236 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE CH. IX 
required of him. He did not act, I hope, or give his 
judgment from the same motive that influenced one 
at a village cottagers’ show. There were three judges 
for the fruit and vegetables, &c.—Mr. A, the head 
gardener from the big house; and Messrs. B and C, 
gardeners in humbler establishments. Mr. A, by 
right of his position, took the matter in hand and 
distributed the awards, the others humbly assenting 
in silence. Presently C, perhaps thinking it was 
better, if only as a matter of form, to assert himself 
a little, suggested a small point of disagreement. 
The matter was promptly referred to B, and he 
decided the question by saying, ‘‘ Oh, I always goes 
with Mr. A”! It was all right, for Mr. A was a 
good judge, but it was plain that, unless for 
ornament, B and C might as well have been at 
home. 
