Bertie surveys the valley like a grave proconsul ...

When I first saw Bertie, he was only a few weeks old - he looked like a tiny crumpled fragment of chamois leather - 

Ken was trying to train him - but the distractions of a new warm world were hard to overcome - 

Bertie was darting about, losing himself amongst the orange trees, snuffing the air, overwhelmed by wonderful mysterious scents - I'd burst out laughing - 

Now here he was, in the front passenger seat of the mighty Kia, surveying the valley like a grave proconsul - 

I patted Bertie's strong back, aware of his calm gaze, overcome suddenly by a sense of strange pity and awe -