Reginald.  A fellow with a face like—­

Leo.  You shant, Rejjy.  He has a very fine face.

Mrs Bridgenorth.  And now she says she wants to marry both of them, and a lot of other people as well.

Leo.  I didnt say I wanted to marry them:  I only said I should like to marry them.

The bishop.  Quite a nice distinction, Leo.

Leo.  Just occasionally, you know.

The bishop [sitting down cosily beside her] Quite so.  Sometimes a poet, sometimes a Bishop, sometimes a fairy prince, sometimes somebody quite indescribable, and sometimes nobody at all.

Leo.  Yes:  thats just it.  How did you know?

The bishop.  Oh, I should say most imaginative and cultivated young women feel like that.  I wouldnt give a rap for one who didnt.  Shakespear pointed out long ago that a woman wanted a Sunday husband as well as a weekday one.  But, as usual, he didnt follow up the idea.

The general [aghast] Am I to understand—­

The bishop [cutting him short] Now, Boxer, am I the Bishop or are you?

The general [sulkily] You.

The bishop.  Then dont ask me are you to understand.  “Yours not to reason why:  yours but to do and die”—­

The general.  Oh, very well:  go on.  I’m not clever.  Only a silly soldier man.  Ha!  Go on. [He throws himself into the railed chair, as one prepared for the worst].

Mrs Bridgenorth.  Alfred:  dont tease Boxer.

The bishop.  If we are going to discuss ethical questions we must begin by giving the devil fair play.  Boxer never does.  England never does.  We always assume that the devil is guilty; and we wont allow him to prove his innocence, because it would be against public morals if he succeeded.  We used to do the same with prisoners accused of high treason.  And the consequence is that we overreach ourselves; and the devil gets the better of us after all.  Perhaps thats what most of us intend him to do.

The general.  Alfred:  we asked you here to preach to Leo.  You are preaching at me instead.  I am not conscious of having said or done anything that calls for that unsolicited attention.

The bishop.  But poor little Leo has only told the simple truth; whilst you, Boxer, are striking moral attitudes.

The general.  I suppose thats an epigram.  I dont understand epigrams.  I’m only a silly soldier man.  Ha!  But I can put a plain question.  Is Leo to be encouraged to be a polygamist?

The bishop.  Remember the British Empire, Boxer.  Youre a British General, you know.

The general.  What has that to do with polygamy?

The bishop.  Well, the great majority of our fellow-subjects are polygamists.  I cant as a British Bishop insult them by speaking disrespectfully of polygamy.  It’s a very interesting question.  Many very interesting men have been polygamists:  Solomon, Mahomet, and our friend the Duke of—­of—­hm!  I never can remember his name.