Sir Humphrey wheels his horse to face the forty-three remaining spectators with the gravity of a man who has just invented something. "Citizens of Midden-on-Sogge," he announces, "I propose a vote. All in favour of the joust proceeding, raise your hand." Eight hands go up. One of them belongs to a goat in a large official hat, which is either enthusiastic or hungry. The herald makes a noise like a man swallowing a protest. Goodwife Thripp does not look up from her knitting, but her elbow twitches slightly upward, which Humphrey immediately counts. "All opposed?" Nineteen hands. The man loading the cart raises his mallet on general principle. "Abstentions?" Sixteen people stare. The goat sits down. "Excellent," says Sir Humphrey, who appears to have arrived at a different result than the arithmetic suggests. "The ayes have it. Someone fetch those lists back."