Editing The Importance of Being Earnest (section)

===Act II===
'''The Garden of the Manor House, Woolton'''
[[File:Alexander-Worthing-1909.jpg|alt=white man with side whiskers in a garden setting, wearing full Victorian morning dress, including long coat, tophat, gloves and cane|thumb|left|upright|Alexander in Act&nbsp;II (1909 revival)]]
Cecily is studying with her governess, Miss Prism, in the (fictitious) village of Woolton, Hertfordshire. Algernon arrives, pretending to be Ernest Worthing, and soon charms Cecily. Long fascinated by her uncle Jack's hitherto-absent dissolute brother, she is predisposed to fall for Algernon in his role of Ernest. Algernon plans for the [[rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]], Dr&nbsp;Chasuble, to rechristen him "Ernest". Jack has decided to abandon his double life. He arrives in full mourning and announces his brother's death in Paris, from a severe chill, a story undermined by Algernon's presence in the guise of Ernest. Gwendolen now enters, having left the Bracknells' London house without her mother's knowledge. During the temporary absence of the two men she meets Cecily. They get along well at first, but when they learn of the other's engagement each indignantly declares that she is the one engaged to Ernest. When Jack and Algernon reappear together, Gwendolen and Cecily realise they have been deceived; they leave the men in the garden and withdraw to the house.<ref>Wilde (2000), pp. 41–81</ref>