Identify furniture and props in this scene below
Lady Bracknell. [Starting.] Miss Prism! Did I hear you mention a Miss Prism?
Chasuble. Yes, Lady Bracknell. I am on my way to join her.
Lady Bracknell. Pray allow me to detain you for a moment. This matter may
prove to be one of vital importance to Lord Bracknell and myself. Is this
Miss Prism a female of repellent aspect, remotely connected with
education?
Chasuble. [Somewhat indignantly.] She is the most cultivated of ladies, and
the very picture of respectability.
Lady Bracknell. It is obviously the same person. May I ask what position she
holds in your household?
Chasuble. [Severely.] I am a celibate, madam.
Jack. [Interposing.] Miss Prism, Lady Bracknell, has been for the last three
years Miss Cardew’s esteemed governess and valued companion.
Lady Bracknell. In spite of what I hear of her, I must see her at once. Let
her be sent for.
Chasuble. [Looking off.] She approaches; she is nigh.
[Enter Miss Prism hurriedly.]
Miss Prism. I was told you expected me in the vestry, dear Canon. I have
been waiting for you there for an hour and three-quarters. [Catches sight
of Lady Bracknell, who has fixed her with a stony glare. Miss Prism grows
pale and quails. She looks anxiously round as if desirous to escape.]
Lady Bracknell. [In a severe, judicial voice.] Prism! [Miss Prism bows her
head in shame.] Come here, Prism! [Miss Prism approaches in a humble
manner.] Prism! Where is that baby? [General
consternation. The Canon starts back in horror. Algernon and Jack pretend
to be anxious to shield Cecily and Gwendolen from hearing the details of a
terrible public scandal.] Twenty-eight years ago, Prism, you left Lord
Bracknell’s house, Number 104, Upper Grosvenor Street, in charge of a
perambulator that contained a baby of the male sex. You never returned. A
few weeks later, through the elaborate investigations of the Metropolitan
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police, the perambulator was discovered at midnight, standing by itself in a
remote corner of Bayswater. It contained the manuscript of a three-volume
novel of more than usually revolting sentimentality. [Miss Prism starts in
involuntary indignation.] But the baby was not there! [Every one looks
at Miss Prism.] Prism! Where is that baby? [A pause.]
Miss Prism. Lady Bracknell, I admit with shame that I do not know. I only
wish I did. The plain facts of the case are these. On the morning of the day
you mention, a day that is for ever branded on my memory, I prepared as
usual to take the baby out in its perambulator. I had also with me a
somewhat old, but capacious hand-bag in which I had intended to place the
manuscript of a work of fiction that I had written during my few unoccupied
hours. In a moment of mental abstraction, for which I never can forgive
myself, I deposited the manuscript in the basinette, and placed the baby in
the hand-bag.
Jack. [Who has been listening attentively.] But where did you deposit the
hand-bag?
Miss Prism. Do not ask me, Mr. Worthing.
Jack. Miss Prism, this is a matter of no small importance to me. I insist on
knowing where you deposited the hand-bag that contained that infant.
Miss Prism. I left it in the cloak-room of one of the larger railway stations in
London.
Jack. What railway station?
Miss Prism. [Quite crushed.] Victoria. The Brighton line. [Sinks into a
chair.]
Jack. I must retire to my room for a moment. Gwendolen, wait here for me.
Gwendolen. If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my
life. [Exit Jack in great excitement.]
Chasuble. What do you think this means, Lady Bracknell?
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Lady Bracknell. I dare not even suspect, Dr. Chasuble. I need hardly tell you
that in families of high position strange coincidences are not supposed to
occur. They are hardly considered the thing.
[Noises heard overhead as if some one was throwing trunks about. Every
one looks up.]
Cecily. Uncle Jack seems strangely agitated.
Chasuble. Your guardian has a very emotional nature.
Lady Bracknell. This noise is extremely unpleasant. It sounds as if he was
having an argument. I dislike arguments of any kind. They are always
vulgar, and often convincing.
Chasuble. [Looking up.] It has stopped now. [The noise is redoubled.]
Lady Bracknell. I wish he would arrive at some conclusion.
Gwendolen. This suspense is terrible. I hope it will last. [Enter Jack with a
hand-bag of black leather in his hand.]
Jack. [Rushing over to Miss Prism.] Is this the hand-bag, Miss
Prism? Examine it carefully before you speak. The happiness of more than
one life depends on your answer.
Miss Prism. [Calmly.] It seems to be mine. Yes, here is the injury it received
through the upsetting of a Gower Street omnibus in younger and happier
days. Here is the stain on the lining caused by the explosion of a
temperance beverage, an incident that occurred at Leamington. And here,
on the lock, are my initials. I had forgotten that in an extravagant mood I
had had them placed there. The bag is undoubtedly mine. I am delighted to
have it so unexpectedly restored to me. It has been a great inconvenience
being without it all these years.
Jack. [In a pathetic voice.] Miss Prism, more is restored to you than this
hand-bag. I was the baby you placed in it.
Miss Prism. [Amazed.] You?
Jack. [Embracing her.] Yes . . . mother!
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Miss Prism. [Recoiling in indignant astonishment.] Mr. Worthing! I am
unmarried!
Jack. Unmarried! I do not deny that is a serious blow. But after all, who has
the right to cast a stone against one who has suffered? Cannot repentance
wipe out an act of folly? Why should there be one law for men, and another
for women? Mother, I forgive you. [Tries to embrace her again.]
Miss Prism. [Still more indignant.] Mr. Worthing, there is some
error. [Pointing to Lady Bracknell.] There is the lady who can tell you who
you really are.
Jack. [After a pause.] Lady Bracknell, I hate to seem inquisitive, but would
you kindly inform me who I am?
Lady Bracknell. I am afraid that the news I have to give you will not
altogether please you. You are the son of my poor sister, Mrs. Moncrieff,
and consequently Algernon’s elder brother.
Jack. Algy’s elder brother! Then I have a brother after all. I knew I had a
brother! I always said I had a brother! Cecily,—how could you have ever
doubted that I had a brother? [Seizes hold of Algernon.] Dr. Chasuble, my
unfortunate brother. Miss Prism, my unfortunate brother. Gwendolen, my
unfortunate brother. Algy, you young scoundrel, you will have to treat me
with more respect in the future. You have never behaved to me like a
brother in all your life.
Algernon. Well, not till to-day, old boy, I admit. I did my best, however,
though I was out of practice.
[Shakes hands.]
Gwendolen. [To Jack.] My own! But what own are you? What is your
Christian name, now that you have become some one else?
Jack. Good heavens! . . . I had quite forgotten that point. Your decision on
the subject of my name is irrevocable, I suppose?
Gwendolen. I never change, except in my affections.
Cecily. What a noble nature you have, Gwendolen!
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Jack. Then the question had better be cleared up at once. Aunt Augusta, a
moment. At the time when Miss Prism left me in the hand-bag, had I been
christened already?
Lady Bracknell. Every luxury that money could buy, including christening,
had been lavished on you by your fond and doting parents.
Jack. Then I was christened! That is settled. Now, what name was I
given? Let me know the worst.
Lady Bracknell. Being the eldest son you were naturally christened after
your father.
Jack. [Irritably.] Yes, but what was my father’s Christian name?
Lady Bracknell. [Meditatively.] I cannot at the present moment recall what
the General’s Christian name was. But I have no doubt he had one. He was
eccentric, I admit. But only in later years. And that was the result of the
Indian climate, and marriage, and indigestion, and other things of that kind.
Jack. Algy! Can’t you recollect what our father’s Christian name was?
Algernon. My dear boy, we were never even on speaking terms. He died
before I was a year old.
Jack. His name would appear in the Army Lists of the period, I suppose,
Aunt Augusta?
Lady Bracknell. The General was essentially a man of peace, except in his
domestic life. But I have no doubt his name would appear in any military
directory.
Jack. The Army Lists of the last forty years are here. These delightful
records should have been my constant study. [Rushes to bookcase and
tears the books out.] M. Generals . . . Mallam, Maxbohm, Magley, what
ghastly names they have—Markby, Migsby, Mobbs, Moncrieff! Lieutenant
1840, Captain, Lieutenant-Colonel, Colonel, General 1869, Christian names,
Ernest John. [Puts book very quietly down and speaks quite calmly.] I
always told you, Gwendolen, my name was Ernest, didn’t I? Well, it is Ernest
after all. I mean it naturally is Ernest.
It is difficult to identify specific furniture and props in this scene without a detailed description of the set design. However, based on the dialogue, some possible items may include:
- A vestry: This is a small room typically found in a church, used for storage and preparation for religious ceremonies. It may contain items such as religious artifacts, vestments, and books.
- Hand-bag: Miss Prism mentions a hand-bag that contained a manuscript and the baby. This could be a prop on stage.
- Basinette: Miss Prism mentions depositing the manuscript in the basinette (a portable bed for a baby). This could also be a prop on stage.
- Trunks: Noises overhead suggest that someone is throwing trunks about, indicating the presence of trunks as set dressing.
Other than these references, there are no specific mentions of furniture or props in the scene.
In this scene, the identified furniture and props are:
1. Chairs: There are chairs mentioned multiple times throughout the scene. These may include dining chairs, armchairs, and a chair that Miss Prism sinks into.
2. Hand-bag: Miss Prism carries a hand-bag, which later turns out to be significant to the plot.
3. Perambulator: Miss Prism left Lord Bracknell's house with a perambulator that contained a baby.
4. Basinette: Miss Prism mistakenly deposited the manuscript of a work of fiction in the basinette instead of the baby.
5. Cloak-room: Miss Prism left the hand-bag in the cloak-room of a railway station.
6. Bookcase: Jack rushes to the bookcase to find the Army Lists to search for his father's Christian name.
Note: While specific details about the furniture and props may vary in different productions of the play, these are the items mentioned in the given scene.
In this scene, there are several furniture and props mentioned:
1. Vestry: This is a location within a church where religious garments and ceremonial items are kept. It is mentioned as a place where Miss Prism was expected to be.
2. Perambulator: This is a type of stroller or baby carriage. It is mentioned as the item that Miss Prism left Lord Bracknell's house with, containing a baby.
3. Hand-bag: Miss Prism mentions carrying a hand-bag that she intended to put a manuscript in. Later, it is revealed that she mistakenly placed the baby in the hand-bag instead.
4. Cloak-room: Miss Prism mentions leaving the hand-bag in the cloak-room of a railway station. Specifically, she mentions Victoria station on the Brighton line.
5. Hand-bag of black leather: Jack enters the scene holding a hand-bag of black leather, asking Miss Prism if it is hers. It is the same bag she left in the cloak-room all those years ago.
6. Bookcase: Jack rushes to the bookcase to find the Army Lists, which are books containing records of military personnel. He tears the books out in his search for his father's name.
These furniture and props help to set the scene, and some of them play a significant role in the plot development.