How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"It is an ocean," she said. "We came across it when I was just a baby, from the old country." […]
"But Hempstock Farm is in the Domesday Book," I said. "Your mum said so. And that was William the Conqueror."
"Yes," said Lettie Hempstock. (2.86-88)
The Hempstocks play pretty fast and loose with the progression of time. Lettie's nonchalant "yes" about being around since before William the Conqueror tells you exactly how ancient she is—and yet they don't really try to hide their peculiar brand of immortality. They just allude to it like it's no biggie.
Quote #5
"Once you've been around for a bit, you get to know stuff." I kicked a stone.
"By 'a bit' do you mean 'a really long time'?"
She nodded.
"How old are you, really?" I asked.
"Eleven."
I thought for a bit. Then I asked, "How long have you been eleven for?"
She smiled at me. (3.64-70)
So if she's been eleven for some undeterminable amount of time, is she really eleven? Or does she just say that to make the boy feel more comfortable?
Quote #6
>"Old enough," she said. "I remember when the moon was made."
"Hasn't there always been a moon?"
"Bless you. Not in the slightest. I remember the day the moon came. We looked up in the sky—it was all dirty brown and sooty gray here then, not green and blue…" (3.95)
Gran's take on the whole immortal thing is the best—she just lays down what sound like nonsensical stories and then pities the kid when he gets confused. (Note: "Bless you", when used in this context, is a lot like saying "Aw, you poor thing. Too dumb to know any better.")