em, like
an anti-corn-law league, for the destruction of their rights and
properties. Its origin had been commercial, and its principles
aggressive, no less an outrage being contemplated than the purchase of
fish at low figures on the beach, and the speedy distribution of that
slippery ware among the nearest villages and towns. But from time
immemorial the trade had been in the hands of a few staunch factors,
who paid a price governed by the seasons and the weather, and sent
the commodity as far as it would go, with soundness, and the hope of
freshness. Springhaven believed that it supplied all London, and was
proud and blest in so believing. With these barrowmen, hucksters and
pedlars of fish, it would have no manifest dealing; but if the factors
who managed the trade chose to sell their refuse or surplus to them,
that was their own business. In this way perhaps, and by bargains on
the sly, these petty dealers managed to procure enough to carry on
their weekly enterprise, and for a certain good reason took a room and
court-yard handy to the Darling Arms, to discuss other people's business
and their own. The good reason was that they were not allowed to leave
the village, with their barrows or trucks or baskets, until the night
had fallen, on penalty of being pelted with their own wares. Such was
the dignity of this place, and its noble abhorrence of anything low.

The vision of lofty institutions, which one may not participate,
inspires in the lower human nature more jealousy than admiration.
These higglers may have been very honest fellows, in all but pecuniary
questions, and possibly continued to be so in the bosom of their own
families. But here in Springhaven, by the force of circumstances they
were almost compelled to be radicals: even as the sweetest cow's milk
turns sour, when she can just reach red clover with her breath, but
not her lips. But still they were not without manners, and reason, and
good-will to people who had patience with them. This enabled them to
argue lofty questions, without black eyes, or kicking, or even tweak of
noses; and a very lofty question was now before them.

To get once into Admiral Darling's employment was to obtain a vested
interest; so kind was his nature and so forgiving, especially when he
had scolded anybody. Mr. Swipes, the head gardener for so many years,
held an estate of freehold in the garden--although he had no head, and
would never be a gardener, till the hanging gard