de Reves: Splendid! How's everybody?

Prattle: All going strong.

de Reves: That's good.

Prattle (seeing paper and ink): But what are you doing?

de Reves: Writing.

Prattle: Writing? I didn't know you wrote.

de Reves: Yes, I've taken to it rather.

Prattle: I say—writing's no good. What do you write?

de Reves: Oh, poetry.

Prattle: Poetry! Good Lord!