You see," he said, with something of a smirk, "I am fond of working in gold and fine metals; this buckle here is an early piece of mine." No doubt I looked a little shy of him under the influence of that doubt as to his sanity.

So he broke off short, and said in a kind voice: "But I see that I am boring you, and I ask your pardon.

For, not to mince matters, I can tell that you _are_ a stranger, and must come from a place very unlike England.

But also it is clear that it won't do to overdose you with information about this place, and that you had best suck it in little by little.

Further, I should take it as very kind in you if you would allow me to be the showman of our new world to you, since you have stumbled on me first.