ɪn hɪz tʃˈaɪldhʊd ðə kˈʌntɹɪsˌaɪd bᵻhˌaɪnd fˈoʊkstoʊn wʌz sˈiːn baɪ bɹˈʊk æz ɐ fɚbˈɪdən kˈɪŋdəm ænd ɪnðə lˈæɾɚ stˈeɪdʒᵻz ʌvðə bˈʊk dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ɐ hˈɑːt ænd θˈʌndɚɹi ˌæftɚnˈuːn wˌaɪl ˌɔn ɐn ˌædəlˈɛsənt kwˈɛst tə fˈaɪnd ðə pˈʌb, hiː ˌʌndɚɡˈoʊz ɐ sˈɛkʃuːəl ɐwˈeɪkənɪŋ; ðə pˈʌb ænd ðə kˈʌntɹɪsˌaɪd sˈɪmbəlˌaɪzɪŋ ðə mˈɪstɚɹi ʌv ɐdˈʌlt ɐfˈɛɹz.
In his childhood the countryside behind Folkestone was seen by Brooke as a 'forbidden kingdom' and in the latter stages of the book during a hot and thundery afternoon while on an adolescent quest to find the pub, he undergoes a sexual awakening; the pub and the countryside symbolising the mystery of adult affairs.