plates and pitchers all of
gold, with bars of the same, and many other curious things. He said
that a third of such things by rights belonged to the King; but that
the King's Grace had been contented to take a rich cup or two, and had
left the rest in the hands of him whose land it was. Then the old
scholar asked Walter if it were not true that he had in his own land
an ancient fort or stronghold, and Walter told him of the Red Camp and
the story, and the old man heard him with great attention saying, "Ay,
ay," and "Ay, so it would be," and at the last he said that the story
of the treasure was most likely a true one, for he did not see how it
could have grown up otherwise; and that he did not doubt that it was a
great Roman treasure, perhaps a tribute, gathered in from the people
of the land, who would doubtless have been enraged to lose so much and
would have striven to recover it. "Ay, it is there, sure enough," he
said.

Walter offered to go with him to the place; but the old Vicar, seeing
Walter's bright eye, and knowing something of the difficulties, said
that the legend was that it would be ill to disturb a thing that had
cost so many warriors their lives; and that a curse would rest upon
one that did disturb it. The old scholar laughed and said that the
curses of the dead, and especially of the heathen dead, would break no
bones--and he went on to say that doubtless there was a whole
hen-roost of curses hidden away in the mound upon the downs; but that
they had hurt not his friend who had opened it; for he lived very
delicately and plentifully off the treasure of the old prince, who
seemed to bear him no grudge for it. "Nay, doubtless," he said, "if we
but knew the truth, I dare say that the old heathen man, pining in
some dark room in hell, is glad enough that his treasure should be
richly spent by a good Christian gentleman."

They walked together to the place; and the old gentleman talked very
learnedly and showed him where the gates and towers of the fort had
been--adding to Walter, "And if I were you, Mr. Wyatt, I would have
the place cleared and trenched, and would dig the gold out; for it is
there as sure as I am a Christian man and a lover of the old days."

Then Walter told his mother of all that had been said; and she had
heard of the old tales, and shook her head; indeed when Walter spoke
to the old bailiff of his wish to open the place, the old man almost
wept; and then, seeing that he prevailed