ly. Oh! not at all, Gwendolen. I am very fond of being looked at.

Gwendolen. [After examining Cecily carefully through a lorgnette.] You
are here on a short visit, I suppose.

Cecily. Oh no! I live here.

Gwendolen. [Severely.] Really? Your mother, no doubt, or some female
relative of advanced years, resides here also?

Cecily. Oh no! I have no mother, nor, in fact, any relations.

Gwendolen. Indeed?

Cecily. My dear guardian, with the assistance of Miss Prism, has the
arduous task of looking after me.

Gwendolen. Your guardian?

Cecily. Yes, I am Mr. Worthing's ward.

Gwendolen. Oh! It is strange he never mentioned to me that he had a
ward. How secretive of him! He grows more interesting hourly. I am not
sure, however, that the news inspires me with feelings of unmixed
delight. [Rising and going to her.] I am very fond of you, Cecily; I
have liked you ever since I met you! But I am bound to state that now
that I know that you are Mr. Worthing's ward, I cannot help expressing a
wish you were--well, just a little older than you seem to be--and not
quite so very alluring in appearance. In fact, if I may speak candidly--

Cecily. Pray do! I think that whenever one has anything unpleasant to
say, one should always be quite candid.

Gwendolen. Well, to speak with perfect candour, Cecily, I wish that you
were fully forty-two, and more than usually plain for your age. Ernest
has a strong upright nature. He is the very soul of truth and honour.
Disloyalty would be as impossible to him as deception. But even men of
the noblest possible moral character are extremely susceptible to the
influence of the physical charms of others. Modern, no less than Ancient
History, supplies us with many most painful examples of what I refer to.
If it were not so, indeed, History would be quite unreadable.

Cecily. I beg your pardon, Gwendolen, did you say Ernest?

Gwendolen. Yes.

Cecily. Oh, but it is not Mr. Ernest Worthing who is my guardian. It is
his brother--his elder brother.

Gwendolen. [Sitting down again.] Ernest never mentioned to me that he
had a brother.

Cecily. I am sorry to say they have not been on good terms for a long
time.

Gwendolen. Ah! that accounts for it. And now that I think of it I have
never heard any man mention his brother. The subject seems distasteful
to most men. Cecily, you have lifted a load from my mind. I was growing
almost anxious. It would hav