Clyst. Then what we got to du’s to elect a meetin’.

Burlacombe. [Sourly] Yu’ll not find no procedure far that.

     [Voices from among the dumb-as fishes:  “Mr. Burlacombe ’e
     oughter know.”]

Sol Potter. [Scratching his head—­with heavy solemnity] ’Tes my belief there’s no other way to du, but to elect a chairman to call a meetin’; an’ then for that meetin’ to elect a chairman.

Clyst. I purpose Mr. Burlacombe as chairman to call a meetin’.

Freman.  I purpose Sol Potter.

Godleigh.  Can’t ‘ave tu propositions together before a meetin’; that’s apple-pie zure vur zurtain.

     [Voice from among the dumb-as fishes:  “There ain’t no meetin’
     yet, Sol Potter zays.”]

Trustaford.  Us must get the rights of it zettled some’ow.  ’Tes like the darned old chicken an’ the egg—­meetin’ or chairman—­which come virst?

Sol Potter. [Conciliating] To my thinkin’ there shid be another way o’ duin’ it, to get round it like with a circumbendibus.  ’T’all comes from takin’ different vuse, in a manner o’ spakin’.

Freman.  Vu goo an’ zet in that chair.

Sol Potter. [With a glance at Burlacombe modestly] I shid’n never like fur to du that, with Mr. Burlacombe zettin’ there.

Burlacombe. [Rising] ’Tes all darned fulishness.

     [Amidst an uneasy shufflement of feet he moves to the door, and
     goes out into the darkness.]

Clyst. [Seeing his candidate thus depart] Rackon curate’s pretty well thru by now, I’m goin’ to zee. [As he passes Jarland] ’Ow’s to base, old man?

     [He goes out.  One of the dumb-as-fishes moves from the door and
     fills the apace left on the bench by Burlacombe’s departure.]

Jarland.  Darn all this puzzivantin’! [To Sol Potter] Got an’ zet in that chair.

Sol Potter. [Rising and going to the chair; there he stands, changing from one to the other of his short broad feet and sweating from modesty and worth] ’Tes my duty now, gentlemen, to call a meetin’ of the parishioners of this parish.  I beg therefore to declare that this is a meetin’ in accordance with my duty as chairman of this meetin’ which elected me chairman to call this meetin’.  And I purceed to vacate the chair so that this meetin’ may now purceed to elect a chairman.

     [He gets up from the chair, and wiping the sweat from his brow,
     goes back to his seat.]

Freman.  Mr. Chairman, I rise on a point of order.

Godleigh.  There ain’t no chairman.

Freman.  I don’t give a darn for that.  I rise on a point of order.

Godleigh.  ’Tes a chairman that decides points of order.  ’Tes certain yu can’t rise on no points whatever till there’s a chairman.