Leo.  It’s not that Ive exhausted it; but he will keep on repeating it when I want to read or go to sleep.  And Sinjon amuses me.  He’s so clever.

The general [stung] Ha!  The old complaint.  You all want geniuses to marry.  This demand for clever men is ridiculous.  Somebody must marry the plain, honest, stupid fellows.  Have you thought of that?

Leo.  But there are such lots of stupid women to marry.  Why do they want to marry us?  Besides, Rejjy knows that I’m quite fond of him.  I like him because he wants me; and I like Sinjon because I want him.  I feel that I have a duty to Rejjy.

The general.  Precisely:  you have.

Leo.  And, of course, Sinjon has the same duty to me.

The general.  Tut, tut!

Leo.  Oh, how silly the law is!  Why cant I marry them both?

The general [shocked] Leo!

Leo.  Well, I love them both.  I should like to marry a lot of men.  I should like to have Rejjy for every day, and Sinjon for concerts and theatres and going out in the evenings, and some great austere saint for about once a year at the end of the season, and some perfectly blithering idiot of a boy to be quite wicked with.  I so seldom feel wicked; and, when I do, it’s such a pity to waste it merely because it’s too silly to confess to a real grown-up man.

Reginald.  This is the kind of thing, you know [Helplessly] Well, there it is!

The general [decisively] Alice:  this is a job for the Barmecide.  He’s a Bishop:  it’s his duty to talk to Leo.  I can stand a good deal; but when it comes to flat polygamy and polyandry, we ought to do something.

Mrs Bridgenorth [going to the study door] Do come here a moment, Alfred.  We’re in a difficulty.

The bishop [within] Ask Collins, I’m busy.

Mrs Bridgenorth.  Collins wont do.  It’s something very serious.  Do come just a moment, dear. [When she hears him coming she takes a chair at the nearest end of the table].

The Bishop comes out of his study.  He is still a slim active man, spare of flesh, and younger by temperament than his brothers.  He has a delicate skin, fine hands, a salient nose with chin to match, a short beard which accentuates his sharp chin by bristling forward, clever humorous eyes, not without a glint of mischief in them, ready bright speech, and the ways of a successful man who is always interested in himself and generally rather well pleased with himself.  When Lesbia hears his voice she turns her chair towards him, and presently rises and stands in the doorway listening to the conversation.

The bishop [going to Leo] Good morning, my dear.  Hullo!  Youve brought Reginald with you.  Thats very nice of you.  Have you reconciled them, Boxer?

The general.  Reconciled them!  Why, man, the whole divorce was a put-up job.  She wants to marry some fellow named Hotchkiss.