Journey back to Victorian London with us for the sixth episode of The Importance of Being Earnest, based on the original comedy by Oscar Wilde.

Algernon has fallen madly in love with Cecily. But when he tells her about his deep emotions, what she says surprises him.

Narrator
Jack is not happy that Algernon has come to his house pretending to be his younger brother Ernest. And he's really not happy that Algernon has met Cecily, telling him to go back to London immediately. Jack has also asked Reverend Chasuble to christen him with a different name. Let's now join Algernon and Cecily in the garden.

Algernon
I hope you won't mind, Cecily, if I tell you quite truthfully that you seem to me to be in every way absolutely perfect.

Cecily 
I admire your honesty, Ernest. Now, can I just write down what you are saying in my diary. [Writing in diary] ev... er... y... way... abs...

Algernon
Do you really keep a diary? I'd love to have a look. May I?

Cecily  
Oh no. You see, it's just a young girl's record of her own thoughts, so I can publish them. But, Ernest, please, don't stop talking. I love doing dictation. I have reached 'absolutely perfect'. Go on...

Algernon
Ahem! Ahem!

Cecily
Oh, don't cough, Ernest. I don't know how to spell a cough. 

Algernon
The truth is, Cecily, ever since I first saw you, I have loved you wildly, passionately and hopelessly.

Cecily
[Writing] Wildly... passionately... Oh, I don't think that you should tell me that you love me wildly, passionately and hopelessly. Hopelessly doesn't make much sense, does it?

Narrator
Here comes the butler, Merriman, again...

Merriman
The carriage is waiting, sir.

Algernon
Tell it to come back next week.

Cecily
Uncle Jack would be very annoyed if he knew you were staying till next week.

Algernon
Oh, I don't care about Jack. I only care about you. I love you, Cecily. You will marry me, won't you?

Cecily
What a question! Of course, silly! Well, we have been engaged for the last three months.

Algernon
For the last three months?

Cecily
Yes, it will be exactly three months on Thursday.

Algernon
But how did we become engaged?

Cecily
Well, ever since Uncle Jack told us that he had a wicked younger brother, you have been the main topic of conversation between myself and Miss Prism. And a man who is talked about a lot is always very attractive. I fell in love with you, Ernest.

Algernon
Darling! And when did we actually get engaged?

Cecily
On the 14th of February. I got tired of the fact you didn't know I existed, and so, after a long struggle with myself, I decided to accept you under this dear old oak tree here. Here are all your letters in this box. Look...

Narrator
And my goodness... There's a whole bundle of letters neatly tied up with a blue ribbon.

Algernon
My letters! But, my own sweet Cecily, I have never written you any letters.

Cecily
You don't need to remind me, Ernest. I had to write your letters for you. I wrote three times a week, and sometimes more often.

Algernon
Oh, do let me read them, Cecily.

Cecily
Oh, no. They would make you far too conceited. The three you wrote after I had broken off the engagement are so beautiful, and so badly spelt, that even now I can hardly read them without crying a little.

Algernon
But did we break off our engagement?

Cecily
Of course we did. On the 22nd of March. Look I'll read about it to you. [Reading from diary] 'Today I broke off my engagement with Ernest. I think it is the best thing to do. The weather is still lovely.'

Algernon
But why on earth did you break it off? What had I done? I had done nothing at all. Cecily, I am very hurt to hear you broke it off. Particularly when the weather was so lovely.

Cecily
It wouldn't have been a really serious engagement if it hadn't been broken off at least once. But I forgave you very quickly.

Algernon 
What an angel you are, Cecily!

Cecily
You dear romantic boy.

Algernon
You'll never end our engagement again, will you Cecily?

Cecily
Not now that I have actually met you. Besides, of course, there is the question of your name.

Algernon
Yes, of course. 

Cecily
You mustn't laugh at me, but it had always been a girlish dream of mine to love someone whose name was Ernest. That name inspires complete confidence. 

Algernon
But, Cecily, do you mean that you could not love me if I had a different name?

Cecily
But what name?

Algernon
Oh, any name you like - Algernon - for instance...

Cecily
But I don't like the name Algernon. I might respect you, Ernest, but I don't think I'd be able to really love you.

Algernon
Ahem! Cecily! The Reverend is, I suppose, knows how to carry out all church ceremonies?

Cecily
Oh, yes. Reverend Chasuble is a very clever man. He has never written a single book, so you can imagine how much he knows.

Algernon
I must see him at once on a most important christening - I mean on important business.

Cecily
Oh!

Algernon
I won't be away more than half an hour.

Cecily
Considering that we have been engaged since February the 14th, and that I only met you today for the first time, I think it's rather hard that you should leave me for so long. Couldn't you make it 20 minutes?

Algernon
[He kisses her] I'll be back in no time.

Narrator
Merriman arrives to announce the arrival of a visitor.

Merriman
A Miss Fairfax is here to see Mr Worthing. On very important business, Miss Fairfax says.

Cecily
Isn't Mr Worthing in the library?

Merriman
Mr Worthing went to see Reverend Chasuble some time ago.

Cecily
Please ask the lady to come out here. Mr Worthing will be back soon, I'm sure. And you can bring tea.

Merriman
Yes, Miss.

Cecily
Miss Fairfax! I suppose one of the many elderly women who are associated with Uncle Jack in some of his goodwork in London.

Narrator
But it's not an elderly woman who follows Merriman into the garden. What a surprise! It's Gwendolen!

Vocabulary

record
information written down about something that has happened

dictation
writing down exactly what someone else says

passionately
with great feeling or enthusiasm

hopelessly
without any hope; very badly

wicked
behaving badly

darling
a name used to call someone you love or care about

struggle
something that is very difficult or requires a lot of effort

bundle
a group of things tied together

ribbon
a long, narrow piece of material used to tie or decorate something

conceited
showing that you are very proud of yourself

broken off
(phrasal verb) ended

inspires
makes someone enthusiastic about something

Credits

Algernon Moncreiff: Darren Benedict

Miss Cecily Cardew: Alice Brown

Merriman: Michael Harrison

Narrator: Finn Aberdein

Original play written by: Oscar Wilde

Adaptation by: Sue Mushin

Illustrator: Magdolna Terray

ELT consultant: Catherine Chapman

Producer: Finn Aberdein