ET DONA FERENTES
1003
People don't say so, but they're watching us Christians all the time,
Miss Anstruther says. Ye are the salt of the Earth. A City that is set
on a hill cannot be hid.
Monica's voice suddenly broke into her daughter's thoughts.
"Look, darling! On that larch tree there. See? A jay." There,
indeed very close at hand sat a jay preening its rose feathers, its pastel
shades harmonizing delicately with the soft green caterpillars of the
larch. Suddenly it rose, with a flash of blue-green wing feathers, and
flew off, screaming harshly. Immediately all the birds in the wood
seemed to break into chattering. A cold wind blew across the stream.
Monica shivered and drew her coat round her shoulders. "I think
there's a storm coming up, darling" she said. "Let's go back to Gran–
nie."
"I think there's a storm coming up, but I'm glad we came all
the same" said Edwin, as, somewhat out of breath, he reached the
crest of the hills. "We've gone much farther than I ever intended, but
the time's passed so quickly in talking. I'm afraid the others may get
rather anxious, but still I think one has a right to enjoy oneself in
one's own way sometimes, don't you?" Then not waiting for answer he
continued "The Saxon settlement must have run right across the chain
to the left here. Down below, you see, is Milkford, the outskirts run
right up to the foot of the hills. It's quite an important town still, a
sort of watering place, but it was even more important in medieval
times. Of course there's nothing earlier, really, than thirteenth cen–
tury" he said apologetically "but the castle's quite interesting-fif–
teenth century, you know, when the fortress is turning into the coun–
try house. We might run down and look at it later, would you like
that?" he asked.
"That would be most nice" said Sven "but for some minutes I
should like to rest here, please. The heat renders me most tired" and
indeed beads of sweat were trickling down his brown chest where
the line of his shirt lay open almost to his stomach.
Edwin turned away. "Yes, you lie there a bit while I explore
round the place" but he did not move far off. Suddenly Sven broke
the silence.
"That is so lovely, your signet-ring. I should much like one of
the same kind" he said.
