’Howdidtheyevercomehere？’
’Iwonderwhethertheyarehere？’saidI。
’Thesestones？’
’Yes。’
’Sosureastheworld，’saidtheman；’and，astheworld，theywillstandaslong。’
’Iwonderwhetherthereisaworld。’
’Whatdoyoumean？’
’Anearth，andsea，moonandstars，sheepandmen。’
’Doyoudoubtit？’
’Sometimes。’
’Ineverhearditdoubtedbefore。’
’Itisimpossiblethereshouldbeaworld。’
’Itain’tpossiblethereshouldn’tbeaworld。’
’Justso。’Atthismomentafineewe，attendedbyalamb，rushedintothecircleandfondledthekneesoftheshepherd。’Isupposeyouwouldnotcaretohavesomemilk，’saidtheman。
’Whydoyousupposeso？’
’Because，sobetherebenosheep，nomilk，youknow；andwhatthereben’tisnotworthhaving。’
’Youcouldnothavearguedbetter，’saidI；’thatis，supposingyouhaveargued；withrespecttothemilkyoumaydoasyouplease。’
’Bestill，Nanny，’saidtheman；andproducingatinvesselfromhisscrip，hemilkedtheeweintoit。’Hereismilkoftheplains，master，’saidtheman，ashehandedthevesseltome。
’Wherearethosebarrowsandgreatwallsofearthyouwerespeakingof？’saidI，afterIhaddrunksomeofthemilk；’arethereanynearwhereweare？’
’Notwithinmanymiles；thenearestisyonderaway，’saidtheshepherd，pointingtothesouth-east。’It’sagrandplace，that，butnotlikethis；quitedifferent，andfromityouhaveasightofthefinestspireintheworld。’
’Imustgotoit，’saidI，andIdranktheremainderofthemilk；
’yonder，yousay。’
’Yes，yonder；butyoucannotgettoitinthatdirection，theriverliesbetween。’
’Whatriver？’
’TheAvon。’
’AvonisBritish，’saidI。
’Yes，’saidtheman，’weareallBritishhere。’
’No，wearenot，’saidI。
’Whatarewethen？’
’English。’
’Ain’ttheyone？’
’No。’
’WhoweretheBritish？’
’ThemenwhoaresupposedtohaveworshippedGodinthisplace，andwhoraisedthesestones。’
’Wherearetheynow？’
’Ourforefathersslaughteredthem，spilledtheirbloodallabout，especiallyinthisneighbourhood，destroyedtheirpleasantplaces，andleftnot，tousetheirownwords，onestoneuponanother。’
’Yes，theydid，’saidtheshepherd，lookingaloftatthetransversestone。
’Anditiswellforthemtheydid；wheneverthatstone，whichEnglishhandsneverraised，isbyEnglishhandsthrowndown，woe，woe，woetotheEnglishrace；spareit，English!Hengistsparedit!-
Hereissixpence。’
’Iwon’thaveit，’saidtheman。
’Whynot？’
’Youtalksoprettilyaboutthesestones；youseemtoknowallaboutthem。’
’Ineverreceivepresents；withrespecttothestones，Isaywithyourself，Howdidtheyevercomehere？’
’Howdidtheyevercomehere？’saidtheshepherd。
CHAPTERLXI
Theriver-Ariddowns-Aprospect。
LEAVINGtheshepherd，Ibentmywayinthedirectionpointedoutbyhimasthatinwhichthemostremarkableofthestrangeremainsofwhichhehadspokenlay。Iproceededrapidly，makingmywayoverthedownscoveredwithcoarsegrassandfern；withrespecttotheriverofwhichhehadspoken，Ireflectedthat，eitherbywadingorswimming，IcouldeasilytransfermyselfandwhatIboretotheoppositeside。Onarrivingatitsbanks，Ifounditabeautifulstream，butshallow，withhereandthereadeepplacewherethewaterrandarkandstill。
Alwaysfondofthepurelymph，Iundressed，andplungedintooneofthesegulfs，fromwhichIemerged，mywholeframeinaglow，andtinglingwithdelicioussensations。Afterconveyingmyclothesandscantybaggagetothefartherside，Idressed，andthenwithhurriedstepsbentmycourseinthedirectionofsomeloftyground；
Iatlengthfoundmyselfonahigh-road，leadingoverwideandariddowns；followingtheroadforsomemileswithoutseeinganythingremarkable，IsupposedatlengththatIhadtakenthewrongpath，andwendedonslowlyanddisconsolatelyforsometime，till，havingnearlysurmountedasteephill，Iknewatonce，fromcertainappearances，thatIwasneartheobjectofmysearch。Turningtotherightnearthebrowofthehill，Iproceededalongapathwhichbroughtmetoacausewayleadingoveradeepravine，andconnectingthehillwithanotherwhichhadonceformedpartofit，fortheravinewasevidentlytheworkofart。Ipassedoverthecauseway，andfoundmyselfinakindofgatewaywhichadmittedmeintoasquarespaceofmanyacres，surroundedonallsidesbymoundsorrampartsofearth。ThoughIhadneverbeeninsuchaplacebefore，IknewthatIstoodwithintheprecinctsofwhathadbeenaRomanencampment，andoneprobablyofthelargestsize，formanythousandwarriorsmighthavefoundroomtoperformtheirevolutionsinthatspace，inwhichcornwasnowgrowing，thegreenearswavinginthemorningwind。
AfterIhadgazedaboutthespaceforatime，standinginthegatewayformedbythemounds，Iclamberedupthemoundtothelefthand，andonthetopofthatmoundIfoundmyselfatagreataltitude；beneath，atthedistanceofamile，wasafairoldcity，situatedamongstverdantmeadows，wateredwithstreams，andfromtheheartofthatoldcity，fromamidstmightytrees，Ibeheldtoweringtotheskythefinestspireintheworld。
AndafterIhadlookedfromtheRomanrampartforalongtime，I
hurriedaway，and，retracingmystepsalongthecause-way，regainedtheroad，and，passingoverthebrowofthehill，descendedtothecityofthespire。
CHAPTERLXII
Thehostelry-Lifeuncertain-Opencountenance-Thegrandpoint-Thankyou，master-Ahardmother-Poordear!-Considerableodds-Thebettercountry-Englishfashion-Landlord-lookingperson。
ANDintheoldcityIremainedtwodays，passingmytimeasIbestcould-inspectingthecuriositiesoftheplace，eatinganddrinkingwhenIfeltsodisposed，whichIfrequentlydid，thedigestiveorganshavingassumedatonetowhichformanymonthstheyhadbeenstrangers-enjoyingatnightbalmysleepinalargebedinaduskyroom，attheendofacorridor，inacertainhostelryinwhichIhadtakenupmyquarters-receivingfromthepeopleofthehostelrysuchcivilityandcondescensionaspeoplewhotravelonfootwithbundleandstick，butwhoneverthelessareperceivedtobenotaltogetherdestituteofcoin，areinthehabitofreceiving。Onthethirdday，onafinesunnyafternoon，I
departedfromthecityofthespire。
AsIwaspassingthroughoneofthesuburbs，Isaw，allonasudden，arespectable-lookingfemalefalldowninafit；severalpersonshastenedtoherassistance。’Sheisdead，’saidone。’No，sheisnot，’saidanother。’Iamafraidsheis，’saidathird。
’Lifeisveryuncertain，’saidafourth。’ItisMrs-，’saidafifth；’letuscarryhertoherownhouse。’Notbeingabletorenderanyassistance，Ileftthepoorfemaleinthehandsofhertownsfolk，andproceededonmyway。Ihadchosenaroadinthedirectionofthenorth-west，itledoverdownswherecornwasgrowing，butwhereneithertreenorhedgewastobeseen；twoorthreehours’walkingbroughtmetoabeautifulvalley，aboundingwithtreesofvariouskinds，withadelightfulvillageatitsfarthestextremity；passingthroughit，Iascendedaloftyacclivity，onthetopofwhichIsatdownonabank，and，takingoffmyhat，permittedabreeze，whichsweptcoollyandrefreshinglyoverthedowns，todrymyhair，drippingfromtheeffectsofexerciseandtheheatoftheday。
AndasIsatthere，gazingnowattheblueheavens，nowatthedownsbeforeme，amancamealongtheroadinthedirectioninwhichIhadhithertobeenproceeding：justoppositetomehestopped，and，lookingatme，cried-’AmIrightforLondon，master？’