The fog over the sea is slowly drifting from the direction of the pier, like the damp ropes on the pier binding the whole town under the dim sky.
Arthur is sitting in the room at the Albion Hotel, fumbling with a few newspapers he bought at a street kiosk.
"The tithe reform into cash payment, farmers no longer have to struggle to move the rice ears from the fields to the church."
The Parliament might think that changing the grain into coins could ease the complaints of the country folks. However, whether it's a pile of grain or a shilling, they can sleep soundly in the priest's pocket. Meanwhile, the farmer's pot remains bland as water. Of course, there's been some change since the enactment of the Tithe Monetization Act. At least we can be sure that the standard of living for mice in the parish barns will drop significantly. After all, everyone knows not all freeloading animals eat silver.
