Identify clothes mentioned in the scene below and identify the lighting cues and sound cues
Algernon. Brother John, I have come down from town to tell you that I am
very sorry for all the trouble I have given you, and that I intend to lead a
better life in the future. [Jack glares at him and does not take his hand.]
Cecily. Uncle Jack, you are not going to refuse your own brother’s hand?
Jack. Nothing will induce me to take his hand. I think his coming down here
disgraceful. He knows perfectly well why.
Cecily. Uncle Jack, do be nice. There is some good in every one. Ernest has
just been telling me about his poor invalid friend Mr. Bunbury whom he goes
to visit so often. And surely there must be much good in one who is kind to
an invalid, and leaves the pleasures of London to sit by a bed of pain.
Jack. Oh! he has been talking about Bunbury, has he?
Cecily. Yes, he has told me all about poor Mr. Bunbury, and his terrible state
of health.
Jack. Bunbury! Well, I won’t have him talk to you about Bunbury or about
anything else. It is enough to drive one perfectly frantic.
Algernon. Of course I admit that the faults were all on my side. But I must
say that I think that Brother John’s coldness to me is peculiarly painful. I
expected a more enthusiastic welcome, especially considering it is the first
time I have come here.
Cecily. Uncle Jack, if you don’t shake hands with Ernest I will never forgive
you.
Jack. Never forgive me?
Cecily. Never, never, never!
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.
38
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.
39
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.]
Algernon. I think it has been a great success. I’m in love with Cecily, and
that is everything.
[Enter Cecily at the back of the garden. She picks up the can and begins to
water the flowers.] But I must see her before I go, and make arrangements
for another Bunbury. Ah, there she is.
40
Cecily. Oh, I merely came back to water the roses. I thought you were with
Uncle Jack.
Algernon. He’s gone to order the dog-cart for me.
Cecily. Oh, is he going to take you for a nice drive?
Algernon. He’s going to send me away.
Cecily. Then have we got to part?
Algernon. I am afraid so. It’s a very painful parting.
Cecily. It is always painful to part from people whom one has known for a
very brief space of time. The absence of old friends one can endure with
equanimity. But even a momentary separation from anyone to whom one
has just been introduced is almost unbearable.
Algernon. Thank you.
[Enter Merriman.]
Merriman. The dog-cart is at the door, sir. [Algernon looks appealingly
at Cecily.]
Cecily. It can wait, Merriman for . . . five minutes.
Merriman. Yes, Miss. [Exit Merriman.]
Algernon. I hope, Cecily, I shall not offend you if I state quite frankly and
openly that you seem to me to be in every way the visible personification of
absolute perfection.
Cecily. I think your frankness does you great credit, Ernest. If you will allow
me, I will copy your remarks into my diary. [Goes over to table and begins
writing in diary.]
Algernon. Do you really keep a diary? I’d give anything to look at it. May I?
Cecily. Oh no. [Puts her hand over it.] You see, it is simply a very young
girl’s record of her own thoughts and impressions, and consequently meant
for publication. When it appears in volume form I hope you will order a
copy. But pray, Ernest, don’t stop. I delight in taking down from dictation. I
41
have reached ‘absolute perfection’. You can go on. I am quite ready for
more.
Algernon. [Somewhat taken aback.] Ahem! Ahem!
Cecily. Oh, don’t cough, Ernest. When one is dictating one should speak
fluently and not cough. Besides, I don’t know how to spell a cough. [Writes
as Algernon speaks.]
Algernon. [Speaking very rapidly.] Cecily, ever since I first looked upon your
wonderful and incomparable beauty, I have dared to love you wildly,
passionately, devotedly, hopelessly.
Cecily. I don’t think that you should tell me that you love me wildly,
passionately, devotedly, hopelessly. Hopelessly doesn’t seem to make much
sense, does it?
Algernon. Cecily!
[Enter Merriman.]
Merriman. The dog-cart is waiting, sir.
Algernon. Tell it to come round next week, at the same hour.
Merriman. [Looks at Cecily, who makes no sign.] Yes, sir.
[Merriman retires.]
Cecily. Uncle Jack would be very much annoyed if he knew you were
staying on till next week, at the same hour.
Algernon. Oh, I don’t care about Jack. I don’t care for anybody in the whole
world but you. I love you, Cecily. You will marry me, won’t you?
Cecily. You silly boy! Of course. Why, we have been engaged for the last
three months.
Algernon. For the last three months?
Cecily. Yes, it will be exactly three months on Thursday.
Algernon. But how did we become engaged?
There are no specific clothes mentioned in this scene.
Lighting cues: None mentioned in the text.
Sound cues: Merriman's entrance is indicated with "Enter Merriman" and his exit with "Exit Merriman". There are no other specific sound cues mentioned.
Clothes mentioned in the scene:
- Algernon is wearing clothes that suggest he is dressed formally or elegantly.
- Jack is described as being in deep mourning and wearing clothes that reflect that, which is considered ridiculous by Algernon.
- Cecily is not mentioned specifically in terms of clothing.
Lighting cues:
- There are no specific lighting cues mentioned in the scene.
Sound cues:
- There are no specific sound cues mentioned in the scene.
Clothes mentioned in the scene:
- Algernon is wearing clothes, but the specific details are not provided.
Lighting cues:
- There are no explicit lighting cues mentioned in the scene.
Sound cues:
- The sound of Jack glaring at Algernon and not taking his hand.
- The sound of Jack shaking hands with Algernon while glaring at him.
- The sound of Merriman entering the scene.
- The sound of Merriman asking about the placement of Algernon's luggage.
- The sound of Merriman leaving the scene.
- The sound of Cecily watering the flowers.
- The sound of Merriman announcing that the dog-cart is at the door.
- The sound of Merriman leaving the scene.
- The sound of Cecily speaking as she writes in her diary.
- The sound of Algernon speaking rapidly.
- The sound of Merriman entering to inform Algernon about the dog-cart.
- The sound of Merriman leaving the scene.