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WATSON Shall I shut him up?
SHERLOCK HOLMES My dear Watson!
BION (outraged) What the devil do you mean by butting into my serious discussion? Are you not aware that I am raising serious issues?
MYCROFT (in no way impressed) Go on Sherlock. This is more your line than mine. You tell him.
WATSON (before Sherlock intervenes which he appears unlikely to do) My dear sir, Mister Holmes and his brother really must not be interrupted; it's a private and important matter.
BION But, my good man, are you not aware that you are entirely fictitious characters? I am a qualified doctor!
WATSON So am I; and an M.D.
BION Nonsense! Purely imaginary and not very bright even in the estimation of your fellow spooks. I am a past President of the British Psycho-Analytical Society and past Director of the London Clinic of …
MYCROFT & SHERLOCK (together burst into a gale of laughter),=
WATSON (contains his mirth with difficulty, but manages to be civil) Excuse me, sir, but I must admit that I have never heard of your existence. I do not want to hurt your feelings or to appear to boast, but although Mycroft has always been of a retiring disposition, Sherlock, and to a lesser extent myself, has a world-wide following. You yourself were admitting that there are imaginary characters who are infinitely better known than countless generations of nonentities. Now excuse me. I am a very busy man – allow me to suggest that you get on that couch there and sleep it off quietly.