engaged to be married to this younglady?Algernon. [[Looking round.]]To what young lady? Good heavens! Gwendolen!Cecily. Yes! to good heavens, Gwendolen,I mean to Gwendolen.Algernon. [[Laughing.]] Ofcourse not! What could have put such an idea into your pretty little head?Cecily. Thank you. [[Presenting her cheek to bekissed.]] You may.[Algernon kisses her.]Gwendolen. I felt there was some slighterror, Miss Cardew. The gentleman who is now embracing you is my cousin, Mr.Algernon Moncrieff.Cecily. [[Breaking away from Algernon.]]Algernon Moncrieff! Oh![The two girls move towardseach other and put their arms round each other's waists as if for protection.]Cecily. Are you called Algernon?Algernon. I cannot deny it.Cecily. Oh!Gwendolen. Is your name really John?Jack. [[Standing rather proudly.]]I could deny it if I liked. I could deny anything if I liked. But my namecertainly is John. It has been John for years.Cecily. [[To Gwendolen.]]A gross deception has been practised on both of us.Gwendolen. My poor wounded Cecily!Cecily. My sweet wronged Gwendolen!Gwendolen. [[Slowly and seriously.]]You will call me sister, will you not?[They embrace. Jack andAlgernon groan and walk up and down.]Cecily. [[Rather brightly.]]There is just one question I would like to be allowed to ask my guardian.Gwendolen. An admirable idea! Mr. Worthing,there is just one p.493question I would like to bepermitted to put to you. Where is your brother Ernest? We are both engaged tobe married to your brother Ernest, so it is a matter of some importance to usto know where your brother Ernest is at present. Jack. [[Slowly and hesitatingly.]]Gwendolen---Cecily---it is very painful for me to be forced to speak the truth.It is the first time in my life that I have ever been reduced to such a painfulposition, and I am really quite inexperienced in doing anything of the kind.However I will tell you quite frankly that I have no brother Ernest. I have nobrother at all. I never had a brother in my life, and I certainly have not thesmallest intention of ever having one in the future.Cecily. [[Surprised.]] Nobrother at all?Jack. [[Cheerily.]]None!Gwendolen. [[Severely.]] Hadyou never a brother of any kind?Jack. [[Pleasantly.]]Never. Not even of any kind.Gwendolen. I am afraid it is quite clear,Cecily, that neither of us is engaged to be married to anyone.Cecily. It is not a very pleasantposition for a young girl suddenly to find herself in. Is it?Gwendolen. Let us go into the house. Theywill hardly venture to come after us there.Cecily. No, men are so cowardly, aren'tthey?[They retire into the housewith scornful looks.]Jack. This ghastly state of things iswhat you call Bunburying, I suppose?Algernon. Yes, and a perfectly wonderfulBunbury it is. The most wonderful Bunbury I have ever had in my life.Jack. Well, you've no right whatsoeverto Bunbury here.Algernon. That is absurd. One has a rightto Bunbury anywhere one chooses. Every serious Bunburyist knows that.Jack. Serious Bunburyist! Good heavens!Algernon. Well, one must be serious aboutsomething, if one wants to have any amusement in life. I happen to be seriousabout Bunburying. What on earth you are serious about I haven't got theremotest idea. About everything, I should fancy. You have such an absolutelytrivial nature.Jack. Well, the only small satisfactionI have in the whole of