e, my sister, Honoria, who happens also
to be president of the Ladies' Water Colour Society--(gesture of alarm
from CARVE)--my sister has a great responsibility. She is the favourite
niece of--(Whispers in CARVE'S ear.) Consequently--(Makes an
impressive pause.)

HONORIA. You see my uncle is a bachelor and I keep house for him. Anselm
used to live with us too, until he left the Church.

LOOE. Until I joined the Church, Honoria. Now Honoria wishes to be
perfectly fair; she entirely realizes her responsibility; and that is
why she has come with me to see you.

JANET. (Benignantly.) So that's how these things are decided! I see
I'd got quite a wrong notion of politics and so on.

HONORIA. Oh, Mr. Shawn-- }
and } (Together.)
JANET. My idea was-- }

JANET. I beg your pardon.

HONORIA. I beg yours.

JANET. Granted.

HONORIA. There's one question I should so like to ask you, Mr. Shawn. In
watercolours did Mr. Carve use Chinese white freely or did he stick to
transparent colour, like the old English school? I wonder if you
understand me?

CARVE. (Interested.) He used Chinese white like anything.

HONORIA. Oh! I'm so glad. You remember that charming water-colour of the
Venetian gondolier in the Luxembourg. We had a great argument after we
got home last Easter as to whether the oar was put in with Chinese
white--or just 'left out,' you know!

CARVE. Chinese white, of course. My notion is that it doesn't matter a
fig how you get effects so long as you do get them.

HONORIA. And that was his notion too? (Telephone bell rings, JANET
answers it.)

CARVE. His? Rather. You bet it was.

HONORIA. I'm so glad. I'm so glad. I knew I was right about Chinese
white. Oh, Anselm, do let him be buried in the Abbey! Do let me suggest
to uncle----

LOOE. My dear girl, ask your conscience. Enthusiasm for art I can
comprehend; I can even sympathize with it. But if this grave national
question is to be decided by considerations of Chinese white----

(CARVE turns to JANET as if for succour.)

JANET. (Calmly.) The doctor is just coming up.

CARVE. The doctor? What doctor?

JANET. A Dr. Horning. He says he's Dr. Pascoe's assistant and he
attended Mr. Carve, and he wants to see you.

CARVE. But I don't want to see him.

JANET. You'll have to see a doctor.

CARVE. Why?

JANET. Because you're ill. So you may just as well see this one as
another. They're all pretty much of a muchness