down again.]]A moment, Mr. Worthing. A hundred and thirty thousand pounds! And in the Funds!Miss Cardew seems to me a most attractive young lady, now that I look at her.Few girls of the present day have any really solid qualities, any of the qualitiesthat last, and improve with time. We live, I regret to say, in an age ofsurfaces. [[To Cecily.]] Come over here, dear. [[Cecilygoes across.]] Pretty child! your dress is sadly simple, and yourhair seems almost as Nature might have left it. But we can soon alter all that.A thoroughly experienced French maid produces a really marvellous result in avery brief space of time. I remember recommending one to young Lady Lancing,and after three months her own husband did not know her.Jack. And after six months nobody knewher.Lady Bracknell. [[Glares at Jack for a fewmoments. Then bends, with a practised smile, to Cecily.]] Kindlyturn round, sweet child. [[Cecily turns completely round.]]No, the side view is what I want. [[Cecily presents her profile.]]Yes, quite as I expected. There are distinct social possibilities in yourprofile. The two weak points in our age are its want of principle and its wantof profile. The chin a little higher, dear. Style largely depends on the waythe chin is worn. They are worn very high, just at present. Algernon!Algernon. Yes, Aunt Augusta!Lady Bracknell. There are distinct socialpossibilities in Miss Cardew's profile.Algernon. Cecily is the sweetest, dearest,prettiest girl in the whole world. And I don't care twopence about socialpossibilities.Lady Bracknell. Never speak disrespectfully ofSociety, Algernon. Only people who can't get into it do that. [[ToCecily.]] Dear child, of course you know that Algernon has nothingbut his debts to depend upon. But I do not approve of mercenary marriages. WhenI married Lord Bracknell I had no fortune of any kind. But I never dreamed fora moment of allowing that to stand in my way. Well, I suppose I must give myconsent.Algernon. Thank you, Aunt Augusta.Lady Bracknell. Cecily, you may kiss me!Cecily. [[Kisses her.]]Thank you, Lady Bracknell.Lady Bracknell. You may also address me as AuntAugusta for the future. p.502Cecily. Thank you, Aunt Augusta.Lady Bracknell. The marriage, I think, had bettertake place quite soon.Algernon. Thank you, Aunt Augusta.Cecily. Thank you, Aunt Augusta.Lady Bracknell. To speak frankly, I am not infavour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding outeach other's character before marriage, which I think is never advisable.Jack. I beg your pardon forinterrupting you, Lady Bracknell, but this engagement is quite out of thequestion. I am Miss Cardew's guardian, and she cannot marry without my consentuntil she comes of age. That consent I absolutely decline to give.Lady Bracknell. Upon what grounds may I ask?Algernon is an extremely, I may almost say an ostentatiously, eligible youngman. He has nothing, but he looks everything. What more can one desire?Jack. It pains me very much to have tospeak frankly to you, Lady Bracknell, about your nephew, but the fact is that Ido not approve at all of his moral character. I suspect him of beinguntruthful.[Algernon and Cecily look athim in indignant amazement.]Lady Bracknell. Untruthful! My nephew Algernon?Impossible! He is an