Maria, being asleep, did not witness it, nor did
she contribute to the feeding of the clergyman either.
There followed a short sermon, of which they heard only the beginning,
the end, and certain patches in the middle when the preacher raised
his voice abruptly, but the text, they all agreed, was "Seek and ye
shall find." During the delivery of the portions that escaped them,
Tim scratched his head and thought about rabbits, while Judy's mind
hesitated between various costumes in the pews in front of her, unable
to decide which she would wear when she reached the age of its
respective owner.
And so, in due course, feeling somehow that something very real had
been accomplished, they streamed out with the rest of the congregation
into the blazing summer sunshine. Expectant, inquisitive and hungry,
they stood between the yew trees and the porch, yawning and fidgeting
until Uncle Felix gave the signal to start. The sunlight made them
blink. There was something of pleasurable excitement in knowing
themselves part of a "Congregation," for a Congregation was distantly
connected with "metropolis" and "govunment," and an important kind of
thing at any time.
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