Spanish

absurd: absurdo.

happen: pasar, pasad, pasáis,

reward: recompensa, recompensar,

aware: consciente.

pasamos, pasan, pasas, pasen, paso,

galardonar, premiar.

culture: cultura, cultivo.

pase, acontecer, pasa.

rule: regla, gobernar, la regla, norma,

depends: depende.

happens: pasa, acontece, ocurre,

fallar, refrenar, dominio, subyugar,

discuss: discutir, discutan, discutimos, sucede, acaece.

reprimir, regir, contener.

discutid, discutes, discuten, discute, inscription: inscripción.

salver: salvilla, bandeja.

discuto, discutís, discuta, debatir.

letters: letras.

shouldn't: contracción de should not.

examines: examina, registra.

mine: mina, mío, minar.

whatsoever: lo que, en absoluto, todo

fast: rápido, ayunar, fijo, de prisa,

moving: conmovedor.

lo que, cualquier cosa, cualquier.

pronto, veloz, ligero, firme, ayuno.

nearly: casi.

writing: escribiendo, escritura, letra,

frantic: frenético.

offering: ofrenda, oferta, ofrecer.

inscripción.

goodness: bondad.

opens: abre.

yours: vuestro, suyo, el tuyo.

Oscar Wilde

11

ALGERNON.

Your aunt!

JACK.

Yes. Charming old lady she is, too. Lives at Tunbridge Wells. Just give it back to me, Algy.%

ALGERNON.

[Retreating to back of sofa.] But why does she call herself little Cecily if she is your aunt and lives at Tunbridge Wells? [Reading.] 'From little Cecily with

her fondest love.'

JACK.

[Moving to sofa and kneeling upon it.] My dear fellow, what on earth is there

in that? Some aunts are tall, some aunts are not tall. That is a matter that

surely an aunt may be allowed to decide for herself. You seem to think that every aunt should be exactly like your aunt! That is absurd! For Heaven's

sake give me back my cigarette case. [Follows ALGERNON round the room.]

ALGERNON.

Yes. But why does your aunt call you her uncle? 'From little Cecily, with her

fondest love to her dear Uncle Jack.' There is no objection, I admit, to an aunt being a small aunt, but why an aunt, no matter what her size may be, should

call her own nephew her uncle, I can't quite make out. Besides, your name isn't Jack at all; it is Ernest.

JACK.

It isn't Ernest; it's Jack.

ALGERNON.

You have always told me it was Ernest. I have introduced you to every one

as Ernest. You answer to the name of Ernest. You look as if your name was

Ernest. You are the most earnest-looking person I ever saw in my life. It is

perfectly absurd your saying that your name isn't Ernest. It's on your cards.

Here is one of them. [Taking it from case.] 'Mr. Ernest Worthing, B. 4, The Albany.' I'll keep this as a proof that your name is Ernest if ever you attempt Spanish

admit: confesar, confesad, confesáis,

decidís, decido, decidid, decide,

lives: Vive, habita.

confieso, confiesen, confiese,

decidan, decidimos, deciden,

nephew: sobrino, el sobrino.

confiesas, confiesan, confiesa,

decidirse.

objection: objeción.

confesamos, admitir.

exactly: exactamente, justamente, en

proof: prueba, demostración,

allowed: permitido, dejado.

punto.

probanza.

besides: además, demás, además de, follows: sigue.

saying: diciendo, dicho, decir, refrán.

amén de.

herself: sí, ella misma, se, sí misma.

size: tamaño, talla, calibre, formato,

can't: no puede.

introduced: presentado, introducido.

ajustar tamaño, dimensión, grandor.

cards: la baraja, tarjetas, los naipes.

kneeling: arrodillar, arrodillarse, estar sofa: sofá, canapé.

charming: encantador, simpático,

de rodillas, arrodillado, de rodillas,

surely: seguramente, ciertamente.

lindo, bonito, coquetón, amable.

arrodillando.

tall: alto.

decide: decidir, decida, decides,

lady: dama, señora.

uncle: tío.

12

The Importance of Being Earnest

to deny it to me, or to Gwendolen, or to any one else. [Puts the card in his pocket.]

JACK.

Well, my name is Ernest in town and Jack in the country, and the cigarette

case was given to me in the country.%

ALGERNON.

Yes, but that does not account for the fact that your small Aunt Cecily, who

lives at Tunbridge Wells, calls you her dear uncle. Come, old boy, you had

much better have the thing out at once.

JACK.

My dear Algy, you talk exactly as if you were a dentist. It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isn't a dentist. It produces a false impression, ALGERNON.

Well, that is exactly what dentists always do. Now, go on! Tell me the whole

thing. I may mention that I have always suspected you of being a confirmed and secret Bunburyist; and I am quite sure of it now.

JACK.

Bunburyist? What on earth do you mean by a Bunburyist?

ALGERNON.

I'll reveal to you the meaning of that incomparable expression as soon as you are kind enough to inform me why you are Ernest in town and Jack in the

country.

JACK.

Well, produce my cigarette case first.

ALGERNON.

Here it is. [Hands cigarette case.] Now produce your explanation, and pray

make it improbable. [Sits on sofa.]

JACK.

My dear fellow, there is nothing improbable about my explanation at all. In

fact it's perfectly ordinary. Old Mr. Thomas Cardew, who adopted me when I