Cardew?Cecily. Oh! yes! a great many. From thetop of one of the hills quite close one can see five counties.Gwendolen. Five counties! I don't think Ishould like that; I hate crowds.Cecily. [[Sweetly.]] Isuppose that is why you live in town?[Gwendolen bites her lip, andbeats her foot nervously with her parasol.]Gwendolen. [[Looking round.]]Quite a well-kept garden this is, Miss Cardew.Cecily. So glad you like it, MissFairfax.Gwendolen. I had no idea there were anyflowers in the country.Cecily. Oh, flowers are as common here,Miss Fairfax, as people are in London.Gwendolen. Personally I cannot understandhow anybody manages to exist in the country, if anybody who is anybody does.The country always bores me to death.Cecily. Ah! That is what the newspaperscall agricultural depression, is it not? I believe the aristocracy aresuffering very much from it just at present. It is almost an epidemic amongstthem, I have been told. May I offer you some tea, Miss Fairfax?Gwendolen. [[With elaborate politeness.]]Thank you. [[Aside.]] Detestable girl! But I require tea!Cecily. [[Sweetly.]]Sugar?Gwendolen. [[Superciliously.]]No, thank you. Sugar is not fashionable any more. p.491[Cecily looks angrily at her,takes up the tongs and puts four lumps of sugar into the cup.]Cecily. [[Severely.]]Cake or bread and butter?Gwendolen. [[In a bored manner.]]Bread and butter, please. Cake is rarely seen at the best houses nowadays.Cecily. [[Cuts a very large slice ofcake, and puts it on the tray.]] Hand that to Miss Fairfax.[Merriman does so, and goesout with footman. Gwendolen drinks the tea and makes a grimace. Puts down cupat once, reaches out her hand to the bread and butter, looks at it, and findsit is cake. Rises in indignation.]Gwendolen. You have filled my tea with lumpsof sugar, and though I asked most distinctly for bread and butter, you havegiven me cake. I am known for the gentleness of my disposition, and theextraordinary sweetness of my nature, but I warn you, Miss Cardew, you may gotoo far.Cecily. [[Rising.]] Tosave my poor, innocent, trusting boy from the machinations of any other girlthere are no lengths to which I would not go.Gwendolen. From the moment I saw you Idistrusted you. I felt that you were false and deceitful. I am never deceivedin such matters. My first impressions of people are invariably right.Cecily. It seems to me, Miss Fairfax,that I am trespassing on your valuable time. No doubt you have many other callsof a similar character to make in the neighbourhood.Enter Jack.Gwendolen. [[Catching sight of him.]]Ernest! My own Ernest!Jack. Gwendolen! Darling![Offers to kiss her.]Gwendolen. [[Drawing back.]]A moment! May I ask if you are engaged to be married to this young lady?[Points to Cecily.]Jack. [[Laughing.]] Todear little Cecily! Of course not! What could have put such an idea into yourpretty little head?Gwendolen. Thank you. You may![Offers her cheek.]Cecily. [[Very sweetly.]]I knew there must be some misunderstanding, Miss Fairfax. The gentleman whosearm is at present round your waist is my dear guardian, Mr. John Worthing.Gwendolen. I beg your pardon? p.492Cecily. This is Uncle Jack.Gwendolen. [[Receding.]]Jack! Oh!Enter Algernon.Cecily. Here is Ernest.Algernon. [[Goes straight over to Cecilywithout noticing anyone else.]] My own love![Offers to kiss her.]Cecily. [[Drawing back.]]A moment, Ernest! May I ask you---are you