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
by many thousands of visitors every year. What most interested me was
the sight of two small boys playing in the churchyard.
