The hard glitter of the day shone upon the white road, but behind them the wood was dark and cool, a green cloud against the sky.

Behind the steep hedges the harvesters were moving.

In the air a lark was singing, and along the ditch at the road side a tiny stream tumbled.

And beyond these sounds there was a vast tranquil silence.
The Coles moved up the hill very slowly, only Hamlet racing ahead to find spots of shadow where he might lie down and pant.

They would not confess to themselves that this promised to be the happiest moment of their day.