第67章

’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？’

’Youtalksoprettilyaboutth