What furniture and props are part of the scene below
SCENE
Morning-room at the Manor House.
[Gwendolen and Cecily are at the window, looking out into the garden.]
Gwendolen. The fact that they did not follow us at once into the house, as
any one else would have done, seems to me to show that they have some
sense of shame left.
Cecily. They have been eating muffins. That looks like repentance.
Gwendolen. [After a pause.] They don’t seem to notice us at all. Couldn’t
you cough?
Cecily. But I haven’t got a cough.
Gwendolen. They’re looking at us. What effrontery!
Cecily. They’re approaching. That’s very forward of them.
Gwendolen. Let us preserve a dignified silence.
Cecily. Certainly. It’s the only thing to do now. [Enter Jack followed
by Algernon. They whistle some dreadful popular air from a British Opera.]
Gwendolen. This dignified silence seems to produce an unpleasant effect.
Cecily. A most distasteful one.
Gwendolen. But we will not be the first to speak.
Cecily. Certainly not.
Gwendolen. Mr. Worthing, I have something very particular to ask
you. Much depends on your reply.
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Cecily. Gwendolen, your common sense is invaluable. Mr. Moncrieff, kindly
answer me the following question. Why did you pretend to be my
guardian’s brother?
Algernon. In order that I might have an opportunity of meeting you.
Cecily. [To Gwendolen.] That certainly seems a satisfactory explanation,
does it not?
Gwendolen. Yes, dear, if you can believe him.
Cecily. I don’t. But that does not affect the wonderful beauty of his answer.
Gwendolen. True. In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the
vital thing. Mr. Worthing, what explanation can you offer to me for
pretending to have a brother? Was it in order that you might have an
opportunity of coming up to town to see me as often as possible?
Jack. Can you doubt it, Miss Fairfax?
Gwendolen. I have the gravest doubts upon the subject. But I intend to
crush them. This is not the moment for German scepticism. [Moving
to Cecily.] Their explanations appear to be quite satisfactory, especially Mr.
Worthing’s. That seems to me to have the stamp of truth upon it.
Cecily. I am more than content with what Mr. Moncrieff said. His voice
alone inspires one with absolute credulity.
Gwendolen. Then you think we should forgive them?
Cecily. Yes. I mean no.
Gwendolen. True! I had forgotten. There are principles at stake that one
cannot surrender. Which of us should tell them? The task is not a pleasant
one.
Cecily. Could we not both speak at the same time?
Gwendolen. An excellent idea! I nearly always speak at the same time as
other people. Will you take the time from me?
Cecily. Certainly. [Gwendolen beats time with uplifted finger.]
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Gwendolen and Cecily [Speaking together.] Your Christian names are still
an insuperable barrier. That is all!
Jack and Algernon [Speaking together.] Our Christian names! Is that
all? But we are going to be christened this afternoon.
Gwendolen. [To Jack.] For my sake you are prepared to do this terrible
thing?
Jack. I am.
Cecily. [To Algernon.] To please me you are ready to face this fearful
ordeal?
Algernon. I am!
Gwendolen. How absurd to talk of the equality of the sexes! Where
questions of self-sacrifice are concerned, men are infinitely beyond us.
Jack. We are. [Clasps hands with Algernon.]
Cecily. They have moments of physical courage of which we women know
absolutely nothing.
Gwendolen. [To Jack.] Darling!
Algernon. [To Cecily.] Darling! [They fall into each other’s arms.]
[Enter Merriman. When he enters he coughs loudly, seeing the situation.]
Merriman. Ahem! Ahem! Lady Bracknell!
Jack. Good heavens!
[Enter Lady Bracknell. The couples separate in alarm. Exit Merriman.]
Lady Bracknell. Gwendolen! What does this mean?
Gwendolen. Merely that I am engaged to be married to Mr. Worthing,
mamma.
Lady Bracknell. Come here. Sit down. Sit down immediately. Hesitation of
any kind is a sign of mental decay in the young, of physical weakness in the
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old. [Turns to Jack.] Apprised, sir, of my daughter’s sudden flight by her
trusty maid, whose confidence I purchased by means of a small coin, I
followed her at once by a luggage train. Her unhappy father is, I am glad to
say, under the impression that she is attending a more than usually lengthy
lecture by the University Extension Scheme on the Influence of a permanent
income on Thought. I do not propose to undeceive him. Indeed I have
never undeceived him on any question. I would consider it wrong. But of
course, you will clearly understand that all communication between yourself
and my daughter must cease immediately from this moment. On this point,
as indeed on all points, I am firm.
Jack. I am engaged to be married to Gwendolen Lady Bracknell!
Lady Bracknell. You are nothing of the kind, sir. And now, as regards
Algernon! . . . Algernon!
Algernon. Yes, Aunt Augusta.
Lady Bracknell. May I ask if it is in this house that your invalid friend Mr.
Bunbury resides?
Algernon. [Stammering.] Oh! No! Bunbury doesn’t live here. Bunbury is
somewhere else at present. In fact, Bunbury is dead.
Lady Bracknell. Dead! When did Mr. Bunbury die? His death must have
been extremely sudden.
Algernon. [Airily.] Oh! I killed Bunbury this afternoon. I mean poor
Bunbury died this afternoon.
Lady Bracknell. What did he die of?
Algernon. Bunbury? Oh, he was quite exploded.
Lady Bracknell. Exploded! Was he the victim of a revolutionary outrage? I
was not aware that Mr. Bunbury was interested in social legislation. If so, he
is well punished for his morbidity.
Algernon. My dear Aunt Augusta, I mean he was found out! The doctors
found out that Bunbury could not live, that is what I mean—so Bunbury
died.
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Lady Bracknell. He seems to have had great confidence in the opinion of his
physicians. I am glad, however, that he made up his mind at the last to some
definite course of action, and acted under proper medical advice. And now
that we have finally got rid of this Mr. Bunbury, may I ask, Mr. Worthing,
who is that young person whose hand my nephew Algernon is now holding
in what seems to me a peculiarly unnecessary manner?
Jack. That lady is Miss Cecily Cardew, my ward. [Lady Bracknell bows coldly
to Cecily.]
Algernon. I am engaged to be married to Cecily, Aunt Augusta.
Lady Bracknell. I beg your pardon?
Cecily. Mr. Moncrieff and I are engaged to be married, Lady Bracknell.
Lady Bracknell. [With a shiver, crossing to the sofa and sitting down.] I do
not know whether there is anything peculiarly exciting in the air of this
particular part of Hertfordshire, but the number of engagements that go on
seems to me considerably above the proper average that statistics have laid
down for our guidance. I think some preliminary inquiry on my part would
not be out of place. Mr. Worthing, is Miss Cardew at all connected with any
of the larger railway stations in London? I merely desire information. Until
yesterday I had no idea that there were any families or persons whose origin
was a Terminus. [Jack looks perfectly furious, but restrains himself.]
Jack. [In a clear, cold voice.] Miss Cardew is the grand-daughter of the late
Mr. Thomas Cardew of 149 Belgrave Square, S.W.; Gervase Park, Dorking,
Surrey; and the Sporran, Fifeshire, N.B.
Lady Bracknell. That sounds not unsatisfactory. Three addresses always
inspire confidence, even in tradesmen. But what proof have I of their
authenticity?
Jack. I have carefully preserved the Court Guides of the period. They are
open to your inspection, Lady Bracknell.
Lady Bracknell. [Grimly.] I have known strange errors in that publication.
Based on the given scene, the furniture and props that are part of the scene include:
- Morning-room furniture, such as chairs and a sofa
- Window
- Muffins
- Finger
- Luggage train
- Court Guides
Based on the scene provided, the following furniture and props are mentioned:
1. Window: Gwendolen and Cecily are standing at the window, looking out into the garden.
2. Muffins: Cecily mentions that the others have been eating muffins.
3. Chair/Sofa: Lady Bracknell sits on a sofa after entering the room.
4. Luggage Train: Lady Bracknell mentions following her daughter on a luggage train.
5. Coin: Lady Bracknell mentions purchasing the confidence of her daughter's maid with a small coin.
6. Court Guides: Jack mentions that he has preserved Court Guides from the period, which are open for Lady Bracknell's inspection.
These are the furniture and props explicitly mentioned in the scene.
The furniture and props mentioned in the scene are:
- Morning-room at the Manor House: This indicates the setting of the scene, suggesting that the characters are in a room in a large house.
- Window: Gwendolen and Cecily are standing at the window, looking out into the garden.
- Muffins: Cecily mentions that Algernon and Jack have been eating muffins, which suggests that there might be a plate or tray of muffins present in the room.
- Whistling: Jack and Algernon enter the room whistling a popular air from a British Opera. This implies that they might be using their hands to mimic playing an instrument while whistling. However, the specific props they use are not mentioned.
- Coughing: Gwendolen suggests to Cecily that she should cough, but Cecily says she doesn't have a cough. This indicates that there might be space or time in the room for a character to perform a fake coughing action.
- Finger beating time: Gwendolen suggests speaking at the same time and starts beating time with an uplifted finger. This suggests that Gwendolen might be using her finger to tap on a surface or a table to keep time.
- Clasping hands: Jack and Algernon clasp hands when discussing men's courage. This indicates that the characters might physically touch each other's hands.
- Coughing loudly: Merriman enters the room and coughs loudly upon seeing the situation. This suggests that there might be a moment for Merriman to perform a loud cough.
- Sit down: Lady Bracknell tells Gwendolen to sit down. This indicates that there might be chairs or seating in the room where the characters can sit.
- Sofa: Lady Bracknell crosses to the sofa and sits down. This suggests that there is a sofa present in the room.
- Court Guides: Jack mentions that he has carefully preserved the Court Guides of the period. This implies that there might be a collection of books or papers in the room where the Court Guides are kept.
These are the furniture and props that can be inferred from the given scene. However, it's important to note that the specific details of the set and props can vary depending on the production and interpretation of the play.