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. Your sacred obligations.) 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.) Hm, yes--yes!... You mentioned Sacred obligations just now, and I think that on the whole I am inclined to agree with you. It is an admirable way of putting it. We must awaken people to a sense of their sacred obligations. This is a work in which everybody can do something: the rich man can give of the abundance with which it has pleased Providence specially to favour him: the poor man with his slender savings need have no fear for the poverty of his gift-- Let him give all: it will be accepted. Those of us who, like yourself, my dear brother--and I say it in all modesty, perhaps my self--are in possession of the endowments of learning, of influence, of authority--we can lend our names to the good work. As you say so very beautifully: sacred obligations. By-the-way, I don't think I quite caught your views as to the probable cost. Eh, what do you think?

Bishop Monologue from The Servant in the House

About this piece

Rehearse Bishop's monologue

More from The Servant in the House