f the little coolness
between us, that I have not followed your career with great
interest--very great interest! Your scholastic achievements have
been most praiseworthy--especially under the unfortunate
circumstances. . . . Although, by-the-way, I cannot at all agree
with your gloss on Romans fourteen, twenty-three; _Katakekritai_
either means _damned_ or nothing at all.

ROBERT [gesticulating]. It was _'im_ as said _damned_!

BISHOP. No, no, sir: it is perfectly indefensible!

ROBERT. I'll use what langwidge I like!

BISHOP [warming]. You said _katakekritai_ . . .

ROBERT. I never did, _I_ tek my oath!

BISHOP. My dear sir, I learned my Greek at Shrewsbury, before you
were born! Don't argue, sir!

ROBERT. Oo is argufying? . . . Talking to me about yer
Katama-what-d'you-call-it!

BISHOP. We had better drop the subject! . . . Boeotian! After
all, it is not precisely the matter which has brought us together.
And that reminds me . . . [Trumpet.] Has he come yet?

ROBERT. Oo?

BISHOP. Your brother, of course.

ROBERT. My brother! Oh, you'll see _'im_ soon enough!

BISHOP. I gather from your remark that he has not arrived yet.
Good! The fact is, I should like a preliminary discussion with
yourself before meeting your illustrious brother.

ROBERT. Then you'd better look slippy!

BISHOP. I beg your pardon? . . .

ROBERT [with a flap at the trumpet]. Go on: you 'eard.

BISHOP. Of course, the _financial_ undertaking is considerable:
it's not like an _investment_, where there is some reasonable hope
of a return: it's merely a matter of charity! The money's--gone,
so to speak.

ROBERT. Yus, I've noticed that about money, myself.

BISHOP. At the same time, I should like my _name_ to be associated
with your brother's, in so worthy an enterprise . . .

ROBERT [mildly sarcastic]. You don't say!

BISHOP. And then again, I _trust_--I say I _trust_--I am not
impervious to the more sacred obligations involved; but . . .

[He gropes blindly for bread.]

ROBERT. I allus notice that sort of 'igh talk ends with a
"but" . . .

BISHOP. Naturally, I should like to learn a little, beforehand, of
your brother's _views_. From what I gather, they are not
altogether likely to coincide with my own. Of course, he is an
idealist, a dreamer. Now, under these circumstances, perhaps . . .

Eh, what-- Oh! Bless my soul!

[MANSON has been offering him bread for some time. He has just
t