrel, Algy, you must get out of this place as soon as
possible. I don’t allow any Bunburying here.
[Enter Merriman.]
MERRIMAN.
I have put Mr. Ernest’s things in the room next to yours, sir. I
suppose that is all right?
JACK.
What?
MERRIMAN.
Mr. Ernest’s luggage, sir. I have unpacked it and put it in the room
next to your own.
JACK.
His luggage?
MERRIMAN.
Yes, sir. Three portmanteaus, a dressing-case, two hat-boxes, and a
large luncheon-basket.
ALGERNON.
I am afraid I can’t stay more than a week this time.
JACK.
Merriman, order the dog-cart at once. Mr. Ernest has been suddenly
called back to town.
MERRIMAN.
Yes, sir. [Goes back into the house.]
ALGERNON.
What a fearful liar you are, Jack. I have not been called back to town
at all.
JACK.
Yes, you have.
ALGERNON.
I haven’t heard any one call me.
JACK.
Your duty as a gentleman calls you back.
ALGERNON.
My duty as a gentleman has never interfered with my pleasures in the
smallest degree.
JACK.
I can quite understand that.
ALGERNON.
Well, Cecily is a darling.
JACK.
You are not to talk of Miss Cardew like that. I don’t like it.
ALGERNON.
Well, I don’t like your clothes. You look perfectly ridiculous in them.
Why on earth don’t you go up and change? It is perfectly childish to be
in deep mourning for a man who is actually staying for a whole week
with you in your house as a guest. I call it grotesque.
JACK.
You are certainly not staying with me for a whole week as a guest or
anything else. You have got to leave . . . by the four-five train.
ALGERNON.
I certainly won’t leave you so long as you are in mourning. It would be
most unfriendly. If I were in mourning you would stay with me, I
suppose. I should think it very unkind if you didn’t.
JACK.
Well, will you go if I change my clothes?
ALGERNON.
Yes, if you are not too long. I never saw anybody take so long to
dress, and with such little result.
JACK.
Well, at any rate, that is better than being always over-dressed as you
are.
ALGERNON.
If I am occasionally a little over-dressed, I make up for it by being
always immensely over-educated.
JACK.
Your vanity is ridiculous, your conduct an outrage, and your presence
in my garden utterly absurd. However, you have got to catch the
four-five, and I hope you will have a pleasant journey back to town.
This Bunburying, as you call it, has not been a great success for you.
[Goes into the house.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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