The name so astonished me that I remained silent for quite two minutes
during which I repeated it to myself many times to fix it in my memory.

"But why," said I at length, "do you call yourself Overington when your
father's name is Job?"

"Oh, that is because I have two fathers--Mr. Job, my very old father,
and Mr. Overington, who lives away from here. He comes to see me
sometimes, and he is my father too; but I have only one mother--there
she is out again looking at us."

I questioned him no further, and no further did I seek those mysteries
to disclose, and so we parted; but I never see a plant or sprig of
southernwood, nor inhale its cedarwood smell, which one does not know
whether to like or dislike, without recalling the memory of that
miraculous cottage child with a queer history and numerous names.




XXIV

IN PORTCHESTER CHURCHYARD


To the historically and archaeologically minded the castle and walls at
Portchester are of great importance. Romans, Britons, Saxons, Normans--
they all made use of this well-defended place for long centuries, and
it still stands, much of it well preserved, to be explored and admired