Lewis found Edward had mentioned many things that had never entered his little giddy head; at any rate, he seemed to think them not worth remembering. Perhaps you would have thought Lewis’s history the most entertaining; but then there were many blotted leaves, and sentences left unfinished. Often, when he was seated at the table, intending to write very industriously, the sound of a horn, or of a passing vehicle, would draw him to the window; then he must wait to see the passengers mount, and the coach start: then a gay party on horseback would pass, or a pretty little chaise drawn by a goat, till he found it very difficult to recall his scattered thoughts; and the memorandum-book stood a poor chance of coming in for a share of his attention. He really was sorry, however, when he compared his brother’s neatly written pages with his own, and thought how much more pleasure his papa would have in looking at them. “Edward,” said he, one day, looking over his brother’s shoulder, “where did you learn all this about the early history of Brighton?” Edward confessed that he should have known very little about it, if his mamma had not assisted him, and pointed out the accounts in some of the books at the library. Lewis looked half ashamed; for he recollected that he had had the same opportunity of gaining information. “Now, Edward,” said he, drawing his chair close to the table, “you shall tell me all you can about it; but I will not promise to write it all in my manuscript book; only the most entertaining things.” Edward was pleased with the office Lewis had chosen for him. “First, then,” said he, “I must tell you that Brighton, or more properly Brighthelmstone, is of Saxon origin; for it is said, the Saxons invaded it in the fifth century, and afterwards settled here. It is said, also, that it took its name from Brighthelm, a Saxon chief, to whom Ella, the invader, gave the place. Many years afterwards it was possessed by the family of Godwin, earl of Kent, and from him it descended to his son Harold.” “Ah! poor king Harold,” said Lewis, “I recollect he was killed in the battle of Hastings, while he was fighting against William the Conqueror. I think I shall write something about that famous battle.” Edward thought it would be well to do so, because the battle was fought on that very coast, and because Brighton changed masters in consequence; for William the Conqueror gave all poor king Harold’s possessions to his son-in-law, William de Warren. “Perhaps,” Edward said, “you will not think it worth while to notice the next thing my book mentions; which is, that a charter for a weekly market was obtained for the town of Brighton, in 1313.” Lewis thought it was a sign of its being, even at so early a period, a place of some consequence; and supposed it had been getting larger and richer ever since, until it had grown into what they saw it.