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. 



