"The Virgin Mary. The mother ..."
"Yes, I know who she is, but ... well, I'm not a religious man, Laurence, in fact I've not been to church since I was a boy ... but ... no, no, you can't do that."
"Why not?"
"It will offend people."
"I want to offend people," Laurence intoned. "If thy eye offend thee, pluck it out."
"Well, you did," said John. "You put in a y instead."
"I'm not jesting, my dear fellow."
"Nor am I," said John. "What I want you to understand is that you can't bring the Virgin Mary on the stage. Why, I'm even doubtful about Joan of Arc's vision of the Archangel Michael. Some people may object, though I'm counting on his being generally taken for St. George."
"I know that you are writing a play about Joan of Arc, but—and I hope you'll not take unkindly what I'm going to say—but Joan of Arc can never be more than a pretty piece of medievalism, whereas Thomas ..."
John gave up, and the next morning he told the household that he was called back to London on business.