The sea beyond was still wrapped in summer fog, the
ships in the roads showing through it as black spiders suspended in
the air. While they looked and walked a white jet of smoke burst
from a spot which the miller knew to be the battery in front of the
King's residence, and then the report of guns reached their ears.
This announcement was answered by a salute from the Castle of the
adjoining Isle, and the ships in the neighbouring anchorage. All
the bells in the town began ringing. The King and his family had
arrived.
XII. HOW EVERYBODY GREAT AND SMALL CLIMBED TO THE TOP OF THE DOWNS
As the days went on, echoes of the life and bustle of the town
reached the ears of the quiet people in Overcombe hollow--exciting
and moving those unimportant natives as a ground-swell moves the
weeds in a cave. Travelling-carriages of all kinds and colours
climbed and descended the road that led towards the seaside borough.
Some contained those personages of the King's suite who had not kept
pace with him in his journey from Windsor; others were the coaches
of aristocracy, big and little, whom news of the King's arrival drew
thither for their own pleasure: so that the highway, as seen from
the hills about Overcombe, appeared like an ant-walk--a constant
succession of dark spots creeping along its surface at nearly
uniform rates of progress, and all in one direction.
The traffic and intelligence between camp and town passed in a
measure over the villagers' heads.
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