THE * POWERS' THAT BE. 171 



what may it be, after all, that lifts the knocker so 

 many times for one visitor ? ' 



' Look here, Greening ! do you see that poor 

 fellow cracking his whip over the horses in that 

 lounging devil-may-care fashion? It's his first year 

 at plough : he was ' kipping craows ' for the last two 

 or three. Isn't that a proper amusement for a thing 

 with a human skull, and a real live human brain 

 inside it ? That's a promoted scare-crow ! Doesn't 

 he loook happy ? ' 



* Well 1 he's a right to do. He's doing his duty, 

 isn't he, as well as you and me ! You can't do 

 without him ? ' 



' Ah ! yes, yes ! that's the answer. He's a 

 machine , driving a machine.' 



* Well no not exactly that, neither. They 

 tell me a plough aint a machine. Come, I have 

 you there for once, however ! A plough's only a 

 tooV 



( True, true : a tool worked by horses, and 

 dragging a man after it. You never spoke plainer 

 truth, Greening ! And here we are somewhere near 

 the middle of the nineteenth century, and talk of 

 agricultural improvements ! It shames me to think 

 of it.' 



