CARVE. About how famous should you say he is?

PASCOE. (Hesitating.) Well--(abruptly) that's a silly question.

CARVE. No, it isn't. Is he as famous as--er--Harry Lauder?

PASCOE. (Shakes his head.) You mustn't go to extremes.

CARVE. Is he as famous as Harry Vardon?

PASCOE. Never heard of him.

CARVE. I only see these names in the papers. Is he as famous as Bernard
Shaw?

PASCOE. Yes, I should say he was.

CARVE. Oh, well that's not so bad. Better than I thought! It's so
difficult to judge where one is--er--personally concerned. Especially if
you're never on the spot.

PASCOE. So it's true Mr. Carve never comes to England?

CARVE. Why should he come to England? He isn't a portrait painter. It's
true he owns this house, but surely that isn't sufficient excuse for
living in a place like England?

PASCOE. Of course, if you look at it like that, there's no particular
attractiveness in England that I've ever seen. But that answer wouldn't