"How true," I said.
"Yes. And don't forget that while you were away we formed a League of Honour in the village and bound ourselves to observe the Food Controller's rations."
"Am I a member?"
"Yes, we thought you'd like to be one, so I gave your name in."
"I think a man must pledge his own honour. He can't have it done for him."
"There's no public ceremony. You can just pledge yourself in your mind, and then put a pledge card in one of the windows."
"I'll have tea first," I said, "and then I'll choose the window, and then I'll pledge myself in my mind."
"No, you can do the pledging now."
"I've done it, while you were talking."
"And after all it's only the old rations according to Lord Devonport, and we've been working under them for some time now."