" "Indeed!" said the stranger,
"I was not aware that the crown lands were so extensive in the Wight.
Have you much game?" "Ees, ees." "And who is the lord of the manor?"
"King George." "And these new roads I see forming, are they also done
by King George?" "Ees, ees, he ought to gi' us a few new ones, I think;
bekase Ize zure he's stopped up enou of our old ones." "What, by some
new inclosure act, I suppose?" "Naye, naye, by some old foreclosure
acts, I expect." "Why, you do not mean to say that our gracious
sovereign is a money-lender and mortgagee?" "No; but our ungracious king
be the', and a money-maker too." "Fellow, take care; you are committing
treason against the Lord's anointed." "Ees, ees, he be a 'nointed one,
zure enou," retorted the fellow, laughing outright in the traveller's
face. "Sirrah," said the offended stranger, "I shall have you taken
before a justice." "Ees, ees, Ize heard o' them ere chaps at East Cowes,
but Ize ~171~~not much respect for 'em." "Not care for the magistrate!"
"Lord love you,--you be one of the Mr. Newcome, Ize warrant me; why,
we've gotten no zuch animal here, nothing o' sort nearer as Newport;
and lawyer Day can out-talk the best of them there, whenever he likes."
"There must be some mistake here," said the stranger, cooling a little
of his choler: "did you not tell me, fellow, that the king of England
owned all the land here, and the steam-boats, and the manor, and the
town, and the people, and-----------.
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