Still it never occurred to them to behave less well than they would have done in their own church at home, although their attention, and their eyes too, would keep wandering to their new surroundings.
They were half fascinated, half awed, by the imposing mural tablets which frowned down on them from over their own and their neighbours’ pews, displaying such a variety of designs and devices. One tablet attracted Hubert greatly, from which a helmet stood out in such bold relief that he wondered if it would take off, whilst Marygold was deeply interested in the white marble effigy of a little girl, almost as big as herself, kneeling in a flowing robe with clasped hands on a level with her chin.
Why was that little girl there, she wondered, and had she been kneeling there for a great, great many years?
“Please tell me what’s written there,” she whispered to Phoena after the service was over; “it must tell about her death, I think.”
“It’s all in Latin,” returned Phoena, scanning the inscription under the little girl’s monument; “perhaps Jack could tell us what it is.” But another monument by the west door of the church was fascinating Jack and Phil, and they had no attention to pay to Marygold.
This was the life-size effigy of a recumbent knight, painted black, and looking ancient and grim beyond description. The shape of his shield and his crossed legs delighted Phoena, as showing that that old knight had been a Crusader, whilst Hubert fell in love with the hound which had crouched for so many years in stony stillness at his master’s feet.
“Now, doesn’t it seem curious?” cried Phoena, eagerly, as they came out of church, “that there should be a real old knight lying there? It seems as if it was to remind us that they really did live once, and did all the grand, brave things one can only read about now.”
“But then they only got buried and painted black,” said Phil, dismally.
“But they’ll never be forgotten,” said Di, quickly.
“I should like to know what great things that grand old chap had done,” remarked Jack, thoughtfully.