the importance of being earnest-第3部分

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Thank　you。　　I've　quite　a　treat　for　you　to…night；　Algernon。　　I　am

going　to　send　you　down　with　Mary　Farquhar。　　She　is　such　a　nice

woman；　and　so　attentive　to　her　husband。　　It's　delightful　to　watch

them。



ALGERNON。　　I　am　afraid；　Aunt　Augusta；　I　shall　have　to　give　up　the

pleasure　of　dining　with　you　to…night　after　all。



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　＇Frowning。＇　　I　hope　not；　Algernon。　　It　would　put

my　table　completely　out。　　Your　uncle　would　have　to　dine　upstairs。

Fortunately　he　is　accustomed　to　that。



ALGERNON。　　It　is　a　great　bore；　and；　I　need　hardly　say；　a　terrible

disappointment　to　me；　but　the　fact　is　I　have　just　had　a　telegram　to

say　that　my　poor　friend　Bunbury　is　very　ill　again。　　＇Exchanges

glances　with　JACK。＇　　They　seem　to　think　I　should　be　with　him。



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　It　is　very　strange。　　This　Mr。　Bunbury　seems　to

suffer　from　curiously　bad　health。



ALGERNON。　　Yes；　poor　Bunbury　is　a　dreadful　invalid。



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　Well；　I　must　say；　Algernon；　that　I　think　it　is

high　time　that　Mr。　Bunbury　made　up　his　mind　whether　he　was　going　to

live　or　to　die。　　This　shilly…shallying　with　the　question　is　absurd。

Nor　do　I　in　any　way　approve　of　the　modern　sympathy　with　invalids。

I　consider　it　morbid。　　Illness　of　any　kind　is　hardly　a　thing　to　be

encouraged　in　others。　　Health　is　the　primary　duty　of　life。　　I　am

always　telling　that　to　your　poor　uncle；　but　he　never　seems　to　take

much　notice　。　。　。　as　far　as　any　improvement　in　his　ailment　goes。　　I

should　be　much　obliged　if　you　would　ask　Mr。　Bunbury；　from　me；　to　be

kind　enough　not　to　have　a　relapse　on　Saturday；　for　I　rely　on　you　to

arrange　my　music　for　me。　　It　is　my　last　reception；　and　one　wants

something　that　will　encourage　conversation；　particularly　at　the　end

of　the　season　when　every　one　has　practically　said　whatever　they　had

to　say；　which；　in　most　cases；　was　probably　not　much。



ALGERNON。　　I'll　speak　to　Bunbury；　Aunt　Augusta；　if　he　is　still

conscious；　and　I　think　I　can　promise　you　he'll　be　all　right　by

Saturday。　　Of　course　the　music　is　a　great　difficulty。　　You　see；　if

one　plays　good　music；　people　don't　listen；　and　if　one　plays　bad

music　people　don't　talk。　　But　I'll　ran　over　the　programme　I've

drawn　out；　if　you　will　kindly　come　into　the　next　room　for　a　moment。



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　Thank　you；　Algernon。　　It　is　very　thoughtful　of

you。　　＇Rising；　and　following　ALGERNON。＇　　I'm　sure　the　programme

will　be　delightful；　after　a　few　expurgations。　　French　songs　I

cannot　possibly　allow。　　People　always　seem　to　think　that　they　are

improper；　and　either　look　shocked；　which　is　vulgar；　or　laugh；　which

is　worse。　　But　German　sounds　a　thoroughly　respectable　language；　and

indeed；　I　believe　is　so。　　Gwendolen；　you　will　accompany　me。



GWENDOLEN。　　Certainly；　mamma。



＇LADY　BRACKNELL　and　ALGERNON　go　into　the　music…room；　GWENDOLEN

remains　behind。＇



JACK。　　Charming　day　it　has　been；　Miss　Fairfax。



GWENDOLEN。　　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。



GWENDOLEN。　　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　。　。　。



GWENDOLEN。　　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。



GWENDOLEN。　　Yes；　I　am　quite　well　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？



GWENDOLEN。　　Passionately！



JACK。　　Darling！　　You　don't　know　how　happy　you've　made　me。



GWENDOLEN。　　My　own　Ernest！



JACK。　　But　you　don't　really　mean　to　say　that　you　couldn't　love　me

if　my　name　wasn't　Ernest？



GWENDOLEN。　　But　your　name　is　Ernest。



JACK。　　Yes；　I　know　it　is。　　But　supposing　it　was　something　else？　　Do

you　mean　to　say　you　couldn't　love　me　then？



GWENDOLEN。　　＇Glibly。＇　　Ah！　that　is　clearly　a　metaphysical

speculation；　and　like　most　metaphysical　speculations　has　very

little　reference　at　all　to　the　actual　facts　of　real　life；　as　we

know　them。



JACK。　　Personally；　darling；　to　speak　quite　candidly；　I　don't　much

care　about　the　name　of　Ernest　。　。　。　I　don't　think　the　name　suits　me

at　all。



GWENDOLEN。　　It　suits　you　perfectly。　　It　is　a　divine　name。　　It　has　a

music　of　its　own。　　It　produces　vibrations。



JACK。　　Well；　really；　Gwendolen；　I　must　say　that　I　think　there　are

lots　of　other　much　nicer　names。　　I　think　Jack；　for　instance；　a

charming　name。



GWENDOLEN。　　Jack？　。　。　。　No；　there　is　very　little　music　in　the　name

Jack；　if　any　at　all；　indeed。　　It　does　not　thrill。　　It　produces

absolutely　no　vibrations　。　。　。　I　have　known　several　Jacks；　and　they

all；　without　exception；　were　more　than　usually　plain。　　Besides；

Jack　is　a　notorious　domesticity　for　John！　　And　I　pity　any　woman　who

is　married　to　a　man　called　John。　　She　would　probably　never　be

allowed　to　know　the　entrancing　pleasure　of　a　single　moment's

solitude。　　The　only　really　safe　name　is　Ernest



JACK。　　Gwendolen；　I　must　get　christened　at　once　…　I　mean　we　must

get　married　at　once。　　There　is　no　time　to　be　lost。



GWENDOLEN。　　Married；　Mr。　Worthing？



JACK。　　＇Astounded。＇　　Well　。　。　。　surely。　　You　know　that　I　love　you；

and　you　led　me　to　believe；　Miss　Fairfax；　that　you　were　not

absolutely　indifferent　to　me。



GWENDOLEN。　　I　adore　you。　　But　you　haven't　proposed　to　me　yet。

Nothing　has　been　said　at　all　about　marriage。　　The　subject　has　not

even　been　touched　on。



JACK。　　Well　。　。　。　may　I　propose　to　you　now？



GWENDOLEN。　　I　think　it　would　be　an　admirable　opportunity。　　And　to

spare　you　any　possible　disappointment；　Mr。　Worthing；　I　think　it

only　fair　to　tell　you　quite　frankly　before…hand　that　I　am　fully

determined　to　accept　you。



JACK。　　Gwendolen！



GWENDOLEN。　　Yes；　Mr。　Worthing；　what　have　you　got　to　say　to　me？



JACK。　　You　know　what　I　have　got　to　say　to　you。



GWENDOLEN。　　Yes；　but　you　don't　say　it。



JACK。　　Gwendolen；　will　you　marry　me？　　＇Goes　on　his　knees。＇



GWENDOLEN。　　Of　course　I　will；　darling。　　How　long　you　have　been

about　it！　　I　am　afraid　you　have　had　very　little　experience　in　how

to　propose。



JACK。　　My　own　one；　I　have　never　loved　any　one　in　the　world　but　you。



GWENDOLEN。　　Yes；　but　men　often　propose　for　practice。　　I　know　my

brother　Gerald　does。　　All　my　girl…friends　tell　me　so。　　What

wonderfully　blue　eyes　you　have；　Ernest！　　They　are　quite；　quite；

blue。　　I　hope　you　will　always　look　at　me　just　like　that；　especially

when　there　are　other　people　present。　　＇Enter　LADY　BRACKNELL。＇



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　Mr。　Worthing！　　Rise；　sir；　from　this　semi…recumbent

posture。　　It　is　most　indecorous。



GWENDOLEN。　　Mamma！　　＇He　tries　to　rise；　she　restrains　him。＇　　I　must

beg　you　to　retire。　　This　is　no　place　for　you。　　Besides；　Mr。

Worthing　has　not　quite　finished　yet。



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　Finished　what；　may　I　ask？



GWENDOLEN。　　I　am　engaged　to　Mr。　Worthing；　mamma。　　＇They　rise

together。＇



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　Pardon　me；　you　are　not　engaged　to　any　one。　　When

you　do　become　engaged　to　some　one；　I；　or　your　father；　should　his

health　permit　him；　will　inform　you　of　the　fact。　　An　engagement

should　come　on　a　young　girl　as　a　surprise；　pleasant　or　unpleasant；

as　the　case　may　be。　　It　is　hardly　a　matter　that　she　could　be

allowed　to　arrange　for　herself　。　。　。　And　now　I　have　a　few　questions

to　put　to　you；　Mr。　Worthing。　　While　I　am　making　these　inquiries；

you；　Gwendolen；　will　wait　for　me　below　in　the　carriage。



GWENDOLEN。　　＇Reproachfully。＇　　Mamma！



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　In　the　carriage；　Gwendolen！　　＇GWENDOLEN　goes　to

the　door。　　She　and　JACK　blow　kisses　to　each　other　behind　LADY

BRACKNELL'S　back。　　LADY　BRACKNELL　looks　vaguely　about　as　if　she

could　not　understand　what　the　noise　was。　　Finally　turns　round。＇

Gwendolen；　the　carriage！



GWENDOLEN。　　Yes；　mamma。　　＇Goes　out；　looking　back　at　JACK。＇



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　＇Sitting　down。＇　　You　can　take　a　seat；　Mr。

Worthing。



＇Looks　in　her　pocket　for　note…book　and　pencil。＇



JACK。　　Thank　you；　Lady　Bracknell；　I　prefer　standing。



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　＇Pencil　and　note…book　in　hand。＇　　I　feel　bound　to

tell　you　that　you　are　not　down　on　my　list　of　eligible　young　men；

although　I　have　the　same　list　as　the　dear　Duchess　of　Bolton　has。

We　work　together；　in　fact。　　However；　I　am　quite　ready　to　enter　your

name；　should　your　answers　be　what　a　really　affectionate　mother

requires。　　Do　you　smoke？



JACK。　　Well；　yes；　I　must　admit　I　smoke。



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　I　am　glad　to　hear　it。　　A　man　should　always　have　an

occupation　of　some　kind。　　There　are　far　too　many　idle　men　in　London

as　it　is。　　How　old　are　you？



JACK。　　Twenty…nine。



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　A　very　good　age　to　be　married　at。　　I　have　always

been　of　opinion　that　a　man　who　desires　to　get　married　should　know

either　everything　or　nothing。　　Which　do　you　know？



JACK。　　＇After　some　hesitation。＇　　I　know　nothing；　Lady　Bracknell。



LADY　BRACKNELL。　　I　am　pleased　to　hear　it。　　I　do　not　approve　of

anything　that　tampers　with　natural　ignorance。　　Ignorance　is　like　a

delicate　e