Sentence Collection: Gwen and Cecily

From The Importance of being Earnest. Gwendolen and Cecily have just broken off their engagements with their lovers and are watching from the house window to see if their recently-dumped lovers will follow. This made me laugh because, although many females may not admit it, this is exactly the kind of thing we like to do. We just hide it under clever sentences. Enjoy!

GWENDOLEN
The fact that they did not follow us at once into the house, as any one else would have done, seems to me to show that they have some sense of shame left.

CECILY
They have been eating muffins. That looks like repentance.

GWENDOLEN
[After a pause.] They don't seem to notice us at all. Couldn't you cough?

CECILY
But I haven't got a cough.

GWENDOLEN
They're looking at us. What effrontery!

CECILY
They're approaching. That's very forward of them.

GWENDOLEN
Let us preserve a dignified silence.

CECILY

Certainly. It's the only thing to do now. [Enter JACK followed by ALGERNON. They whistle some dreadful popular air from a British Opera.]

GWENDOLEN

This dignified silence seems to produce an unpleasant effect.

CECILY

A most distasteful one.

GWENDOLEN
But we will not be the first to speak.

CECILY
Certainly not.

GWENDOLEN
Mr. Worthing, I have something very particular to ask you. Much depends on your reply.

CECILY
Gwendolen, your common sense is invaluable. Mr. Moncrieff, kindly answer me the following question...