Themilestone-Themeditation-Wanttogetup？-Theoff-handleader-Sixteenshillings-Thenear-handwheeler-Allright。
INabouttwohoursIhadclearedtheGreatCity，andgotbeyondthesuburbanvillages，orrathertowns，inthedirectioninwhichIwastravelling；Iwasinabroadandexcellentroad，leadingIknewnotwhither。Inowslackenedmypace，whichhadhithertobeengreat。
Presently，comingtoamilestoneonwhichwasgravenninemiles，I
restedagainstit，andlookingroundtowardsthevastcity，whichhadlongceasedtobevisible，Ifellintoatrainofmeditation。
Ithoughtofallmywaysanddoingssincethedayofmyfirstarrivalinthatvastcity-Ihadworkedandtoiled，and，thoughI
hadaccomplishednothingatallcommensuratewiththehopeswhichI
hadentertainedprevioustomyarrival，Ihadachievedmyownliving，preservedmyindependence，andbecomeindebtedtonoone。
Iwasnowquittingit，poorinpurse，itistrue，butnotwhollyempty；ratherailingitmaybe，butnotbrokeninhealth；and，withhopewithinmybosom，hadInotcauseuponthewholetobethankful？Perhapsthereweresomewho，arrivingatthesametimeundernotmorefavourablecircumstances，hadaccomplishedmuchmore，andwhosefuturewasfarmorehopeful-Good!Buttheremightbeotherswho，inspiteofalltheirefforts，hadbeeneithertroddendowninthepress，nevermoretobeheardof，orwerequittingthatmightytownbrokeninpurse，brokeninhealth，and，oh!withnotonedearhopetocheerthem。HadInot，uponthewhole，abundantcausetobegrateful？Truly，yes!
Mymeditationover，Ileftthemilestoneandproceededonmywayinthesamedirectionasbeforeuntilthenightbegantoclosein。I
hadalwaysbeenagoodpedestrian；butnow，whetherowingtoindispositionortonothavingforsometimepastbeenmuchinthehabitoftakingsuchlengthywalks，Ibegantofeelnotalittleweary。JustasIwasthinkingofputtingupforthenightatthenextinnorpublic-houseIshouldarriveat，Iheardwhatsoundedlikeacoachcominguprapidlybehindme。Induced，perhaps，bythewearinesswhichIfelt，Istoppedandlookedwistfullyinthedirectionofthesound；presentlyupcameacoach，seeminglyamail，drawnbyfourboundinghorses-therewasnooneuponitbutthecoachmanandtheguard；whennearlyparallelwithmeitstopped。’Wanttogetup？’soundedavoice，inthetruecoachman-
liketone-halfquerulous，halfauthoritative。Ihesitated；Iwastired，itistrue，butIhadleftLondonboundonapedestrianexcursion，andIdidnotmuchliketheideaofhavingrecoursetoacoachafteraccomplishingsoveryinconsiderableadistance。
’Come，wecan’tbestayinghereallnight，’saidthevoice，moresharplythanbefore。’Icanridealittleway，andgetdownwheneverIlike，’thoughtI；andspringingforwardIclamberedupthecoach，andwasgoingtositdownuponthebox，nextthecoachman。’No，no，’saidthecoachman，whowasamanaboutthirty，withahookednoseandredface，dressedinafashionably-cutgreatcoat，withafashionableblackcastoronhishead。’No，no，keepbehind-theboxain’tforthelikeofyou，’saidhe，ashedroveoff；’theboxisforlords，orgentlemenatleast。’Imadenoanswer。’D-thatoff-handleader，’saidthecoachman，astheright-handfronthorsemadeadesperatestartatsomethinghesawintheroad；and，halfrising，hewithgreatdexterityhitwithhislongwhiptheoff-handleaderacutontheoffcheek。’Theseseemtobefinehorses，’saidI。Thecoachmanmadenoanswer。’Nearlythoroughbred，’Icontinued；thecoachmandrewhisbreath，withakindofhissingsound，throughhisteeth。’Come，youngfellow，noneofyourchaff。Don’tyouthink，becauseyourideonmymail，I’mgoingtotalktoyouabout’orses。Italktonobodyabout’orsesexceptlords。’’Well，’saidI，’Ihavebeencalledalordinmytime。’’Itmusthavebeenbyathimble-rigger，then，’saidthecoachman，bendingback，andhalfturninghisfaceroundwithabroadleer。’Youhavehitthemarkwonderfully，’saidI。’Youcoachmen，whateverelseyoumaybe，arecertainlynofools。’’Weain’t，ain’twe？’saidthecoachman。’Thereyouareright；and，toshowyouthatyouare，I’llnowtroubleyouforyourfare。Ifyouhavebeenamongstthethimble-riggersyoumustbetolerablywellclearedout。Whereareyougoing？-to-？IthinkIhaveseenyouthere。Thefareissixteenshillings。Come，tipustheblunt；
themthathasnomoneycan’trideonmymail。’
Sixteenshillingswasalargesum，andtopayitwouldmakeaconsiderableinroadonmyslenderfinances；Ithought，atfirst，thatIwouldsayIdidnotwanttogosofar；butthenthefellowwouldaskatoncewhereIwantedtogo，andIwasashamedtoacknowledgemyutterignoranceoftheroad。Idetermined，therefore，topaythefare，withatacitdeterminationnottomountacoachinfuturewithoutknowingwhitherIwasgoing。SoIpaidthemanthemoney，who，turninground，shoutedtotheguard-’Allright，Jem；gotfareto-’；andforthwithwhippedonhishorses，especiallytheoffhandleader，forwhomheseemedtoentertainaparticularspite，togreaterspeedthanbefore-thehorsesflew。
Ayoungmoongaveafeeblelight，partiallyilluminatingalineofroadwhich，appearingbynomeansinteresting，Ithelessregrettedhavingpaidmymoneyfortheprivilegeofbeinghurriedalongitintheflyingvehicle。Wefrequentlychangedhorses；andatlastmyfriendthecoachmanwasreplacedbyanother，theveryimageofhimself-hawknose，redface，withnarrow-rimmedhatandfashionablebenjamin。Afterhehaddrivenaboutfiftyyards，thenewcoachmanfelltowhippingoneofthehorses。’D-thisnear-
handwheeler，’saidhe，’thebrutehasgotacorn。’’Whippinghimwon’tcurehimofhiscorn，’saidI。’Whotoldyoutospeak？’saidthedriver，withanoath；’mindyourownbusiness；’tisn’tfromthelikeofyouIamtolearntodrive’orses。’PresentlyIfellintoabrokenkindofslumber。InanhourortwoIwasarousedbyaroughvoice-’Gotto-，youngman；getdownifyouplease。’I
openedmyeyes-therewasadimandindistinctlight，likethatwhichprecedesdawn；thecoachwasstandingstillinsomethinglikeastreet；justbelowmestoodtheguard。’Doyoumeantogetdown，’saidhe，’orwillyoukeepusheretillmorning？otherfareswanttogetup。’ScarcelyknowingwhatIdid，Itookmybundleandstickanddescended，whilsttwopeoplemounted。’Allright，John，’
saidtheguardtothecoachman，springingupbehind；whereuponoffwhiskedthecoach，oneortwoindividualswhowerestandingbydisappeared，andIwasleftalone。
CHAPTERLX
Thestillhour-Athrill-Thewondrouscircle-Theshepherd-
Heapsandbarrows-Whatdoyoumean？-Milkoftheplains-
Hengistsparedit-Nopresents。
AFTERstandingstillaminuteortwo，consideringwhatIshoulddo，Imoveddownwhatappearedtobethestreetofasmallstragglingtown；presentlyIpassedbyachurch，whichroseindistinctlyonmyrighthand；anontherewastherustlingoffoliageandtherushingofwaters。Ireachedabridge，beneathwhichasmallstreamwasrunninginthedirectionofthesouth。Istoppedandleanedovertheparapet，forIhavealwayslovedtolookuponstreams，especiallyatthestillhours。’Whatstreamisthis，Iwonder？’
saidI，asIlookeddownfromtheparapetintothewater，whichwhirledandgurgledbelow。
Leavingthebridge，Iascendedagentleacclivity，andpresentlyreachedwhatappearedtobeatractofmooryundulatingground。Itwasnowtolerablylight，buttherewasamistorhazeabroadwhichpreventedmyseeingobjectswithmuchprecision。Ifeltchillinthedampairoftheearlymorn，andwalkedrapidlyforward。InabouthalfanhourIarrivedwheretheroaddividedintotwo，atanangleortongueofdarkgreensward。’Totherightortheleft？’
saidI，andforthwithtook，withoutknowingwhy，theleft-handroad，alongwhichIproceededaboutahundredyards，when，inthemidstofthetongueofswardformedbythetworoads，collaterallywithmyself，IperceivedwhatIatfirstconceivedtobeasmallgroveofblightedtrunksofoaks，barkedandgray。Istoodstillforamoment，andthen，turningofftheroad，advancedslowlytowardsitoverthesward；asIdrewnearer，Iperceivedthattheobjectswhichhadattractedmycuriosity，andwhichformedakindofcircle，werenottrees，butimmenseuprightstones。Athrillpervadedmysystem；justbeforemeweretwo，themightiestofthewhole，tallasthestemsofproudoaks，supportingontheirtopsahugetransversestone，andformingawonderfuldoorway。IknewnowwhereIwas，and，layingdownmystickandbundle，andtakingoffmyhat，Iadvancedslowly，andcastmyself-itwasfolly，perhaps，butIcouldnothelpwhatIdid-castmyself，withmyfaceonthedewyearth，inthemiddleoftheportalofgiants，beneaththetransversestone。
ThespiritofStonehengewasstronguponme!
AndafterIhadremainedwithmyfaceonthegroundforsometime，Iarose，placedmyhatonmyhead，and，takingupmystickandbundle，wanderedroundthewondrouscircle，examiningeachindividualstone，fromthegreatesttotheleast；andthen，enteringbythegreatdoor，seatedmyselfuponanimmensebroadstone，onesideofwhichwassupportedbyseveralsmallones，andtheotherslantedupontheearth；andthere，indeepmeditation，I
satforanhourortwo，tillthesunshoneinmyfaceabovethetallstonesoftheeasternside。
AndasIstillsatthere，Iheardthenoiseofbells，andpresentlyalargenumberofsheepcamebrowsingpastthecircleofstones；
twoorthreeentered，andgrazeduponwhattheycouldfind，andsoonamanalsoenteredthecircleatthenorthernside。
’Earlyhere，sir，’saidtheman，whowastall，anddressedinadarkgreenslop，andhadalltheappearanceofashepherd；’atraveller，Isuppose？’
’Yes，’saidI，’Iamatraveller；arethesesheepyours？’
’Theyare，sir；thatis，theyaremymaster’s。Astrangeplacethis，sir，’saidhe，lookingatthestones；’everherebefore？’
’Neverinbody，frequentlyinmind。’
’Heardofthestones，Isuppose；nowonder-allthepeopleoftheplaintalkofthem。’
’Whatdothepeopleoftheplainsayofthem？’
’Why，theysay-Howdidtheyevercomehere？’
’Dotheynotsupposethemtohavebeenbrought？’
’Whoshouldhavebroughtthem？’
’Ihavereadthattheywerebroughtbymanythousandmen。’
’Wherefrom？’
’Ireland。’
’Howdidtheybringthem？’
’Idon’tknow。’
’Andwhatdidtheybringthemfor？’
’Toformatemple，perhaps。’
’Whatisthat？’
’AplacetoworshipGodin。’
’AstrangeplacetoworshipGodin。’
’Why？’
’Ithasnoroof。’
’Yes，ithas。’
’Where？’saidtheman，lookingup。
’Whatdoyouseeaboveyou？’
’Thesky。’
’Well？’
’Well!’
’Haveyouanythingtosay？’
’Howdidthesestonescomehere？’
’Arethereotherstonesliketheseontheplains？’saidI。
’None；andyetthereareplentyofstrangethingsonthesedowns。’
’Whatarethey？’
’Strangeheaps，andbarrows，andgreatwallsofearthbuiltonthetopsofhills。’
’Dothepeopleoftheplainwonderhowtheycamethere？’
’Theydonot。’
’Why？’
’Theywereraisedbyhands。’
’Andthesestones？’