JACK.
[Sententiously.] That, my dear young friend, is the theory that the corrupt French Drama has been propounding for the last fifty years.
ALGERNON.
Yes; and that the happy English home has proved in half the time.
JACK.
For heaven's sake, don't try to be cynical. It's perfectly easy to be cynical.
ALGERNON.
My dear fellow, it isn't easy to be anything nowadays. There's such a lot of beastly competition about. [The sound of an electric bell is heard.] Ah! that must be Aunt Augusta. Only relatives, or creditors, ever ring in that Wagnerian manner. Now, if I get her out of the way for ten minutes, so that you can have an opportunity for proposing to Gwendolen, may I dine with you to-night at Willis's?
JACK.
I suppose so, if you want to.
ALGERNON.
Yes, but you must be serious about it. I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is so shallow of them.
