“Yes， sir， I could do a bit of that sort of work： being brought up to it， like.”
“Can you rule these creatures kindly and fairly， remembering that they are not slaves like the dumb beasts of the world you were born in， but Talking Beasts and free subjects？”
“I see that， sir，” replied the Cabby. “I‘d try to do the square thing by them all.”
“And would you bring up your children and grandchildren to do the same？”
“It’d be up to me to try， sir. I‘d do my best： wouldn’t we， Nellie？” “And you wouldn‘t have favourites either among your own children or among the other creatures， or let any holdanother under or use it hardly？”
“I never could abide such goings on， sir， and that’s the truth. I‘d give ’em what for if I caught ‘em at it，” said the Cabby. （All through this conversation his voice was growing slower and richer. More like the country voice he must have had as a boy and less like the sharp， quick voice of a cockney.）“And if enemies came against the land （for enemies will arise） and there was war， would you be the first in the charge and the last in the retreat？”
