Bishop's Witty Retort

The bishop was very fond of a cigar, but the archdeacon detested smoking, and denounced it as unclerical.
Perhaps modern taste may consider a cigar and a shovel hat, or a yard of clay and a silk apron, rather incongruous.
Anyhow, the bishop usually retired to a secluded part of the Episcopal garden to enjoy his weed. Here he was detected one day by the vigilant archdeacon, who surveying him from the terrace above, exclaimed: "Ah, bishop, so I have caught you burning incense to the devil !"
The bishop expelled a great whiff of blue smoke and exclaimed in his deep resonant voice: "But I didn't know he was so near !"