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there for ever。 。 。 。 〃This is very like trying to remember some game one played when one was a child。 It is like coming on something that one built up with bricks and stones in some forgotten part of the garden。 。 。 。 〃
〃The life we lived here；〃 said the doctor； has left its traces in traditions； in mental predispositions； in still unanalyzed fundamental ideas。〃 〃Archaeology is very like remembering；〃 said Sir Richmond。 〃Presently we shall remember a lot more about all this。 We shall remember what it was like to live in this place； and the long journey hither； age by age out of the south。 We shall remember the sacrifices we made and the crazy reasons why we made them。 We sowed our corn in blood here。 We had strange fancies about the stars。 Those we brought with us out of the south where the stars are brighter。 And what like were those wooden gods of ours？ I don't remember。 。 。 。 But I could easily persuade myself that I had been here before。〃 They stood on the crest of the ancient wall and the setting sun cast long shadows of them athwart a field of springing wheat。 〃Perhaps we shall come here again；〃 the doctor carried on Sir Richmond's fancy； 〃after another four thousand years or so； with different names and fuller minds。 And then I suppose that this ditch won't be the riddle it is now。〃 〃Life didn't seem so complicated then；〃 Sir Richmond mused。 〃Our muddles were unconscious。 We drifted from mood to mood and forgot。 There was more sunshine then； more laughter perhaps； and blacker despair。 Despair like the despair of children that can weep itself to sleep。 。 。 。 It's over。 。 。 。 Was it battle and massacre that ended that long afternoon here？ Or did the woods catch fire some exceptionally dry summer； leaving black hills and famine？ Or did strange men bring a sicknessmeasles； perhaps； or the black death？ Or was it cattle pest？ Or did we just waste our woods and dwindle away before the new peoples that came into the land across the southern sea？ I can't remember。 。 。 。 〃 Sir Richmond turned about。 〃I would like to dig up the bottom of this ditch here foot by footand dry the stuff and sift itvery carefully。 。 。 。 Then I might begin to remember things。〃 Section 5 In the evening； after a pleasant supper； they took a turn about the walls with the moon sinking over beyond Silbury； and then went in and sat by lamplight before a brightly fussy wood fire and smoked。 There were long intervals of friendly silence。 〃I don't in the least want to go on talking about myself； 〃 said Sir Richmond abruptly。 〃Let it rest then；〃 said the doctor generously。 〃To…day； among these ancient memories； has taken me out of myself wonderfully。 I can't tell you how good Avebury has been for me。 This afternoon half my consciousness has seemed to be a tattooed creature wearing a knife of stone。 。 。 。 〃 〃The healing touch of history。〃 〃And for the first time my damned Committee has mattered scarcely a rap。 〃 Sir Richmond stretched himself in his chair and blinked cheerfully at his cigar smoke。 〃Nevertheless；〃 he said； 〃this confessional business of yours has been an excellent exercise。 It has enabled me to get outside myself； to look at myself as a Case。 Now I can even see myself as a remote Case。 That I needn't bother about further。 。 。 。 So far as that goes； I think we have done all that there is to be done。〃 〃I shouldn't say thatquiteyet；〃 said the doctor。 〃I don't think I'm a subject for real psychoanalysis at all。 I'm not an overlaid sort of person。 When I spread myself out there is not much indication of a suppressed wish or of anything masked or buried of that sort。 What you get is a quite open and recognized discord of two sets of motives。〃 The doctor considered。 〃Yes； I think that is true。 Your LIBIDO is； I should say； exceptionally free。 Generally you are doing what you want to dooverdoing； in fact； what you want to do and getting simply tired。〃 〃Which is the theory I started with。 I am a case of fatigue under irritating circumstances with very little mental complication or concealment。〃 〃Yes；〃 said the doctor。 〃I agree。 You are not a case for psychoanalysis； strictly speaking； at all。 You are in open conflict with yourself； upon moral and social issues。 Practically open。 Your problems are problems of conscious conduct。〃 〃As I said。〃 〃Of what renunciations you have consciously to make。〃 Sir Richmond did not answer that。 。 。 。 〃This pilgrimage of ours；〃 he said； presently； 〃has made for magnanimity。 This day particularly has been a good day。 When we stood on this old wall here in the sunset I seemed to be standing outside myself in an immense still sphere of past and future。 I stood with my feet upon the Stone Age and saw myself four thousand years away； and all my distresses as very little incidents in that perspective。 Away there in London the case is altogether different； after three hours or so of the Committee one concentrates into one little inflamed moment of personality。 There is no past any longer； there is no future； there is only the rankling dispute。 For all those three hours； perhaps； I have been thinking of just what I had to say； just how I had to say it； just how I looked while I said it； just how much I was making myself understood； how I might be misunderstood； how I might be misrepresented； challenged； denied。 One draws in more and more as one is used up。 At last one is reduced to a little； raw； bleeding； desperately fighting； pin…point of SELF。 。 。 。 One goes back to one's home unable to recover。 Fighting it over again。 All night sometimes 。 。 。 。 I get up and walk about the room and curse 。 。 。 。 Martineau； how is one to get the Avebury frame of mind to Westminster？〃 〃When Westminster is as dead as Avebury；〃 said the doctor； unhelpfully。 He added after some seconds； 〃Milton knew of these troubles。 'Not without dust and heat' he wrotea great phrase。〃 〃But the dust chokes me；〃 said Sir Richmond。 He took up a copy of THE GREEN ROADS OF ENGLAND that lay beside him on the table。 But he did not open it。 He held it in his hand and said the thing he had had in mind to say all that evening。 〃I do not think that I shall stir up my motives any more for a time。 Better to go on into the west country cooling my poor old brain in these wide shadows of the past。〃 〃I can prescribe nothing better；〃 said Dr。 Martineau。 〃Incidentally； we may be able to throw a little more light on one or two of your minor entanglements。〃 〃I don't want to think of them； said Sir Richmond。 〃Let me get right away from everything。 Until my skin has grown again。〃
CHAPTER THE SIXTH THE ENCOUNTER AT STONEHENGE Section 1 Next day in the early afternoon after a farewell walk over the downs round Avebury they went by way of Devizes and Netheravon and Amesbury to Stonehenge。 Dr。 Martineau had seen this ancient monument before； but now； with Avebury fresh in his mind； he found it a poorer thing than he had remembered it to be。 Sir Richmond was frankly disappointed。 After the real greatness and mystery of the older place； it seemed a poor little heap of stones； it did not even dominate the landscape； it was some way from the crest of the swelling down on which it stood and it was further dwarfed by the colossal air…ship hangars and clustering offices of the air station that the great war had called into existence upon the slopes to the south…west。 〃It looks；〃 Sir Richmond said； 〃as though some old giantess had left a discarded set of teeth on the hillside。〃 Far more impressive than Stonehenge itself were the barrows that capped the neighbouring crests。 The sacred stones were fenced about； and our visitors had to pay for admission at a little kiosk by the gate。 At the side of the road stood a travelstained middle…class automobile； with a miscellany of dusty luggage； rugs and luncheon things thereina family automobile with father no doubt at the wheel。 Sir Richmond left his own trim coupe at its tail。 They were impeded at the entrance by a difference of opinion between the keeper of the turnstile and a small but resolute boy of perhaps five or six who proposed to leave the enclosure。 The custodian thought that it would be better if his nurse or his mother came out with him。 〃She keeps on looking at it； 〃 said the small boy。 〃It isunt anything。 I want to go and clean the car。〃 〃You won't SEE Stonehenge every day； young man；〃 said the custodian； a little piqued。 〃It's only an old beach；〃 said the small boy； with extreme conviction。 〃It's rocks like the seaside。 And there isunt no sea。〃 The man at the turnstile mutely consulted the doctor。 〃I don't see that he can get into any harm here；〃 the doctor advised； and the small boy was released from archaeology。 He strolled to the family automobile； produced an EN…TOUT…CAS pocket…handkerchief and set himself to polish the lamps with great assiduity。 The two gentlemen lingered at the turnstile for a moment or so to watch his proceedings。 〃Modern child；〃 said Sir Richmond。 〃Old stones are just old stones to him。 But motor cars are gods。〃 〃You can hardly expect him to understandat his age；〃 said the custodian； jealous for the honor of Stonehenge。 。 。 。 〃Reminds me of Martin's little girl；〃 said Sir Richmond； as he and Dr。 Martineau went on towards the circle。 〃When she encountered her first dragon…fly she was greatly delighted。 '0h； dee' lill' a'e