Felix Holt, The Radical Chapter 31

In which the stirring season of election comes to the quiet town of Treby, summoning its inhabitants from all walks of life to the spirited polling-booths, where loyalty and argument blend with neighbourly jest and apprehension. The constables and magistrates, mindful of the fragile peace, strive to maintain order amid the swelling crowds and clashing colours, embodying the delicate balance of civility and passion in a community at the threshold of change.