2IO THE EXETER ROAD 



nor are cyclists as a rule, or agricultural folks, or 

 provincials generally, inclined greatly to worship the 

 immeasurably old. And of such this crowd was chiefly 

 composed. It may very pertinently be asked, ' Why, 

 if they don't reverence the place, do they come here 

 at all ? ' It is a question rather difficult to answer ; 

 but probably most people visit it on this occasion as 

 an excuse for being up all night. There would seem 

 to be an idea that there is somethino- dashino- and 

 eccentric about such a proceeding which must have 

 its charm for those to whom archaeology, or those 

 eternal and unsolvable cjuestions, ' AVhy was Stone- 

 henge built, and by whom ? ' have no interest. There 

 were, for instance, two boys on the spot who had 

 come over on their bicycles from Marlborough School, 

 over twenty miles away. Without leave, of course ! 

 They hoped to get back as quietly as they had 

 slipped away out of their bedroom windows. Had 

 they any archaeological enthusiasm ? Not a bit of 

 it, the more especially since it was evident they 

 would have to hurry back before the sun was due to 

 rise. 



There w^ere no fewer than fifteen police at Stone- 

 henge, sent on account of the disorderly scenes said 

 to have taken place in previous years. But this 

 crowd was sufficiently quiet. Patiently the throng- 

 waited the rising of the sun upon the horizon, and 

 the comiuQ- of the shadow of the onomon-stone across 

 the Stone of Sacrifice. The sky lightened, slio wing- 

 up the tired faces, and transferring the Great 

 Trilithons from the realms of romance to those of 

 commonplace reality. The larks began to trill ; 



