第2章

AndthenwhatahillistheWhiteHorseHill！Thereitstandsrightupabovealltherest，ninehundredfeetabovethesea，andtheboldest，bravestshapeforachalkhillthatyoueversaw。Letusgouptothetopofhim，andseewhatistobefoundthere。Ay，youmaywellwonderandthinkitoddyouneverheardofthisbefore；butwonderornot，asyouplease，therearehundredsofsuchthingslyingaboutEngland，whichwiserfolkthanyouknownothingof，andcarenothingfor。Yes，it’samagnificentRomancamp，andnomistake，withgatesandditchandmounds，allascompleteasitwastwentyyearsafterthestrongoldroguesleftit。Here，rightuponthehighestpoint，fromwhichtheysayyoucanseeelevencounties，theytrenchedroundallthetable-land，sometwelveorfourteenacres，aswastheircustom，fortheycouldn’tbearanybodytooverlookthem，andmadetheireyrie。Thegroundfallsawayrapidlyonallsides。Wasthereeversuchturfinthewholeworld？Yousinkuptoyouranklesateverystep，andyetthespringofitisdelicious。Thereisalwaysabreezeinthe“camp，“asitiscalled；andhereitlies，justastheRomansleftit，exceptthatcairnontheeastside，leftbyherMajesty’scorpsofsappersandminerstheotherday，whentheyandtheengineerofficerhadfinishedtheirsojournthere，andtheirsurveysfortheordnancemapofBerkshire。Itisaltogetheraplacethatyouwon’tforget，aplacetoopenaman’ssoul，andmakehimprophesy，ashelooksdownonthatgreatValespreadoutasthegardenoftheLordbeforehim，andwaveonwaveofthemysteriousdownsbehind，andtotherightandleftthechalkhillsrunningawayintothedistance，alongwhichhecantraceformilestheoldRomanroad，“theRidgeway“(“theRudge，“asthecountryfolkcallit)，keepingstraightalongthehighestbackofthehills——suchaplaceasBalakbroughtBalaamto，andtoldhimtoprophesyagainstthepeopleinthevalleybeneath。

Andhecouldnot，neithershallyou，fortheyareapeopleoftheLordwhoabidethere。

Andnowweleavethecamp，anddescendtowardsthewest，andareontheAshdown。Wearetreadingonheroes。ItissacredgroundforEnglishmen——moresacredthanallbutoneortwofieldswheretheirbonesliewhitening。ForthisistheactualplacewhereourAlfredwonhisgreatbattle，thebattleofAshdown(“Aescendum“inthechroniclers)，whichbroketheDanishpower，andmadeEnglandaChristianland。TheDanesheldthecampandtheslopewherewearestanding——thewholecrownofthehill，infact。“Theheathenhadbeforehandseizedthehigherground，“

asoldAssersays，havingwastedeverythingbehindthemfromLondon，andbeingjustreadytoburstdownonthefairVale，Alfred’sownbirthplaceandheritage。AnduptheheightscametheSaxons，astheydidattheAlma。“TheChristiansleduptheirlinefromthelowerground。Therestoodalsoonthatsamespotasinglethorn-tree，marvellousstumpy(whichweourselveswithourveryowneyeshaveseen)。“Blesstheoldchronicler！

Doeshethinknobodyeversawthe“singlethorn-tree“buthimself？Why，thereitstandstothisveryday，justontheedgeoftheslope，andIsawitnotthreeweekssince——anoldsinglethorn-tree，“marvellousstumpy。“Atleast，ifitisn’tthesametreeitoughttohavebeen，forit’sjustintheplacewherethebattlemusthavebeenwonorlost——“aroundwhich，asIwassaying，thetwolinesoffoemencametogetherinbattlewithahugeshout。Andinthisplaceoneofthetwokingsoftheheathenandfiveofhisearlsfelldownanddied，andmanythousandsoftheheathensideinthesameplace。“*Afterwhichcrowningmercy，thepiousking，thattheremightneverbewantingasignandamemorialtothecountry-side，carvedoutonthenorthernsideofthechalkhill，underthecamp，whereitisalmostprecipitous，thegreatSaxonWhiteHorse，whichhewhowillmayseefromtherailway，andwhichgivesitsnametotheVale，overwhichithaslookedthesethousandyearsandmore。

*“PaganieditioremIocumpraeoccupaverant。Christianiabinferiorilocoaciemdirigebant。Eratquoqueineodemlocounicaspinosaarbor，brevisadmodum(quamnosipsinostrispropriisoculisvidimus)。Circaquamergohostilesinterseaciescumingenticlamorehostiliterconveniunt。QuoinlocoalterdeduobusPaganorumregibusetquinquecomitesoccisioccubuerunt，etmultamilliaPaganaepartisineodemloco。

CeciditillicergoBoegscegRex，etSidrocillesenexcomes，etSidrocJuniorcomes，etObsberncomes，“etc——AnnalesRerumGestarumAElfrediMagni，AuctoreAsserio。RecensuitFranciscusWise。Oxford，1722，p。23。

RightdownbelowtheWhiteHorseisacuriousdeepandbroadgullycalled“theManger，“intoonesideofwhichthehillsfallwithaseriesofthemostlovelysweepingcurves，knownas“theGiant’sStairs。“Theyarenotabitlikestairs，butIneversawanythinglikethemanywhereelse，withtheirshortgreenturf，andtenderbluebells，andgossamerandthistle-downgleaminginthesunandthesheep-pathsrunningalongtheirsideslikeruledlines。

TheothersideoftheMangerisformedbytheDragon’sHill，acuriouslittleroundself-confidentfellow，thrownforwardfromtherange，utterlyunlikeeverythingroundhim。Onthishillsomedelivererofmankind——St。George，thecountryfolkusedtotellme——killedadragon。WhetheritwereSt。George，Icannotsay；butsurelyadragonwaskilledthere，foryoumayseethemarksyetwherehisbloodrandown，andmorebytokentheplacewhereitrandownistheeasiestwayupthehillside。

PassingalongtheRidgewaytothewestforaboutamile，wecometoalittleclumpofyoungbeechandfirs，withagrowthofthornandprivetunderwood。Hereyoumayfindnestsofthestrongdownpartridgeandpeewit，buttakecarethatthekeeperisn’tdownuponyou；andinthemiddleofitisanoldcromlech，ahugeflatstoneraisedonsevenoreightothers，andleduptobyapath，withlargesinglestonessetuponeachside。ThisisWaylandSmith’scave，aplaceofclassicfamenow；butasSirWalterhastouchedit，Imayaswellletitalone，andreferyouto“Kenilworth“forthelegend。

Thethick，deepwoodwhichyouseeinthehollow，aboutamileoff，surroundsAshdownPark，builtbyInigoJones。Fourbroadalleysarecutthroughthewoodfromcircumferencetocentre，andeachleadstoonefaceofthehouse。Themysteryofthedownshangsabouthouseandwood，astheystandtherealone，sounlikeallaround，withthegreenslopesstuddedwithgreatstonesjustaboutthispart，stretchingawayonallsides。ItwasawiseLordCraven，Ithink，whopitchedhistentthere。

PassingalongtheRidgewaytotheeast，wesooncometocultivatedland。Thedowns，strictlysocalled，arenomore。

Lincolnshirefarmershavebeenimported，andthelong，freshslopesaresheep-walksnomore，butgrowfamousturnipsandbarley。Oneoftheseimproverslivesoverthereatthe“SevenBarrows“farm，anothermysteryofthegreatdowns。Therearethebarrowsstill，solemnandsilent，likeshipsinthecalmsea，thesepulchresofsomesonsofmen。Butofwhom？ItisthreemilesfromtheWhiteHorse——toofarfortheslainofAshdowntobeburiedthere。Whoshallsaywhatheroesarewaitingthere？ButwemustgetdownintotheValeagain，andsoawaybytheGreatWesternRailwaytotown，fortimeandtheprinter’sdevilpress，anditisaterriblelongandslipperydescent，andashockingbadroad。Atthebottom，however，thereisapleasantpublic；whereatwemustreallytakeamodestquencher，forthedownairisprovocativeofthirst。Sowepullupunderanoldoakwhichstandsbeforethedoor。

“Whatisthenameofyourhill，landlord？“

“BlawingSTWUNHill，sir，tobesure。“

[READER。“Stuym？“

AUTHOR:“Stone，stupid——theBlowingStone。“]

“Andofyourhouse？Ican’tmakeoutthesign。“

“BlawingStwun，sir，“saysthelandlord，pouringouthisoldalefromaTobyPhilpotjug，withamelodiouscrash，intothelong-

neckedglass。

“Whatqueernames！“saywe，sighingattheendofourdraught，andholdingouttheglasstobereplenished。

“Bean’tqueeratall，asIcansee，sir，“saysminehost，handingbackourglass，“seeingasthishereistheBlawingStwun，hisself，“puttinghishandonasquarelumpofstone，somethreefeetandahalfhigh，perforatedwithtwoorthreequeerholes，likepetrifiedantediluvianrat-holes，whichliestherecloseundertheoak，underourverynose。Wearemorethaneverpuzzled，anddrinkoursecondglassofale，wonderingwhatwillcomenext。“Liketohearun，sir？“saysminehost，settingdownTobyPhilpotonthetray，andrestingbothhandsonthe“Stwun。“Wearereadyforanything；andhe，withoutwaitingforareply，applieshismouthtooneoftheratholes。

Somethingmustcomeofit，ifhedoesn’tburst。Goodheavens！

Ihopehehasnoapoplectictendencies。Yes，hereitcomes，sureenough，agruesomesoundbetweenamoanandaroar，andspreadsitselfawayoverthevalley，andupthehillside，andintothewoodsatthebackofthehouse，aghost-like，awfulvoice。“Umdosay，sir，“saysminehost，risingpurple-faced，whilethemoanisstillcomingoutoftheStwun，“astheyusedinoldtimestowarnthecountry-sidebyblawingtheStwunwhentheenemywasa-comin’，andashowfolkscouldmakeunheeredthenforsevenmileround；leastways，soI’veheeredLawyerSmithsay，andheknowsasmartsightaboutthemoldtimes。“WecanhardlyswallowLawyerSmith’ssevenmiles；butcouldtheblowingofthestonehavebeenasummons，asortofsendingthefierycrossroundtheneighbourhoodintheoldtimes？Whatoldtimes？Whoknows？Wepayforourbeer，andarethankful。

“Andwhat’sthenameofthevillagejustbelow，landlord？“

“KingstoneLisle，sir。“

“Fineplantationsyou’vegothere？“

“Yes，sir；theSquire’s’mazingfondoftreesandsuchlike。“

“Nowonder。He’sgotsomerealbeautiestobefondof。Good-

day，landlord。“

“Good-day，sir，andapleasantrideto’ee。“

Andnow，myboys，youwhomIwanttogetforreaders，haveyouhadenough？Willyougiveinatonce，andsayyou’reconvinced，andletmebeginmystory，orwillyouhavemoreofit？

Remember，I’veonlybeenoveralittlebitofthehillsideyet——

whatyoucouldrideroundeasilyonyourponiesinanhour。I’monlyjustcomedownintotheVale，byBlowingStoneHill；andifIoncebeginabouttheVale，what’stostopme？You’llhavetohearallaboutWantage，thebirthplaceofAlfred，andFarringdon，whichheldoutsolongforCharlestheFirst(theValewasnearOxford，anddreadfullymalignant——fullofThrogmortons，Puseys，andPyes，andsuchlike；andtheirbrawnyretainers)。DidyoueverreadThomasIngoldsby’s“LegendofHamiltonTighe“？Ifyouhaven’t，yououghttohave。Well，Farringdoniswherehelived，beforehewenttosea；hisrealnamewasHamdenPye，andthePyeswerethegreatfolkatFarringdon。Thenthere’sPusey。You’veheardofthePuseyhorn，whichKingCanutegavetothePuseysofthatday，andwhichthegallantoldsquire，latelygonetohisrest(whomBerkshirefreeholdersturnedoutoflastParliament，totheireternaldisgrace，forvotingaccordingtohisconscience)，usedtobringoutonhighdays，holidays，andbonfirenights。AndthesplendidoldcrosschurchatUffington，theUffingastown。