’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？’