meadows through which flowed a clear translucent stream, and the
meadows were a mass of flowers, narcissus, jonquil, violet, for it was
spring. And beyond the meadows was a fair wood all newly dressed, and
out of the wood there came towards me a man, and I knew it was the
Lord Christ. And I went on to meet Him. And when I was come to Him I
said: "I shall never understand what You mean ... I shall never
understand what You mean. For You say the meek shall inherit the
earth.... I shall never understand what You mean."

And He looked at me and smiled, and stretching forth His hands and
looking all about He answered: "But I spoke of the flowers."




CHAPTER VII

THE VALLEY OF THE STOUR

CAESAR IN KENT


It was upon as fair a spring morning as ever was in England, that I
set out from Canterbury through the West Gate, and climbing up the
shoulder of Harbledown, some little way past St Dunstan's, turned out
of the Watling Street, south and west into the old green path or
trackway, which, had I followed it to the end, would have brought me
right across Kent and Surrey and Hampshire to Winchester the old
capital of England. This trackway, far older than history, would
doubtless have perished utterly, as so many of its fellows have done,