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 tumbled to the fact of his presence. He rises.] My--my Brother from Benares, I presume? ROBERT. What, _my_ pal, _'is_ brother! Oh, Je'oshaphat! BISHOP. Ten thousand pardons! Really, my eyesight is deplorable! Delighted to meet you! . . . I was just observing to our charming host that--er-- Humph! . . . Bless me! Now what _was_ I . . . MANSON. Something about your sacred obligations, I believe. BISHOP. May I trouble you again? [MANSON gravely fixes the ear-trumpet in his ear.] ROBERT. That's right: stick the damned thing in 'is ear-'ole, comride! MANSON [through the trumpet]. Your sacred obligations. BISHOP. Precisely, precisely! Er-- Shall we sit? [They do so. The BISHOP looks to MANSON to begin. MANSON, failing him, the spirit begins to work within himself.] Well--er---speaking of that, of course, my dearly-beloved brother, I feel very seriously on the matter, very seriously--as I am sure you do. The restoration of a church is a tremendous, an overwhelming responsibility. To begin with, it--it costs quite a lot. Doesn't it? MANSON. It does: quite a lot.