I knew that an Erpwald held the place even yet,
but I cared not. It was but a pleasant memory by reason of the
coming of Owen, and I had no thought even to see the place again.
Only, as we talked it did seem to me that I would that I knew that
the grave of my father was honoured.
Then we left the old road, and crossed the ancient Parrett bridge,
where the Roman earthworks yet stood frowning as if they would stay
us. They were last held against Kenwalch, and now we were in that
no-man's land which he had won and wasted. Then we climbed the long
slope of the Quantocks, whence we might look back over the land we
had left, to see the Tor at Glastonbury shouldering higher and
higher above the lower Poldens, until the height was reached and
the swift descent toward Norton began. There we could see all the
wild Exmoor hills before us, with the sea away to our right, and
Thorgils shewed us where lay, under the very headlands of the hills
we were crossing, the place where his folk had their haven. He said
that he could see the very smoke from the hearths, but maybe that
was only because he knew where it ought to be, and we laughed at
him.
So we came to the outskirts of Norton, and all the way we had seen
no man. The hills were deserted, save by wild things, and of them
there was plenty.
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