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diff --git a/44818-h/44818-h.htm b/44818-h/44818-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6b31a9f --- /dev/null +++ b/44818-h/44818-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8825 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <title>Christ Legends, by Selma Lagerlöf</title> + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> + <meta content="images/cover.jpg" name="cover" /> + <meta name='DC.Title' content='Christ Legends' /> + <meta name='DC.Creator' content='Selma Lagerlöf' /> + <meta name='DC.Language' content='en' /> + <meta name='DC.Created' content='1908' /> + <style type="text/css"> + body { margin-left:8%;margin-right:10%; } + p { text-indent:0;margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;text-align:justify; } + .sc { font-variant:small-caps; } + .larger { font-size:larger; } + .smaller { font-size:smaller; } + div.pbb { page-break-before:always; } + hr.pb { border:none;border-bottom:1px solid silver;margin:1em auto; } + @media handheld { hr.pb { display:none; }} + .container-center { text-align: center; } + .container-left { display: inline-block; text-align: left; } + td { padding-right:0.5em; } + .figcenter { clear:both; max-width:100%; margin:2em auto; text-align:center; } + .ig001 { width:315px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig002 { width:337px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig003 { width:286px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig004 { width:316px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig005 { width:363px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig006 { width:367px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig007 { width:337px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig008 { width:408px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig009 { width:321px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig010 { width:342px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig011 { width:329px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + .ig012 { width:312px; max-width:100%; height:auto; } + @media handheld { + .ig001 { width:315px; } + .ig002 { width:337px; } + .ig003 { width:286px; } + .ig004 { width:316px; } + .ig005 { width:363px; } + .ig006 { width:367px; } + .ig007 { width:337px; } + .ig008 { width:408px; } + .ig009 { width:321px; } + .ig010 { width:342px; } + .ig011 { width:329px; } + .ig012 { width:312px; } + } + .c000 { border:none;border-bottom:1px solid silver;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em; + margin-left:45%; width:10% } + .c001 { vertical-align:top;text-align:left;width:19em; } + .c002 { vertical-align:bottom;text-align:right;width:2em; } + .c003 { text-align:center;font-weight:normal;font-size:1.2em;page-break-before:auto; + margin-top:4em; } + .c004 { margin-top:2em; } + .c005 { border:none;border-bottom:1px solid silver;margin-top:0.8em; + margin-bottom:0.8em;margin-left:35%; width:30% } + .c006 { font-size:smaller } + .c007 { border:none;border-bottom:1px solid silver;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em; + margin-left:25%; width:50% } + .nf-center-c { text-align:center;margin:1em 0; } + .nf-center { text-align:center; } + </style> + </head> + <body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44818 ***</div> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/title-h.jpg'><img src='images/title.jpg' alt='' class='ig001' /></a> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='sc'>Copyright</span>, 1908,<br/> + <br/> + BY<br/> + <br/> + HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY + </div> +</div> + +<hr class='c000' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <i>Published October, 1908</i><br/> + <br/> + THE QUINN & BODEN CO. PRESS<br/> + RAHWAY, N. J. + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>CONTENTS</span> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='container-center'><div class='container-left'> +<table summary=''> +<tr><td class='c001'>THE HOLY NIGHT</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story1'>1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='c001'>THE EMPEROR’S VISION</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story2'>13</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='c001'>THE WISE MEN’S WELL</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story3'>25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='c001'>BETHLEHEM’S CHILDREN</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story4'>41</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='c001'>THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story5'>73</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='c001'>IN NAZARETH</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story6'>85</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='c001'>IN THE TEMPLE</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story7'>95</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='c001'>SAINT VERONICA’S KERCHIEF</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story8'>119</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='c001'>ROBIN REDBREAST</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story9'>191</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='c001'>OUR LORD AND SAINT PETER</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story10'>203</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='c001'>THE SACRED FLAME</td><td class='c002'><a href='#story11'>221</a></td></tr> +</table> +</div></div> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_005_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_005.jpg' alt='' class='ig002' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story1' class='c003'>THE HOLY NIGHT</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>When I was five years old I had such a +great sorrow! I hardly know if I +have had a greater since.</p> + +<p>It was then my grandmother died. Up +to that time, she used to sit every day on the +corner sofa in her room, and tell stories.</p> + +<p>I remember that grandmother told story after +story from morning till night, and that we children +sat beside her, quite still, and listened. It +was a glorious life! No other children had +such happy times as we did.</p> + +<p>It isn’t much that I recollect about my grandmother. +I remember that she had very beautiful +snow-white hair, and stooped when she +walked, and that she always sat and knitted a +stocking.</p> + +<p>And I even remember that when she had finished +a story, she used to lay her hand on my +head and say: “All this is as true, as true as +that I see you and you see me.”</p> + +<p>I also remember that she could sing songs, +but this she did not do every day. One of +the songs was about a knight and a sea-troll, +and had this refrain: “It blows cold, cold +weather at sea.”</p> + +<p>Then I remember a little prayer she taught +me, and a verse of a hymn.</p> + +<p>Of all the stories she told me, I have but a +dim and imperfect recollection. Only one of +them do I remember so well that I should be +able to repeat it. It is a little story about +Jesus’ birth.</p> + +<p>Well, this is nearly all that I can recall about +my grandmother, except the thing which I remember +best; and that is, the great loneliness +when she was gone.</p> + +<p>I remember the morning when the corner +sofa stood empty and when it was impossible +to understand how the days would ever come +to an end. That I remember. That I shall +never forget!</p> + +<p>And I recollect that we children were brought +forward to kiss the hand of the dead and that +we were afraid to do it. But then some one +said to us that it would be the last time we +could thank grandmother for all the pleasure +she had given us.</p> + +<p>And I remember how the stories and songs +were driven from the homestead, shut up in a +long black casket, and how they never came +back again.</p> + +<p>I remember that something was gone from +our lives. It seemed as if the door to a whole +beautiful, enchanted world—where before we +had been free to go in and out—had been +closed. And now there was no one who knew +how to open that door.</p> + +<p>And I remember that, little by little, we children +learned to play with dolls and toys, and +to live like other children. And then it seemed +as though we no longer missed our grandmother, +or remembered her.</p> + +<p>But even to-day—after forty years—as I sit +here and gather together the legends about +Christ, which I heard out there in the +Orient, there awakes within me the little legend +of Jesus’ birth that my grandmother +used to tell, and I feel impelled to tell it +once again, and to let it also be included in my +collection.</p> + +<p>It was a Christmas Day and all the folks had +driven to church except grandmother and I. +I believe we were all alone in the house. We +had not been permitted to go along, because one +of us was too old and the other was too young. +And we were sad, both of us, because we had +not been taken to early mass to hear the singing +and to see the Christmas candles.</p> + +<p>But as we sat there in our loneliness, grandmother +began to tell a story.</p> + +<p>“There was a man,” said she, “who went +out in the dark night to borrow live coals to +kindle a fire. He went from hut to hut and +knocked. ‘Dear friends, help me!’ said he. +‘My wife has just given birth to a child, and I +must make a fire to warm her and the little one.’</p> + +<p>“But it was way in the night, and all the +people were asleep. No one replied.</p> + +<p>“The man walked and walked. At last he +saw the gleam of a fire a long way off. Then +he went in that direction, and saw that the fire +was burning in the open. A lot of sheep were +sleeping around the fire, and an old shepherd +sat and watched over the flock.</p> + +<p>“When the man who wanted to borrow fire +came up to the sheep, he saw that three big +dogs lay asleep at the shepherd’s feet. All +three awoke when the man approached and +opened their great jaws, as though they wanted +to bark; but not a sound was heard. The man +noticed that the hair on their backs stood up +and that their sharp, white teeth glistened in the +firelight. They dashed toward him. He felt +that one of them bit at his leg and one at his +hand and that one clung to his throat. But their +jaws and teeth wouldn’t obey them, and the man +didn’t suffer the least harm.</p> + +<p>“Now the man wished to go farther, to get +what he needed. But the sheep lay back to +back and so close to one another that he couldn’t +pass them. Then the man stepped upon their +backs and walked over them and up to the fire. +And not one of the animals awoke or moved.”</p> + +<p>Thus far, grandmother had been allowed to +narrate without interruption. But at this point +I couldn’t help breaking in. “Why didn’t they +do it, grandma?” I asked.</p> + +<p>“That you shall hear in a moment,” said +grandmother—and went on with her story.</p> + +<p>“When the man had almost reached the fire, +the shepherd looked up. He was a surly old +man, who was unfriendly and harsh toward human +beings. And when he saw the strange man +coming, he seized the long spiked staff, which +he always held in his hand when he tended his +flock, and threw it at him. The staff came right +toward the man, but, before it reached him, it +turned off to one side and whizzed past him, +far out in the meadow.”</p> + +<p>When grandmother had got this far, I interrupted +her again. “Grandma, why wouldn’t +the stick hurt the man?” Grandmother did not +bother about answering me, but continued her +story.</p> + +<p>“Now the man came up to the shepherd and +said to him: ‘Good man, help me, and lend me +a little fire! My wife has just given birth to +a child, and I must make a fire to warm her +and the little one.’</p> + +<p>“The shepherd would rather have said no, +but when he pondered that the dogs couldn’t +hurt the man, and the sheep had not run from +him, and that the staff had not wished to strike +him, he was a little afraid, and dared not deny +the man that which he asked.</p> + +<p>“‘Take as much as you need!’ he said to +the man.</p> + +<p>“But then the fire was nearly burnt out. +There were no logs or branches left, only a big +heap of live coals; and the stranger had neither +spade nor shovel, wherein he could carry the +red-hot coals.</p> + +<p>“When the shepherd saw this, he said again: +‘Take as much as you need!’ And he was glad +that the man wouldn’t be able to take away any +coals.</p> + +<p>“But the man stooped and picked coals from +the ashes with his bare hands, and laid them in +his mantle. And he didn’t burn his hands when +he touched them, nor did the coals scorch his +mantle; but he carried them away as if they +had been nuts or apples.”</p> + +<p>But here the story-teller was interrupted for +the third time. “Grandma, why wouldn’t the +coals burn the man?”</p> + +<p>“That you shall hear,” said grandmother, +and went on:</p> + +<p>“And when the shepherd, who was such a +cruel and hard-hearted man, saw all this, he +began to wonder to himself: ‘What kind of a +night is this, when the dogs do not bite, the +sheep are not scared, the staff does not kill, or +the fire scorch?’ He called the stranger back, +and said to him: ‘What kind of a night is this? +And how does it happen that all things show +you compassion?’</p> + +<p>“Then said the man: ‘I cannot tell you if +you yourself do not see it.’ And he wished to +go his way, that he might soon make a fire +and warm his wife and child.</p> + +<p>“But the shepherd did not wish to lose sight +of the man before he had found out what all +this might portend. He got up and followed +the man till they came to the place where he +lived.</p> + +<p>“Then the shepherd saw that the man didn’t +have so much as a hut to dwell in, but that his +wife and babe were lying in a mountain grotto, +where there was nothing except the cold and +naked stone walls.</p> + +<p>“But the shepherd thought that perhaps the +poor innocent child might freeze to death there +in the grotto; and, although he was a hard man, +he was touched, and thought he would like to +help it. And he loosened his knapsack from +his shoulder, took from it a soft white sheepskin, +gave it to the strange man, and said that he +should let the child sleep on it.</p> + +<p>“But just as soon as he showed that he, too, +could be merciful, his eyes were opened, and he +saw what he had not been able to see before +and heard what he could not have heard before.</p> + +<p>“He saw that all around him stood a ring of +little silver-winged angels, and each held a +stringed instrument, and all sang in loud tones +that to-night the Saviour was born who should +redeem the world from its sins.</p> + +<p>“Then he understood how all things were so +happy this night that they didn’t want to do +anything wrong.</p> + +<p>“And it was not only around the shepherd +that there were angels, but he saw them everywhere. +They sat inside the grotto, they sat outside +on the mountain, and they flew under the +heavens. They came marching in great companies, +and, as they passed, they paused and +cast a glance at the child.</p> + +<p>“There were such jubilation and such gladness +and songs and play! And all this he saw +in the dark night, whereas before he could not +have made out anything. He was so happy because +his eyes had been opened that he fell upon +his knees and thanked God.”</p> + +<p>Here grandmother sighed and said: “What +that shepherd saw we might also see, for the +angels fly down from heaven every Christmas +Eve, if we could only see them.”</p> + +<p>Then grandmother laid her hand on my head, +and said: “You must remember this, for it is +as true, as true as that I see you and you see +me. It is not revealed by the light of lamps +or candles, and it does not depend upon sun and +moon; but that which is needful is, that we have +such eyes as can see God’s glory.”</p> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_017_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_017.jpg' alt='' class='ig003' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story2' class='c003'>THE EMPEROR’S VISION</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>It happened at the time when Augustus was +Emperor in Rome and Herod was King in +Jerusalem.</p> + +<p>It was then that a very great and holy night +sank down over the earth. It was the darkest +night that any one had ever seen. One could +have believed that the whole earth had fallen +into a cellar-vault. It was impossible to distinguish +water from land, and one could not find +one’s way on the most familiar road. And +it couldn’t be otherwise, for not a ray of light +came from heaven. All the stars stayed at home +in their own houses, and the fair moon held her +face averted.</p> + +<p>The silence and the stillness were as profound +as the darkness. The rivers stood still in their +courses, the wind did not stir, and even the +aspen leaves had ceased to quiver. Had any +one walked along the seashore, he would have +found that the waves no longer dashed upon +the sands; and had one wandered in the desert, +the sand would not have crunched under one’s +feet. Everything was as motionless as if turned +to stone, so as not to disturb the holy night. +The grass was afraid to grow, the dew could +not fall, and the flowers dared not exhale their +perfume.</p> + +<p>On this night the wild beasts did not seek +their prey, the serpents did not sting, and the +dogs did not bark. And what was even more +glorious, inanimate things would have been unwilling +to disturb the night’s sanctity, by lending +themselves to an evil deed. No false key could +have picked a lock, and no knife could possibly +have drawn a drop of blood.</p> + +<p>In Rome, during this very night, a small company +of people came from the Emperor’s palace +at the Palatine and took the path across the +Forum which led to the Capitol. During the +day just ended the Senators had asked the Emperor +if he had any objections to their erecting +a temple to him on Rome’s sacred hill. But +Augustus had not immediately given his consent. +He did not know if it would be agreeable to +the gods that he should own a temple next to +theirs, and he had replied that first he wished +to ascertain their will in the matter by offering +a nocturnal sacrifice to his genius. It was he +who, accompanied by a few trusted friends, was +on his way to perform this sacrifice.</p> + +<p>Augustus let them carry him in his litter, for +he was old, and it was an effort for him to +climb the long stairs leading to the Capitol. He +himself held the cage with the doves for the +sacrifice. No priests or soldiers or senators +accompanied him, only his nearest friends. +Torch-bearers walked in front of him in order +to light the way in the night darkness and behind +him followed the slaves, who carried the +tripod, the knives, the charcoal, the sacred fire, +and all the other things needed for the sacrifice.</p> + +<p>On the way the Emperor chatted gaily with +his faithful followers, and therefore none of +them noticed the infinite silence and stillness of +the night. Only when they had reached the +highest point of the Capitol Hill and the vacant +spot upon which they contemplated erecting the +temple, did it dawn upon them that something +unusual was taking place.</p> + +<p>It could not be a night like all others, for +up on the very edge of the cliff they saw the +most remarkable being! At first they thought +it was an old, distorted olive-trunk; later they +imagined that an ancient stone figure from the +temple of Jupiter had wandered out on the cliff. +Finally it was apparent to them that it could +be only the old sibyl.</p> + +<p>Anything so aged, so weather-beaten, and so +giant-like in stature they had never seen. This +old woman was awe-inspiring! If the Emperor +had not been present, they would all have fled +to their homes.</p> + +<p>“It is she,” they whispered to each other, +“who has lived as many years as there are sand-grains +on her native shores. Why has she come +out from her cave just to-night? What does +she foretell for the Emperor and the Empire—she, +who writes her prophecies on the leaves of +the trees and knows that the wind will carry +the words of the oracle to the person for whom +they are intended?”</p> + +<p>They were so terrified that they would have +dropped on their knees with their foreheads +pressed against the earth, had the sibyl stirred. +But she sat as still as though she were lifeless. +Crouching upon the outermost edge of the cliff, +and shading her eyes with her hand, she peered +out into the night. She sat there as if she had +gone up on the hill that she might see more +clearly something that was happening far away. +<em>She</em> could see things on a night like this!</p> + +<p>At that moment the Emperor and all his +retinue marked how profound the darkness was. +None of them could see a hand’s breadth in +front of him. And what stillness! What silence! +Not even the Tiber’s hollow murmur +could they hear. The air seemed to suffocate +them, cold sweat broke out on their foreheads, +and their hands were numb and powerless. +They feared that some dreadful disaster was +impending.</p> + +<p>But no one cared to show that he was afraid, +and everyone told the Emperor that this was +a good omen. All Nature held its breath to +greet a new god.</p> + +<p>They counseled Augustus to hurry with the +sacrifice, and said that the old sibyl had +evidently come out of her cave to greet his +genius.</p> + +<p>But the truth was that the old sibyl was so +absorbed in a vision that she did not even know +that Augustus had come up to the Capitol. She +was transported in spirit to a far-distant land, +where she imagined that she was wandering +over a great plain. In the darkness she stubbed +her foot continually against something, which +she believed to be grass-tufts. She stooped down +and felt with her hand. No, it was not grass, +but sheep. She was walking between great +sleeping flocks of sheep.</p> + +<p>Then she noticed the shepherds’ fire. It +burned in the middle of the field, and she groped +her way to it. The shepherds lay asleep by the +fire, and beside them were the long, spiked +staves with which they defended their flocks +from wild beasts. But the little animals with +the glittering eyes and the bushy tails that stole +up to the fire, were they not jackals? And yet +the shepherds did not fling their staves at them, +the dogs continued to sleep, the sheep did not +flee, and the wild animals lay down to rest beside +the human beings.</p> + +<p>This the sibyl saw, but she knew nothing of +what was being enacted on the hill back of her. +She did not know that there they were raising +an altar, lighting charcoal and strewing incense, +and that the Emperor took one of the doves +from the cage to sacrifice it. But his hands were +so benumbed that he could not hold the bird. +With one stroke of the wing, it freed itself and +disappeared in the night darkness.</p> + +<p>When this happened, the courtiers glanced +suspiciously at the old sibyl. They believed that +it was she who caused the misfortune.</p> + +<p>Could they know that all the while the sibyl +thought herself standing beside the shepherds’ +fire, and that she listened to a faint sound which +came trembling through the dead-still night? +She heard it long before she marked that it +did not come from the earth, but from the sky. +At last she raised her head; then she saw light, +shimmering forms glide forward in the darkness. +They were little flocks of angels, who, +singing joyously, and apparently searching, flew +back and forth above the wide plain.</p> + +<p>While the sibyl was listening to the angel-song, +the Emperor was making preparations for +a new sacrifice. He washed his hands, cleansed +the altar, and took up the other dove. And, +although he exerted his full strength to hold +it fast, the dove’s slippery body slid from his +hand, and the bird swung itself up into the +impenetrable night.</p> + +<p>The Emperor was appalled! He fell upon +his knees and prayed to his genius. He implored +him for strength to avert the disasters +which this night seemed to foreshadow.</p> + +<p>Nor did the sibyl hear any of this either. She +was listening with her whole soul to the angel-song, +which grew louder and louder. At last +it became so powerful that it wakened the shepherds. +They raised themselves on their elbows +and saw shining hosts of silver-white angels +move in the darkness in long, swaying lines, like +migratory birds. Some held lutes and cymbals +in their hands; others held zithers and harps, +and their song rang out as merry as child-laughter, +and as care-free as the lark’s trill. +When the shepherds heard this, they rose up +to go to the mountain city, where they lived, to +tell of the miracle.</p> + +<p>They groped their way forward on a narrow, +winding path, and the sibyl followed them. Suddenly +it grew light up there on the mountain: +a big, clear star kindled right over it, and the +city on the mountain summit glittered like silver +in the starlight. All the fluttering angel throngs +hastened thither, shouting for joy, and the shepherds +hurried so that they almost ran. When +they reached the city, they found that the angels +had assembled over a low stable near the city +gate. It was a wretched structure, with a roof +of straw and the naked cliff for a back wall. +Over it hung the Star, and hither flocked more +and more angels. Some seated themselves on +the straw roof or alighted upon the steep mountain-wall +back of the house; others, again, held +themselves in the air on outspread wings, and +hovered over it. High, high up, the air was +illuminated by the shining wings.</p> + +<p>The instant the Star kindled over the mountain +city, all Nature awoke, and the men who +stood upon Capitol Hill could not help seeing +it. They felt fresh, but caressing winds which +traveled through space; delicious perfumes +streamed up about them; trees swayed; the +Tiber began to murmur; the stars twinkled, and +suddenly the moon stood out in the sky and lit +up the world. And out of the clouds the two +doves came circling down and lighted upon the +Emperor’s shoulders.</p> + +<p>When this miracle happened, Augustus rose, +proud and happy, but his friends and his slaves +fell on their knees.</p> + +<p>“Hail, Cæsar!” they cried. “Thy genius +hath answered thee. Thou art the god who +shall be worshiped on Capitol Hill!”</p> + +<p>And this cry of homage, which the men in +their transport gave as a tribute to the Emperor, +was so loud that the old sibyl heard it. It waked +her from her visions. She rose from her place +on the edge of the cliff, and came down among +the people. It was as if a dark cloud had +arisen from the abyss and rushed down the +mountain height. She was terrifying in her +extreme age! Coarse hair hung in matted +tangles around her head, her joints were +enlarged, and the dark skin, hard as the bark +of a tree, covered her body with furrow upon +furrow.</p> + +<p>Potent and awe-inspiring, she advanced toward +the Emperor. With one hand she clutched +his wrist, with the other she pointed toward +the distant East.</p> + +<p>“Look!” she commanded, and the Emperor +raised his eyes and saw. The vaulted heavens +opened before his eyes, and his glance traveled +to the distant Orient. He saw a lowly stable +behind a steep rock wall, and in the open doorway +a few shepherds kneeling. Within the +stable he saw a young mother on her knees +before a little child, who lay upon a bundle of +straw on the floor.</p> + +<p>And the sibyl’s big, knotty fingers pointed toward +the poor babe. “Hail, Cæsar!” cried the +sibyl, in a burst of scornful laughter. “There +is the god who shall be worshiped on Capitol +Hill!”</p> + +<p>Then Augustus shrank back from her, as +from a maniac. But upon the sibyl fell the +mighty spirit of prophecy. Her dim eyes began +to burn, her hands were stretched toward +heaven, her voice was so changed that it seemed +not to be her own, but rang out with such +resonance and power that it could have been +heard over the whole world. And she uttered +words which she appeared to be reading among +the stars.</p> + +<p>“Upon Capitol Hill shall the Redeemer of +the world be worshiped,—<em>Christ</em>—but not +frail mortals.”</p> + +<p>When she had said this, she strode past the +terror-stricken men, walked slowly down the +mountain, and disappeared.</p> + +<p>But, on the following day, Augustus strictly +forbade the people to raise any temple to him +on Capitol Hill. In place of it he built a sanctuary +to the new-born God-Child, and called it +<span class='sc'>Heaven’s Altar</span>—<em>Ara Cœli</em>.</p> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_029_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_029.jpg' alt='' class='ig004' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story3' class='c003'>THE WISE MEN’S WELL</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>In old Judea the Drought crept, gaunt and +hollow-eyed, between shrunken thistles and +yellowed grass.</p> + +<p>It was summertime. The sun beat down upon +the backs of unshaded hills, and the slightest +breath of wind tore up thick clouds of lime dust +from the grayish-white ground. The herds +stood huddled together in the valleys, by the +dried-up streams.</p> + +<p>The Drought walked about and viewed the +water supplies. He wandered over to Solomon’s +Pools, and sighed as he saw that they still held +a small quantity of water from their mountain +sources. Then he journeyed down to the famous +David’s Well, near Bethlehem, and found +water even there. Finally, he tramped with +shuffling gait toward the great highway which +leads from Bethlehem to Jerusalem.</p> + +<p>When he had arrived about half-way, he saw +the Wise Men’s Well, where it stands close by +the roadside. He saw at a glance that it was +almost dry. He seated himself on the curb, +which consists of a single stone hollowed out, +and looked into the well. The shining water-mirror, +which usually was seen very near the +opening, had sunk deep down, and the dirt and +slime at the bottom of the well made it muddy +and impure.</p> + +<p>When the Well beheld the Drought’s bronzed +visage reflected in her clouded mirror, she shook +with anguish.</p> + +<p>“I wonder when you will be exhausted,” said +the Drought. “Surely, you do not expect to +find any fresh water source, down there in the +deep, to come and give you new life; and as for +rain—God be praised! there can be no question +of that for the next two or three months.”</p> + +<p>“You may rest content,” sighed the Well, +“for nothing can help me now. It would take +no less than a well-spring from Paradise to save +me!”</p> + +<p>“Then I will not forsake you until every drop +has been drained,” said the Drought. He saw +that the old Well was nearing its end, and now +he wanted to have the pleasure of seeing it die +out drop by drop.</p> + +<p>He seated himself comfortably on the edge of +the curb, and rejoiced as he heard how the +Well sighed down there in the deep. He also +took a keen delight in watching the thirsty wayfarers +come up to the well-curb, let down the +bucket, and draw it up again, with only a few +drops of muddy water.</p> + +<p>Thus the whole day passed; and when darkness +descended, the Drought looked again into +the Well. A little water still shimmered down +there. “I’ll stay here all night,” cried he, “so +do not hurry yourself! When it grows so light +that I can look into you once more, I am certain +that all will be over with you.”</p> + +<p>The Drought curled himself up on the edge +of the well-curb, while the hot night, which was +even more cruel, and more full of torment than +the day had been, descended over Judea. Dogs +and jackals howled incessantly, and thirsty cows +and asses answered them from their stuffy stalls.</p> + +<p>When the breeze stirred a little now and then, +it brought with it no relief, but was as hot and +suffocating as a great sleeping monster’s panting +breath. The stars shone with the most resplendent +brilliancy, and a little silvery new moon cast +a pretty blue-green light over the gray hills. +And in this light the Drought saw a great caravan +come marching toward the hill where the +Wise Men’s Well was situated.</p> + +<p>The Drought sat and gazed at the long procession, +and rejoiced again at the thought of +all the thirst which was coming to the well, and +would not find one drop of water with which +to slake itself. There were so many animals +and drivers they could easily have emptied the +Well, even if it had been quite full. Suddenly +he began to think there was something unusual, +something ghost-like, about this caravan which +came marching forward in the night. First, all +the camels came within sight on a hill, which +loomed up, high and distinct, against the horizon; +it was as though they had stepped straight +down from heaven. They also appeared to be +larger than ordinary camels, and bore—all too +lightly—the enormous burdens which weighted +them.</p> + +<p>Still he could not understand anything but +that they were absolutely real, for to him they +were just as plain as plain could be. He could +even see that the three foremost animals were +dromedaries, with gray, shiny skins; and that +they were richly bridled and saddled, with +fringed coverings, and were ridden by handsome, +noble-looking knights.</p> + +<p>The whole procession stopped at the well. +With three sharp jerks, the dromedaries lay +down on the ground, and their riders dismounted. +The pack-camels remained standing, +and as they assembled they seemed to form a +long line of necks and humps and peculiarly +piled-up packs.</p> + +<p>Immediately, the riders came up to the +Drought and greeted him by laying their hands +upon their foreheads and breasts. He saw that +they wore dazzling white robes and huge +turbans, on the front of each of which there was a +clear, glittering star, which shone as if it had +been taken direct from the skies.</p> + +<p>“We come from a far-off land,” said one of +the strangers, “and we bid thee tell us if this +is in truth the Wise Men’s Well?”</p> + +<p>“It is called so to-day,” said the Drought, +“but by to-morrow there will be no well here. +It shall die to-night.”</p> + +<p>“I can understand this, as I see thee here,” +said the man. “But is not this one of the +sacred wells, which never run dry? or whence +hath it derived its name?”</p> + +<p>“I know it is sacred,” said the Drought, “but +what good will that do? The three wise men +are in Paradise.”</p> + +<p>The three travelers exchanged glances. +“Dost thou really know the history of this +ancient well?” asked they.</p> + +<p>“I know the history of all wells and fountains +and brooks and rivers,” said the Drought, with +pride.</p> + +<p>“Then grant us a pleasure, and tell us the +story!” begged the strangers; and they seated +themselves around the old enemy to everything +growing, and listened.</p> + +<p>The Drought shook himself and crawled up +on the well-curb, like a story-teller upon his +improvised throne, and began his tale.</p> + +<p>“In Gebas, in Media, a city which lies near +the border of the desert—and, therefore, it has +often been a free and well-beloved city to me,—there +lived, many, many years ago, three men +who were famed for their wisdom.</p> + +<p>“They were also very poor, which was a most +uncommon state of affairs; for, in Gebas, knowledge +was held in high esteem, and was well +recompensed. With these men, however, it +could hardly have been otherwise, for one of +them was very old, one was afflicted with leprosy, +and the third was a black, thick-lipped +negro. People regarded the first as much too +old to teach them anything; the second they +avoided for fear of contagion; and the third +they would not listen to, because they thought +they knew that no wisdom had ever come from +Ethiopia.</p> + +<p>“Meanwhile, the three wise ones became +united through their common misery. They +begged during the day at the same temple gate, +and at night they slept on the same roof. In +this way they at least had an opportunity to +while away the hours, by meditating upon all +the wonderful things which they observed in +Nature and in the human race.</p> + +<p>“One night, as they slept side by side on a +roof, which was overgrown with stupefying red +poppies, the eldest among them awoke; and +hardly had he cast a glance around him, before +he wakened the other two.</p> + +<p>“‘Praised be our poverty, which compels us +to sleep in the open!’ he said to them. ‘Awake! +and raise your eyes to heaven!’</p> + +<p>“Well,” said the Drought, in a somewhat +milder tone, “this was a night which no one +who witnessed it can ever forget! The skies +were so bright that the heavens, which usually +resemble an arched vault, looked deep and transparent +and full of waves, like a sea. The light +surged backwards and forwards and the stars +swam in their varying depths: some in among +the light-waves; others upon the surface.</p> + +<p>“But farthest away and highest up, the three +men saw a faint shadow appear. This shadow +traveled through space like a ball, and came +nearer and nearer, and, as the ball approached, +it began to brighten. But it brightened as roses +do—may God let them all wither!—when they +burst from their buds. It grew bigger and +bigger, the dark cover about it turned back by +degrees, and light broke forth on its sides into +four distinct leaves. Finally, when it had descended +to the nearest of the stars, it came to a +standstill. Then the dark lobes curled themselves +back and unfolded leaf upon leaf of beautiful, +shimmering, rose-colored light, until it +was perfect, and shone like a star among stars.</p> + +<p>“When the poor men beheld this, their wisdom +told them that at this moment a mighty +king was born on earth: one, whose majesty +and power should rise higher than that of Cyrus +or of Alexander; and they said to one another: +‘Let us go to the father and mother of the +new-born babe and tell them what we have seen! +Mayhap they will reward us with a purse of coin +or a bracelet of gold.’</p> + +<p>“They grasped their long traveling staves +and went forth. They wandered through the +city and out from the city gate; but there they +felt doubtful for a moment as they saw before +them the great stretch of dry, smooth desert, +which human beings dread. Then they saw the +new star cast a narrow stream of light across +the desert sand, and they wandered confidently +forward with the star as their guide.</p> + +<p>“All night long they tramped over the wide +sand-plain, and throughout the entire journey +they talked about the young, new-born king, +whom they should find reposing in a cradle of +gold, playing with precious stones. They whiled +away the hours by talking over how they should +approach his father, the king, and his mother, +the queen, and tell them that the heavens augured +for their son power and beauty and joy, +greater than Solomon’s. They prided themselves +upon the fact that God had called <em>them</em> +to see the Star. They said to themselves that +the parents of the new-born babe would not +reward them with less than twenty purses of +gold; perhaps they would give them so much +gold that they no longer need suffer the pangs +of poverty.</p> + +<p>“I lay in wait on the desert like a lion,” said +the Drought, “and intended to throw myself +upon these wanderers with all the agonies of +thirst, but they eluded me. All night the Star +had led them, and on the morrow, when the +heavens brightened and all the other stars grew +pale, it remained steady and illumined the desert, +and then guided them to an oasis where they +found a spring and a ripe, fruit-bearing tree. +There they rested all that day. And toward +night, as they saw the Star’s rays border the +sands, they went on.</p> + +<p>“From the human way of looking at things,” +continued the Drought, “it was a delightful +journey. The Star led them in such a way that +they did not have to suffer either hunger or +thirst. It led them past the sharp thistles, it +avoided the thick, loose, flying sand; they +escaped the burning sunshine and the hot +desert storms. The three wise men said repeatedly +to one another: ‘God is protecting +us and blessing our journey. We are His +messengers.’</p> + +<p>“Then, by degrees, they fell into my power,” +said the Drought. “These star-wanderers’ +hearts became transformed into as dry a desert +as the one which they traveled through. They +were filled with impotent pride and destructive +greed.</p> + +<p>“‘We are God’s messengers!’ repeated the +three wise ones. ‘The father of the new-born +king will not reward us too well, even if he +gives us a caravan laden with gold.’</p> + +<p>“By and by, the Star led them over the far-famed +River Jordan, and up among the hills +of Judea. One night it stood still over the little +city of Bethlehem, which lay upon a hill-top, and +shone among the olive trees.</p> + +<p>“But the three wise ones looked around for +castles and fortified towers and walls, and all +the other things that belong to a royal city; but +of such they saw nothing. And what was still +worse, the Star’s light did not even lead them +into the city, but remained over a grotto near +the wayside. There, the soft light stole in +through the opening and revealed to the three +wanderers a little Child, who was being lulled +to sleep in its mother’s arms.</p> + +<p>“Although the three men saw how the Star’s +light encircled the Child’s head, like a crown, +they remained standing outside the grotto. They +did not enter to prophesy honors and kingdoms +for this little One. They turned away without +betraying their presence. They fled from the +Child, and wandered down the hill again.</p> + +<p>“‘Have we come in search of beggars as +poor as ourselves?’ said they. ‘Has God +brought us hither that we might mock Him, +and predict honors for a shepherd’s son? This +Child will never attain any higher distinction +than to tend sheep here in the valleys.’”</p> + +<p>The Drought chuckled to himself and nodded +to his hearers, as much as to say: “Am +I not right? There are things which are drier +than the desert sands, but there is nothing more +barren than the human heart.”</p> + +<p>“The three wise ones had not wandered very +far before they thought they had gone astray +and had not followed the Star rightly,” continued +the Drought. “They turned their gaze +upward to find again the Star, and the right +road; but then the Star which they had followed +all the way from the Orient had vanished from +the heavens.”</p> + +<p>The three strangers made a quick movement, +and their faces expressed deep suffering.</p> + +<p>“That which now happened,” continued the +Drought, “is in accord with the usual manner +of mankind in judging of what is, perhaps, a +blessing.</p> + +<p>“To be sure, when the three wise men no +longer saw the Star, they understood at once +that they had sinned against God.</p> + +<p>“And it happened with them,” continued the +Drought furiously, “just as it happens with the +ground in the autumn, when the heavy rains +begin to fall. They shook with terror, as one +shakes when it thunders and lightens; their +whole being softened, and humility, like green +grass, sprang up in their souls.</p> + +<p>“For three nights and days they wandered +about the country, in quest of the Child whom +they would worship; but the Star did not appear +to them. They grew more and more bewildered, +and suffered the most overwhelming +anguish and despair. On the third day they +came to this well to drink. Then God had pardoned +their sin. And, as they bent over the +water, they saw in its depths the reflection of the +Star which had brought them from the Orient. +Instantly they saw it also in the heavens and it +led them again to the grotto in Bethlehem, +where they fell upon their knees before the +Child and said: ‘We bring thee golden vessels +filled with incense and costly spices. Thou shalt +be the greatest king that ever lived upon earth, +from its creation even unto its destruction.’</p> + +<p>“Then the Child laid his hand upon their +lowered heads, and when they rose, lo! the Child +had given them gifts greater than a king could +have granted; for the old beggar had grown +young, the leper was made whole, and the negro +was transformed into a beautiful white man. +And it is said of them that they were glorious! +and that they departed and became kings—each +in his own kingdom.”</p> + +<p>The Drought paused in his story, and the +three strangers praised it. “Thou hast spoken +well,” said they. “But it surprises me,” said +one of them, “that the three wise men do nothing +for the well which showed them the Star. +Shall they entirely forget such a great blessing?”</p> + +<p>“Should not this well remain perpetually,” +said the second stranger, “to remind mankind +that happiness, which is lost on the heights of +pride and vainglory, will let itself be found +again in the depths of humility?”</p> + +<p>“Are the departed worse than the living?” +asked the third. “Does gratitude die with those +who live in Paradise?”</p> + +<p>But as he heard this, the Drought sprang up +with a wild cry. He had recognized the +strangers! He understood who the strangers +were, and fled from them like a madman, that +he might not witness how The Three Wise Men +called their servants and led their camels, laden +with water-sacks, to the Well and filled the poor +dying Well with water, which they had brought +with them from Paradise.</p> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_045_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_045.jpg' alt='' class='ig005' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story4' class='c003'>BETHLEHEM’S CHILDREN</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>Just outside the Bethlehem gate stood a +Roman soldier, on guard. He was arrayed +in full armor, with helmet. At his side he wore +a short sword, and held in his hand a long +spear. He stood there all day almost motionless, +so that one could readily have believed +him to be a man made of iron. The city people +went in and out of the gate and beggars lolled +in the shade under the archway, fruit venders +and wine dealers set their baskets and jugs down +on the ground beside the soldier, but he scarcely +took the trouble to turn his head to look at +them.</p> + +<p>It seemed as though he wanted to say: This +is nothing to see. What do I care about you +who labor and barter and come driving with +oil casks and wine sacks! Let me see an army +prepare to meet the enemy! Let me see the +excitement and the hot struggle, when horsemen +charge down upon a troop of foot-soldiers! +Let me see the brave men who rush forward +to scale the walls of a beleaguered city! Nothing +is pleasing to my sight but war. I long +to see the Roman Eagles glisten in the air! I +long for the trumpets’ blast, for shining weapons, +for the splash of red blood!</p> + +<p>Just beyond the city gate lay a fine meadow, +overgrown with lilies. Day by day the soldier +stood with his eyes turned toward this meadow, +but never for a moment did he think of admiring +the extraordinary beauty of the flowers. Sometimes +he noticed that the passers-by stopped to +admire the lilies, and it amazed him to think +that people would delay their travels to look +at anything so trivial. These people do not +know what is beautiful, thought he.</p> + +<p>And as he thought thus, he saw no more the +green fields and olive groves round about Bethlehem; +but dreamed himself away in a burning-hot +desert in sunny Libya. He saw a legion of +soldiers march forward in a long, straight line +over the yellow, trackless sand. There was no +protection against the sun’s piercing rays, no +cooling stream, no apparent boundaries to the +desert, and no goal in sight, no end to their +wanderings. He saw soldiers, exhausted by +hunger and thirst, march forward with faltering +step; he saw one after another drop to the +ground, overcome by the scorching heat. Nevertheless, +they marched onward without a murmur, +without a thought of deserting their leader +and turning back.</p> + +<p>Now, <em>there</em> is something beautiful! thought +the soldier, something that is worth the glance +of a valiant man!</p> + +<p>Since the soldier stood on guard at the same +post day after day, he had the best opportunity +to watch the pretty children who played +about him. But it was with the children as +with the flowers: he didn’t understand that it +could be worth his while to notice them. What +is this to rejoice over? thought he, when he saw +people smile as they watched the children’s +games. It is strange that any one can find pleasure +in a mere nothing.</p> + +<p>One day when the soldier was standing at his +accustomed post, he saw a little boy about three +years old come out on the meadow to play. He +was a poor lad, who was dressed in a scanty +sheepskin, and who played quite by himself. +The soldier stood and regarded the newcomer +almost without being aware of it himself. The +first thing that attracted him was that the little +one ran so lightly over the field that he seemed +scarcely to touch the tips of the grass-blades. +Later, as he followed the child’s play, he was +even more astonished. “By my sword!” he +exclaimed, “this child does not play like the +others. What can it be that occupies him?”</p> + +<p>As the child played only a few paces away, he +could see well enough what the little one was +doing. He saw how he reached out his hand +to capture a bee that sat upon the edge of a +flower and was so heavily laden with pollen +that it could hardly lift its wings for flight. He +saw, to his great surprise, that the bee let itself +be taken without trying to escape, and without +using its sting. When the little one held the +bee secure between his fingers, he ran over to a +crack in the city wall, where a swarm of bees +had their home, and set the bee down. As soon +as he had helped one bee in this way, he hastened +back to help another. All day long the soldier +saw him catch bees and carry them to their +home.</p> + +<p>“That boy is certainly more foolish than +any I’ve seen hitherto,” thought the soldier. +“What put it into his head to try and help +these bees, who can take such good care of +themselves without him, and who can sting him +at that? What kind of a man will he become +if he lives, I wonder?”</p> + +<p>The little one came back day after day and +played in the meadow, and the soldier couldn’t +help marveling at him and his games.</p> + +<p>“It is very strange,” thought he. “Here I +have stood on guard for fully three years, and +thus far I have seen nothing that could interest +me, except this infant.”</p> + +<p>But the soldier was in nowise pleased with +the child; quite the reverse! For this child +reminded him of a dreadful prediction made by +an old Hebrew seer, who had prophesied that +a time of peace should come to this world some +day; during a period of a thousand years no +blood would be shed, no wars waged, but human +beings would love one another like brethren. +When the soldier thought that anything so +dreadful might really come to pass, a shudder +passed through his body, and he gripped his +spear hard, as if he sought support.</p> + +<p>And now, the more the soldier saw of the +little one and his play, the more he thought of +the Thousand-year Reign of Peace. He did not +fear that it had come already, but he did not +like to be reminded of anything so hateful!</p> + +<p>One day, when the little one was playing +among the flowers on the pretty meadow, a very +heavy shower came bursting through the clouds. +When he noticed how big and heavy the drops +were that beat down upon the sensitive lilies, +he seemed anxious for his pretty friends. He +hurried away to the biggest and loveliest among +them, and bent towards the ground the stiff +stalk which held up the lily, so that the raindrops +caught the chalices on their under side. +As soon as he had treated one flower like this, +he ran to another and bent its stem in the same +way, so that the flower-cups were turned toward +the ground. And then to a third and a +fourth, until all the flowers in the meadow were +protected against the rainfall.</p> + +<p>The soldier smiled to himself when he saw +the boy’s work. “I’m afraid the lilies won’t +thank him for this,” said he. “Naturally, every +stalk is broken. It will never do to bend such +stiff growths in that way!”</p> + +<p>But when the shower was over, the soldier +saw the little lad hurry over to the lilies and +raise them up. To his utter astonishment, the +boy straightened the stiff stalks without the least +difficulty. It was apparent that not one of them +was either broken or bruised. He ran from +flower to flower, and soon all the rescued lilies +shone in their full splendor in the meadow.</p> + +<p>When the soldier saw this, he was seized with +a singular rage. “What a queer child!” thought +he. “It is incredible that he can undertake anything +so idiotic. What kind of a man will he +make, who cannot even bear to see a lily destroyed? +How would it turn out if such a one +had to go to war? What would he do if they +ordered him to burn a house filled with women +and children, or to sink a ship with all souls +on board?”</p> + +<p>Again he thought of the old prophecy, and he +began to fear that the time had actually come +for its fulfilment. “Since a child like this is +here,” thought he, “perhaps this awful time is +very close at hand. Already, peace prevails over +the whole earth; and surely the day of war will +nevermore dawn. From this time forth, all peoples +will be of the same mind as this child: they +will be afraid to injure one another, yea, they +will not have the heart even to crush a bee or a +flower! No great deeds will be done, no glorious +battles won, and no brilliant triumvirate will +march up to the Capitol. Nothing more will +happen that a brave man could long for.”</p> + +<p>And the soldier—who all the while hoped he +would soon live through new wars and longed, +through daring feats, to raise himself to power +and riches—felt so exasperated with the little +three-year-old that he raised his spear threateningly +the next time the child ran past.</p> + +<p>Another day it was neither the bees nor the +lilies the little one sought to protect, but he +undertook something which struck the soldier +as being much more needless and thankless.</p> + +<p>It was a fearfully hot day, and the sunrays +fell upon the soldier’s helmet and armor and +heated them until he felt as if he wore a suit +of fire. To the passers-by it looked as if he +must suffer tortures from the heat. His bloodshot +eyes were ready to burst from their sockets, +and his lips were dry and shriveled. But as he +was inured to the burning heat of African deserts, +he thought this a mere trifle, and it didn’t +occur to him to move from his accustomed place. +On the contrary, he took pleasure in showing +the passers-by that he was so strong and hardy +and did not need to seek shelter from the sun.</p> + +<p>While he stood thus, and let himself be nearly +broiled alive, the little boy who was wont to +play in the meadow came suddenly up to him. +He knew very well that the soldier was not one +of his friends and so he was always careful not +to come within reach of his spear; but now he +ran up to him, and regarded him long and +carefully; then he hurried as fast as he could +towards the road. When he came back, he +held both hands like a bowl, and carried in this +way a few drops of water.</p> + +<p>“Mayhap this infant has taken it upon himself +to run and fetch water for me,” thought the +soldier. “He is certainly wanting in common +sense. Should not a Roman soldier be able to +stand a little heat! What need for that youngster +to run around and help those who require +no help! I don’t want his compassion. I wish +he and all like him were out of the world!”</p> + +<p>The little one came walking very slowly. He +held his fingers close together, so that nothing +should be spilled or wasted. All the while, as +he was nearing the soldier, he kept his eyes +anxiously fixed upon the little water which he +brought with him, and did not see that the man +stood there frowning, with a forbidding look +in his eye. Then the child came up to the +soldier and offered him the water.</p> + +<p>On the way his heavy blond curls had tumbled +down over his forehead and eyes. He +shook his head several times to get the hair out +of his eyes, so that he could look up. When +he succeeded at last, and became conscious of +the hard expression on the soldier’s face, he was +not frightened, but stood still and begged him, +with a bewitching smile, to taste of the water +which he had brought with him. But the soldier +felt no desire to accept a kindness from the +child, whom he regarded as his enemy. He did +not look down into his pretty face, but stood +rigid and immovable, and showed no sign +that he understood what the child wished to do +for him.</p> + +<p>Nor could the child understand that the man +wished to repel him. He smiled all the while +just as confidently, raised himself on the tips of +his toes, and stretched his hands as high as he +could that the big soldier might more easily get +at the water.</p> + +<p>The soldier felt so insulted because a mere +child wished to help him that he gripped his +spear to drive the little one away.</p> + +<p>But just at that moment the extreme heat +and sunshine beat down upon the soldier with +such intensity that he saw red flames dance before +his eyes and felt his brains melt within +his head. He feared the sun would kill him, if +he could not find instant relief.</p> + +<p>Beside himself with terror at the danger hovering +over him, the soldier threw his spear on +the ground, seized the child with both hands, +lifted him up, and absorbed as much as he could +of the water which the little one held in his +hands.</p> + +<p>Only a few drops touched his tongue, but +more was not needed. As soon as he had +tasted of the water, a delicious coolness surged +through his body, and he felt no more that the +helmet and armor burnt and oppressed him. +The sunrays had lost their deadly power. +His dry lips became soft and moist again, +and red flames no longer danced before his +eyes.</p> + +<p>Before he had time to realize all this, he +had already put down the child, who ran back +to the meadow to play. Astonished, the soldier +began to say to himself: “What kind of water +was this that the child gave me? It was a +glorious drink! I must really show him my +gratitude.”</p> + +<p>But inasmuch as he hated the little one, he +soon dismissed this idea. “It is only a child,” +thought he, “and does not know why he acts in +this way or that way. He plays only the play +that pleases him best. Does he perhaps receive +any gratitude from the bees or the lilies? On +that youngster’s account I need give myself no +trouble. He doesn’t even know that he has succored +me.”</p> + +<p>The soldier felt, if possible, even more exasperated +with the child a moment later, when +he saw the commander of the Roman soldiers, +who were encamped in Bethlehem, come out +through the gate. “Just see what a risk I have +run through that little one’s rash behavior!” +thought he. “If by chance Voltigius had come +a moment earlier, he would have seen me standing +with a child in my arms.”</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the Commander walked straight +up to the soldier and asked him if they might +speak together there without danger of being +overheard. He had a secret to impart to him. +“If we move ten paces from the gate,” replied +the soldier, “no one can hear us.”</p> + +<p>“You know,” said the Commander, “that +King Herod, time and again, has tried to get +possession of a child that is growing up here +in Bethlehem. His soothsayers and priests have +told him that this child shall ascend his throne. +Moreover, they have predicted that the new +King will inaugurate a thousand-year reign of +peace and holiness. You understand, of course, +that Herod would willingly make him—<span class='sc'>Harmless</span>!”</p> + +<p>“I understand!” said the soldier eagerly. +“But that ought to be the easiest thing in the +world.”</p> + +<p>“It would certainly be very easy,” said the +Commander, “if the King only knew which +one of all the children here in Bethlehem is +<span class='sc'>The One</span>.”</p> + +<p>The soldier knit his brows. “It is a pity +his soothsayers can not enlighten him about +this,” said he.</p> + +<p>“But now Herod has hit upon a ruse, whereby +he believes he can make the young Peace-Prince +harmless,” continued the Commander. “He +promises a handsome gift to each and all who +will help him.”</p> + +<p>“Whatsoever Voltigius commands shall be +carried out, even without money or gifts,” said +the soldier.</p> + +<p>“I thank you,” replied the Commander. +“Listen, now, to the King’s plan! He intends +to celebrate the birthday of his youngest son by +arranging a festival, to which all male children +in Bethlehem, who are between the ages of two +and three years, shall be bidden, together with +their mothers. And during this festival——” +He checked himself suddenly, and laughed when +he saw the look of disgust on the soldier’s face.</p> + +<p>“My friend,” he continued, “you need not +fear that Herod thinks of using us as child-nurses. +Now bend your ear to my mouth, and +I’ll confide to you his design.”</p> + +<p>The Commander whispered long with the soldier, +and when he had disclosed all, he said:</p> + +<p>“I need hardly tell you that absolute silence +is imperative, lest the whole undertaking +miscarry.”</p> + +<p>“You know, Voltigius, that you can rely on +me,” said the soldier.</p> + +<p>When the Commander had gone and the soldier +once more stood alone at his post, he looked +around for the child. The little one played all +the while among the flowers, and the soldier +caught himself thinking that the boy swayed +above them as light and attractive as a butterfly.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he began to laugh. “True,” said +he, “I shall not have to vex myself very long +over this child. He shall be bidden to the feast +of Herod this evening.”</p> + +<p>He remained at his post all that day, until +the even was come, and it was time to close +the city gate for the night.</p> + +<p>When this was done, he wandered through +narrow and dark streets, to a splendid palace +which Herod owned in Bethlehem.</p> + +<p>In the center of this immense palace was a +large stone-paved court encircled by buildings, +around which ran three open galleries, one above +the other. The King had ordered that the festival +for the Bethlehem children should be held +on the uppermost of these galleries.</p> + +<p>This gallery, by the King’s express command, +was transformed so that it looked like a covered +walk in a beautiful flower-garden. The ceiling +was hidden by creeping vines hung with thick +clusters of luscious grapes, and alongside the +walls, and against the pillars stood small pomegranate +trees, laden with ripe fruit. The floors +were strewn with rose-leaves, lying thick and +soft like a carpet. And all along the balustrades, +the cornices, the tables, and the low +divans, ran garlands of lustrous white lilies.</p> + +<p>Here and there in this flower garden stood +great marble basins where glittering gold and +silver fish played in the transparent water. +Multi-colored birds from distant lands sat in +the trees, and in a cage sat an old raven that +chattered incessantly.</p> + +<p>When the festival began children and mothers +filed into the gallery. Immediately after they +had entered the palace, the children were arrayed +in white dresses with purple borders and +were given wreaths of roses for their dark, +curly heads. The women came in, regal, in +their crimson and blue robes, and their white +veils, which hung in long, loose folds from high-peaked +head-dresses, adorned with gold coins +and chains. Some carried their children mounted +upon their shoulders; others led their sons by +the hand; some, again, whose children were +afraid or shy, had taken them up in their arms.</p> + +<p>The women seated themselves on the floor of +the gallery. As soon as they had taken their +places, slaves came in and placed before them +low tables, which they spread with the choicest +of foods and wines—as befitting a King’s feast—and +all these happy mothers began to eat and +drink, maintaining all the while that proud, +graceful dignity, which is the greatest ornament +of the Bethlehem women.</p> + +<p>Along the farthest wall of the gallery, and +almost hidden by flower-garlands and fruit trees, +was stationed a double line of soldiers in full +armor. They stood, perfectly immovable, as if +they had no concern with that which went on +around them. The women could not refrain +from casting a questioning glance, now and then, +at this troop of iron-clad men. “For what are +they needed here?” they whispered. “Does +Herod think we women do not know how to +conduct ourselves? Does he believe it is necessary +for so many soldiers to guard us?”</p> + +<p>But others whispered that this was as it should +be in a King’s home. Herod himself never gave +a banquet without having his house filled with +soldiers. It was to honor them that the heavily +armored warriors stood there on guard.</p> + +<p>During the first few moments of the feast, +the children felt timid and uncertain, and sat +quietly beside their mothers. But soon they +began to move about and take possession of all +the good things which Herod offered them.</p> + +<p>It was an enchanted land that the King had +created for his little guests. When they wandered +through the gallery, they found bee-hives +whose honey they could pillage without the interference +of a single crotchety bee. They found +trees which, bending, lowered their fruit-laden +branches down to them. In a corner they found +magicians who, on the instant, conjured their +pockets full of toys; and in another corner they +discovered a wild-beast tamer who showed them +a pair of tigers, so tame that they could ride +them.</p> + +<p>But in this paradise with all its joys there was +nothing which so attracted the attention of these +little ones as the long line of soldiers who stood +immovable at the extreme end of the gallery. +Their eyes were captivated by their shining +helmets, their stern, haughty faces, and their +short swords, which reposed in richly jeweled +sheaths.</p> + +<p>All the while, as they played and romped with +one another, they thought continually about the +soldiers. They still held themselves at a distance, +but they longed to get near the men to +see if they were alive and really could move +themselves.</p> + +<p>The play and festivities increased every moment, +but the soldiers stood all the while immovable. +It seemed incredible to the little ones +that people could stand so near the clusters of +grapes and all the other dainties, without reaching +out a hand to take them.</p> + +<p>Finally, there was one boy who couldn’t restrain +his curiosity any longer. Slowly, but prepared +for hasty retreat, he approached one of +the armored men; and when he remained just +as rigid and motionless, the child came nearer +and nearer. At last he was so close to him that +he could touch his shoe latchets and his shins.</p> + +<p>Then—as though this had been an unheard-of +crime—all at once these iron-men set themselves +in motion. With indescribable fury they threw +themselves upon the children, and seized them! +Some swung them over their heads, like missiles, +and flung them between lamps and garlands over +the balustrade and down to the court, where +they were killed the instant they struck the +stone pavement. Others drew their swords and +pierced the children’s hearts; others, again, +crushed their heads against the walls before they +threw them down into the dark courtyard.</p> + +<p>The first moment after the onslaught, there +was an ominous stillness. While the tiny bodies +still swayed in the air, the women were petrified +with amazement! But simultaneously all these +unhappy mothers awoke to understand what +had happened, and with one great cry they +rushed toward the soldiers. There were still +a few children left up in the gallery who had +not been captured during the first attack. The +soldiers pursued them and their mothers threw +themselves in front of them and clutched with +bare hands the naked swords, to avert the death-blow. +Several women, whose children were +already dead, threw themselves upon the soldiers, +clutched them by the throat, and sought +to avenge the death of their little ones by +strangling their murderers.</p> + +<p>During this wild confusion, while fearful +shrieks rang through the palace, and the most +inhuman death cruelties were being enacted, the +soldier who was wont to stand on guard at the +city gate stood motionless at the head of the +stairs which led down from the gallery. He +took no part in the strife and the murder: only +against the women who had succeeded in snatching +their children and tried to fly down the +stairs with them did he lift his sword. And +just the sight of him, where he stood, grim and +inflexible, was so terrifying that the fleeing ones +chose rather to cast themselves over the balustrade +or turn back into the heat of the struggle, +than risk the danger of crowding past +him.</p> + +<p>“Voltigius certainly did the right thing when +he gave <em>me</em> this post,” thought the soldier. “A +young and thoughtless warrior would have left +his place and rushed into the confusion. If I +had let myself be tempted away from here, ten +children at least would have escaped.”</p> + +<p>While he was thinking of this, a young +woman, who had snatched up her child, came +rushing towards him in hurried flight. None +of the warriors whom she had to pass could stop +her, because they were in the midst of the struggle +with other women, and in this way she had +reached the end of the gallery.</p> + +<p>“Ah, there’s one who is about to escape!” +thought the soldier. “Neither she nor the child +is wounded.”</p> + +<p>The woman came toward the soldier with +such speed that she appeared to be flying, and +he didn’t have time to distinguish the features +of either the woman or her child. He only +pointed his sword at them, and the woman, with +the child in her arms, dashed against it. He +expected that the next second both she and +the child would fall to the ground pierced +through and through.</p> + +<p>But just then the soldier heard an angry buzzing +over his head, and the next instant he felt +a sharp pain in one eye. It was so intense that +he was stunned, bewildered, and the sword +dropped from his hand. He raised his hand +to his eye and caught hold of a bee, and understood +that that which caused this awful suffering +was only the sting of the tiny creature. +Quick as a flash, he stooped down and picked +up his sword, in the hope that as yet it was +not too late to intercept the runaways.</p> + +<p>But the little bee had done its work very +well.</p> + +<p>During the short time that the soldier was +blinded, the young mother had succeeded in +rushing past him and down the stairs; and although +he hurried after her with all haste, he +could not find her. She had vanished; and in +all that great palace there was no one who could +discover any trace of her.</p> + +<p>The following morning, the soldier, together +with several of his comrades, stood on guard, +just within the city gate. The hour was early, +and the city gates had only just been opened. +But it appeared as though no one had expected +that they would be opened that morning; for no +throngs of field laborers streamed out of the +city, as they usually did of a morning. All the +Bethlehem inhabitants were so filled with terror +over the night’s bloodshed that no one dared to +leave his home.</p> + +<p>“By my sword!” said the soldier, as he stood +and stared down the narrow street which led +toward the gate, “I believe Voltigius has made +a stupid blunder. It would have been better +had he kept the gates closed and ordered a +thorough search of every house in the city, until +he had found the boy who managed to escape +from the feast. Voltigius expects that his +parents will try to get him away from here as +soon as they learn that the gates are open. I +fear this is not a wise calculation. How easily +they could conceal a child!”</p> + +<p>He wondered if they would try to hide the +child in a fruit basket or in some huge oil cask, +or amongst the grain-bales of a caravan.</p> + +<p>While he stood there on the watch for any +attempt to deceive him in this way, he saw a man +and a woman who came hurriedly down the +street and were nearing the gate. They walked +rapidly and cast anxious looks behind them, as +though they were fleeing from some danger. +The man held an ax in his hand with a firm +grip, as if determined to fight should any one +bar his way. But the soldier did not look at +the man as much as he did at the woman. He +thought that she was just as tall as the young +mother who got away from him the night +before. He observed also that she had thrown +her skirt over her head. “Perhaps she wears +it like this,” thought he, “to conceal the fact +that she holds a child on her arm.”</p> + +<p>The nearer they approached, the plainer he +saw the child which the woman bore on her +arm outlined under the raised robe. “I’m positive +it is the one who got away last night. I +didn’t see her face, but I recognize the tall +figure. And here she comes now, with the child +on her arm, and without even trying to keep +it concealed. I had not dared to hope for such +a lucky chance,” said the soldier to himself.</p> + +<p>The man and woman continued their rapid +pace all the way to the city gate. Evidently, +they had not anticipated being intercepted here. +They trembled with fright when the soldier +leveled his spear at them, and barred their +passage.</p> + +<p>“Why do you refuse to let us go out in the +fields to our work?” asked the man.</p> + +<p>“You may go presently,” said the soldier, +“but first I must see what your wife has hidden +behind her robe.”</p> + +<p>“What is there to see?” said the man. “It +is only bread and wine, which we must live +upon to-day.”</p> + +<p>“You speak the truth, perchance,” said the +soldier, “but if it is as you say, why does she +turn away? Why does she not willingly let me +see what she carries?”</p> + +<p>“I do not wish that you shall see it,” said +the man, “and I command you to let us pass!”</p> + +<p>With this he raised his ax, but the woman laid +her hand on his arm.</p> + +<p>“Enter thou not into strife!” she pleaded. +“I will try some other way. I shall let him +see what I bear, and I know that he can not harm +it.” With a proud and confident smile she +turned toward the soldier, and threw back a fold +of her robe.</p> + +<p>Instantly the soldier staggered back and +closed his eyes, as if dazed by a strong light. +That which the woman held concealed under +her robe reflected such a dazzling white light +that at first he did not know what he saw.</p> + +<p>“I thought you held a child on your arm,” +he said.</p> + +<p>“You see what I hold,” the woman answered.</p> + +<p>Then the soldier finally saw that that which +dazzled and shone was only a cluster of white +lilies, the same kind that grew in the meadow; +but their luster was much richer and more radiant. +He could hardly bear to look at them.</p> + +<p>He stuck his hand in among the flowers. He +couldn’t help thinking that it must be a child +the woman carried, but he felt only the cool +flower-petals.</p> + +<p>He was bitterly deceived, and in his wrath +he would gladly have taken both the man and +the woman prisoners, but he knew that he could +give no reason for such a proceeding.</p> + +<p>When the woman saw his confusion, she said: +“Will you not let us go now?”</p> + +<p>The soldier quietly lowered the spear and +stepped aside.</p> + +<p>The woman drew her robe over the flowers +once more, and at the same time she looked +with a sweet smile upon that which she bore +on her arm. “I knew that you could not +harm it, did you but see it,” she said to the +soldier.</p> + +<p>With this, they hastened away; and the soldier +stood and stared after them as long as they +were within sight.</p> + +<p>While he followed them with his eyes, he almost +felt sure that the woman did not carry +on her arm a cluster of lilies, but an actual, +living child.</p> + +<p>While he still stood and stared after the +wanderers, he heard loud shouts from the street. +It was Voltigius, with several of his men, who +came running.</p> + +<p>“Stop them!” they cried. “Close the gates +on them! Don’t let them escape!”</p> + +<p>And when they came up to the soldier, they +said that they had tracked the runaway boy. +They had sought him in his home, but then +he had escaped again. They had seen his parents +hasten away with him. The father was a +strong, gray-bearded man who carried an ax; the +mother was a tall woman who held a child concealed +under a raised robe.</p> + +<p>The same moment that Voltigius related this, +there came a Bedouin riding in through the +gate on a good horse. Without a word, the +soldier rushed up to the rider, jerked him down +off the horse and threw him to the ground, and, +with one bound, jumped into the saddle and +dashed away toward the road.</p> + +<hr class='c005' /> + +<p>Two days later, the soldier rode forward +through the dreary mountain-desert, which is +the whole southern part of Judea. All the while +he was pursuing the three fugitives from Bethlehem, +and he was beside himself because the +fruitless hunt never came to an end.</p> + +<p>“It looks, forsooth, as though these creatures +had the power to sink into the earth,” he grumbled. +“How many times during these days +have I not been so close to them that I’ve been +on the point of throwing my spear at the child, +and yet they have escaped me! I begin to think +that I shall never catch up with them.”</p> + +<p>He felt despondent, like one who believes he +is struggling against some superior power. He +asked himself if it might not be possible that +the gods protected these people against him.</p> + +<p>“This trouble is in vain. Let me turn back before +I perish from hunger and thirst in this barren +land!” he said to himself, again and again. +Then he was seized with fear of that which +awaited him on his home-coming, should he turn +back without having accomplished his mission.</p> + +<p>Twice he had permitted the child to escape, +and neither Voltigius nor Herod would pardon +him for anything of the kind.</p> + +<p>“As long as Herod knows that one of the +Bethlehem children still lives, he will always +be haunted by the same anxiety and dread,” said +the soldier. “Most likely he will try to ease +his worries by nailing me to a cross.”</p> + +<p>It was a hot noonday hour, and he suffered +tortures from the ride through this mountain +district on a road which wound around steep +cliffs where no breeze stirred. Both horse and +rider were ready to drop.</p> + +<p>Several hours before he had lost every trace +of the fugitives, and he felt more disheartened +than ever.</p> + +<p>“I must give it up,” thought he. “I verily +believe it is time wasted to pursue them +further. They must perish anyway in this awful +wilderness.”</p> + +<p>As he thought this, he discovered, in a +mountain-wall near the roadside, the vaulted entrance +to a grotto.</p> + +<p>Immediately he rode up to the opening. “I +will rest a while in this cool mountain cave,” +thought he. “Then, mayhap, I can continue the +pursuit with renewed strength.”</p> + +<p>As he was about to enter, he was struck with +amazement! On each side of the opening grew +a beautiful lily. The two stalks stood there +tall and erect and full of blossoms. They sent +forth an intoxicating odor of honey, and many +bees buzzed around them.</p> + +<p>It was such an uncommon sight in this wilderness +that the soldier did something extraordinary. +He broke off a large white flower and +took it with him into the cave.</p> + +<p>The cave was neither deep nor dark, and as +soon as he entered he saw that there were already +three travelers within: a man, a woman, +and a child, who lay stretched out upon the +ground, lost in deep slumber.</p> + +<p>The soldier had never before felt his heart +beat as it did at this vision. They were the +three runaways whom he had hunted so long. +He recognized them instantly. And here they +lay sleeping, unable to defend themselves and +wholly in his power.</p> + +<p>He drew his sword quickly and bent over the +sleeping child.</p> + +<p>Cautiously he lowered the sword toward the +infant’s heart, and measured carefully, in order +to kill with a single thrust.</p> + +<p>He paused an instant to look at the child’s +countenance. Now, when he was certain of +victory, he felt a grim pleasure in beholding his +victim.</p> + +<p>But when he saw the child his joy increased, +for he recognized the little boy whom he had +seen play with bees and lilies in the meadow beyond +the city gate.</p> + +<p>“Why, of course I should have understood +this all the time!” thought he. “This is why +I have always hated the child. This is the +pretended Prince of Peace.”</p> + +<p>He lowered his sword again while he thought: +“When I lay this child’s head at Herod’s feet, +he will make me Commander of his Life +Guard.”</p> + +<p>As he brought the point of the sword nearer +and nearer the heart of the sleeping child, he +reveled in the thought: “This time, at least, +no one shall come between us and snatch him +from my power.”</p> + +<p>But the soldier still held in his hand the lily +which he had broken off at the grotto entrance; +and while he was thinking of his good fortune, +a bee that had been hidden in its chalice flew +towards him and buzzed around his head.</p> + +<p>He staggered back. Suddenly he remembered +the bees which the boy had carried to their +home, and he remembered that it was a bee that +had helped the child escape from Herod’s feast. +This thought struck him with surprise. He held +the sword suspended, and stood still and listened +for the bee.</p> + +<p>Now he did not hear the tiny creature’s +buzzing. As he stood there, perfectly still, he +became conscious of the strong, delicious perfume +which came from the lily that he held in +his hand.</p> + +<p>Then he began to think of the lilies that the +little one had saved; he remembered that it was +a cluster of lilies that had hidden the child from +his view and made possible the escape through +the city gate.</p> + +<p>He became more and more thoughtful, and +he drew back the sword.</p> + +<p>“The bees and the lilies have requited his +good deeds,” he whispered to himself. Then +he was struck by the thought that the little one +had once shown even him a kindness, and a +deep crimson flush mounted to his brow.</p> + +<p>“Can a Roman soldier forget to requite an +accepted service?” he whispered.</p> + +<p>He fought a short battle with himself. He +thought of Herod, and of his own desire to +destroy the young Peace-Prince.</p> + +<p>“It does not become me to murder this child +who has saved my life,” he said, at last.</p> + +<p>And he bent down and laid his sword beside +the child, that the fugitives on awakening should +understand the danger they had escaped.</p> + +<p>Then he saw that the child was awake. He +lay and regarded the soldier with the beautiful +eyes which shone like stars.</p> + +<p>And the warrior bent a knee before the child.</p> + +<p>“Lord, <em>thou</em> art the Mighty One!” said he. +“Thou art the strong Conqueror! Thou art +He whom the gods love! Thou art He who +shall tread upon adders and scorpions!”</p> + +<p>He kissed his feet and stole softly out from +the grotto, while the little one smiled and smiled +after him with great, astonished child-eyes.</p> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_077_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_077.jpg' alt='' class='ig006' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story5' class='c003'>THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>Far away in one of the Eastern deserts many, +many years ago grew a palm tree, which +was both exceedingly old and exceedingly tall.</p> + +<p>All who passed through the desert had to stop +and gaze at it, for it was much larger than other +palms; and they used to say of it, that some +day it would certainly be taller than the obelisks +and pyramids.</p> + +<p>Where the huge palm tree stood in its solitude +and looked out over the desert, it saw something +one day which made its mighty leaf-crown sway +back and forth on its slender trunk with astonishment. +Over by the desert borders walked +two human beings. They were still at the distance +at which camels appear to be as tiny as +moths; but they were certainly two human beings—two +who were strangers in the desert; for +the palm knew the desert-folk. They were a +man and a woman who had neither guide nor +pack-camels; neither tent nor water-sack.</p> + +<p>“Verily,” said the palm to itself, “these two +have come hither only to meet certain death.”</p> + +<p>The palm cast a quick, apprehensive glance +around.</p> + +<p>“It surprises me,” it said, “that the lions +are not already out to hunt this prey, but I do +not see a single one astir; nor do I see any of the +desert robbers, but they’ll probably soon come.”</p> + +<p>“A seven-fold death awaits these travelers,” +thought the palm. “The lions will devour +them, thirst will parch them, the sand-storm will +bury them, robbers will trap them, sunstroke will +blight them, and fear will destroy them.”</p> + +<p>And the palm tried to think of something else. +The fate of these people made it sad at heart.</p> + +<p>But on the whole desert plain, which lay +spread out beneath the palm, there was nothing +which it had not known and looked upon +these thousand years. Nothing in particular +could arrest its attention. Again it had to think +of the two wanderers.</p> + +<p>“By the drought and the storm!” said the +palm, calling upon Life’s most dangerous enemies. +“What is that that the woman carries +on her arm? I believe these fools also bring +a little child with them!”</p> + +<p>The palm, who was far-sighted—as the old +usually are,—actually saw aright. The woman +bore on her arm a child, that leaned against her +shoulder and slept.</p> + +<p>“The child hasn’t even sufficient clothing on,” +said the palm. “I see that the mother has +tucked up her skirt and thrown it over the child. +She must have snatched him from his bed in +great haste and rushed off with him. I understand +now: these people are runaways.</p> + +<p>“But they are fools, nevertheless,” continued +the palm. “Unless an angel protects them, they +would have done better to have let their enemies +do their worst, than to venture into this +wilderness.</p> + +<p>“I can imagine how the whole thing came +about. The man stood at his work; the child +slept in his crib; the woman had gone out to +fetch water. When she was a few steps from +the door, she saw enemies coming. She rushed +back to the house, snatched up her child, and +fled.</p> + +<p>“Since then, they have been fleeing for several +days. It is very certain that they have not +rested a moment. Yes, everything has happened +in this way, but still I say that unless +an angel protects them——</p> + +<p>“They are so frightened that, as yet, they +feel neither fatigue nor suffering. But I see +their thirst by the strange gleam in their eyes. +Surely I ought to know a thirsty person’s face!”</p> + +<p>And when the palm began to think of thirst, +a shudder passed through its tall trunk, and the +long leaves’ numberless lobes rolled up, as +though they had been held over a fire.</p> + +<p>“Were I a human being,” it said, “I should +never venture into the desert. He is pretty +brave who dares come here without having roots +that reach down to the never-dying water veins. +Here it can be dangerous even for palms; yea, +even for a palm such as I.</p> + +<p>“If I could counsel them, I should beg them +to turn back. Their enemies could never be as +cruel toward them as the desert. Perhaps they +think it is easy to live in the desert! But I +know that, now and then, even I have found it +hard to keep alive. I recollect one time in my +youth when a hurricane threw a whole mountain +of sand over me. I came near choking. If I +could have died that would have been my last +moment.”</p> + +<p>The palm continued to think aloud, as the +aged and solitary habitually do.</p> + +<p>“I hear a wondrously beautiful melody rush +through my leaves,” it said. “All the lobes +on my leaves are quivering. I know not what +it is that takes possession of me at the sight +of these poor strangers. But this unfortunate +woman is so beautiful! She carries me back, in +memory, to the most wonderful thing that I ever +experienced.”</p> + +<p>And while the leaves continued to move in a +soft melody, the palm was reminded how once, +very long ago, two illustrious personages had +visited the oasis. They were the Queen of Sheba +and Solomon the Wise. The beautiful Queen +was to return to her own country; the King had +accompanied her on the journey, and now they +were going to part. “In remembrance of this +hour,” said the Queen then, “I now plant a date +seed in the earth, and I wish that from it shall +spring a palm which shall grow and live until +a King shall arise in Judea, greater than Solomon.” +And when she had said this, she planted +the seed in the earth and watered it with her +tears.</p> + +<p>“How does it happen that I am thinking of +this just to-day?” said the palm. “Can this +woman be so beautiful that she reminds me of +the most glorious of queens, of her by whose +word I have lived and flourished until this +day?</p> + +<p>“I hear my leaves rustle louder and louder,” +said the palm, “and it sounds as melancholy as +a dirge. It is as though they prophesied that +some one would soon leave this life. It is well +to know that it does not apply to me, since I +can not die.”</p> + +<p>The palm assumed that the death-rustle in +its leaves must apply to the two lone wanderers. +It is certain that they too believed that their +last hour was nearing. One saw it from their +expression as they walked past the skeleton of +a camel which lay in their path. One saw it +from the glances they cast back at a pair of +passing vultures. It couldn’t be otherwise; they +must perish!</p> + +<p>They had caught sight of the palm and oasis +and hastened thither to find water. But when +they arrived at last, they collapsed from despair, +for the well was dry. The woman, worn out, +laid the child down and seated herself beside +the well-curb, and wept. The man flung himself +down beside her and beat upon the dry earth +with his fists. The palm heard how they talked +with each other about their inevitable death. It +also gleaned from their conversation that King +Herod had ordered the slaughter of all male +children from two to three years old, because +he feared that the long-looked-for King of the +Jews had been born.</p> + +<p>“It rustles louder and louder in my leaves,” +said the palm. “These poor fugitives will soon +see their last moment.”</p> + +<p>It perceived also that they dreaded the desert. +The man said it would have been better if they +had stayed at home and fought with the soldiers, +than to fly hither. He said that they +would have met an easier death.</p> + +<p>“God will help us,” said the woman.</p> + +<p>“We are alone among beasts of prey and +serpents,” said the man. “We have no food +and no water. How should God be able to +help us?” In despair he rent his garments and +pressed his face against the dry earth. He was +hopeless—like a man with a death-wound in his +heart.</p> + +<p>The woman sat erect, with her hands clasped +over her knees. But the looks she cast towards +the desert spoke of a hopelessness beyond +bounds.</p> + +<p>The palm heard the melancholy rustle in its +leaves growing louder and louder. The woman +must have heard it also, for she turned her gaze +upward toward the palm-crown. And instantly +she involuntarily raised her arms.</p> + +<p>“Oh, dates, dates!” she cried. There was +such intense agony in her voice that the old palm +wished itself no taller than a broom and that +the dates were as easy to reach as the buds on +a brier bush. It probably knew that its crown +was full of date clusters, but how should a +human being reach such a height?</p> + +<p>The man had already seen how beyond all +reach the date clusters hung. He did not even +raise his head. He begged his wife not to +long for the impossible.</p> + +<p>But the child, who had toddled about by himself +and played with sticks and straws, had heard +the mother’s outcry.</p> + +<p>Of course the little one could not imagine that +his mother should not get everything she wished +for. The instant she said dates, he began to +stare at the tree. He pondered and pondered +how he should bring down the dates. His forehead +was almost drawn into wrinkles under the +golden curls. At last a smile stole over his +face. He had found the way. He went up +to the palm and stroked it with his little hand, +and said, in a sweet, childish voice:</p> + +<p>“Palm, bend thee! Palm, bend thee!”</p> + +<p>But what was that, what was that? The +palm leaves rustled as if a hurricane had passed +through them, and up and down the long trunk +traveled shudder upon shudder. And the tree +felt that the little one was its superior. It could +not resist him.</p> + +<p>And it bowed its long trunk before the child, +as people bow before princes. In a great bow it +bent itself towards the ground, and finally it +came down so far that the big crown with the +trembling leaves swept the desert sand.</p> + +<p>The child appeared to be neither frightened +nor surprised; with a joyous cry he loosened +cluster after cluster from the old palm’s crown. +When he had plucked enough dates, and the +tree still lay on the ground, the child came +back again and caressed it and said, in the +gentlest voice:</p> + +<p>“Palm, raise thee! Palm, raise thee!”</p> + +<p>Slowly and reverently the big tree raised +itself on its slender trunk, while the leaves played +like harps.</p> + +<p>“Now I know for whom they are playing the +death melody,” said the palm to itself when it +stood erect once more. “It is not for any of +these people.”</p> + +<p>The man and the woman sank upon their +knees and thanked God.</p> + +<p>“Thou hast seen our agony and removed it. +Thou art the Powerful One who bendest the +palm-trunk like a reed. What enemy should +we fear when Thy strength protects us?”</p> + +<p>The next time a caravan passed through the +desert, the travelers saw that the great palm’s +leaf-crown had withered.</p> + +<p>“How can this be?” said a traveler. “This +palm was not to die before it had seen a King +greater than Solomon.”</p> + +<p>“Mayhap it hath seen him,” answered another +of the desert travelers.</p> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_089_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_089.jpg' alt='' class='ig007' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story6' class='c003'>IN NAZARETH</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>Once, when Jesus was only five years old, +he sat on the doorstep outside his father’s +workshop, in Nazareth, and made clay cuckoos +from a lump of clay which the potter across +the way had given him. He was happier than +usual. All the children in the quarter had told +Jesus that the potter was a disobliging man, who +wouldn’t let himself be coaxed, either by soft +glances or honeyed words, and he had never +dared ask aught of him. But, you see, he hardly +knew how it had come about. He had only +stood on his doorstep and, with yearning eyes, +looked upon the neighbor working at his molds, +and then that neighbor had come over from his +stall and given him so much clay that it would +have been enough to finish a whole wine jug.</p> + +<p>On the stoop of the next house sat Judas, his +face covered with bruises and his clothes full +of rents, which he had acquired during his continual +fights with street urchins. For the moment +he was quiet, he neither quarreled nor +fought, but worked with a bit of clay, just as +Jesus did. But this clay he had not been able +to procure for himself. He hardly dared +venture within sight of the potter, who complained +that he was in the habit of throwing stones at +his fragile wares, and would have driven him +away with a good beating. It was Jesus who +had divided his portion with him.</p> + +<p>When the two children had finished their clay +cuckoos, they stood the birds up in a ring in +front of them. These looked just as clay +cuckoos have always looked. They had big, +round lumps to stand on in place of feet, short +tails, no necks, and almost imperceptible wings.</p> + +<p>But, at all events, one saw at once a difference +in the work of the little playmates. Judas’ birds +were so crooked that they tumbled over continually; +and no matter how hard he worked +with his clumsy little fingers, he couldn’t get their +bodies neat and well formed. Now and then +he glanced slyly at Jesus, to see how he managed +to make his birds as smooth and even as +the oak-leaves in the forests on Mount Tabor.</p> + +<p>As bird after bird was finished, Jesus became +happier and happier. Each looked more beautiful +to him than the last, and he regarded +them all with pride and affection. They were +to be his playmates, his little brothers; they +should sleep in his bed, keep him company, and +sing to him when his mother left him. Never +before had he thought himself so rich; never +again could he feel alone or forsaken.</p> + +<p>The big brawny water-carrier came walking +along, and right after him came the huckster, +who sat joggingly on his donkey between the +large empty willow baskets. The water-carrier +laid his hand on Jesus’ curly head and asked +him about his birds; and Jesus told him that +they had names and that they could sing. +All the little birds were come to him from +foreign lands, and told him things which only +he and they knew. And Jesus spoke in such +a way that both the water-carrier and the +huckster forgot about their tasks for a full +hour, to listen to him.</p> + +<p>But when they wished to go farther, Jesus +pointed to Judas. “See what pretty birds Judas +makes!” he said.</p> + +<p>Then the huckster good-naturedly stopped +his donkey and asked Judas if his birds also +had names and could sing. But Judas knew +nothing of this. He was stubbornly silent and +did not raise his eyes from his work, and the +huckster angrily kicked one of his birds and +rode on.</p> + +<p>In this manner the afternoon passed, and the +sun sank so far down that its beams could come +in through the low city gate, which stood at +the end of the street and was decorated with +a Roman Eagle. This sunshine, which came +at the close of the day, was perfectly +rose-red—as if it had become mixed with blood—and +it colored everything which came in its path, +as it filtered through the narrow street. It +painted the potter’s vessels as well as the log +which creaked under the woodman’s saw, and +the white veil that covered Mary’s face.</p> + +<p>But the loveliest of all was the sun’s reflection +as it shone on the little water-puddles which +had gathered in the big, uneven cracks in the +stones that covered the street. Suddenly Jesus +stuck his hand in the puddle nearest him. He +had conceived the idea that he would paint his +gray birds with the sparkling sunbeams which +had given such pretty color to the water, the +house-walls, and everything around him.</p> + +<p>The sunshine took pleasure in letting itself +be captured by him, like paint in a paint pot; +and when Jesus spread it over the little clay +birds, it lay still and bedecked them from head +to feet with a diamond-like luster.</p> + +<p>Judas, who every now and then looked at +Jesus to see if he made more and prettier birds +than his, gave a shriek of delight when he saw +how Jesus painted his clay cuckoos with the +sunshine, which he caught from the water pools. +Judas also dipped his hand in the shining water +and tried to catch the sunshine.</p> + +<p>But the sunshine wouldn’t be caught by him. +It slipped through his fingers; and no matter +how fast he tried to move his hands to get +hold of it, it got away, and he couldn’t procure +a pinch of color for his poor birds.</p> + +<p>“Wait, Judas!” said Jesus. “I’ll come and +paint your birds.”</p> + +<p>“No, you shan’t touch them!” cried Judas. +“They’re good enough as they are.”</p> + +<p>He rose, his eyebrows contracted into an ugly +frown, his lips compressed. And he put his +broad foot on the birds and transformed them, +one after another, into little flat pieces of clay.</p> + +<p>When all his birds were destroyed, he walked +over to Jesus, who sat and caressed his birds—that +glittered like jewels. Judas regarded them +for a moment in silence, then he raised his +foot and crushed one of them.</p> + +<p>When Judas took his foot away and saw +the entire little bird changed into a cake of +clay, he felt so relieved that he began to laugh, +and raised his foot to crush another.</p> + +<p>“Judas,” said Jesus, “what are you doing? +Don’t you see that they are alive and can sing?”</p> + +<p>But Judas laughed and crushed still another +bird.</p> + +<p>Jesus looked around for help. Judas was +heavily built and Jesus had not the strength to +hold him back. He glanced around for his +mother. She was not far away, but before she +could have gone there, Judas would have had +ample time to destroy the birds. The tears +sprang to Jesus’ eyes. Judas had already +crushed four of his birds. There were only +three left.</p> + +<p>He was annoyed with his birds, who stood +so calmly and let themselves be trampled upon +without paying the slightest attention to the +danger. Jesus clapped his hands to awaken +them; then he shouted: “Fly, fly!”</p> + +<p>Then the three birds began to move their +tiny wings, and, fluttering anxiously, they succeeded +in swinging themselves up to the eaves +of the house, where they were safe.</p> + +<p>But when Judas saw that the birds took to +their wings and flew at Jesus’ command, he began +to weep. He tore his hair, as he had seen +his elders do when they were in great trouble, +and he threw himself at Jesus’ feet.</p> + +<p>Judas lay there and rolled in the dust before +Jesus like a dog, and kissed his feet and begged +that he would raise his foot and crush him, as +he had done with the clay cuckoos. For Judas +loved Jesus and admired and worshiped him, +and at the same time hated him.</p> + +<p>Mary, who sat all the while and watched +the children’s play, came up and lifted Judas in +her arms and seated him on her lap, and +caressed him.</p> + +<p>“You poor child!” she said to him, “you +do not know that you have attempted something +which no mortal can accomplish. Don’t +engage in anything of this kind again, if you do +not wish to become the unhappiest of mortals! +What would happen to any one of us who +undertook to compete with one who paints with +sunbeams and blows the breath of life into dead +clay?”</p> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_099_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_099.jpg' alt='' class='ig008' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story7' class='c003'>IN THE TEMPLE</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>Once there was a poor family—a man, +his wife, and their little son—who walked +about in the big Temple at Jerusalem. The son +was such a pretty child! He had hair which +fell in long, even curls, and eyes that shone +like stars.</p> + +<p>The son had not been in the Temple since +he was big enough to comprehend what he saw; +and now his parents showed him all its glories. +There were long rows of pillars and gilded +altars; there were holy men who sat and instructed +their pupils; there was the high priest +with his breastplate of precious stones. There +were the curtains from Babylon, interwoven +with gold roses; there were the great copper +gates, which were so heavy that it was hard +work for thirty men to swing them back and +forth on their hinges.</p> + +<p>But the little boy, who was only twelve years +old, did not care very much about seeing all +this. His mother told him that that which she +showed him was the most marvelous in all the +world. She told him that it would probably +be a long time before he should see anything +like it again. In the poor town of Nazareth, +where they lived, there was nothing to be seen +but gray streets.</p> + +<p>Her exhortations did not help matters much. +The little boy looked as though he would willingly +have run away from the magnificent Temple, +if instead he could have got out and played +on the narrow street in Nazareth.</p> + +<p>But it was singular that the more indifferent +the boy appeared, the more pleased and happy +were the parents. They nodded to each other +over his head, and were thoroughly satisfied.</p> + +<p>At last, the little one looked so tired and +bored that the mother felt sorry for him. +“Now we have walked too far with you,” said +she. “Come, you shall rest a while.”</p> + +<p>She sat down beside a pillar and told him to +lie down on the ground and rest his head on +her knee. He did so, and fell asleep instantly.</p> + +<p>He had barely closed his eyes when the wife +said to the husband: “I have never feared anything +so much as the moment when he should +come here to Jerusalem’s Temple. I believed +that when he saw this house of God, he would +wish to stay here forever.”</p> + +<p>“I, too, have been afraid of this journey,” +said the man. “At the time of his birth, many +signs and wonders appeared which betokened +that he would become a great ruler. But what +could royal honors bring him except worries +and dangers? I have always said that it would +be best, both for him and for us, if he never +became anything but a carpenter in Nazareth.”</p> + +<p>“Since his fifth year,” said the mother reflectively, +“no miracles have happened around +him. And he does not recall any of the wonders +which occurred during his early childhood. +Now he is exactly like a child among other children. +God’s will be done above all else! But +I have almost begun to hope that our Lord in +His mercy will choose another for the great +destinies, and let me keep my son with me.”</p> + +<p>“For my part,” said the man, “I am certain +that if he learns nothing of the signs and wonders +which occurred during his first years, then +all will go well.”</p> + +<p>“I never speak with him about any of these +marvels,” said the wife. “But I fear all the +while that, without my having aught to do +with it, something will happen which will make +him understand who he is. I feared most of +all to bring him to this Temple.”</p> + +<p>“You may be glad that the danger is over +now,” said the man. “We shall soon have him +back home in Nazareth.”</p> + +<p>“I have feared the wise men in the Temple,” +said the woman. “I have dreaded the soothsayers +who sit here on their rugs. I believed +that when he should come to their notice, they +would stand up and bow before the child, and +greet him as Judea’s King. It is singular that +they do not notice his beauty. Such a child +has never before come under their eyes.” She +sat in silence a moment and regarded the child. +“I can hardly understand it,” said she. “I +believed that when he should see these judges, +who sit in the house of the Holy One and settle +the people’s disputes, and these teachers who +talk with their pupils, and these priests who +serve the Lord, he would wake up and say: ‘It +is here, among these judges, these teachers, these +priests, that I am born to live.’”</p> + +<p>“What happiness would there be for him to +sit shut in between these pillar-aisles?” interposed +the man. “It is better for him to roam +on the hills and mountains round about +Nazareth.”</p> + +<p>The mother sighed a little. “He is so happy +at home with us!” said she. “How contented +he seems when he can follow the shepherds +on their lonely wanderings, or when he can +go out in the fields and see the husbandmen +labor. I can not believe that we are treating +him wrongly, when we seek to keep him for +ourselves.”</p> + +<p>“We only spare him the greatest suffering,” +said the man.</p> + +<p>They continued talking together in this strain +until the child awoke from his slumber.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said the mother, “have you had a +good rest? Stand up now, for it is drawing +on toward evening, and we must return to the +camp.”</p> + +<p>They were in the most remote part of the +building and so began the walk towards the +entrance.</p> + +<p>They had to go through an old arch which +had been there ever since the time when the +first Temple was erected on this spot; and near +the arch, propped against a wall, stood an +old copper trumpet, enormous in length and +weight, almost like a pillar to raise to the mouth +and play upon. It stood there dented and battered, +full of dust and spiders’ webs, inside and +outside, and covered with an almost invisible +tracing of ancient letters. Probably a thousand +years had gone by since any one had tried to +coax a tone out of it.</p> + +<p>But when the little boy saw the huge trumpet, +he stopped—astonished! “What is that?” +he asked.</p> + +<p>“That is the great trumpet called the Voice +of the Prince of this World,” replied the +mother. “With this, Moses called together the +Children of Israel, when they were scattered +over the wilderness. Since his time no one has +been able to coax a single tone from it. But +he who can do this, shall gather all the peoples +of earth under his dominion.”</p> + +<p>She smiled at this, which she believed to be +an old myth; but the little boy remained standing +beside the big trumpet until she called him. +This trumpet was the first thing he had seen +in the Temple that he liked.</p> + +<p>They had not gone far before they came to a +big, wide Temple-court. Here, in the mountain-foundation +itself, was a chasm, deep and wide—just +as it had been from time immemorial. This +chasm King Solomon had not wished to fill in +when he built the Temple. No bridge had been +laid over it; no inclosure had he built around +the steep abyss. But instead, he had stretched +across it a sword of steel, several feet long, +sharpened, and with the blade up. And after +ages and ages and many changes, the sword +still lay across the chasm. Now it had almost +rusted away. It was no longer securely fastened +at the ends, but trembled and rocked as soon as +any one walked with heavy steps in the Temple +Court.</p> + +<p>When the mother took the boy in a roundabout +way past the chasm, he asked: “What +bridge is this?”</p> + +<p>“It was placed there by King Solomon,” +answered the mother, “and we call it Paradise +Bridge. If you can cross the chasm on this +trembling bridge, whose surface is thinner than +a sunbeam, then you can be sure of getting to +Paradise.”</p> + +<p>She smiled and moved away; but the boy +stood still and looked at the narrow, trembling +steel blade until she called him.</p> + +<p>When he obeyed her, she sighed because she +had not shown him these two remarkable things +sooner, so that he might have had sufficient time +to view them.</p> + +<p>Now they walked on without being detained, +till they came to the great entrance portico with +its columns, five-deep. Here, in a corner, were +two black marble pillars erected on the same +foundation, and so close to each other that hardly +a straw could be squeezed in between them. +They were tall and majestic, with richly ornamented +capitals around which ran a row of +peculiarly formed beasts’ heads. And there +was not an inch on these beautiful pillars that +did not bear marks and scratches. They were +worn and damaged like nothing else in the +Temple. Even the floor around them was worn +smooth, and was somewhat hollowed out from +the wear of many feet.</p> + +<p>Once more the boy stopped his mother and +asked: “What pillars are these?”</p> + +<p>“They are pillars which our father Abraham +brought with him to Palestine from far-away +Chaldea, and which he called Righteousness’ +Gate. He who can squeeze between them is +righteous before God and has never committed +a sin.”</p> + +<p>The boy stood still and regarded these pillars +with great, open eyes.</p> + +<p>“You, surely, do not think of trying to +squeeze yourself in between them?” laughed +the mother. “You see how the floor around +them is worn away by the many who have +attempted to force their way through the +narrow space; but, believe me, no one has +succeeded. Make haste! I hear the +clanging of the copper gates; the thirty +Temple servants have put their shoulders to +them.”</p> + +<p>But all night the little boy lay awake in the +tent, and he saw before him nothing but Righteousness’ +Gate and Paradise Bridge and the +Voice of the Prince of this World. Never before +had he heard of such wonderful things, and +he couldn’t get them out of his head.</p> + +<p>And on the morning of the next day it was +the same thing: he couldn’t think of anything +else. That morning they were to leave for +home. The parents had much to do before they +took the tent down and loaded it upon a big +camel, and before everything else was in order. +They were not going to travel alone, but in +company with many relatives and neighbors. +And since there were so many, the packing naturally +went on very slowly.</p> + +<p>The little boy did not assist in the work, +but in the midst of the hurry and confusion he +sat still and thought about the three wonderful +things.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he concluded that he would have +time enough to go back to the Temple and take +another look at them. There was still much +to be packed away. He could probably manage +to get back from the Temple before the +departure.</p> + +<p>He hastened away without telling any one +where he was going to. He didn’t think it was +necessary. He would soon return, of course.</p> + +<p>It wasn’t long before he reached the Temple +and entered the portico where the two pillars +stood.</p> + +<p>As soon as he saw them, his eyes danced with +joy. He sat down on the floor beside them, and +gazed up at them. As he thought that he who +could squeeze between these two pillars was accounted +righteous before God and had never +committed sin, he fancied he had never seen +anything so wonderful.</p> + +<p>He thought how glorious it would be to be +able to squeeze in between the two pillars, but +they stood so close together that it was impossible +even to try it. In this way, he sat motionless +before the pillars for well-nigh an hour; +but this he did not know. He thought he had +looked at them only a few moments.</p> + +<p>But it happened that, in the portico where +the little boy sat, the judges of the high +court were assembled to help folks settle their +differences.</p> + +<p>The whole portico was filled with people, who +complained about boundary lines that had been +moved, about sheep which had been carried +away from the flocks and branded with false +marks, about debtors who wouldn’t pay.</p> + +<p>Among them came a rich man dressed in a +trailing purple robe, who brought before the +court a poor widow who was supposed to owe +him a few silver shekels. The poor widow cried +and said that the rich man dealt unjustly with +her; she had already paid her debt to him once, +and now he tried to force her to pay it again, +but this she could not afford to do; she was so +poor that should the judges condemn her to +pay, she must give her daughters to the rich +man as slaves.</p> + +<p>Then he who sat in the place of honor on +the judges’ bench, turned to the rich man and +said: “Do you dare to swear on oath that this +poor woman has not already paid you?”</p> + +<p>Then the rich man answered: “Lord, I am +a rich man. Would I take the trouble to demand +my money from this poor widow, if I +did not have the right to it? I swear to you +that as certain as that no one shall ever walk +through Righteousness’ Gate does this woman +owe me the sum which I demand.”</p> + +<p>When the judges heard this oath they believed +him, and doomed the poor widow to +leave him her daughters as slaves.</p> + +<p>But the little boy sat close by and heard +all this. He thought to himself: What a good +thing it would be if some one could squeeze +through Righteousness’ Gate! That rich man +certainly did not speak the truth. It is a great +pity about the poor old woman, who will be +compelled to send her daughters away to become +slaves!</p> + +<p>He jumped upon the platform where the two +pillars towered into the heights, and looked +through the crack.</p> + +<p>“Ah, that it were not altogether impossible!” +thought he.</p> + +<p>He was deeply distressed because of the poor +woman. Now he didn’t think at all about the +saying that he who could squeeze through +Righteousness’ Gate was holy, and without sin. +He wanted to get through only for the sake +of the poor woman.</p> + +<p>He put his shoulder in the groove between +the two pillars, as if to make a way.</p> + +<p>That instant all the people who stood under +the portico, looked over toward Righteousness’ +Gate. For it rumbled in the vaults, and it sang +in the old pillars, and they glided apart—one +to the right, and one to the left—and made a +space wide enough for the boy’s slender body +to pass between them!</p> + +<p>Then there arose the greatest wonder and +excitement! At first no one knew what to say. +The people stood and stared at the little boy +who had worked so great a miracle.</p> + +<p>The oldest among the judges was the first one +who came to his senses. He called out that +they should lay hold on the rich merchant, and +bring him before the judgment seat. And he +sentenced him to leave all his goods to the poor +widow, because he had sworn falsely in God’s +Temple.</p> + +<p>When this was settled, the judge asked after +the boy who had passed through Righteousness’ +Gate; but when the people looked around for +him, he had disappeared. For the very moment +the pillars glided apart, he was awakened, as +from a dream, and remembered the home-journey +and his parents. “Now I must hasten away +from here, so that my parents will not have to +wait for me,” thought he.</p> + +<p>He knew not that he had sat a whole hour +before Righteousness’ Gate, but believed he had +lingered there only a few minutes; therefore, he +thought that he would even have time to take +a look at Paradise Bridge before he left the +Temple.</p> + +<p>And he slipped through the throng of people +and came to Paradise Bridge, which was situated +in another part of the big temple.</p> + +<p>But when he saw the sharp steel sword which +was drawn across the chasm, he thought how the +person who could walk across that bridge was +sure of reaching Paradise. He believed that +this was the most marvelous thing he had ever +beheld; and he seated himself on the edge of +the chasm to look at the steel sword.</p> + +<p>There he sat down and thought how delightful +it would be to reach Paradise, and how +much he would like to walk across the bridge; +but at the same time he saw that it would be +simply impossible even to attempt it.</p> + +<p>Thus he sat and mused for two hours, but +he did not know how the time had flown. He +sat there and thought only of Paradise.</p> + +<p>But it seems that in the court where the +deep chasm was, a large altar had been erected, +and all around it walked white-robed priests, +who tended the altar fire and received sacrifices. +In the court there were many with offerings, +and a big crowd who only watched the +service.</p> + +<p>Then there came a poor old man who brought +a lamb which was very small and thin, and +which had been bitten by a dog and had a large +wound.</p> + +<p>The man went up to the priests with the lamb +and begged that he might offer it, but they +refused to accept it. They told him that such +a miserable gift he could not offer to our Lord. +The old man implored them to accept the lamb +out of compassion, for his son lay at the point +of death, and he possessed nothing else that +he could offer to God for his restoration. “You +must let me offer it,” said he, “else my prayers +will not come before God’s face, and my son +will die!”</p> + +<p>“You must not believe but that I have the +greatest sympathy with you,” said the priest, +“but in the law it is forbidden to sacrifice a +damaged animal. It is just as impossible to +grant your prayers, as it is to cross Paradise +Bridge.”</p> + +<p>The little boy did not sit very far away, so +he heard all this. Instantly he thought what +a pity it was that no one could cross the bridge. +Perhaps the poor man might keep his son if +the lamb were sacrificed.</p> + +<p>The old man left the Temple Court disconsolate, +but the boy got up, walked over to the +trembling bridge, and put his foot on it.</p> + +<p>He didn’t think at all about wanting to cross +it to be certain of Paradise. His thoughts were +with the poor man, whom he desired to help.</p> + +<p>But he drew back his foot, for he thought: +“This is impossible. It is much too old and +rusty, and would not hold even me!”</p> + +<p>But once again his thoughts went out to the +old man whose son lay at death’s door. Again +he put his foot down upon the blade.</p> + +<p>Then he noticed that it ceased to tremble, +and that beneath his foot it felt broad and +secure.</p> + +<p>And when he took the next step upon it, he +felt that the air around him supported him, so +that he could not fall. It bore him as though +he were a bird, and had wings.</p> + +<p>But from the suspended sword a sweet tone +trembled when the boy walked upon it, and one +of those who stood in the court turned around +when he heard the tone. He gave a cry, and +then the others turned and saw the little boy +tripping across the sword.</p> + +<p>There was great consternation among all who +stood there. The first who came to their senses +were the priests. They immediately sent a messenger +after the poor man, and when he came +back they said to him: “God has performed a +miracle to show us that He will accept your +offering. Give us your lamb and we will sacrifice +it.”</p> + +<p>When this was done they asked for the little +boy who had walked across the chasm; but +when they looked around for him they could +not find him.</p> + +<p>For just after the boy had crossed the chasm, +he happened to think of the journey home, and +of his parents. He did not know that the morning +and the whole forenoon were gone, but +thought: “I must make haste and get back, so +that they will not have to wait. But first I want +to run over and take a look at the Voice of the +Prince of this World.”</p> + +<p>And he stole away through the crowd and +ran over to the damp pillar-aisle where the copper +trumpet stood leaning against the wall.</p> + +<p>When he saw it, and thought about the prediction +that he who could coax a tone from it +should one day gather all the peoples of earth +under his dominion, he fancied that never had +he seen anything so wonderful! and he sat +down beside it and regarded it.</p> + +<p>He thought how great it would be to win +all the peoples of earth, and how much he +wished that he could blow in the old trumpet. +But he understood that it was impossible, so +he didn’t even dare try.</p> + +<p>He sat like this for several hours, but he did +not know how the time passed. He thought +only how marvelous it would be to gather all +the peoples of earth under his dominion.</p> + +<p>But it happened that in this cool passageway +sat a holy man who instructed his pupils, that +sat at his feet.</p> + +<p>And now this holy man turned toward one +of his pupils and told him that he was an impostor. +He said the spirit had revealed to him +that this youth was a stranger, and not an +Israelite. And he demanded why he had +sneaked in among his pupils under a false name.</p> + +<p>Then the strange youth rose and said that +he had wandered through deserts and sailed +over great seas that he might hear wisdom and +the doctrine of the only true God expounded. +“My soul was faint with longing,” he said to +the holy man. “But I knew that you would +not teach me if I did not say that I was an +Israelite. Therefore, I lied to you, that my +longing should be satisfied. And I pray that +you will let me remain here with you.”</p> + +<p>But the holy man stood up and raised his +arms toward heaven. “It is just as impossible +to let you remain here with me, as it is that +some one shall arise and blow in the huge copper +trumpet, which we call the Voice of the +Prince of this World! You are not even +permitted to enter this part of the Temple. Leave +this place at once, or my pupils will throw themselves +upon you and tear you in pieces, for your +presence desecrates the Temple.”</p> + +<p>But the youth stood still, and said: “I do not +wish to go elsewhere, where my soul can find +no nourishment. I would rather die here at +your feet.”</p> + +<p>Hardly was this said when the holy man’s +pupils jumped to their feet, to drive him away, +and when he made resistance, they threw him +down and wished to kill him.</p> + +<p>But the boy sat very near, so he heard and +saw all this, and he thought: “This is a great +injustice. Oh! if I could only blow in the big +copper trumpet, he would be helped.”</p> + +<p>He rose and laid his hand on the trumpet. +At this moment he no longer wished that he +could raise it to his lips because he who could +do so should be a great ruler, but because he +hoped that he might help one whose life was +in danger.</p> + +<p>And he grasped the copper trumpet with his +tiny hands, to try and lift it.</p> + +<p>Then he felt that the huge trumpet raised +itself to his lips. And when he only breathed, +a strong, resonant tone came forth from the +trumpet, and reverberated all through the great +Temple.</p> + +<p>Then they all turned their eyes and saw that +it was a little boy who stood with the trumpet +to his lips and coaxed from it tones which made +foundations and pillars tremble.</p> + +<p>Instantly, all the hands which had been lifted +to strike the strange youth fell, and the holy +teacher said to him:</p> + +<p>“Come and sit thee here at my feet, as thou +didst sit before! God hath performed a miracle +to show me that it is His wish that thou shouldst +be consecrated to His service.”</p> + +<hr class='c005' /> + +<p>As it drew on toward the close of day, a man +and a woman came hurrying toward Jerusalem. +They looked frightened and anxious, and called +out to each and every one whom they met: +“We have lost our son! We thought he had +followed our relatives, but none of them have +seen him. Has any one of you passed a child +alone?”</p> + +<p>Those who came from Jerusalem answered +them: “Indeed, we have not seen your son, but +in the Temple we saw a most beautiful child! +He was like an angel from heaven, and he has +passed through Righteousness’ Gate.”</p> + +<p>They would gladly have related, very minutely, +all about this, but the parents had no +time to listen.</p> + +<p>When they had walked on a little farther, +they met other persons and questioned them.</p> + +<p>But those who came from Jerusalem wished +to talk only about a most beautiful child who +looked as though he had come down from +heaven, and who had crossed Paradise +Bridge.</p> + +<p>They would gladly have stopped and talked +about this until late at night, but the man and +woman had no time to listen to them, and hurried +into the city.</p> + +<p>They walked up one street and down another +without finding the child. At last they reached +the Temple. As they came up to it, the woman +said: “Since we are here, let us go in and see +what the child is like, which they say has come +down from heaven!” They went in and asked +where they should find the child.</p> + +<p>“Go straight on to where the holy teachers +sit with their students. There you will find the +child. The old men have seated him in their +midst. They question him and he questions +them, and they are all amazed at him. But all +the people stand below in the Temple court, +to catch a glimpse of the one who has raised +the Voice of the Prince of this World to his +lips.”</p> + +<p>The man and the woman made their way +through the throng of people, and saw that +the child who sat among the wise teachers was +their son.</p> + +<p>But as soon as the woman recognized the +child she began to weep.</p> + +<p>And the boy who sat among the wise men +heard that some one wept, and he knew that +it was his mother. Then he rose and came +over to her, and the father and mother took +him between them and went from the Temple +with him.</p> + +<p>But as the mother continued to weep, the +child asked: “Why weepest thou? I came to +thee as soon as I heard thy voice.”</p> + +<p>“Should I not weep?” said the mother. “I +believed that thou wert lost to me.”</p> + +<p>They went out from the city and darkness +came on, and all the while the mother wept.</p> + +<p>“Why weepest thou?” asked the child. “I +did not know that the day was spent. I thought +it was still morning, and I came to thee as soon +as I heard thy voice.”</p> + +<p>“Should I not weep?” said the mother. “I +have sought for thee all day long. I believed +that thou wert lost to me.”</p> + +<p>They walked the whole night, and the mother +wept all the while.</p> + +<p>When day began to dawn, the child said: +“Why dost thou weep? I have not sought +mine own glory, but God has let me perform +miracles because He wanted to help the three +poor creatures. As soon as I heard thy voice, +I came to thee.”</p> + +<p>“My son,” replied the mother. “I weep +because thou art none the less lost to me. Thou +wilt never more belong to me. Henceforth thy +life ambition shall be righteousness; thy longing, +Paradise; and thy love shall embrace all +the poor human beings who people this earth.”</p> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_123_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_123.jpg' alt='' class='ig009' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story8' class='c003'>SAINT VERONICA’S KERCHIEF</h2> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> +<div class='nf-center c004' > + <span class='larger'>I</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>During one of the latter years of Emperor +Tiberius’ reign, a poor vine-dresser +and his wife came and settled in a solitary +hut among the Sabine mountains. They were +strangers, and lived in absolute solitude without +ever receiving a visit from a human being. +But one morning when the laborer opened his +door, he found, to his astonishment, that an +old woman sat huddled up on the threshold. She +was wrapped in a plain gray mantle, and looked +very poor. Nevertheless, she impressed him as +being so respect-compelling, as she rose and +came to meet him, that it made him think of +what the legends had to say about goddesses +who, in the form of old women, had visited +mortals.</p> + +<p>“My friend,” said the old woman to the vine-dresser, +“you must not wonder that I have slept +this night on your threshold. My parents lived +in this hut, and here I was born nearly ninety +years ago. I expected to find it empty and +deserted. I did not know that people still occupied +it.”</p> + +<p>“I do not wonder that you thought a hut +which lies so high up among these desolate hills +should stand empty and deserted,” said the vine-dresser. +“But my wife and I come from a +foreign land, and as poor strangers we have +not been able to find a better dwelling-place. +But to you, who must be tired and hungry after +the long journey, which you at your extreme age +have undertaken, it is perhaps more welcome +that the hut is occupied by people than by Sabine +mountain wolves. You will at least find a bed +within to rest on, and a bowl of goats’ milk, and +a bread-cake, if you will accept them.”</p> + +<p>The old woman smiled a little, but this smile +was so fleeting that it could not dispel the expression +of deep sorrow which rested upon her +countenance.</p> + +<p>“I spent my entire youth up here among these +mountains,” she said. “I have not yet forgotten +the trick of driving a wolf from his lair.”</p> + +<p>And she actually looked so strong and vigorous +that the laborer didn’t doubt that she still +possessed strength enough, despite her great +age, to fight with the wild beasts of the forest.</p> + +<p>He repeated his invitation, and the old +woman stepped into the cottage. She sat down +to the frugal meal, and partook of it without +hesitancy. Although she seemed to be well satisfied +with the fare of coarse bread soaked in +goats’ milk, both the man and his wife thought: +“Where can this old wanderer come from? +She has certainly eaten pheasants served on silver +plates oftener than she has drunk goats’ +milk from earthen bowls.”</p> + +<p>Now and then she raised her eyes from the +food and looked around,—as if to try and +realize that she was back in the hut. The poor +old home with its bare clay walls and its earth +floor was certainly not much changed. She +pointed out to her hosts that on the walls there +were still visible some traces of dogs and deer +which her father had sketched there to amuse +his little children. And on a shelf, high up, she +thought she saw fragments of an earthen dish +which she herself had used to measure milk in.</p> + +<p>The man and his wife thought to themselves: +“It must be true that she was born in this hut, +but she has surely had much more to attend to +in this life than milking goats and making butter +and cheese.”</p> + +<p>They observed also that her thoughts were +often far away, and that she sighed heavily and +anxiously every time she came back to herself.</p> + +<p>Finally she rose from the table. She thanked +them graciously for the hospitality she had enjoyed, +and walked toward the door.</p> + +<p>But then it seemed to the vine-dresser that +she was pitifully poor and lonely, and he exclaimed: +“If I am not mistaken, it was not +your intention, when you dragged yourself up +here last night, to leave this hut so soon. If +you are actually as poor as you seem, it must +have been your intention to remain here for +the rest of your life. But now you wish to +leave because my wife and I have taken possession +of the hut.”</p> + +<p>The old woman did not deny that he had +guessed rightly. “But this hut, which for many +years has been deserted, belongs to you as much +as to me,” she said. “I have no right to drive +you from it.”</p> + +<p>“It is still your parents’ hut,” said the laborer, +“and you surely have a better right to +it than we have. Besides, we are young and +you are old; therefore, you shall remain and +we will go.”</p> + +<p>When the old woman heard this, she was +greatly astonished. She turned around on the +threshold and stared at the man, as though she +had not understood what he meant by his words.</p> + +<p>But now the young wife joined in the conversation.</p> + +<p>“If I might suggest,” said she to her husband, +“I should beg you to ask this old woman +if she won’t look upon us as her own children, +and permit us to stay with her and take care +of her. What service would we render her if we +gave her this miserable hut and then left her? +It would be terrible for her to live here in this +wilderness alone! And what would she live +on? It would be just like letting her starve +to death.”</p> + +<p>The old woman went up to the man and his +wife and regarded them carefully. “Why do +you speak thus?” she asked. “Why are you +so merciful to me? You are strangers.”</p> + +<p>Then the young wife answered: “It is because +we ourselves once met with great mercy.”</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>II</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>This is how the old woman came to live in +the vine-dresser’s hut. And she conceived a +great friendship for the young people. But for +all that she never told them whence she had +come, or who she was, and they understood +that she would not have taken it in good part +had they questioned her.</p> + +<p>But one evening, when the day’s work was +done, and all three sat on the big, flat rock +which lay before the entrance, and partook of +their evening meal, they saw an old man coming +up the path.</p> + +<p>He was a tall and powerfully built man, with +shoulders as broad as a gladiator’s. His face +wore a cheerless and stern expression. The +brows jutted far out over the deep-set eyes, and +the lines around the mouth expressed bitterness +and contempt. He walked with erect bearing +and quick movements.</p> + +<p>The man wore a simple dress, and the instant +the vine-dresser saw him, he said: “He is an +old soldier, one who has been discharged from +service and is now on his way home.”</p> + +<p>When the stranger came directly before them +he paused, as if in doubt. The laborer, who +knew that the road terminated a short distance +beyond the hut, laid down his spoon and called +out to him: “Have you gone astray, stranger, +since you come hither? Usually, no one takes +the trouble to climb up here, unless he has an +errand to one of us who live here.”</p> + +<p>When he questioned in this manner, the +stranger came nearer. “It is as you say,” said +he. “I have taken the wrong road, and now +I know not whither I shall direct my steps. If +you will let me rest here a while, and then tell +me which path I shall follow to get to some +farm, I shall be grateful to you.”</p> + +<p>As he spake he sat down upon one of the +stones which lay before the hut. The young +woman asked him if he wouldn’t share their +supper, but this he declined with a smile. On +the other hand it was very evident that he was +inclined to talk with them, while they ate. He +asked the young folks about their manner of +living, and their work, and they answered him +frankly and cheerfully.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the laborer turned toward the +stranger and began to question him. “You see +in what a lonely and isolated way we live,” +said he. “It must be a year at least since I +have talked with any one except shepherds and +vineyard laborers. Can not you, who must come +from some camp, tell us something about Rome +and the Emperor?”</p> + +<p>Hardly had the man said this than the young +wife noticed that the old woman gave him a +warning glance, and made with her hand the +sign which means—Have a care what you say.</p> + +<p>The stranger, meanwhile, answered very +affably: “I understand that you take me for +a soldier, which is not untrue, although I have +long since left the service. During Tiberius’ +reign there has not been much work for us +soldiers. Yet he was once a great commander. +Those were the days of his good fortune. Now +he thinks of nothing except to guard himself +against conspiracies. In Rome, every one is +talking about how, last week, he let Senator +Titius be seized and executed on the merest +suspicion.”</p> + +<p>“The poor Emperor no longer knows what +he does!” exclaimed the young woman; and +shook her head in pity and surprise.</p> + +<p>“You are perfectly right,” said the stranger, +as an expression of the deepest melancholy +crossed his countenance. “Tiberius knows that +every one hates him, and this is driving him +insane.”</p> + +<p>“What say you?” the woman retorted. +“Why should we hate him? We only deplore +the fact that he is no longer the great Emperor +he was in the beginning of his reign.”</p> + +<p>“You are mistaken,” said the stranger. +“Every one hates and detests Tiberius. Why +should they do otherwise? He is nothing but +a cruel and merciless tyrant. In Rome they +think that from now on he will become even +more unreasonable than he has been.”</p> + +<p>“Has anything happened, then, which will +turn him into a worse beast than he is already?” +queried the vine-dresser.</p> + +<p>When he said this, the wife noticed that +the old woman gave him a new warning signal, +but so stealthily that he could not see it.</p> + +<p>The stranger answered him in a kindly manner, +but at the same time a singular smile played +about his lips.</p> + +<p>“You have heard, perhaps, that until now +Tiberius has had a friend in his household on +whom he could rely, and who has always told +him the truth. All the rest who live in his +palace are fortune-hunters and hypocrites, who +praise the Emperor’s wicked and cunning acts +just as much as his good and admirable ones. +But there was, as we have said, one alone who +never feared to let him know how his conduct +was actually regarded. This person, who was +more courageous than senators and generals, +was the Emperor’s old nurse, Faustina.”</p> + +<p>“I have heard of her,” said the laborer. +“I’ve been told that the Emperor has always +shown her great friendship.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Tiberius knew how to prize her affection +and loyalty. He treated this poor peasant +woman, who came from a miserable hut +in the Sabine mountains, as his second mother. +As long as he stayed in Rome, he let her live +in a mansion on the Palatine, that he might +always have her near him. None of Rome’s +noble matrons has fared better than she. She +was borne through the streets in a litter, and +her dress was that of an empress. When the +Emperor moved to Capri, she had to accompany +him, and he bought a country estate for +her there, and filled it with slaves and costly +furnishings.”</p> + +<p>“She has certainly fared well,” said the +husband.</p> + +<p>Now it was he who kept up the conversation +with the stranger. The wife sat silent and +observed with surprise the change which had +come over the old woman. Since the stranger +arrived, she had not spoken a word. She had +lost her mild and friendly expression. She had +pushed her food aside, and sat erect and rigid +against the door-post, and stared straight ahead, +with a severe and stony countenance.</p> + +<p>“It was the Emperor’s intention that she +should have a happy life,” said the stranger. +“But, despite all his kindly acts, she too has +deserted him.”</p> + +<p>The old woman gave a start at these words, +but the young one laid her hand quietingly on +her arm. Then she began to speak in her soft, +sympathetic voice. “I can not believe that +Faustina has been as happy at court as you +say,” she said, as she turned toward the +stranger. “I am sure that she has loved +Tiberius as if he had been her own son. I can +understand how proud she has been of his noble +youth, and I can even understand how it must +have grieved her to see him abandon himself in +his old age to suspicion and cruelty. She has +certainly warned and admonished him every day. +It has been terrible for her always to plead in +vain. At last she could no longer bear to see +him sink lower and lower.”</p> + +<p>The stranger, astonished, leaned forward a +bit when he heard this; but the young woman +did not glance up at him. She kept her eyes +lowered, and spoke very calmly and gently.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you are right in what you say of +the old woman,” he replied. “Faustina has +really not been happy at court. It seems strange, +nevertheless, that she has left the Emperor in +his old age, when she had endured him the span +of a lifetime.”</p> + +<p>“What say you?” asked the husband. “Has +old Faustina left the Emperor?”</p> + +<p>“She has stolen away from Capri without +any one’s knowledge,” said the stranger. “She +left just as poor as she came. She has not +taken one of her treasures with her.”</p> + +<p>“And doesn’t the Emperor really know +where she has gone?” asked the wife.</p> + +<p>“No! No one knows for certain what road +the old woman has taken. Still, one takes it +for granted that she has sought refuge among +her native mountains.”</p> + +<p>“And the Emperor does not know, either, +why she has gone away?” asked the young +woman.</p> + +<p>“No, the Emperor knows nothing of this. +He can not believe she left him because he +once told her that she served him for money +and gifts only, like all the rest. She knows, +however, that he has never doubted her unselfishness. +He has hoped all along that she +would return to him voluntarily, for no one +knows better than she that he is absolutely without +friends.”</p> + +<p>“I do not know her,” said the young woman, +“but I think I can tell you why she has left +the Emperor. The old woman was brought up +among these mountains in simplicity and piety, +and she has always longed to come back here +again. Surely she never would have abandoned +the Emperor if he had not insulted her. But +I understand that, after this, she feels she has +the right to think of herself, since her days are +numbered. If I were a poor woman of the +mountains, I certainly would have acted as +she did. I would have thought that I had done +enough when I had served my master during +a whole lifetime. I would at last have abandoned +luxury and royal favors to give my soul +a taste of honor and integrity before it left me +for the long journey.”</p> + +<p>The stranger glanced with a deep and tender +sadness at the young woman. “You do not +consider that the Emperor’s propensities will +become worse than ever. Now there is no one +who can calm him when suspicion and misanthropy +take possession of him. Think of this,” +he continued, as his melancholy gaze penetrated +deeply into the eyes of the young woman, “in +all the world there is no one now whom he does +not hate; no one whom he does not despise—no +one!”</p> + +<p>As he uttered these words of bitter despair, +the old woman made a sudden movement and +turned toward him, but the young woman looked +him straight in the eyes and answered: “Tiberius +knows that Faustina will come back to +him whenever he wishes it. But first she must +know that her old eyes need never more behold +vice and infamy at his court.”</p> + +<p>They had all risen during this speech; but the +vine-dresser and his wife placed themselves in +front of the old woman, as if to shield her.</p> + +<p>The stranger did not utter another syllable, +but regarded the old woman with a questioning +glance. Is this <em>your</em> last word also? he seemed +to want to say. The old woman’s lips quivered, +but words would not pass them.</p> + +<p>“If the Emperor has loved his old servant, +then he can also let her live her last days in +peace,” said the young woman.</p> + +<p>The stranger hesitated still, but suddenly his +dark countenance brightened. “My friends,” +said he, “whatever one may say of Tiberius, +there is one thing which he has learned better +than others; and that is—renunciation. I have +only one thing more to say to you: If this old +woman, of whom we have spoken, should come +to this hut, receive her well! The Emperor’s +favor rests upon any one who succors her.”</p> + +<p>He wrapped his mantle about him and departed +the same way that he had come.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>III</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>After this, the vine-dresser and his wife never +again spoke to the old woman about the Emperor. +Between themselves they marveled that +she, at her great age, had had the strength +to renounce all the wealth and power to which +she had become accustomed. “I wonder if she +will not soon go back to Tiberius?” they asked +themselves. “It is certain that she still loves +him. It is in the hope that it will awaken him +to reason and enable him to repent of his low +conduct, that she has left him.”</p> + +<p>“A man as old as the Emperor will never +begin a new life,” said the laborer. “How are +you going to rid him of his great contempt for +mankind? Who could go to him and teach him +to love his fellow man? Until this happens, he +can not be cured of suspicion and cruelty.”</p> + +<p>“You know that there is one who could +actually do it,” said the wife. “I often think +of how it would turn out, if the two should +meet. But God’s ways are not our ways.”</p> + +<p>The old woman did not seem to miss her +former life at all. After a time the young wife +gave birth to a child. The old woman had the +care of it; she seemed so content in consequence +that one could have thought she had forgotten +all her sorrows.</p> + +<p>Once every half-year she used to wrap her +long, gray mantle around her, and wander down +to Rome. There she did not seek a soul, but +went straight to the Forum. Here she stopped +outside a little temple, which was erected on +one side of the superbly decorated square.</p> + +<p>All there was of this temple was an uncommonly +large altar, which stood in a marble-paved +court under the open sky. On the top +of the altar, Fortuna, the goddess of happiness, +was enthroned, and at its foot was a statue of +Tiberius. Encircling the court were buildings +for the priests, storerooms for fuel, and stalls +for the beasts of sacrifice.</p> + +<p>Old Faustina’s journeys never extended beyond +this temple, where those who would pray +for the welfare of Tiberius were wont to come. +When she cast a glance in there and saw that +both the goddess’ and the Emperor’s statue +were wreathed in flowers; that the sacrificial fire +burned; that throngs of reverent worshipers +were assembled before the altar, and heard the +priests’ low chants sounding thereabouts, she +turned around and went back to the mountains.</p> + +<p>In this way she learned, without having to +question a human being, that Tiberius was still +among the living, and that all was well with +him.</p> + +<p>The third time she undertook this journey, +she met with a surprise. When she reached the +little temple, she found it empty and deserted. +No fire burned before the statue, and not a +worshiper was seen. A couple of dried garlands +still hung on one side of the altar, but this +was all that testified to its former glory. The +priests were gone, and the Emperor’s statue, +which stood there unguarded, was damaged and +mud-bespattered.</p> + +<p>The old woman turned to the first passer-by. +“What does this mean?” she asked. “Is Tiberius +dead? Have we another Emperor?”</p> + +<p>“No,” replied the Roman, “Tiberius is still +Emperor, but we have ceased to pray for him. +Our prayers can no longer benefit him.”</p> + +<p>“My friend,” said the old woman, “I live +far away among the mountains, where one learns +nothing of what happens out in the world. +Won’t you tell me what dreadful misfortune +has overtaken the Emperor?”</p> + +<p>“The most dreadful of all misfortunes! He +has been stricken with a disease which has never +before been known in Italy, but which seems to +be common in the Orient. Since this evil has +befallen the Emperor, his features are changed, +his voice has become like an animal’s grunt, and +his toes and fingers are rotting away. And for +this illness there appears to be no remedy. They +believe that he will die within a few weeks. But +if he does not die, he will be dethroned, for +such an ill and wretched man can no longer conduct +the affairs of State. You understand, of +course, that his fate is a foregone conclusion. +It is useless to invoke the gods for his success, +and it is not worth while,” he added, with a +faint smile. “No one has anything more +either to fear or hope from him. Why, +then, should we trouble ourselves on his +account?”</p> + +<p>He nodded and walked away; but the old +woman stood there as if stunned.</p> + +<p>For the first time in her life she collapsed, and +looked like one whom age has subdued. She +stood with bent back and trembling head, and +with hands that groped feebly in the air.</p> + +<p>She longed to get away from the place, but +she moved her feet slowly. She looked around +to find something which she could use as a staff.</p> + +<p>But after a few moments, by a tremendous +effort of the will, she succeeded in conquering +the faintness.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>IV</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>A week later, old Faustina wandered up the +steep inclines on the Island of Capri. It was +a warm day and the dread consciousness of old +age and feebleness came over her as she labored +up the winding roads and the hewn-out steps +in the mountain, which led to Tiberius’ villa.</p> + +<p>This feeling increased when she observed how +changed everything had become during the time +she had been away. In truth, on and alongside +these steps there had always before been throngs +of people. Here it used fairly to swarm with +senators, borne by giant Libyans; with messengers +from the provinces attended by long +processions of slaves; with office-seekers; with +noblemen invited to participate in the Emperor’s +feasts.</p> + +<p>But to-day the steps and passages were entirely +deserted. Gray-greenish lizards were the +only living things which the old woman saw in +her path.</p> + +<p>She was amazed to see that already everything +appeared to be going to ruin. At most, the +Emperor’s illness could not have progressed +more than two months, and yet the grass had +already taken root in the cracks between the +marble stones. Rare growths, planted in beautiful +vases, were already withered and here and +there mischievous spoilers, whom no one had +taken the trouble to stop, had broken down the +balustrade.</p> + +<p>But to her the most singular thing of all +was the entire absence of people. Even if +strangers were forbidden to appear on the +island, attendants at least should still be found +there: the endless crowds of soldiers and slaves; +of dancers and musicians; of cooks and stewards; +of palace-sentinels and gardeners, who belonged +to the Emperor’s household.</p> + +<p>When Faustina reached the upper terrace, she +caught sight of two slaves, who sat on the steps +in front of the villa. As she approached, they +rose and bowed to her.</p> + +<p>“Be greeted, Faustina!” said one of them. +“It is a god who sends thee to lighten our +sorrows.”</p> + +<p>“What does this mean, Milo?” asked Faustina. +“Why is it so deserted here? Yet they +have told me that Tiberius still lives at Capri.”</p> + +<p>“The Emperor has driven away all his slaves +because he suspects that one of us has given +him poisoned wine to drink, and that this has +brought on the illness. He would have driven +even Tito and myself away, if we had not refused +to obey him; yet, as you know, we have all +our lives served the Emperor and his mother.”</p> + +<p>“I do not ask after slaves only,” said +Faustina. “Where are the senators and field marshals? +Where are the Emperor’s intimate +friends, and all the fawning fortune-hunters?”</p> + +<p>“Tiberius does not wish to show himself +before strangers,” said the slave. “Senator +Lucius and Marco, Commander of the Life +Guard, come here every day and receive orders. +No one else may approach him.”</p> + +<p>Faustina had gone up the steps to enter the +villa. The slave went before her, and on the +way she asked: “What say the physicians of +Tiberius’ illness?”</p> + +<p>“None of them understands how to treat this +illness. They do not even know if it kills quickly +or slowly. But this I can tell you, Faustina, +Tiberius must die if he continues to refuse all +food for fear it may be poisoned. And I know +that a sick man can not stay awake night and +day, as the Emperor does, for fear he may be +murdered in his sleep. If he will trust you as in +former days, you might succeed in making him +eat and sleep. Thereby you can prolong his +life for many days.”</p> + +<p>The slave conducted Faustina through several +passages and courts to a terrace which Tiberius +used to frequent to enjoy the view of the beautiful +bays and proud Vesuvius.</p> + +<p>When Faustina stepped out upon the terrace, +she saw a hideous creature with a swollen face +and animal-like features. His hands and feet +were swathed in white bandages, but through +the bandages protruded half-rotted fingers and +toes. And this being’s clothes were soiled and +dusty. It was evident he could not walk erect, +but had been obliged to crawl out upon the +terrace. He lay with closed eyes near the balustrade +at the farthest end, and did not move +when the slave and Faustina came.</p> + +<p>Faustina whispered to the slave, who walked +before her: “But, Milo, how can such a creature +be found here on the Emperor’s private terrace? +Make haste, and take him away!”</p> + +<p>But she had scarcely said this when she saw +the slave bow to the ground before the miserable +creature who lay there.</p> + +<p>“Cæsar Tiberius,” said he, “at last I have +glad tidings to bring thee.”</p> + +<p>At the same time the slave turned toward +Faustina, but he shrank back, aghast! and could +not speak another word.</p> + +<p>He did not behold the proud matron who had +looked so strong that one might have expected +that she would live to the age of a sibyl. In +this moment, she had drooped into impotent +age, and the slave saw before him a bent old +woman with misty eyes and fumbling hands.</p> + +<p>Faustina had certainly heard that the Emperor +was terribly changed, yet never for a +moment had she ceased to think of him as +the strong man he was when she last saw him. +She had also heard some one say that this +illness progressed slowly, and that it took years +to transform a human being. But here it had +advanced with such virulence that it had made +the Emperor unrecognizable in just two months.</p> + +<p>She tottered up to the Emperor. She could +not speak, but stood silent beside him, and +wept.</p> + +<p>“Are you come now, Faustina?” he said, +without opening his eyes. “I lay and fancied +that you stood here and wept over me. I dare +not look up for fear I will find that it was only +an illusion.”</p> + +<p>Then the old woman sat down beside him. +She raised his head and placed it on her +knee.</p> + +<p>But Tiberius lay still, without looking at her. +A sense of sweet repose enfolded him, and the +next moment he sank into a peaceful slumber.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>V</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>A few weeks later, one of the Emperor’s +slaves came to the lonely hut in the Sabine mountains. +It drew on toward evening, and the vine-dresser +and his wife stood in the doorway and +saw the sun set in the distant west. The slave +turned out of the path, and came up and greeted +them. Thereupon he took a heavy purse, which +he carried in his girdle, and laid it in the husband’s +hand.</p> + +<p>“This, Faustina, the old woman to whom +you have shown compassion, sends you,” said +the slave. “She begs that with this money +you will purchase a vineyard of your own, and +build you a house that does not lie as high in +the air as the eagles’ nests.”</p> + +<p>“Old Faustina still lives, then?” said the +husband. “We have searched for her in cleft +and morass. When she did not come back +to us, I thought that she had met her death in +these wretched mountains.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you remember,” the wife interposed, +“that I would not believe that she was dead? +Did I not say to you that she had gone back +to the Emperor?”</p> + +<p>This the husband admitted. “And I am +glad,” he added, “that you were right, not +only because Faustina has become rich enough +to help us out of our poverty, but also on +the poor Emperor’s account.”</p> + +<p>The slave wanted to say farewell at once, in +order to reach densely settled quarters before +dark, but this the couple would not permit. +“You must stop with us until morning,” said +they. “We can not let you go before you +have told us all that has happened to Faustina. +Why has she returned to the Emperor? What +was their meeting like? Are they glad to be +together again?”</p> + +<p>The slave yielded to these solicitations. He +followed them into the hut, and during the +evening meal he told them all about the Emperor’s +illness and Faustina’s return.</p> + +<p>When the slave had finished his narrative, +he saw that both the man and the woman sat +motionless—dumb with amazement. Their gaze +was fixed on the ground, as though not to betray +the emotion which affected them.</p> + +<p>Finally the man looked up and said to his +wife: “Don’t you believe God has decreed +this?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said the wife, “surely it was for this +that our Lord sent us across the sea to this lonely +hut. Surely this was His purpose when He +sent the old woman to our door.”</p> + +<p>As soon as the wife had spoken these words, +the vine-dresser turned again to the slave.</p> + +<p>“Friend!” he said to him, “you shall carry +a message from me to Faustina. Tell her this +word for word! Thus your friend the vineyard +laborer from the Sabine mountains greets you. +You have seen the young woman, my wife. Did +she not appear fair to you, and blooming with +health? And yet this young woman once +suffered from the same disease which now has +stricken Tiberius.”</p> + +<p>The slave made a gesture of surprise, but the +vine-dresser continued with greater emphasis on +his words.</p> + +<p>“If Faustina refuses to believe my word, tell +her that my wife and I came from Palestine, +in Asia, a land where this disease is common. +There the law is such that the lepers are driven +from the cities and towns, and must live in tombs +and mountain grottoes. Tell Faustina that my +wife was born of diseased parents in a mountain +grotto. As long as she was a child she was +healthy, but when she grew up into young +maidenhood she was stricken with the disease.”</p> + +<p>The slave bowed, smiled pleasantly, and said: +“How can you expect that Faustina will believe +this? She has seen your wife in her beauty +and health. And she must know that there is +no remedy for this illness.”</p> + +<p>The man replied: “It were best for her that +she believed me. But I am not without witnesses. +She can send inquiries over to Nazareth, +in Galilee. There every one will confirm my +statement.”</p> + +<p>“Is it perchance through a miracle of some +god that your wife has been cured?” asked the +slave.</p> + +<p>“Yes, it is as you say,” answered the laborer. +“One day a rumor reached the sick who lived +in the wilderness: ‘Behold, a great Prophet has +arisen in Nazareth of Galilee. He is filled with +the power of God’s spirit, and he can cure your +illness just by laying his hand upon your forehead!’ +But the sick, who lay in their misery, +would not believe that this rumor was the truth. +‘No one can heal us,’ they said. ‘Since the +days of the great prophets no one has been able +to save one of us from this misfortune.’</p> + +<p>“But there was one amongst them who believed, +and that was a young maiden. She left +the others to seek her way to the city of Nazareth, +where the Prophet lived. One day, when +she wandered over wide plains, she met a man +tall of stature, with a pale face and hair which +lay in even, black curls. His dark eyes shone +like stars and drew her toward him. But before +they met, she called out to him: ‘Come +not near me, for I am unclean, but tell me where +I can find the Prophet from Nazareth!’ But +the man continued to walk towards her, and +when he stood directly in front of her, he said: +‘Why seekest thou the Prophet of Nazareth?’—‘I +seek him that he may lay his hand on my +forehead and heal me of my illness.’ Then +the man went up and laid his hand upon her +brow. But she said to him: ‘What doth it avail +me that you lay your hand upon my forehead? +You surely are no prophet?’ Then he smiled +on her and said: ‘Go now into the city which +lies yonder at the foot of the mountain, and +show thyself before the priests!’</p> + +<p>“The sick maiden thought to herself: ‘He +mocks me because I believe I can be healed. +From him I can not learn what I would know.’ +And she went farther. Soon thereafter she saw +a man, who was going out to hunt, riding across +the wide field. When he came so near that +he could hear her, she called to him: ‘Come +not close to me, I am unclean! But tell me +where I can find the Prophet of Nazareth!’ +‘What do you want of the Prophet?’ asked the +man, riding slowly toward her. ‘I wish only +that he might lay his hand on my forehead and +heal me of my illness.’ The man rode still +nearer. ‘Of what illness do you wish to be +healed?’ said he. ‘Surely you need no physician!’ +‘Can’t you see that I am a leper?’ +said she. ‘I was born of diseased parents in a +mountain grotto.’ But the man continued to +approach, for she was beautiful and fair, like +a new-blown rose. ‘You are the most beautiful +maiden in Judea!’ he exclaimed. ‘Ah, +taunt me not—you, too!’ said she. ‘I know +that my features are destroyed, and that my +voice is like a wild beast’s growl.’</p> + +<p>“He looked deep into her eyes and said to +her: ‘Your voice is as resonant as the spring +brook’s when it ripples over pebbles, and your +face is as smooth as a coverlet of soft satin.’</p> + +<p>“That moment he rode so close to her that +she could see her face in the shining mountings +which decorated his saddle. ‘You shall look +at yourself here,’ said he. She did so, and saw +a face smooth and soft as a newly-formed butterfly +wing. ‘What is this that I see?’ she said. +‘This is not my face!’ ‘Yes, it is your face,’ +said the rider. ‘But my voice, is it not rough? +Does it not sound as when wagons are drawn +over a stony road?’ ‘No! It sounds like a +zither player’s sweetest songs,’ said the rider.</p> + +<p>“She turned and pointed toward the road. +‘Do you know who that man is just disappearing +behind the two oaks?’ she asked.</p> + +<p>“‘It is he whom you lately asked after; it is +the Prophet from Nazareth,’ said the man. +Then she clasped her hands in astonishment, +and tears filled her eyes. ‘Oh, thou Holy One! +Oh, thou Messenger of God’s power!’ she +cried. Thou hast healed me!’</p> + +<p>“Then the rider lifted her into the saddle +and bore her to the city at the foot of the +mountain and went with her to the priests and +elders, and told them how he had found her. +They questioned her carefully; but when they +heard that the maiden was born in the wilderness +of diseased parents, they would not believe +that she was healed. ‘Go back thither whence +you came!’ said they. ‘If you have been ill, +you must remain so as long as you live. You +must not come here to the city, to infect the +rest of us with your disease.’</p> + +<p>“She said to them: ‘I know that I am well, +for the Prophet from Nazareth hath laid his +hand upon my forehead.’</p> + +<p>“When they heard this they exclaimed: +‘Who is he, that he should be able to make +clean the unclean? All this is but a delusion +of the evil spirits. Go back to your own, that +you may not bring destruction upon all of us!’</p> + +<p>“They would not declare her healed, and +they forbade her to remain in the city. They +decreed that each and every one who gave her +shelter should also be adjudged unclean.</p> + +<p>“When the priests had pronounced this judgment, +the young maiden turned to the man who +had found her in the field: ‘Whither shall I +go now? Must I go back again to the lepers +in the wilderness?’</p> + +<p>“But the man lifted her once more upon his +horse, and said to her: ‘No, under no conditions +shall you go out to the lepers in their +mountain caves, but we two shall travel across +the sea to another land, where there are no +laws for clean and unclean.’ And they——”</p> + +<p>But when the vineyard laborer had got thus +far in his narrative, the slave arose and interrupted +him. “You need not tell any more,” +said he. “Stand up rather and follow me on +the way, you who know the mountains, so that +I can begin my home journey to-night, and not +wait until morning. The Emperor and Faustina +can not hear your tidings a moment too soon.”</p> + +<p>When the vine-dresser had accompanied the +slave, and come home again to the hut, he found +his wife still awake.</p> + +<p>“I can not sleep,” said she. “I am thinking +that these two will meet: he who loves all +mankind, and he who hates them. Such a +meeting would be enough to sweep the earth out +of existence!”</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>VI</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Old Faustina was in distant Palestine, on her +way to Jerusalem. She had not desired that +the mission to seek the Prophet and bring him +to the Emperor should be intrusted to any one +but herself. She said to herself: “That which +we demand of this stranger, is something which +we can not coax from him either by force +or bribes. But perhaps he will grant it us if +some one falls at his feet and tells him in +what dire need the Emperor is. Who can make +an honest plea for Tiberius, but the one who +suffers from his misfortune as much as he +does?”</p> + +<p>The hope of possibly saving Tiberius had +renewed the old woman’s youth. She withstood +without difficulty the long sea trip to +Joppa, and on the journey to Jerusalem she +made no use of a litter, but rode a horse. She +appeared to stand the difficult ride as easily +as the Roman nobles, the soldiers, and the slaves +who made up her retinue.</p> + +<p>The journey from Joppa to Jerusalem filled +the old woman’s heart with joy and bright +hopes. It was springtime, and Sharon’s plain, +over which they had ridden during the first +day’s travel, had been a brilliant carpet of +flowers. Even during the second day’s journey, +when they came to the hills of Judea, they were +not abandoned by the flowers. All the multiformed +hills between which the road wound +were planted with fruit trees, which stood in full +bloom. And when the travelers wearied of +looking at the white and red blossoms of the +apricots and persimmons, they could rest their +eyes by observing the young vine-leaves, which +pushed their way through the dark brown +branches, and their growth was so rapid that +one could almost follow it with the eye.</p> + +<p>It was not only flowers and spring green that +made the journey pleasant, but the pleasure was +enhanced by watching the throngs of people +who were on their way to Jerusalem this morning. +From all the roads and by-paths, from +lonely heights, and from the most remote corners +of the plain came travelers. When they +had reached the road to Jerusalem, those who +traveled alone formed themselves into companies +and marched forward with glad shouts. +Round an elderly man, who rode on a jogging +camel, walked his sons and daughters, his sons-in-law +and daughters-in-law, and all his grandchildren. +It was such a large family that it +made up an entire little village. An old grandmother +who was too feeble to walk her sons +had taken in their arms, and with pride she +let herself be borne among the crowds, who +respectfully stepped aside.</p> + +<p>In truth, it was a morning to inspire joy even +in the most disconsolate. To be sure the sky +was not clear, but was o’ercast with a thin +grayish-white mist, but none of the wayfarers +thought of grumbling because the sun’s piercing +brilliancy was dampened. Under this veiled sky +the perfume of the budding leaves and blossoms +did not penetrate the air as usual, but lingered +over roads and fields. And this beautiful day, +with its faint mist and hushed winds, which +reminded one of Night’s rest and calm, seemed +to communicate to the hastening crowds somewhat +of itself, so that they went forward happy—yet +with solemnity—singing in subdued voices +ancient hymns, or playing upon peculiar old-fashioned +instruments, from which came tones +like the buzzing of gnats, or grasshoppers’ +piping.</p> + +<p>When old Faustina rode forward among all +the people, she became infected with their joy +and excitement. She prodded her horse to +quicker speed, as she said to a young Roman +who rode beside her: “I dreamt last night that +I saw Tiberius, and he implored me not to +postpone the journey, but to ride to Jerusalem +to-day. It appears as if the gods had wished to +send me a warning not to neglect to go there +this beautiful morning.”</p> + +<p>Just as she said this, she came to the top +of a long mountain ridge, and there she was +obliged to halt. Before her lay a large, deep +valley-basin, surrounded by pretty hills, and +from the dark, shadowy depths of the vale rose +the massive mountain which held on its head +the city of Jerusalem.</p> + +<p>But the narrow mountain city, with its walls +and towers, which lay like a jeweled coronet +upon the cliff’s smooth height, was this day magnified +a thousand-fold. All the hills which +encircled the valley were bedecked with gay +tents, and with a swarm of human beings.</p> + +<p>It was evident to Faustina that all the inhabitants +were on their way to Jerusalem to +celebrate some great holiday. Those from a +distance had already come, and had managed +to put their tents in order. On the other hand, +those who lived near the city were still on +their way. Along all the shining rock-heights +one saw them come streaming in like an unbroken +sea of white robes, of songs, of holiday +cheer.</p> + +<p>For some time the old woman surveyed these +seething throngs of people and the long rows +of tent-poles. Thereupon she said to the young +Roman who rode beside her:</p> + +<p>“Verily, Sulpicius, the whole nation must +have come to Jerusalem.”</p> + +<p>“It really appears like it,” replied the +Roman, who had been chosen by Tiberius to +accompany Faustina because he had, during a +number of years, lived in Judea. “They celebrate +now the great Spring Festival, and at this +time all the people, both old and young, come +to Jerusalem.”</p> + +<p>Faustina reflected a moment. “I am glad +that we came to this city on the day that the +people celebrate their festival,” said she. “It +can not signify anything else than that the gods +protect our journey. Do you think it likely +that he whom we seek, the Prophet of Nazareth, +has also come to Jerusalem to participate in the +festivities?”</p> + +<p>“You are surely right, Faustina,” said the +Roman. “He must be here in Jerusalem. This +is indeed a decree of the gods. Strong and vigorous +though you be, you may consider yourself +fortunate if you escape making the long +and troublesome journey up to Galilee.”</p> + +<p>At once he rode over to a couple of wayfarers +and asked them if they thought the +Prophet of Nazareth was in Jerusalem.</p> + +<p>“We have seen him here every day at this +season,” answered one. “Surely he must be +here even this year, for he is a holy and righteous +man.”</p> + +<p>A woman stretched forth her hand and +pointed towards a hill, which lay east of the +city. “Do you see the foot of that mountain, +which is covered with olive trees?” she +said. “It is there that the Galileans usually +raise their tents, and there you will get the +most reliable information about him whom you +seek.”</p> + +<p>They journeyed farther, and traveled on a +winding path all the way down to the bottom +of the valley, and then they began to ride +up toward Zion’s hill, to reach the city on +its heights. The woman who had spoken went +along the same way.</p> + +<p>The steep ascending road was encompassed +here by low walls, and upon these countless +beggars and cripples sat or lolled. “Look,” +said the woman who had spoken, pointing to +one of the beggars who sat on the wall, “there +is a Galilean! I recollect that I have seen him +among the Prophet’s disciples. He can tell you +where you will find him you seek.”</p> + +<p>Faustina and Sulpicius rode up to the man +who had been pointed out to her. He was a +poor old man with a heavy iron-gray beard. +His face was bronzed by heat and sunshine. He +asked no alms; on the contrary, he was so +engrossed in anxious thought that he did not +even glance at the passers-by.</p> + +<p>Nor did he hear that Sulpicius addressed him, +and the latter had to repeat his question several +times.</p> + +<p>“My friend, I’ve been told that you are a +Galilean. I beg you, therefore, to tell me where +I shall find the Prophet from Nazareth!”</p> + +<p>The Galilean gave a sudden start and looked +around him, confused. But when he finally comprehended +what was wanted of him, he was +seized with rage mixed with terror. “What are +you talking about?” he burst out. “Why do +you ask me about that man? I know nothing +of him. I’m not a Galilean.”</p> + +<p>The Hebrew woman now joined in the +conversation. “Still I have seen you in his company,” +she protested. “Do not fear, but tell +this noble Roman lady, who is the Emperor’s +friend, where she is most likely to find him.”</p> + +<p>But the terrified disciple grew more and more +irascible. “Have all the people gone mad to-day?” +said he. “Are they possessed by an +evil spirit, since they come again and again +and ask me about that man? Why will no one +believe me when I say that I do not know the +Prophet? I do not come from his country. I +have never seen him.”</p> + +<p>His irritability attracted attention, and a +couple of beggars who sat on the wall beside +him also began to dispute his word.</p> + +<p>“Certainly you were among his disciples,” +said one. “We all know that you came with +him from Galilee.”</p> + +<p>Then the man raised his arms toward heaven +and cried: “I could not endure it in Jerusalem +to-day on that man’s account, and now they will +not even leave me in peace out here among +the beggars! Why don’t you believe me when +I say to you that I have never seen him?”</p> + +<p>Faustina turned away with a shrug. “Let +us go farther!” said she. “The man is mad. +From him we will learn nothing.”</p> + +<p>They went farther up the mountain. Faustina +was not more than two steps from the +city gate, when the Hebrew woman who had +wished to help her find the Prophet called to +her to be careful. She pulled in her reins and +saw that a man lay in the road, just in front +of the horse’s feet, where the crush was +greatest. It was a miracle that he had not +already been trampled to death by animals or +people.</p> + +<p>The man lay upon his back and stared upward +with lusterless eyes. He did not move, +although the camels placed their heavy feet +close beside him. He was poorly clad, and +besides he was covered with dust and dirt. In +fact, he had thrown so much gravel over himself +that it looked as if he tried to hide himself, +to be more easily over-ridden and trampled +down.</p> + +<p>“What does this mean? Why does this man +lie here on the road?” asked Faustina.</p> + +<p>Instantly the man began shouting to the +passers-by:</p> + +<p>“In mercy, brothers and sisters, drive your +horses and camels over me! Do not turn aside +for me! Trample me to dust! I have betrayed +innocent blood. Trample me to dust!”</p> + +<p>Sulpicius caught Faustina’s horse by the +bridle and turned it to one side. “It is a sinner +who wants to do penance,” said he. “Do +not let this delay your journey. These people +are peculiar and one must let them follow their +own bent.”</p> + +<p>The man in the road continued to shout: “Set +your heels on my heart! Let the camels crush +my breast and the asses dig their hoofs into +my eyes!”</p> + +<p>But Faustina seemed loath to ride past the +miserable man without trying to make him rise. +She remained all the while beside him.</p> + +<p>The Hebrew woman who had wished to serve +her once before, pushed her way forward again. +“This man also belonged to the Prophet’s disciples,” +said she. “Do you wish me to ask him +about his Master?”</p> + +<p>Faustina nodded affirmatively, and the woman +bent down over the man.</p> + +<p>“What have you Galileans done this day +with your Master?” she asked. “I meet you +scattered on highways and byways, but him I +see nowhere.”</p> + +<p>But when she questioned in this manner, the +man who lay in the dust rose to his knees. +“What evil spirit hath possessed you to ask me +about him?” he said, in a voice that was filled +with despair. “You see, surely, that I have lain +down in the road to be trampled to death. Is +not that enough for you? Shall you come also +and ask me what I have done with him?”</p> + +<p>When she repeated the question, the man +staggered to his feet and put both hands to +his ears.</p> + +<p>“Woe unto you, that you can not let me die +in peace!” he cried. He forced his way +through the crowds that thronged in front of +the gate, and rushed away shrieking with terror, +while his torn robe fluttered around him like +dark wings.</p> + +<p>“It appears to me as though we had come +to a nation of madmen,” said Faustina, when she +saw the man flee. She had become depressed by +seeing these disciples of the Prophet. Could +the man who numbered such fools among his +followers do anything for the Emperor?</p> + +<p>Even the Hebrew woman looked distressed, +and she said very earnestly to Faustina: “Mistress, +delay not in your search for him whom +you would find! I fear some evil has befallen +him, since his disciples are beside themselves +and can not bear to hear him spoken of.”</p> + +<p>Faustina and her retinue finally rode through +the gate archway and came in on the narrow +and dark streets, which were alive with people. +It seemed well-nigh impossible to get through +the city. The riders time and again had to stand +still. Slaves and soldiers tried in vain to clear +the way. The people continued to rush on in +a compact, irresistible stream.</p> + +<p>“Verily,” said the old woman, “the streets +of Rome are peaceful pleasure gardens compared +with these!”</p> + +<p>Sulpicius soon saw that almost insurmountable +difficulties awaited them.</p> + +<p>“On these overcrowded streets it is easier to +walk than to ride,” said he. “If you are not +too fatigued, I should advise you to walk to +the Governor’s palace. It is a good distance +away, but if we ride we certainly will not get +there until after midnight.”</p> + +<p>Faustina accepted the suggestion at once. She +dismounted, and left her horse with one of the +slaves. Thereupon the Roman travelers began +to walk through the city.</p> + +<p>This was much better. They pushed their +way quickly toward the heart of the city, and +Sulpicius showed Faustina a rather wide street, +which they were nearing.</p> + +<p>“Look, Faustina,” he said, “if we take this +street, we will soon be there. It leads directly +down to our quarters.”</p> + +<p>But just as they were about to turn into +the street, the worst obstacle met them.</p> + +<p>It happened that the very moment when +Faustina reached the street which extended from +the Governor’s palace to Righteousness’ Gate +and Golgotha, they brought through it a prisoner, +who was to be taken out and crucified. +Before him ran a crowd of wild youths who +wanted to witness the execution. They raced +up the street, waved their arms in rapture towards +the hill, and emitted unintelligible howls—in +their delight at being allowed to view something +which they did not see every day.</p> + +<p>Behind them came companies of men in silken +robes, who appeared to belong to the city’s +élite and foremost. Then came women, many +of whom had tear-stained faces. A gathering +of poor and maimed staggered forward, uttering +shrieks that pierced the ears.</p> + +<p>“O God!” they cried, “save him! Send +Thine angel and save him! Send a deliverer +in his direst need!”</p> + +<p>Finally there came a few Roman soldiers on +great horses. They kept guard so that none +of the people could dash up to the prisoner +and try to rescue him.</p> + +<p>Directly behind them followed the executioners, +whose task it was to lead forward the +man that was to be crucified. They had laid +a heavy wooden cross over his shoulder, but +he was too weak for this burden. It weighed +him down so that his body was almost bent +to the ground. He held his head down so far +that no one could see his face.</p> + +<p>Faustina stood at the opening of the little bystreet +and saw the doomed man’s heavy tread. +She noticed, with surprise, that he wore a +purple mantle, and that a crown of thorns was +pressed down upon his head.</p> + +<p>“Who is this man?” she asked.</p> + +<p>One of the bystanders answered her: “It +is one who wished to make himself Emperor.”</p> + +<p>“And must he suffer death for a thing which +is scarcely worth striving after?” said the old +woman sadly.</p> + +<p>The doomed man staggered under the cross. +He dragged himself forward more and more +slowly. The executioners had tied a rope +around his waist, and they began to pull on +it to hasten the speed. But as they pulled the +rope the man fell, and lay there with the cross +over him.</p> + +<p>There was a terrible uproar. The Roman +soldiers had all they could do to hold the crowds +back. They drew their swords on a couple of +women who tried to rush forward to help the +fallen man. The executioners attempted to +force him up with cuffs and lashes, but he could +not move because of the cross. Finally two of +them took hold of the cross to remove it.</p> + +<p>Then he raised his head, and old Faustina +could see his face. The cheeks were streaked +by lashes from a whip, and from his brow, which +was wounded by the thorn-crown, trickled some +drops of blood. His hair hung in knotted +tangles, clotted with sweat and blood. His jaw +was firm set, but his lips trembled, as if they +struggled to suppress a cry. His eyes, tear-filled +and almost blinded from torture and +fatigue, stared straight ahead.</p> + +<p>But back of this half-dead person’s face, the +old woman saw—as in a vision—a pale and beautiful +One with glorious, majestic eyes and gentle +features, and she was seized with sudden grief—touched +by the unknown man’s misfortune +and degradation.</p> + +<p>“Oh, what have they done with you, you +poor soul!” she burst out, and moved a step +nearer him, while her eyes filled with tears. +She forgot her own sorrow and anxiety for this +tortured man’s distress. She thought her heart +would burst from pity. She, like the other +women, wanted to rush forward and tear him +away from the executioners!</p> + +<p>The fallen man saw how she came toward +him, and he crept closer to her. It was as +though he had expected to find protection with +her against all those who persecuted and tortured +him. He embraced her knees. He +pressed himself against her, like a child who +clings close to his mother for safety.</p> + +<p>The old woman bent over him, and as the +tears streamed down her cheeks, she felt the +most blissful joy because he had come and +sought protection with her. She placed one arm +around his neck, and as a mother first of all +wipes away the tears from her child’s eyes, she +laid her kerchief of sheer fine linen over his face, +to wipe away the tears and the blood.</p> + +<p>But now the executioners were ready with the +cross. They came now and snatched away the +prisoner. Impatient over the delay, they +dragged him off in wild haste. The condemned +man uttered a groan when he was led away +from the refuge he had found, but he made no +resistance.</p> + +<p>Faustina embraced him to hold him back, +and when her feeble old hands were powerless +and she saw him borne away, she felt as if +some one had torn from her her own child, +and she cried: “No, no! Do not take him +from me! He must not die! He shall not +die!”</p> + +<p>She felt the most intense grief and indignation +because he was being led away. She wanted +to rush after him. She wanted to fight with +the executioners and tear him from them.</p> + +<p>But with the first step she took, she was +seized with weakness and dizziness. Sulpicius +made haste to place his arm around her, to +prevent her from falling.</p> + +<p>On one side of the street he saw a little shop, +and carried her in. There was neither bench +nor chair inside, but the shopkeeper was a +kindly man. He helped her over to a rug, and +arranged a bed for her on the stone floor.</p> + +<p>She was not unconscious, but such a great +dizziness had seized her that she could not sit +up, but was forced to lie down.</p> + +<p>“She has made a long journey to-day, and +the noise and crush in the city have been too +much for her,” said Sulpicius to the merchant. +“She is very old, and no one is so strong as +not to be conquered by age.”</p> + +<p>“This is a trying day, even for one who is +not old,” said the merchant. “The air is almost +too heavy to breathe. It would not surprise me +if a severe storm were in store for us.”</p> + +<p>Sulpicius bent over the old woman. She had +fallen asleep, and she slept with calm, regular +respirations after all the excitement and fatigue.</p> + +<p>He walked over to the shop door, stood there, +and looked at the crowds while he awaited her +waking.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>VII</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>The Roman governor at Jerusalem had a +young wife, and she had had a dream during +the night preceding the day when Faustina entered +the city.</p> + +<p>She dreamed that she stood on the roof of +her house and looked down upon the beautiful +court, which, according to the Oriental custom, +was paved with marble, and planted with rare +growths.</p> + +<p>But in the court she saw assembled all the +sick and blind and halt there were in the world. +She saw before her the pest-ridden, with bodies +swollen with boils; lepers with disfigured faces; +the paralytics, who could not move, but lay +helpless upon the ground, and all the wretched +creatures who writhed in torment and pain.</p> + +<p>They all crowded up towards the entrance, +to get into the house; and a number of those +who walked foremost pounded on the palace +door.</p> + +<p>At last she saw that a slave opened the door +and came out on the threshold, and she heard +him ask what they wanted.</p> + +<p>Then they answered him, saying: “We seek +the great Prophet whom God hath sent to the +world. Where is the Prophet of Nazareth, +he who is master of all suffering? Where is he +who can deliver us from all our torment?”</p> + +<p>Then the slave answered them in an arrogant +and indifferent tone—as palace servants do when +they turn away the poor stranger:</p> + +<p>“It will profit you nothing to seek the great +Prophet. Pilate has killed him.”</p> + +<p>Then there arose among all the sick a grief +and a moaning and a gnashing of teeth which +she could not bear to hear. Her heart was +wrung with compassion, and tears streamed +from her eyes. But when she had begun to +weep, she awakened.</p> + +<p>Again she fell asleep; and again she dreamed +that she stood on the roof of her house and +looked down upon the big court, which was as +broad as a square.</p> + +<p>And behold! the court was filled with all the +insane and soul-sick and those possessed of evil +spirits. And she saw those who were naked +and those who were covered with their long +hair, and those who had braided themselves +crowns of straw and mantles of grass and believed +they were kings, and those who crawled +on the ground and thought themselves beasts, +and those who came dragging heavy stones, +which they believed to be gold, and those who +thought that the evil spirits spoke through their +mouths.</p> + +<p>She saw all these crowd up toward the palace +gate. And the ones who stood nearest to it +knocked and pounded to get in.</p> + +<p>At last the door opened, and a slave stepped +out on the threshold and asked: “What do +you want?”</p> + +<p>Then all began to cry aloud, saying: “Where +is the great Prophet of Nazareth, he who was +sent of God, and who shall restore to us our +souls and our wits?”</p> + +<p>She heard the slave answer them in the most +indifferent tone: “It is useless for you to seek +the great Prophet, Pilate has killed him.”</p> + +<p>When this was said, they uttered a shriek as +wild as a beast’s howl, and in their despair they +began to lacerate themselves until the blood ran +down on the stones. And when she that dreamed +saw their distress, she wrung her hands and +moaned. And her own moans awakened +her.</p> + +<p>But again she fell asleep, and again, in her +dream, she was on the roof of her house. +Round about her sat her slaves, who played +for her upon cymbals and zithers, and the almond +trees shook their white blossoms over +her, and clambering rose-vines exhaled their +perfume.</p> + +<p>As she sat there, a voice spoke to her: “Go +over to the balustrade which incloses the roof, +and see who they are that stand and wait in +your court!”</p> + +<p>But in the dream she declined, and said: “I +do not care to see any more of those who throng +my court to-night.”</p> + +<p>Just then she heard a clanking of chains and +a pounding of heavy hammers, and the pounding +of wood against wood. Her slaves ceased +their singing and playing and hurried over to +the railing and looked down. Nor could she +herself remain seated, but walked thither and +looked down on the court.</p> + +<p>Then she saw that the court was filled with +all the poor prisoners in the world. She saw +those who must lie in dark prison dungeons, +fettered with heavy chains; she saw those who +labored in the dark mines come dragging their +heavy planks, and those who were rowers on +war galleys come with their heavy iron-bound +oars. And those who were condemned to be +crucified came dragging their crosses, and those +who were to be beheaded came with their broadaxes. +She saw those who were sent into slavery +to foreign lands and whose eyes burned with +homesickness. She saw those who must serve +as beasts of burden, and whose backs were bleeding +from lashes.</p> + +<p>All these unfortunates cried as with one voice: +“Open, open!”</p> + +<p>Then the slave who guarded the entrance +stepped to the door and asked: “What is it +that you wish?”</p> + +<p>And these answered like the others: “We +seek the great Prophet of Nazareth, who has +come to the world to give the prisoners their +freedom and the slaves their lost happiness.”</p> + +<p>The slave answered them in a tired and indifferent +tone: “You can not find him here. +Pilate has killed him.”</p> + +<p>When this was said, she who dreamed +thought that among all the unhappy there arose +such an outburst of scorn and blasphemy that +heaven and earth trembled. She was ice-cold +with fright, and her body shook so that she +awaked.</p> + +<p>When she was thoroughly awake, she sat +up in bed and thought to herself: “I would not +dream more. Now I want to remain awake +all night, that I may escape seeing more of this +horror.”</p> + +<p>And even whilst she was thinking thus, drowsiness +crept in upon her anew, and she laid her +head on the pillow and fell asleep.</p> + +<p>Again she dreamed that she sat on the roof +of her house, and now her little son ran back and +forth up there, and played with a ball.</p> + +<p>Then she heard a voice that said to her: +“Go over to the balustrade, which incloses +the roof, and see who they are that stand and +wait in your court!” But she who dreamed +said to herself: “I have seen enough misery this +night. I can not endure any more. I would +remain where I am.”</p> + +<p>At that moment her son threw his ball so +that it dropped outside the balustrade, and the +child ran forward and clambered up on the railing. +Then she was frightened. She rushed +over and seized hold of the child.</p> + +<p>But with that she happened to cast her eyes +downward, and once more she saw that the +court was full of people.</p> + +<p>In the court were all the peoples of earth who +had been wounded in battle. They came with +severed bodies, with cut-off limbs, and with big +open wounds from which the blood oozed, so +that the whole court was drenched with it.</p> + +<p>And beside these, came all the people in the +world who had lost their loved ones on the +battlefield. They were the fatherless who +mourned their protectors, and the young maidens +who cried for their lovers, and the aged who +sighed for their sons.</p> + +<p>The foremost among them pushed against +the door, and the watchman came out as before, +and opened it.</p> + +<p>He asked all these, who had been wounded in +battles and skirmishes: “What seek ye in this +house?”</p> + +<p>And they answered: “We seek the great +Prophet of Nazareth, who shall prohibit wars +and rumors of wars and bring peace to the +earth. We seek him who shall convert spears +into scythes and swords into pruning hooks.”</p> + +<p>Then answered the slave somewhat impatiently: +“Let no more come to pester me! I +have already said it often enough. The great +Prophet is not here. Pilate has killed him.”</p> + +<p>Thereupon he closed the gate. But she who +dreamed thought of all the lamentation which +would come now. “I do not wish to hear it,” +said she, and rushed away from the balustrade. +That instant she awoke. Then she discovered +that in her terror she had jumped out of her +bed and down on the cold stone floor.</p> + +<p>Again she thought she did not want to sleep +more that night, and again sleep overpowered +her, and she closed her eyes and began to dream.</p> + +<p>She sat once more on the roof of her house, +and beside her stood her husband. She told +him of her dreams, and he ridiculed her.</p> + +<p>Again she heard a voice, which said to her: +“Go see the people who wait in your court!”</p> + +<p>But she thought: “I would not see them. I +have seen enough misery to-night.”</p> + +<p>Just then she heard three loud raps on the +gate, and her husband walked over to the balustrade +to see who it was that asked admittance +to his house.</p> + +<p>But no sooner had he leaned over the railing, +than he beckoned to his wife to come over to +him.</p> + +<p>“Know you not this man?” said he, and +pointed down.</p> + +<p>When she looked down on the court, she +found that it was filled with horses and riders, +slaves were busy unloading asses and camels. +It looked as though a distinguished traveler +might have landed.</p> + +<p>At the entrance gate stood the traveler. He +was a large elderly man with broad shoulders +and a heavy and gloomy appearance.</p> + +<p>The dreamer recognized the stranger instantly, +and whispered to her husband: “It is +Cæsar Tiberius, who is here in Jerusalem. It +can not be any one else.”</p> + +<p>“I also seem to recognize him,” said her husband; +at the same time he placed his finger on +his mouth, as a signal that they should be quiet +and listen to what was said down in the court.</p> + +<p>They saw that the doorkeeper came out and +asked the stranger: “Whom seek you?”</p> + +<p>And the traveler answered: “I seek the great +Prophet of Nazareth, who is endowed with +God’s power to perform miracles. It is Emperor +Tiberius who calls him, that he may liberate +him from a terrible disease, which no +other physician can cure.”</p> + +<p>When he had spoken, the slave bowed very +humbly and said: “My lord, be not wroth! but +your wish can not be fulfilled.”</p> + +<p>Then the Emperor turned toward his slaves, +who waited below in the court, and gave them +a command.</p> + +<p>Then the slaves hastened forward—some +with handfuls of ornaments, others carried goblets +studded with pearls, other again dragged +sacks filled with gold coin.</p> + +<p>The Emperor turned to the slave who +guarded the gate, and said: “All this shall +be his, if he helps Tiberius. With this he can +give riches to all the world’s poor.”</p> + +<p>But the doorkeeper bowed still lower and +said: “Master, be not wroth with thy servant, +but thy request can not be fulfilled.”</p> + +<p>Then the Emperor beckoned again to his +slaves, and a pair of them hurried forward with +a richly embroidered robe, upon which glittered +a breastpiece of jewels.</p> + +<p>And the Emperor said to the slave: “See! +This which I offer him is the power over Judea. +He shall rule his people like the highest judge, +if he will only come and heal Tiberius!”</p> + +<p>The slave bowed still nearer the earth, and +said: “Master, it is not within my power to +help you.”</p> + +<p>Then the Emperor beckoned once again, and +his slaves rushed up with a golden coronet and +a purple mantle.</p> + +<p>“See,” he said, “this is the Emperor’s will: +He promises to appoint the Prophet his successor, +and give him dominion over the world. +He shall have power to rule the world according +to his God’s will, if he will only stretch forth +his hand and heal Tiberius!”</p> + +<p>Then the slave fell at the Emperor’s feet and +said in an imploring tone: “Master, it does +not lie in my power to attend to thy command. +He whom thou seekest is no longer here. Pilate +hath killed him.”</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>VIII</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>When the young woman awoke, it was already +full, clear day, and her female slaves stood +and waited that they might help her dress.</p> + +<p>She was very silent while she dressed, but +finally she asked the slave who arranged her +hair, if her husband was up. She learned that +he had been called out to pass judgment on a +criminal. “I should have liked to talk with +him,” said the young woman.</p> + +<p>“Mistress,” said the slave, “it will be difficult +to do so during the trial. We will let you +know as soon as it is over.”</p> + +<p>She sat silent now until her toilet was completed. +Then she asked: “Has any among you +heard of the Prophet of Nazareth?”</p> + +<p>“The Prophet of Nazareth is a Jewish miracle +performer,” answered one of the slaves +instantly.</p> + +<p>“It is strange, Mistress, that you should ask +after him to-day,” said another slave. “It is +just he whom the Jews have brought here +to the palace, to let him be tried by the +Governor.”</p> + +<p>She bade them go at once and ascertain for +what cause he was arraigned, and one of the +slaves withdrew. When she returned she said: +“They accuse him of wanting to make himself +King over this land, and they entreat the Governor +to let him be crucified.”</p> + +<p>When the Governor’s wife heard this, she +grew terrified and said: “I must speak with my +husband, otherwise a terrible calamity will happen +here this day.”</p> + +<p>When the slaves said once again that this +was impossible, she began to weep and shudder. +And one among them was touched, so she said: +“If you will send a written message to the +Governor, I will try and take it to him.”</p> + +<p>Immediately she took a stylus and wrote a +few words on a wax tablet, and this was given to +Pilate.</p> + +<p>But him she did not meet alone the whole +day; for when he had dismissed the Jews, and +the condemned man was taken to the place of +execution, the hour for repast was come, and to +this Pilate had invited a few of the Romans +who visited Jerusalem at this season. They +were the commander of the troops and a +young instructor in oratory, and several others +besides.</p> + +<p>This repast was not very gay, for the Governor’s +wife sat all the while silent and dejected, +and took no part in the conversation.</p> + +<p>When the guests asked if she was ill or distraught, +the Governor laughingly related about +the message she had sent him in the morning. +He chaffed her because she had believed that +a Roman governor would let himself be guided +in his judgments by a woman’s dreams.</p> + +<p>She answered gently and sadly: “In truth, +it was no dream, but a warning sent by the +gods. You should at least have let the man +live through this one day.”</p> + +<p>They saw that she was seriously distressed. +She would not be comforted, no matter how +much the guests exerted themselves, by keeping +up the conversation to make her forget these +empty fancies.</p> + +<p>But after a while one of them raised his head +and exclaimed: “What is this? Have we sat so +long at table that the day is already gone?”</p> + +<p>All looked up now, and they observed that +a dim twilight settled down over nature. Above +all, it was remarkable to see how the whole +variegated play of color which it spread over +all creatures and objects, faded away slowly, +so that all looked a uniform gray.</p> + +<p>Like everything else, even their own faces +lost their color. “We actually look like the +dead,” said the young orator with a shudder. +“Our cheeks are gray and our lips black.”</p> + +<p>As this darkness grew more intense, the +woman’s fear increased. “Oh, my friend!” she +burst out at last. “Can’t you perceive even +now that the Immortals would warn you? They +are incensed because you condemned a holy and +innocent man. I am thinking that although he +may already be on the cross, he is surely not +dead yet. Let him be taken down from the +cross! I would with mine own hands nurse his +wounds. Only grant that he be called back +to life!”</p> + +<p>But Pilate answered laughingly: “You are +surely right in that this is a sign from the gods. +But they do not let the sun lose its luster because +a Jewish heretic has been condemned to the +cross. On the contrary, we may expect that +important matters shall appear, which concern +the whole kingdom. Who can tell how long +old Tiberius——”</p> + +<p>He did not finish the sentence, for the darkness +had become so profound he could not see +even the wine goblet standing in front of him. +He broke off, therefore, to order the slaves to +fetch some lamps instantly.</p> + +<p>When it had become so light that he could +see the faces of his guests, it was impossible for +him not to notice the depression which had +come over them. “Mark you!” he said half-angrily +to his wife. “Now it is apparent to me +that you have succeeded with your dreams in +driving away the joys of the table. But if it +must needs be that you can not think of anything +else to-day, then let us hear what you have +dreamed. Tell it us and we will try to interpret +its meaning!”</p> + +<p>For this the young wife was ready at once. +And while she related vision after vision, the +guests grew more and more serious. They +ceased emptying their goblets, and they sat with +brows knit. The only one who continued to +laugh and to call the whole thing madness, was +the Governor himself.</p> + +<p>When the narrative was ended, the young +rhetorician said: “Truly, this is something more +than a dream, for I have seen this day not +the Emperor, but his old friend Faustina, +march into the city. Only it surprises me that +she has not already appeared in the Governor’s +palace.”</p> + +<p>“There is actually a rumor abroad to the +effect that the Emperor has been stricken with +a terrible illness,” observed the leader of the +troops. “It also seems very possible to me that +your wife’s dream may be a god-sent warning.”</p> + +<p>“There’s nothing incredible in this, that +Tiberius has sent messengers after the Prophet +to summon him to his sick-bed,” agreed the +young rhetorician.</p> + +<p>The Commander turned with profound seriousness +toward Pilate. “If the Emperor has +actually taken it into his head to let this miracle-worker +be summoned, it were better for you +and for all of us that he found him alive.”</p> + +<p>Pilate answered irritably: “Is it the darkness +that has turned you into children? One would +think that you had all been transformed into +dream-interpreters and prophets.”</p> + +<p>But the courtier continued his argument: “It +may not be impossible, perhaps, to save the +man’s life, if you sent a swift messenger.”</p> + +<p>“You want to make a laughing-stock of me,” +answered the Governor. “Tell me, what would +become of law and order in this land, if they +learned that the Governor pardoned a criminal +because his wife has dreamed a bad dream?”</p> + +<p>“It is the truth, however, and not a dream, +that I have seen Faustina in Jerusalem,” said +the young orator.</p> + +<p>“I shall take the responsibility of defending +my actions before the Emperor,” said Pilate. +“He will understand that this visionary, who +let himself be misused by my soldiers without +resistance, would not have had the power to +help him.”</p> + +<p>As he was speaking, the house was shaken +by a noise like a powerful rolling thunder, and +an earthquake shook the ground. The Governor’s +palace stood intact, but during some +minutes just after the earthquake, a terrific crash +of crumbling houses and falling pillars was +heard.</p> + +<p>As soon as a human voice could make itself +heard, the Governor called a slave.</p> + +<p>“Run out to the place of execution and command +in my name that the Prophet of Nazareth +shall be taken down from the cross!”</p> + +<p>The slave hurried away. The guests filed +from the dining-hall out on the peristyle, to be +under the open sky in case the earthquake should +be repeated. No one dared to utter a word, +while they awaited the slave’s return.</p> + +<p>He came back very shortly. He stopped before +the Governor.</p> + +<p>“You found him alive?” said he.</p> + +<p>“Master, he was dead, and on the very second +that he gave up the ghost, the earthquake +occurred.”</p> + +<p>The words were hardly spoken when two loud +knocks sounded against the outer gate. When +these knocks were heard, they all staggered back +and leaped up, as though it had been a new +earthquake.</p> + +<p>Immediately afterwards a slave came up.</p> + +<p>“It is the noble Faustina and the Emperor’s +kinsman Sulpicius. They are come to beg you +help them find the Prophet from Nazareth.”</p> + +<p>A low murmur passed through the peristyle, +and soft footfalls were heard. When the Governor +looked around, he noticed that his friends +had withdrawn from him, as from one upon +whom misfortune has fallen.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>IX</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Old Faustina had returned to Capri and had +sought out the Emperor. She told him her +story, and while she spoke she hardly dared look +at him. During her absence the illness had +made frightful ravages, and she thought to +herself: “If there had been any pity among +the Celestials, they would have let me die before +being forced to tell this poor, tortured man +that all hope is gone.”</p> + +<p>To her astonishment, Tiberius listened to her +with the utmost indifference. When she related +how the great miracle performer had been crucified +the same day that she had arrived in Jerusalem, +and how near she had been to saving +him, she began to weep under the weight of +her failure. But Tiberius only remarked: “You +actually grieve over this? Ah, Faustina! A +whole lifetime in Rome has not weaned you +then of faith in sorcerers and miracle workers, +which you imbibed during your childhood in +the Sabine mountains!”</p> + +<p>Then the old woman perceived that Tiberius +had never expected any help from the Prophet +of Nazareth.</p> + +<p>“Why did you let me make the journey to +that distant land, if you believed all the while +that it was useless?”</p> + +<p>“You are the only friend I have,” said the +Emperor. “Why should I deny your prayer, +so long as I still have the power to grant it.”</p> + +<p>But the old woman did not like it that the +Emperor had taken her for a fool.</p> + +<p>“Ah! this is your usual cunning,” she burst +out. “This is just what I can tolerate least +in you.”</p> + +<p>“You should not have come back to me,” said +Tiberius. “You should have remained in the +mountains.”</p> + +<p>It looked for a moment as if these two, who +had clashed so often, would again fall into a +war of words, but the old woman’s anger subsided +immediately. The times were past when +she could quarrel in earnest with the Emperor. +She lowered her voice again; but she could not +altogether relinquish every effort to obtain +justice.</p> + +<p>“But this man was really a prophet,” she +said. “I have seen him. When his eyes met +mine, I thought he was a god. I was mad to +allow him to go to his death.”</p> + +<p>“I am glad you let him die,” said Tiberius. +“He was a traitor and a dangerous agitator.”</p> + +<p>Faustina was about to burst into another +passion—then checked herself.</p> + +<p>“I have spoken with many of his friends in +Jerusalem about him,” said she. “He had +not committed the crimes for which he was +arraigned.”</p> + +<p>“Even if he had not committed just these +crimes, he was surely no better than any one +else,” said the Emperor wearily. “Where will +you find the person who during his lifetime has +not a thousand times deserved death?”</p> + +<p>But these remarks of the Emperor decided +Faustina to undertake something which she had +until now hesitated about. “I will show you +a proof of his power,” said she. “I said to +you just now that I laid my kerchief over +his face. It is the same kerchief which I +hold in my hand. Will you look at it a +moment?”</p> + +<p>She spread the kerchief out before the Emperor, +and he saw delineated thereon the shadowy +likeness of a human face.</p> + +<p>The old woman’s voice shook with emotion +as she continued: “This man saw that I loved +him. I know not by what power he was +enabled to leave me his portrait. But mine eyes +fill up with tears when I see it.”</p> + +<p>The Emperor leaned forward and regarded +the picture, which appeared to be made up of +blood and tears and the dark shadows of grief. +Gradually the whole face stood out before him, +exactly as it had been imprinted upon the kerchief. +He saw the blood-drops on the forehead, +the piercing thorn-crown, the hair, which was +matted with blood, and the mouth whose lips +seemed to quiver with agony.</p> + +<p>He bent down closer and closer to the picture. +The face stood out clearer and clearer. +From out the shadow-like outlines, all at once, +he saw the eyes sparkle as with hidden life. +And while they spoke to him of the most terrible +suffering, they also revealed a purity and +sublimity which he had never seen before.</p> + +<p>He lay upon his couch and drank in the picture +with his eyes. “Is this a mortal?” he said +softly and slowly. “Is this a mortal?”</p> + +<p>Again he lay still and regarded the picture. +The tears began to stream down his cheeks. “I +mourn over thy death, thou Unknown!” he +whispered.</p> + +<p>“Faustina!” he cried out at last. “Why +did you let this man die? He would have healed +me.”</p> + +<p>And again he was lost in the picture.</p> + +<p>“O Man!” he said, after a moment, “if I +can not gain my health from thee, I can still +avenge thy murder. My hand shall rest heavily +upon those who have robbed me of thee!”</p> + +<p>Again he lay still a long time; then he let +himself glide down to the floor—and he knelt +before the picture:</p> + +<p>“Thou art Man!” said he. “Thou art that +which I never dreamed I should see.” And he +pointed to his disfigured face and destroyed +hands. “I and all others are wild beasts and +monsters, but thou art Man.”</p> + +<p>He bowed his head so low before the picture +that it touched the floor. “Have pity on me, +thou Unknown!” he sobbed, and his tears +watered the stones.</p> + +<p>“If thou hadst lived, thy glance alone would +have healed me,” he said.</p> + +<p>The poor old woman was terror-stricken over +what she had done. It would have been wiser +not to show the Emperor the picture, thought +she. From the start she had been afraid that +if he should see it his grief would be too overwhelming.</p> + +<p>And in her despair over the Emperor’s grief, +she snatched the picture away, as if to remove +it from his sight.</p> + +<p>Then the Emperor looked up. And, lo! his +features were transformed, and he was as he +had been before the illness. It was as if the +illness had had its root and sustenance in the +contempt and hatred of mankind which had +lived in his heart; and it had been forced to +flee the very moment he had felt love and +compassion.</p> + +<p>The following day Tiberius despatched three +messengers.</p> + +<p>The first messenger traveled to Rome with +the command that the Senate should institute +investigations as to how the governor of Palestine +administered his official duties and punish +him, should it appear that he oppressed the +people and condemned the innocent to death.</p> + +<p>The second messenger went to the vineyard-laborer +and his wife, to thank them and reward +them for the counsel they had given the Emperor, +and also to tell them how everything +had turned out. When they had heard all, they +wept silently, and the man said: “I know that +all my life I shall ponder what would have happened +if these two had met.” But the woman +answered: “It could not happen in any other +way. It was too great a thought that these +two should meet. God knew that the world +could not support it.”</p> + +<p>The third messenger traveled to Palestine and +brought back with him to Capri some of Jesus’ +disciples, and these began to teach there the +doctrine that had been preached by the Crucified +One.</p> + +<p>When the disciples landed at Capri, old Faustina +lay upon her death-bed. Still they had time +before her death to make of her a follower +of the great Prophet, and to baptize her. And +in the baptism she was called Veronica, because +to her it had been granted to give to mankind +the true likeness of their Saviour.</p> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_195_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_195.jpg' alt='' class='ig010' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story9' class='c003'>ROBIN REDBREAST</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>It happened at the time when our Lord +created the world, when He not only made +heaven and earth, but all the animals and the +plants as well, at the same time giving them +their names.</p> + +<p>There have been many histories concerning +that time, and if we knew them all, we should +have light upon everything in this world which +we can not now comprehend.</p> + +<p>At that time it happened one day when our +Lord sat in His Paradise and painted the little +birds, that the colors in our Lord’s paint pot +gave out, and the goldfinch would have been +without color if our Lord had not wiped all +His paint brushes on its feathers.</p> + +<p>It was then that the donkey got his long +ears, because he could not remember the name +that had been given him.</p> + +<p>No sooner had he taken a few steps over +the meadows of Paradise than he forgot, and +three times he came back to ask his name. At +last our Lord grew somewhat impatient, took +him by his two ears, and said:</p> + +<p>“Thy name is ass, ass, ass!” And while +He thus spake our Lord pulled both of his +ears that the ass might hear better, and remember +what was said to him. It was on the same +day, also, that the bee was punished.</p> + +<p>Now, when the bee was created, she began +immediately to gather honey, and the animals +and human beings who caught the delicious odor +of the honey came and wanted to taste of it. +But the bee wanted to keep it all for herself and +with her poisonous sting pursued every living +creature that approached her hive. Our Lord +saw this and at once called the bee to Him and +punished her.</p> + +<p>“I gave thee the gift of gathering honey, +which is the sweetest thing in all creation,” said +our Lord, “but I did not give thee the right +to be cruel to thy neighbor. Remember well +that every time thou stingest any creature who +desires to taste of thy honey, thou shalt surely +die!”</p> + +<p>Ah, yes! It was at that time, too, that the +cricket became blind and the ant missed her +wings, so many strange things happened on that +day!</p> + +<p>Our Lord sat there, big and gentle, and +planned and created all day long, and towards +evening He conceived the idea of making a +little gray bird. “Remember your name is +Robin Redbreast,” said our Lord to the bird, +as soon as it was finished. Then He held it +in the palm of His open hand and let it fly.</p> + +<p>After the bird had been testing his wings +a while, and had seen something of the beautiful +world in which he was destined to live, +he became curious to see what he himself was +like. He noticed that he was entirely gray, +and that his breast was just as gray as all the +rest of him. Robin Redbreast twisted and +turned in all directions as he viewed himself +in the mirror of a clear lake, but he couldn’t +find a single red feather. Then he flew back +to our Lord.</p> + +<p>Our Lord sat there on His throne, big and +gentle. Out of His hands came butterflies that +fluttered about His head; doves cooed on His +shoulders; and out of the earth beneath Him +grew the rose, the lily, and the daisy.</p> + +<p>The little bird’s heart beat heavily with +fright, but with easy curves he flew nearer and +nearer our Lord, till at last he rested on our +Lord’s hand. Then our Lord asked what the +little bird wanted. “I only wish to ask you +about one thing,” said the little bird. “What is +it you wish to know?” said our Lord. “Why +should I be called Red Breast, when I am all +gray, from the bill to the very end of my +tail? Why am I called Red Breast when I do +not possess one single red feather?” The bird +looked beseechingly on our Lord with his tiny +black eyes—then turned his head. About him +he saw pheasants all red under a sprinkle of +gold dust, parrots with marvelous red neck-bands, +cocks with red combs, to say nothing +about the butterflies, the goldfinches, and the +roses! And naturally he thought how little +he needed—just one tiny drop of color on his +breast and he, too, would be a beautiful bird, +and his name would fit him. “Why should I +be called Red Breast when I am so entirely +gray?” asked the bird once again, and waited +for our Lord to say: “Ah, my friend, I see that +I have forgotten to paint your breast feathers +red, but wait a moment and it shall be done.”</p> + +<p>But our Lord only smiled a little and said: +“I have called you Robin Redbreast, and Robin +Redbreast shall your name be, but you must +look to it that you yourself earn your red breast +feathers.” Then our Lord lifted His hand +and let the bird fly once more—out into the +world.</p> + +<p>The bird flew down into Paradise, meditating +deeply.</p> + +<p>What could a little bird like him do to earn +for himself red feathers? The only thing he +could think of was to make his nest in a brier +bush. He built it in among the thorns in the +close thicket. It looked as if he waited for +a rose leaf to cling to his throat and give him +color.</p> + +<hr class='c005' /> + +<p>Countless years had come and gone since that +day, which was the happiest in all the world! +Human beings had already advanced so far +that they had learned to cultivate the earth +and sail the seas. They had procured clothes +and ornaments for themselves, and had long +since learned to build big temples and great +cities—such as Thebes, Rome, and Jerusalem.</p> + +<hr class='c005' /> + +<p>Then there dawned a <em>new</em> day, one that will +long be remembered in the world’s history. On +the morning of this day Robin Redbreast sat +upon a little naked hillock outside of Jerusalem’s +walls, and sang to his young ones, who rested +in a tiny nest in a brier bush.</p> + +<p>Robin Redbreast told the little ones all about +that wonderful day of creation, and how the +Lord had given names to everything, just as +each Redbreast had told it ever since the first +Redbreast had heard God’s word, and gone out +of God’s hand. “And mark you,” he ended +sorrowfully, “so many years have gone, so +many roses have bloomed, so many little birds +have come out of their eggs since Creation Day, +but Robin Redbreast is still a little gray bird. +He has not yet succeeded in gaining his red +feathers.”</p> + +<p>The little young ones opened wide their tiny +bills, and asked if their forbears had never +tried to do any great thing to earn the priceless +red color.</p> + +<p>“We have all done what we could,” said +the little bird, “but we have all gone amiss. +Even the first Robin Redbreast met one day +another bird exactly like himself, and he began +immediately to love it with such a mighty love +that he could feel his breast burn. ‘Ah!’ he +thought then, ‘now I understand! It was our +Lord’s meaning that I should love with so +much ardor that my breast should grow red in +color from the very warmth of the love that +lives in my heart.’ But he missed it, as all those +who came after him have missed it, and as +even you shall miss it.”</p> + +<p>The little young ones twittered, utterly bewildered, +and already began to mourn because the +red color would not come to beautify their little, +downy gray breasts.</p> + +<p>“We had also hoped that song would help +us,” said the grown-up bird, speaking in long-drawn-out +tones—“the first Robin Redbreast +sang until his heart swelled within him, he was +so carried away, and he dared to hope anew. +‘Ah!’ he thought, ‘it is the glow of the song +which lives in my soul that will color my breast +feathers red.’ But he missed it, as all the others +have missed it and as even you shall miss it.” +Again was heard a sad “peep” from the young +ones’ half-naked throats.</p> + +<p>“We had also counted on our courage and +our valor,” said the bird. “The first Robin +Redbreast fought bravely with other birds, until +his breast flamed with the pride of conquest. +‘Ah!’ he thought, ‘my breast feathers shall +become red from the love of battle which burns +in my heart.’ He, too, missed it, as all those +who came after him have missed it, and as even +you shall miss it.” The little young ones peeped +courageously that they still wished to try and +win the much-sought-for prize, but the bird +answered them sorrowfully that it would be impossible. +What could they do when so many +splendid ancestors had missed the mark? What +could they do more than love, sing, and fight? +What could—the little bird stopped short, for +out of one of the gates of Jerusalem came a +crowd of people marching, and the whole procession +rushed toward the hillock, where the +bird had its nest. There were riders on proud +horses, soldiers with long spears, executioners +with nails and hammers. There were judges +and priests in the procession, weeping women, +and above all a mob of mad, loose people +running about—a filthy, howling mob of +loiterers.</p> + +<p>The little gray bird sat trembling on the +edge of his nest. He feared each instant that +the little brier bush would be trampled down +and his young ones killed!</p> + +<p>“Be careful!” he cried to the little defenseless +young ones, “creep together and remain +quiet. Here comes a horse that will ride right +over us! Here comes a warrior with iron-shod +sandals! Here comes the whole wild, storming +mob!” Immediately the bird ceased his cry +of warning and grew calm and quiet. He almost +forgot the danger hovering over him. +Finally he hopped down into the nest and spread +his wings over the young ones.</p> + +<p>“Oh! this is too terrible,” said he. “I don’t +wish you to witness this awful sight! There +are three miscreants who are going to be crucified!” +And he spread his wings so that the +little ones could see nothing.</p> + +<p>They caught only the sound of hammers, the +cries of anguish, and the wild shrieks of the +mob.</p> + +<p>Robin Redbreast followed the whole spectacle +with his eyes, which grew big with terror. He +could not take his glance from the three +unfortunates.</p> + +<p>“How terrible human beings are!” said the +bird after a little while. “It isn’t enough that +they nail these poor creatures to a cross, but +they must needs place a crown of piercing thorns +upon the head of one of them. I see that the +thorns have wounded his brow so that the blood +flows,” he continued. “And this man is so +beautiful, and looks about him with such mild +glances that every one ought to love him. I +feel as if an arrow were shooting through my +heart, when I see him suffer!”</p> + +<p>The little bird began to feel a stronger and +stronger pity for the thorn-crowned sufferer. +“Oh! if I were only my brother the eagle,” +thought he, “I would draw the nails from his +hands, and with my strong claws I would drive +away all those who torture him!” He saw +how the blood trickled down from the brow of +the Crucified One, and he could no longer remain +quiet in his nest. “Even if I am little +and weak, I can still do something for this +poor tortured one,” thought the bird. Then he +left his nest and flew out into the air, striking +wide circles around the Crucified One. He flew +around him several times without daring to +approach, for he was a shy little bird, who had +never dared to go near a human being. But +little by little he gained courage, flew close to +him, and drew with his little bill a thorn that +had become imbedded in the brow of the Crucified +One. And as he did this there fell on his +breast a drop of blood from the face of the +Crucified One;—it spread quickly and floated +out and colored all the little fine breast feathers.</p> + +<p>Then the Crucified One opened his lips and +whispered to the bird: “Because of thy compassion, +thou hast won all that thy kind have +been striving after, ever since the world was +created.”</p> + +<p>As soon as the bird had returned to his nest +his young ones cried to him: “Thy breast is +red! Thy breast feathers are redder than the +roses!”</p> + +<p>“It is only a drop of blood from the poor +man’s forehead,” said the bird; “it will vanish +as soon as I bathe in a pool or a clear well.”</p> + +<p>But no matter how much the little bird +bathed, the red color did not vanish—and when +his little young ones grew up, the blood-red +color shone also on their breast feathers, just +as it shines on every Robin Redbreast’s throat +and breast until this very day.</p> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_207_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_207.jpg' alt='' class='ig011' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story10' class='c003'>OUR LORD AND SAINT PETER</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c004'>It happened at the time when our Lord and +Saint Peter were newly arrived in Paradise, +after having wandered on earth and suffered +hardships during many sorrowful years.</p> + +<p>One can imagine that the change was a joy +to Saint Peter! One can picture to oneself that +it was quite another matter to sit upon Paradise +Mountain and look out over the world, instead +of wandering from door to door, like a +beggar. It was another matter to walk about +in the beautiful gardens of Paradise, instead of +roaming around on earth, not knowing if one +would be given house-room on a stormy night, +or if one would be forced to tramp the highway +in the chill and darkness.</p> + +<p>One can imagine what a joy it must have +been to get to the right place at last after such +a journey. Saint Peter, to be sure, had not +always been certain that all would end well. +He couldn’t very well help feeling doubtful and +troubled at times, for it had been almost impossible +for poor Saint Peter to understand why +there was any earthly need for them to have +such a hard time of it, if our Lord was lord of +all the world.</p> + +<p>Now, no yearning could come to torment +him any more. That he was glad of this one +can well believe.</p> + +<p>Now, he could actually laugh at all the misery +which he and our Lord had been forced to +endure, and at the little that they had been +obliged to content themselves with.</p> + +<p>Once, when things had turned out so badly +for them that Saint Peter thought he couldn’t +stand it any longer, our Lord had taken him +to a high mountain, and had begun the ascent +without telling him what they were there for.</p> + +<p>They had wandered past the cities at the +foot of the mountain, and the castles higher +up. They had gone past the farms and cabins, +and had left behind them the last wood-chopper’s +cave.</p> + +<p>They had come at last to the part where the +mountain stood naked, without verdure and +trees, and where a hermit had built him a hut, +wherein he might shelter needy travelers.</p> + +<p>Afterward, they had walked over the snowfields, +where the mountain-rats sleep, and come +to the piled-up ice masses, which stood on edge +and a-tilt, and where scarcely a chamois could +pass.</p> + +<p>Up there our Lord had found a little +red-breasted bird, that lay frozen to death on the +ice, and He had picked up the bullfinch and +tucked it in His bosom. And Saint Peter remembered +he had wondered if this was to be +their dinner.</p> + +<p>They had wandered a long while on the slippery +ice-blocks, and it had seemed to Saint +Peter that he had never been so near perdition; +for a deadly cold wind and a deadly dark mist +enveloped them, and as far as he could discover, +there wasn’t a living thing to be found. +And, still, they were only half-way up the +mountain.</p> + +<p>Then he begged our Lord to let him turn +back.</p> + +<p>“Not yet,” said our Lord, “for I want to +show you something which will give you courage +to meet all sorrows.”</p> + +<p>For this they had gone on through mist and +cold until they had reached an interminably +high wall, which prevented them from going +farther.</p> + +<p>“This wall extends all around the mountain,” +said our Lord, “and you can’t step over +it at any point. Nor can any living creature see +anything of that which lies behind it, for it is +here that Paradise begins; and all the way up +to the mountain’s summit live the blessed +dead.”</p> + +<p>But Saint Peter couldn’t help looking doubtful. +“In there is neither darkness nor cold,” +said our Lord, “but there it is always summer, +with the bright light of suns and stars.”</p> + +<p>But Saint Peter was not able to persuade himself +to believe this.</p> + +<p>Then our Lord took the little bird which He +had just found on the ice, and, bending backwards, +threw it over the wall, so that it fell +down into Paradise.</p> + +<p>And immediately thereafter Saint Peter +heard a loud, joyous trill, and recognized a bullfinch’s +song, and was greatly astonished.</p> + +<p>He turned toward our Lord and said: “Let +us return to the earth and suffer all that must +be suffered, for now I see that you speak the +truth, and that there is a place where Life overcomes +death.”</p> + +<p>And they descended from the mountain and +began their wanderings again.</p> + +<p>And it was years before Saint Peter saw any +more than this one glimpse of Paradise; but +he had always longed for the land beyond the +wall. And now at last he was there, and did +not have to strive and yearn any more. Now +he could drink bliss in full measure all day long +from never-dying streams.</p> + +<p>But Saint Peter had not been in Paradise a +fortnight before it happened that an angel +came to our Lord where He sat upon His +throne, bowed seven times before Him, and +told Him that a great sorrow must have come +upon Saint Peter. He would neither eat nor +drink, and his eyelids were red, as though he +had not slept for several nights.</p> + +<p>As soon as our Lord heard this, He rose and +went to seek Saint Peter.</p> + +<p>He found him far away, on one of the outskirts +of Paradise, where he lay upon the +ground, as if he were too exhausted to stand, +and he had rent his garments and strewn his +hair with ashes.</p> + +<p>When our Lord saw him so distressed, He +sat down on the ground beside him, and talked +to him, just as He would have done had they +still been wandering around in this world of +trouble.</p> + +<p>“What is it that makes you so sad, Saint +Peter?” said our Lord.</p> + +<p>But grief had overpowered Saint Peter, so +that he could not answer.</p> + +<p>“What is it that makes you so sad?” asked +our Lord once again.</p> + +<p>When our Lord repeated the question, Saint +Peter took the gold crown from his head and +threw it at our Lord’s feet, as much as to say +he wanted no further share in His honor and +glory.</p> + +<p>But our Lord understood, of course, that +Saint Peter was so disconsolate that he knew not +what he did. He showed no anger at him.</p> + +<p>“You must tell me what troubles you,” said +He, just as gently as before, and with an even +greater love in His voice.</p> + +<p>But now Saint Peter jumped up; and then +our Lord knew that he was not only disconsolate, +but downright angry. He came toward +our Lord with clenched fists and snapping eyes.</p> + +<p>“Now I want a dismissal from your service!” +said Saint Peter. “I can not remain +another day in Paradise.”</p> + +<p>Our Lord tried to calm him, just as He had +been obliged to do many times before, when +Saint Peter had flared up.</p> + +<p>“Oh, certainly you can go,” said He, “but +you must first tell me what it is that displeases +you.”</p> + +<p>“I can tell you that I awaited a better reward +than this when we two endured all sorts +of misery down on earth,” said Saint Peter.</p> + +<p>Our Lord saw that Saint Peter’s soul was +filled with bitterness, and He felt no anger at +him.</p> + +<p>“I tell you that you are free to go whither +you will,” said He, “if you will only let me +know what is troubling you.”</p> + +<p>Then, at last, Saint Peter told our Lord why +he was so unhappy. “I had an old mother,” +said he, “and she died a few days ago.”</p> + +<p>“Now I know what distresses you,” said our +Lord. “You suffer because your mother has +not come into Paradise.”</p> + +<p>“That is true,” said Saint Peter, and at the +same time his grief became so overwhelming +that he began to sob and moan.</p> + +<p>“I think I deserved at least that she should +be permitted to come here,” said he.</p> + +<p>But when our Lord learned what it was that +Saint Peter was grieving over, He, in turn, became +distressed. Saint Peter’s mother had not +been such that she could enter the Heavenly +Kingdom. She had never thought of anything +except to hoard money, and to the poor who +had knocked at her door she had never given +so much as a copper or a crust of bread. But +our Lord understood that it was impossible for +Saint Peter to grasp the fact that his mother +had been so greedy that she was not entitled +to bliss.</p> + +<p>“Saint Peter,” said He, “how can you be +so sure that your mother would feel at home +here with us?”</p> + +<p>“You say such things only that you may not +have to listen to my prayers,” said Saint Peter. +“Who wouldn’t be happy in Paradise?”</p> + +<p>“One who does not feel joy over the happiness +of others can not rest content here,” said +our Lord.</p> + +<p>“Then there are others than my mother who +do not belong here,” said Saint Peter, and our +Lord observed that he was thinking of Him.</p> + +<p>And He felt deeply grieved because Saint +Peter had been stricken with such a heavy sorrow +that he no longer knew what he said. He +stood a moment and expected that Saint Peter +would repent, and understand that his mother +was not fit for Paradise. But the Saint would +not give in.</p> + +<p>Then our Lord called an angel and commanded +that he should fly down into hell and +bring Saint Peter’s mother to Paradise.</p> + +<p>“Let me see how he carries her,” said Saint +Peter.</p> + +<p>Our Lord took Saint Peter by the hand and +led him out to a steep precipice which leaned +slantingly to one side. And He showed him +that he only had to lean over the precipice very, +very little to be able to look down into hell.</p> + +<p>When Saint Peter glanced down, he could +not at first see anything more than if he had +looked into a deep well. It was as though an +endless chasm opened under him.</p> + +<p>The first thing which he could faintly distinguish +was the angel, who had already started +on his way to the nether regions. Saint Peter +saw how the angel dived down into the great +darkness, without the least fear, and spread his +wings just a little, so as not to descend too +rapidly.</p> + +<p>But when Saint Peter’s eyes had become a +little more used to the darkness he began to +see more and more. In the first place, he saw +that Paradise lay on a ring-mountain, which +encircled a wide chasm, and it was at the bottom +of this chasm that the souls of the sinful +had their abode. He saw how the angel sank +and sank a long while without reaching the +depths. He became absolutely terrified because +it was such a long distance down there.</p> + +<p>“May he only come up again with my +mother!” said he.</p> + +<p>Our Lord only looked at Saint Peter with +great sorrowful eyes. “There is no weight too +heavy for my angel to carry,” said He.</p> + +<p>It was so far down to the nether regions that +no ray of sunlight could penetrate thither: there +darkness reigned. But it was as if the angel in +his flight must have brought with him a little +clearness and light, so that it was possible for +Saint Peter to see how it looked down there.</p> + +<p>It was an endless, black rock-desert. Sharp, +pointed rocks covered the entire foundation. +There was not a green blade, not a tree, not a +sign of life.</p> + +<p>But all over, on the sharp rocks, were condemned +souls. They hung over the edges, +whither they had clambered that they might +swing themselves up from the ravine; and when +they saw that they could get nowhere, they remained +up there, petrified with anguish.</p> + +<p>Saint Peter saw some of them sit or lie with +arms extended in ceaseless longing, and with +eyes fixedly turned upwards. Others had covered +their faces with their hands, as if they +would shut out the hopeless horror around +them. They were all rigid; there was not one +among them who had the power to move. +Some lay in the water-pools, perfectly still, +without trying to rise from them.</p> + +<p>But the most dreadful thing of all was—there +was such a great throng of the lost. It +was as though the bottom of the ravine were +made up of nothing but bodies and heads.</p> + +<p>And Saint Peter was struck with a new fear. +“You shall see that he will not find her,” said +he to our Lord.</p> + +<p>Once more our Lord looked at him with the +same grieved expression. He knew of course +that Saint Peter did not need to be uneasy about +the angel.</p> + +<p>But to Saint Peter it looked all the while as +if the angel could not find his mother in that +great company of lost souls. He spread his +wings and flew back and forth over the nether +regions, while he sought her.</p> + +<p>Suddenly one of the poor lost creatures +caught a glimpse of the angel, and he sprang +up and stretched his arms towards him and +cried: “Take me with you! Take me with +you!”</p> + +<p>Then, all at once, the whole throng was +alive. All the millions upon millions who languished +in hell, roused themselves that instant, +and raised their arms and cried to the angel +that he should take them with him to the +blessed Paradise.</p> + +<p>Their shrieks were heard all the way up to +our Lord and Saint Peter, whose hearts +throbbed with anguish as they heard.</p> + +<p>The angel swayed high above the condemned; +but as he traveled back and forth, to +find the one whom he sought, they all rushed +after him, so that it looked as though they had +been swept on by a whirlwind.</p> + +<p>At last the angel caught sight of the one he +was to take with him. He folded his wings +over his back and shot down like a streak of +lightning, and the astonished Saint Peter gave +a cry of joy when he saw the angel place an +arm around his mother and lift her up.</p> + +<p>“Blessed be thou that bringest my mother to +me!” said he.</p> + +<p>Our Lord laid His hand gently on Saint +Peter’s shoulder, as if He would warn him not +to abandon himself to joy too soon.</p> + +<p>But Saint Peter was ready to weep for joy, +because his mother was saved. He could not +understand that anything further would have +the power to part them. And his joy increased +when he saw that, quick as the angel had been +when he had lifted her up, still several of the +lost souls had succeeded in attaching themselves +to her who was to be saved, in order that they, +too, might be borne to Paradise with her.</p> + +<p>There must have been a dozen who clung to +the old woman, and Saint Peter thought it was +a great honor for his mother to help so many +poor unfortunate beings out of perdition.</p> + +<p>Nor did the angel do aught to hinder them. +He seemed not at all troubled with his burden, +but rose and rose, and moved his wings with no +more effort than if he were carrying a little +dead birdling to heaven.</p> + +<p>But then Saint Peter saw that his mother began +to free herself from the lost souls that had +clung to her. She gripped their hands and +loosened their hold, so that one after another +tumbled down into hell.</p> + +<p>Saint Peter could hear how they begged and +implored her; but the old woman did not desire +that any one but herself should be saved. She +freed herself from more and more of them, and +let them fall down into misery. And as they +fell, all space was filled with their lamentations +and curses.</p> + +<p>Then Saint Peter begged and implored his +mother to show some compassion, but she +would not listen, and kept right on as before.</p> + +<p>And Saint Peter saw how the angel flew +slower and slower, the lighter his burden became. +Such fear took hold of Saint Peter that +his legs shook, and he was forced to drop on his +knees.</p> + +<p>Finally, there was only one condemned soul +who still clung to St. Peter’s mother. This was +a young woman who hung on her neck and +begged and cried in her ear that she would let +her go along with her to the blessed Paradise.</p> + +<p>The angel with his burden had already come +so far that Saint Peter stretched out his arms to +receive his mother. He thought that the angel +had to make only two or three wing-strokes +more to reach the mountain.</p> + +<p>Then, all of a sudden, the angel held his +wings perfectly still, and his countenance became +dark as night.</p> + +<p>For now the old woman had stretched her +hands back of her and gripped the arms of the +young woman who hung about her neck, and +she clutched and tore until she succeeded in +separating the clasped hands, so that she was free +from this last one also.</p> + +<p>When the condemned one fell the angel sank +several fathoms lower, and it appeared as +though he had not the strength to lift his wings +again.</p> + +<p>He looked down upon the old woman with +a deep, sorrowful glance; his hold around her +waist loosened, and he let her fall, as if she +were too heavy a burden for him, now that she +was alone.</p> + +<p>Thereupon he swung himself with a single +stroke up into Paradise.</p> + +<p>But Saint Peter lay for a long while in the +same place, and sobbed, and our Lord stood +silent beside him.</p> + +<p>“Saint Peter,” said our Lord at last, “I +never thought that you would weep like this +after you had reached Paradise.”</p> + +<p>Then God’s old servant raised his head and +answered: “What kind of a Paradise is this, +where I can hear the moans of my dearest +ones, and see the sufferings of my fellow +men!”</p> + +<p>The face of our Lord became o’ercast by the +deepest sorrow. “What did I desire more than +to prepare a Paradise for all, of nothing but +light and happiness?” He said. “Do you not +understand that it was because of this I went +down among men and taught them to love their +neighbors as themselves? For as long as they +do this not, there will be no refuge in heaven +or on earth where pain and sorrow cannot reach +them.”</p> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a href='images/i_225_lg.jpg'><img src='images/i_225.jpg' alt='' class='ig012' /></a> +</div> + +<div> +<h2 id='story11' class='c003'>THE SACRED FLAME</h2> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> +<div class='nf-center c004' > + <span class='larger'>I</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>A great many years ago, when the city +of Florence had only just been made a +republic, a man lived there named Raniero di +Raniero. He was the son of an armorer, and +had learned his father’s trade, but he did not +care much to pursue it.</p> + +<p>This Raniero was the strongest of men. It +was said of him that he bore a heavy iron +armor as lightly as others wear a silk shirt. +He was still a young man, but already he had +given many proofs of his strength. Once he +was in a house where grain was stored in the +loft. Too much grain had been heaped there; +and while Raniero was in the house one of the +loft beams broke down, and the whole roof was +about to fall in. He raised his arms and held +the roof up until the people managed to fetch +beams and poles to prop it.</p> + +<p>It was also said of Raniero that he was the +bravest man that had ever lived in Florence, +and that he could never get enough of fighting. +As soon as he heard any noise in the street, he +rushed out from the workshop, in hopes that a +fight had arisen in which he might participate. +If he could only distinguish himself, he fought +just as readily with humble peasants as with +armored horsemen. He rushed into a fight +like a lunatic, without counting his opponents.</p> + +<p>Florence was not very powerful in his time. +The people were mostly wool spinners and +cloth weavers, and these asked nothing better +than to be allowed to perform their tasks in +peace. Sturdy men were plentiful, but they +were not quarrelsome, and they were proud of +the fact that in their city better order prevailed +than elsewhere. Raniero often grumbled because +he was not born in a country where there +was a king who gathered around him valiant +men, and declared that in such an event he +would have attained great honor and renown.</p> + +<p>Raniero was loud-mouthed and boastful; +cruel to animals, harsh toward his wife, and not +good for any one to live with. He would have +been handsome if he had not had several deep +scars across his face which disfigured him. He +was quick to jump at conclusions, and quick to +act, though his way was often violent.</p> + +<p>Raniero was married to Francesca, who was +the daughter of Jacopo degli Uberti, a wise +and influential man. Jacopo had not been very +anxious to give his daughter to such a bully as +Raniero, but had opposed the marriage until +the very last. Francesca forced him to relent, +by declaring that she would never marry any +one else. When Jacopo finally gave his consent, +he said to Raniero: “I have observed +that men like you can more easily win a +woman’s love than keep it; therefore I shall +exact this promise from you: If my daughter +finds life with you so hard that she wishes to +come back to me, you will not prevent her.” +Francesca said it was needless to exact such a +promise, since she was so fond of Raniero that +nothing could separate her from him. But +Raniero gave his promise promptly. “Of one +thing you can be assured, Jacopo,” said he—“I +will not try to hold any woman who wishes to +flee from me.”</p> + +<p>Then Francesca went to live with Raniero, +and all was well between them for a time. +When they had been married a few weeks, +Raniero took it into his head that he would +practice marksmanship. For several days he +aimed at a painting which hung upon a wall. +He soon became skilled, and hit the mark every +time. At last he thought he would like to try +and shoot at a more difficult mark. He looked +around for something suitable, but discovered +nothing except a quail that sat in a cage above +the courtyard gate. The bird belonged to +Francesca, and she was very fond of it; but, +despite this, Raniero sent a page to open the +cage, and shot the quail as it swung itself into +the air.</p> + +<p>This seemed to him a very good shot, and he +boasted of it to any one who would listen to +him.</p> + +<p>When Francesca learned that Raniero had +shot her bird, she grew pale and looked hard at +him. She marveled that he had wished to do a +thing which must bring grief to her; but she +forgave him promptly and loved him as +before.</p> + +<p>Then all went well again for a time.</p> + +<p>Raniero’s father-in-law, Jacopo, was a flax +weaver. He had a large establishment, where +much work was done. Raniero thought he had +discovered that hemp was mixed with the flax +in Jacopo’s workshop, and he did not keep +silent about it, but talked of it here and there in +the city. At last Jacopo also heard this chatter, +and tried at once to put a stop to it. He let +several other flax weavers examine his yarn and +cloth, and they found all of it to be of the very +finest flax. Only in one pack, which was designed +to be sold outside of Florence, was there +any mixture. Then Jacopo said that the deception +had been practised without his knowledge +or consent, by some one among his journeymen. +He apprehended at once that he would find it +difficult to convince people of this. He had +always been famed for honesty, and he felt very +keenly that his honor had been smirched.</p> + +<p>Raniero, on the other hand, plumed himself +upon having succeeded in exposing a fraud, +and he bragged about it even in Francesca’s +hearing.</p> + +<p>She felt deeply grieved; at the same time she +was as astonished as when he shot the bird. As +she thought of this, she seemed suddenly to see +her love before her; and it was like a great +piece of shimmery gold cloth. She could see +how big it was, and how it shimmered. But +from one corner a piece had been cut away, so +that it was not as big and as beautiful as it had +been in the beginning.</p> + +<p>Still, it was as yet damaged so very little that +she thought: “It will probably last as long as +I live. It is so great that it can never come to +an end.”</p> + +<p>Again, there was a period during which she +and Raniero were just as happy as they had +been at first.</p> + +<p>Francesca had a brother named Taddeo. He +had been in Venice on a business trip, and, +while there, had purchased garments of silk and +velvet. When he came home he paraded +around in them. Now, in Florence it was not +the custom to go about expensively clad, so +there were many who made fun of him.</p> + +<p>One night Taddeo and Raniero were out in +the wine shops. Taddeo was dressed in a green +cloak with sable linings, and a violet jacket. +Raniero tempted him to drink so much wine +that he fell asleep, and then he took his cloak +off him and hung it upon a scarecrow that was +set up in a cabbage patch.</p> + +<p>When Francesca heard of this she was vexed +again with Raniero. That moment she saw +before her the big piece of gold cloth—which +was her love—and she seemed to see how it +diminished, as Raniero cut away piece after +piece.</p> + +<p>After this, things were patched up between +them for a time, but Francesca was no longer +so happy as in former days, because she always +feared that Raniero would commit some misdemeanor +that would hurt her love.</p> + +<p>This was not long in coming, either, for +Raniero could never be tranquil. He wished +that people should always speak of him and +praise his courage and daring.</p> + +<p>At that time the cathedral in Florence was +much smaller than the present one, and there +hung at the top of one of its towers a big, heavy +shield, which had been placed there by one of +Francesca’s ancestors. It was the heaviest +shield any man in Florence had been able to lift, +and all the Uberti family were proud because +it was one of their own who had climbed up in +the tower and hung it there.</p> + +<p>But Raniero climbed up to the shield one day, +hung it on his back, and came down with it.</p> + +<p>When Francesca heard of this for the first +time she spoke to Raniero of what troubled +her, and begged him not to humiliate her family +in this way. Raniero, who had expected that +she would commend him for his feat, became +very angry. He retorted that he had long observed +that she did not rejoice in his success, +but thought only of her own kin. “It’s something +else I am thinking of,” said Francesca, +“and that is my love. I know not what will +become of it if you keep on in this way.”</p> + +<p>After this they frequently exchanged harsh +words, for Raniero happened nearly always to +do the very thing that was most distasteful to +Francesca.</p> + +<p>There was a workman in Raniero’s shop who +was little and lame. This man had loved Francesca +before she was married, and continued to +love her even after her marriage. Raniero, who +knew this, undertook to joke with him before +all who sat at a table. It went so far that +finally the man could no longer bear to be held +up to ridicule in Francesca’s hearing, so he +rushed upon Raniero and wanted to fight with +him. But Raniero only smiled derisively and +kicked him aside. Then the poor fellow +thought he did not care to live any longer, and +went off and hanged himself.</p> + +<p>When this happened, Francesca and Raniero +had been married about a year. Francesca +thought continually that she saw her love before +her as a shimmery piece of cloth, but on +all sides large pieces were cut away, so that it +was scarcely half as big as it had been in the +beginning.</p> + +<p>She became very much alarmed when she saw +this, and thought: “If I stay with Raniero another +year, he will destroy my love. I shall +become just as poor as I have hitherto been +rich.”</p> + +<p>Then she concluded to leave Raniero’s house +and go to live with her father, that the day +might not come when she should hate Raniero +as much as she now loved him.</p> + +<p>Jacopo degli Uberti was sitting at the loom +with all his workmen busy around him when he +saw her coming. He said that now the thing +had come to pass which he had long expected, +and bade her be welcome. Instantly he ordered +all the people to leave off their work and arm +themselves and close the house.</p> + +<p>Then Jacopo went over to Raniero. He met +him in the workshop. “My daughter has this +day returned to me and begged that she may +live again under my roof,” he said to his son-in-law. +“And now I expect that you will not +compel her to return to you, after the promise +you have given me.”</p> + +<p>Raniero did not seem to take this very seriously, +but answered calmly: “Even if I had +not given you my word, I would not demand +the return of a woman who does not wish to be +mine.”</p> + +<p>He knew how much Francesca loved him, +and said to himself: “She will be back with +me before evening.”</p> + +<p>Yet she did not appear either that day or the +next.</p> + +<p>The third day Raniero went out and pursued +a couple of robbers who had long disturbed +the Florentine merchants. He succeeded +in catching them, and took them captives to +Florence.</p> + +<p>He remained quiet a couple of days, until +he was positive that this feat was known +throughout the city. But it did not turn out as +he had expected—that it would bring Francesca +back to him.</p> + +<p>Raniero had the greatest desire to appeal to +the courts, to force her return to him, but he +felt himself unable to do this because of his +promise. It seemed impossible for him to live +in the same city with a wife who had abandoned +him, so he moved away from Florence.</p> + +<p>He first became a soldier, and very soon he +made himself commander of a volunteer company. +He was always in a fight, and served +many masters.</p> + +<p>He won much renown as a warrior, as he had +always said he would. He was made a knight +by the Emperor, and was accounted a great +man.</p> + +<p>Before he left Florence, he had made a vow +at a sacred image of the Madonna in the Cathedral +to present to the Blessed Virgin the best +and rarest that he won in every battle. Before +this image one always saw costly gifts, which +were presented by Raniero.</p> + +<p>Raniero was aware that all his deeds were +known in his native city. He marveled much +that Francesca degli Uberti did not come back +to him, when she knew all about his success.</p> + +<p>At that time sermons were preached to start +the Crusades for the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre +from the Saracens, and Raniero took the +cross and departed for the Orient. He not only +hoped to win castles and lands to rule over, but +also to succeed in performing such brilliant +feats that his wife would again be fond of him, +and return to him.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>II</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>The night succeeding the day on which Jerusalem +had been captured, there was great rejoicing +in the Crusaders’ camp, outside the city. +In almost every tent they celebrated with drinking +bouts, and noise and roystering were heard +in every direction.</p> + +<p>Raniero di Raniero sat and drank with some +comrades; and in his tent it was even more hilarious +than elsewhere. The servants barely had +time to fill the goblets before they were empty +again.</p> + +<p>Raniero had the best of reasons for celebrating, +because during the day he had won greater +glory than ever before. In the morning, when +the city was besieged, he had been the first to +scale the walls after Godfrey of Boulogne; and +in the evening he had been honored for his +bravery in the presence of the whole corps.</p> + +<p>When the plunder and murder were ended, +and the Crusaders in penitents’ cloaks and with +lighted candles marched into the Church of the +Holy Sepulchre, it had been announced to Raniero +by Godfrey that he should be the first who +might light his candle from the sacred candles +which burn before Christ’s tomb. It appeared +to Raniero that Godfrey wished in this manner +to show that he considered him the bravest man +in the whole corps; and he was very happy over +the way in which he had been rewarded for his +achievements.</p> + +<p>As the night wore on, Raniero and his guests +were in the best of spirits; a fool and a couple +of musicians who had wandered all over the +camp and amused the people with their pranks, +came into Raniero’s tent, and the fool asked +permission to narrate a comic story.</p> + +<p>Raniero knew that this particular fool was +in great demand for his drollery, and he promised +to listen to his narrative.</p> + +<p>“It happened once,” said the fool, “that our +Lord and Saint Peter sat a whole day upon the +highest tower in Paradise Stronghold, and +looked down upon the earth. They had so +much to look at, that they scarcely found time +to exchange a word. Our Lord kept perfectly +still the whole time, but Saint Peter sometimes +clapped his hands for joy, and again turned his +head away in disgust. Sometimes he applauded +and smiled, and anon he wept and commiserated. +Finally, as it drew toward the close +of day, and twilight sank down over Paradise, +our Lord turned to Saint Peter and +said that now he must surely be satisfied +and content. ‘What is it that I should be content +with?’ Saint Peter asked, in an impetuous +tone. ‘Why,’ said our Lord slowly, ‘I thought +that you would be pleased with what you have +seen to-day.’ But Saint Peter did not care to +be conciliated. ‘It is true,’ said he, ‘that for +many years I have bemoaned the fact that Jerusalem +should be in the power of unbelievers, +but after all that has happened to-day, I think it +might just as well have remained as it was.’”</p> + +<p>Raniero understood now that the fool spoke +of what had taken place during the day. Both +he and the other knights began to listen with +greater interest than in the beginning.</p> + +<p>“When Saint Peter had said this,” continued +the fool, as he cast a furtive glance at the +knights, “he leaned over the pinnacle of the +tower and pointed toward the earth. He +showed our Lord a city which lay upon a great +solitary rock that shot up from a mountain valley. +‘Do you see those mounds of corpses?’ +he said. ‘And do you see the naked and +wretched prisoners who moan in the night chill? +And do you see all the smoking ruins of the conflagration?’ +It appeared as if our Lord did +not wish to answer him, but Saint Peter went on +with his lamentations. He said that he had certainly +been vexed with that city many times, but +he had not wished it so ill as that it should +come to look like this. Then, at last, our Lord +answered, and tried an objection: ‘Still, you +can not deny that the Christian knights have +risked their lives with the utmost fearlessness,’ +said He.”</p> + +<p>Then the fool was interrupted by bravos, but +he made haste to continue.</p> + +<p>“Oh, don’t interrupt me!” he said. “Now +I don’t remember where I left off—ah! to be +sure, I was just going to say that Saint Peter +wiped away a tear or two which sprang to his +eyes and prevented him from seeing. ‘I never +would have thought they could be such beasts,’ +said he. ‘They have murdered and plundered +the whole day. Why you went to all the trouble +of letting yourself be crucified in order to +gain such devotees, I can’t in the least comprehend.’”</p> + +<p>The knights took up the fun good-naturedly. +They began to laugh loud and merrily. +“What, fool! Is Saint Peter so wroth with +us?” shrieked one of them.</p> + +<p>“Be silent now, and let us hear if our Lord +spoke in our defense!” interposed another.</p> + +<p>“No, our Lord was silent. He knew of old +that when Saint Peter had once got a-going, it +wasn’t worth while to argue with him. He +went on in his way, and said that our Lord +needn’t trouble to tell him that finally they remembered +to which city they had come, and +went to church barefooted and in penitents’ +garb. That spirit had, of course, not lasted +long enough to be worth mentioning. And +thereupon he leaned once more over the tower +and pointed downward toward Jerusalem. He +pointed out the Christians’ camp outside the +city. ‘Do you see how your knights celebrate +their victories?’ he asked. And our Lord saw +that there was revelry everywhere in the camp. +Knights and soldiers sat and looked upon +Syrian dancers. Filled goblets went the rounds +while they threw dice for the spoils of war +and——”</p> + +<p>“They listened to fools who told vile +stories,” interpolated Raniero. “Was not this +also a great sin?”</p> + +<p>The fool laughed and shook his head at Raniero, +as much as to say, “Wait! I will pay you +back.”</p> + +<p>“No, don’t interrupt me!” he begged once +again. “A poor fool forgets so easily what he +would say. Ah! it was this: Saint Peter asked +our Lord if He thought these people were much +of a credit to Him. To this, of course, our +Lord had to reply that He didn’t think they +were.</p> + +<p>“‘They were robbers and murderers before +they left home, and robbers and murderers they +are even to-day. This undertaking you could +just as well have left undone. No good will +come of it,’ said Saint Peter.”</p> + +<p>“Come, come, fool!” said Raniero in a +threatening tone. But the fool seemed to consider +it an honor to test how far he could go +without some one jumping up and throwing him +out, and he continued fearlessly.</p> + +<p>“Our Lord only bowed His head, like one +who acknowledges that he is being justly rebuked. +But almost at the same instant He +leaned forward eagerly and peered down with +closer scrutiny than before. Saint Peter also +glanced down. ‘What are you looking for?’ +he wondered.”</p> + +<p>The fool delivered this speech with much +animated facial play. All the knights saw our +Lord and Saint Peter before their eyes, and +they wondered what it was our Lord had +caught sight of.</p> + +<p>“Our Lord answered that it was nothing in +particular,” said the fool. “Saint Peter gazed +in the direction of our Lord’s glance, but he +could discover nothing except that our Lord sat +and looked down into a big tent, outside of +which a couple of Saracen heads were set up on +long lances, and where a lot of fine rugs, golden +vessels, and costly weapons, captured in the +Holy City, were piled up. In that tent they +carried on as they did everywhere else in the +camp. A company of knights sat and emptied +their goblets. The only difference might be +that here there were more drinking and roystering +than elsewhere. Saint Peter could not +comprehend why our Lord was so pleased when +He looked down there, that His eyes fairly +sparkled with delight. So many hard and cruel +faces he had rarely before seen gathered around +a drinking table. And he who was host at the +board and sat at the head of the table was +the most dreadful of all. He was a man of +thirty-five, frightfully big and coarse, with a +blowsy countenance covered with scars and +scratches, calloused hands, and a loud, bellowing +voice.”</p> + +<p>Here the fool paused a moment, as if he +feared to go on, but both Raniero and the +others liked to hear him talk of themselves, and +only laughed at his audacity. “You’re a daring +fellow,” said Raniero, “so let us see what +you are driving at!”</p> + +<p>“Finally, our Lord said a few words,” continued +the fool, “which made Saint Peter understand +what He rejoiced over. He asked +Saint Peter if He saw wrongly, or if it could +actually be true that one of the knights had a +burning candle beside him.”</p> + +<p>Raniero gave a start at these words. Now, +at last, he was angry with the fool, and reached +out his hand for a heavy wine pitcher to throw +at his face, but he controlled himself that he +might hear whether the fellow wished to speak +to his credit or discredit.</p> + +<p>“Saint Peter saw now,” narrated the fool, +“that, although the tent was lighted mostly by +torches, one of the knights really had a burning +wax candle beside him. It was a long, thick +candle, one of the sort made to burn twenty-four +hours. The knight, who had no candlestick +to set it in, had gathered together some +stones and piled them around it, to make it +stand.”</p> + +<p>The company burst into shrieks of laughter +at this. All pointed at a candle which stood on +the table beside Raniero, and was exactly like +the one the fool had described. The blood +mounted to Raniero’s head; for this was the +candle which he had a few hours before been +permitted to light at the Holy Sepulchre. He +had been unable to make up his mind to let it +die out.</p> + +<p>“When Saint Peter saw that candle,” said +the fool, “it dawned upon him what it was that +our Lord was so happy over, but at the same +time he could not help feeling just a little sorry +for Him. ‘Oh,’ he said, ‘it was the same +knight that leaped upon the wall this morning +immediately after the gentleman of Boulogne, +and who this evening was permitted to light his +candle at the Holy Sepulchre ahead of all the +others. ‘True!’ said our Lord. ‘And, as you +see, his candle is still burning.’”</p> + +<p>The fool talked very fast now, casting an +occasional sly glance at Raniero. “Saint Peter +could not help pitying our Lord. ‘Can’t you +understand why he keeps that candle burning?’ +said he. ‘You must believe that he thinks of +your sufferings and death whenever he looks at +it. But he thinks only of the glory which he +won when he was acknowledged to be the +bravest man in the troop after Godfrey.’”</p> + +<p>At this all Raniero’s guests laughed. Raniero +was very angry, but he, too, forced himself +to laugh. He knew they would have found +it still more amusing if he hadn’t been able to +take a little fun.</p> + +<p>“But our Lord contradicted Saint Peter,” +said the fool. “‘Don’t you see how careful he +is with the light?’ asked He. ‘He puts his +hand before the flame as soon as any one raises +the tent-flap, for fear the draught will blow it +out. And he is constantly occupied in chasing +away the moths which fly around it and threaten +to extinguish it.’”</p> + +<p>The laughter grew merrier and merrier, for +what the fool said was the truth. Raniero +found it more and more difficult to control himself. +He felt he could not endure that any one +should jest about the sacred candle.</p> + +<p>“Still, Saint Peter was dubious,” continued +the fool. “He asked our Lord if He knew that +knight. ‘He’s not one who goes often to Mass +or wears out the prie-dieu,’ said he. But our +Lord could not be swerved from His opinion.</p> + +<p>“‘Saint Peter, Saint Peter,’ He said earnestly. +‘Remember that henceforth this knight shall +become more pious than Godfrey. Whence do +piety and gentleness spring, if not from my sepulchre? +You shall see Raniero di Raniero help +widows and distressed prisoners. You shall see +him care for the sick and despairing as he now +cares for the sacred candle flame.’”</p> + +<p>At this they laughed inordinately. It struck +them all as very ludicrous, for they knew Raniero’s +disposition and mode of living. But he +himself found both the jokes and laughter intolerable. +He sprang to his feet and wanted to +reprove the fool. As he did this, he bumped so +hard against the table—which was only a door +set up on loose boxes—that it wabbled, and the +candle fell down. It was evident now how +careful Raniero was to keep the candle burning. +He controlled his anger and gave himself time +to pick it up and brighten the flame, before he +rushed upon the fool. But when he had +trimmed the light the fool had already darted +out of the tent, and Raniero knew it would be +useless to pursue him in the darkness. “I shall +probably run across him another time,” he +thought, and sat down.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the guests had laughed mockingly, +and one of them turned to Raniero and +wanted to continue the jesting. He said: +“There is one thing, however, which is certain, +Raniero, and that is—this time you can’t send +to the Madonna in Florence the most precious +thing you have won in the battle.”</p> + +<p>Raniero asked why he thought that he should +not follow his old habit this time.</p> + +<p>“For no other reason,” said the knight, +“than that the most precious thing you have +won is that sacred candle flame, which you were +permitted to light at the church of the Holy +Sepulchre in presence of the whole corps. +Surely you can’t send that to Florence!”</p> + +<p>Again the other knights laughed, but Raniero +was now in the mood to undertake the +wildest projects, just to put an end to their +laughter. He came to a conclusion quickly, +called to an old squire, and said to him: “Make +ready, Giovanni, for a long journey. To-morrow +you shall travel to Florence with this sacred +candle flame.”</p> + +<p>But the squire said a blunt no to this command. +“This is something which I don’t care +to undertake,” he said. “How should it be +possible to travel to Florence with a candle +flame? It would be extinguished before I had +left the camp.”</p> + +<p>Raniero asked one after another of his men. +He received the same reply from all. They +scarcely seemed to take his command seriously.</p> + +<p>It was a foregone conclusion that the foreign +knights who were his guests should laugh +even louder and more merrily, as it became apparent +that none of Raniero’s men wished to +carry out his order.</p> + +<p>Raniero grew more and more excited. +Finally he lost his patience and shouted: “This +candle flame shall nevertheless be borne to Florence; +and since no one else will ride there with +it, I will do so myself!”</p> + +<p>“Consider before you promise anything of +the kind!” said a knight. “You ride away +from a principality.”</p> + +<p>“I swear to you that I will carry this sacred +flame to Florence!” exclaimed Raniero. “I +shall do what no one else has cared to undertake.”</p> + +<p>The old squire defended himself. “Master, +it’s another matter for you. You can take +with you a large retinue but me you would send +alone.”</p> + +<p>But Raniero was clean out of himself, and +did not consider his words. “I, too, shall +travel alone,” said he.</p> + +<p>But with this declaration Raniero had carried +his point. Every one in the tent had +ceased laughing. Terrified, they sat and stared +at him.</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you laugh any more?” asked +Raniero. “This undertaking surely can’t be +anything but a child’s game for a brave man.”</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>III</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>The next morning at dawn Raniero mounted +his horse. He was in full armor, but over +it he had thrown a coarse pilgrim cloak, +so that the iron dress should not become +overheated by exposure to the sun’s rays. +He was armed with a sword and battle-club, +and rode a good horse. He held in his +hand a burning candle, and to the saddle he had +tied a couple of bundles of long wax candles, +so the flame should not die out for lack of +nourishment.</p> + +<p>Raniero rode slowly through the long, encumbered +tent street, and thus far all went well. +It was still so early that the mists which had +arisen from the deep dales surrounding Jerusalem +were not dispersed, and Raniero rode forward +as in a white night. The whole troop +slept, and Raniero passed the guards easily. +None of them called out his name, for the mist +prevented their seeing him, and the roads were +covered with a dust-like soil a foot high, which +made the horse’s tramp inaudible.</p> + +<p>Raniero was soon outside the camp and +started on the road which led to Joppa. Here +it was smoother, but he rode very slowly now, +because of the candle, which burned feebly in +the thick mist. Big insects kept dashing against +the flame. Raniero had all he could do guarding +it, but he was in the best of spirits and +thought all the while that the mission which he +had undertaken was so easy that a child could +manage it.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the horse grew weary of the +slow pace, and began to trot. The flame began +to flicker in the wind. It didn’t help that Raniero +tried to shield it with his hand and with +the cloak. He saw that it was about to be extinguished.</p> + +<p>But he had no desire to abandon the project +so soon. He stopped the horse, sat still a moment, +and pondered. Then he dismounted and +tried sitting backwards, so that his body +shielded the flame from the wind. In this way +he succeeded in keeping it burning; but he realized +now that the journey would be more difficult +than he had thought at the beginning.</p> + +<p>When he had passed the mountains which +surround Jerusalem, the fog lifted. He rode +forward now in the greatest solitude. There +were no people, houses, green trees, nor plants—only +bare rocks.</p> + +<p>Here Raniero was attacked by robbers. +They were idle folk, who followed the camp +without permission, and lived by theft and +plunder. They had lain in hiding behind a hill, +and Raniero—who rode backwards—had not +seen them until they had surrounded him and +brandished their swords at him.</p> + +<p>There were about twelve men. They looked +wretched, and rode poor horses. Raniero saw +at once that it would not be difficult for him to +break through this company and ride on. And +after his proud boast of the night before, he +was unwilling to abandon his undertaking +easily.</p> + +<p>He saw no other means of escape than to +compromise with the robbers. He told them +that, since he was armed and rode a good horse, +it might be difficult to overpower him if he defended +himself. And as he was bound by a +vow, he did not wish to offer resistance, but they +could take whatever they wanted, without a +struggle, if only they promised not to put out +his light.</p> + +<p>The robbers had expected a hard struggle, +and were very happy over Raniero’s proposal, +and began immediately to plunder him. They +took from him armor and steed, weapons and +money. The only thing they let him keep was +the coarse cloak and the two bundles of wax +candles. They sacredly kept their promise, +also, not to put out the candle flame.</p> + +<p>One of them mounted Raniero’s horse. +When he noticed what a fine animal he was, he +felt a little sorry for the rider. He called out +to him: “Come, come, we must not be too cruel +toward a Christian. You shall have my old +horse to ride.”</p> + +<p>It was a miserable old screw of a horse. It +moved as stiffly, and with as much difficulty, as +if it were made of wood.</p> + +<p>When the robbers had gone at last, and +Raniero had mounted the wretched horse, he +said to himself: “I must have become bewitched +by this candle flame. For its sake I +must now travel along the roads like a crazy +beggar.”</p> + +<p>He knew it would be wise for him to turn +back, because the undertaking was really impracticable. +But such an intense yearning to +accomplish it had come over him that he could +not resist the desire to go on. Therefore, he +went farther. He saw all around him the same +bare, yellowish hills.</p> + +<p>After a while he came across a goatherd, who +tended four goats. When Raniero saw the animals +grazing on the barren ground, he wondered +if they ate earth.</p> + +<p>This goatherd had owned a larger flock, +which had been stolen from him by the Crusaders. +When he noticed a solitary Christian +come riding toward him, he tried to do him all +the harm he could. He rushed up to him and +struck at his light with his staff. Raniero was +so taken up by the flame that he could not defend +himself even against a goatherd. He only +drew the candle close to him to protect it. The +goatherd struck at it several times more, then +he paused, astonished, and ceased striking. He +noticed that Raniero’s cloak had caught fire, +but Raniero did nothing to smother the blaze, +so long as the sacred flame was in danger. The +goatherd looked as though he felt ashamed. +For a long time he followed Raniero, and in +one place, where the road was very narrow, +with a deep chasm on each side of it, he came +up and led the horse for him.</p> + +<p>Raniero smiled and thought the goatherd +surely regarded him as a holy man who had +undertaken a voluntary penance.</p> + +<p>Toward evening Raniero began to meet people. +Rumors of the fall of Jerusalem had already +spread to the coast, and a throng of people +had immediately prepared to go up there. +There were pilgrims who for years had awaited +an opportunity to get into Jerusalem, also some +newly-arrived troops; but they were mostly +merchants who were hastening with provisions.</p> + +<p>When these throngs met Raniero, who came +riding backwards with a burning candle in his +hand, they cried: “A madman, a madman!”</p> + +<p>The majority were Italians; and Raniero +heard how they shouted in his own tongue, +“Pazzo, pazzo!” which means “a madman, +a madman.”</p> + +<p>Raniero, who had been able to keep himself +well in check all day, became intensely irritated +by these ever-recurring shouts. Instantly he +dismounted and began to chastise the offenders +with his hard fists. When they saw how heavy +the blows were, they took to their heels, and +Raniero soon stood alone on the road.</p> + +<p>Now Raniero was himself again. “In truth +they were right to call me a madman,” he said, +as he looked around for the light. He did not +know what he had done with it. At last he saw +that it had rolled down into a hollow. The +flame was extinguished, but he saw fire gleam +from a dry grass-tuft close beside it, and understood +that luck was with him, for the flame had +ignited the grass before it had gone out.</p> + +<p>“This might have been an inglorious end of +a deal of trouble,” he thought, as he lit the candle +and stepped into the saddle. He was rather +mortified. It did not seem to him very probable +that his journey would be a success.</p> + +<p>In the evening Raniero reached Ramle, and +rode up to a place where caravans usually had +night harbor. It was a large covered yard. +All around it were little stalls where travelers +could put up their horses. There were no +rooms, but folk could sleep beside the animals.</p> + +<p>The place was overcrowded with people, yet +the host found room for Raniero and his horse. +He also gave fodder to the horse and food to +the rider.</p> + +<p>When Raniero perceived that he was well +treated, he thought: “I almost believe the robbers +did me a service when they took from me +my armor and my horse. I shall certainly +get out of the country more easily with my light +burden, if they mistake me for a lunatic.”</p> + +<p>When he had led the horse into the stall, he +sat down on a sheaf of straw and held the candle +in his hands. It was his intention not to +fall asleep, but to remain awake all night.</p> + +<p>But he had hardly seated himself when he +fell asleep. He was fearfully exhausted, and +in his sleep he stretched out full length and did +not wake till morning.</p> + +<p>When he awoke he saw neither flame nor candle. +He searched in the straw for the candle, +but did not find it anywhere.</p> + +<p>“Some one has taken it from me and extinguished +it,” he said. He tried to persuade himself +that he was glad that all was over, and that +he need not pursue an impossible undertaking.</p> + +<p>But as he pondered, he felt a sense of emptiness +and loss. He thought that never before +had he so longed to succeed in anything on +which he had set his mind.</p> + +<p>He led the horse out and groomed and saddled +it.</p> + +<p>When he was ready to set out, the host who +owned the caravansary came up to him with a +burning candle. He said in Frankish: “When +you fell asleep last night, I had to take your +light from you, but here you have it again.”</p> + +<p>Raniero betrayed nothing, but said very +calmly: “It was wise of you to extinguish it.”</p> + +<p>“I have not extinguished it,” said the man. +“I noticed that it was burning when you arrived, +and I thought it was of importance to +you that it should continue to burn. If you see +how much it has decreased, you will understand +that it has been burning all night.”</p> + +<p>Raniero beamed with happiness. He commended +the host heartily, and rode away in the +best of spirits.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>IV</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>When Raniero broke away from the camp +at Jerusalem, he intended to travel from Joppa +to Italy by sea, but changed his mind after he +had been robbed of his money, and concluded +to make the journey by land.</p> + +<p>It was a long journey. From Joppa he went +northward along the Syrian coast. Then he +rode westward along the peninsula of Asia +Minor, then northward again, all the way to +Constantinople. From there he still had a monotonously +long distance to travel to reach +Florence. During the whole journey Raniero +had lived upon the contributions of the pious. +They that shared their bread with him mostly +were pilgrims who at this time traveled <em>en +masse</em> to Jerusalem.</p> + +<p>Regardless of the fact that he nearly always +rode alone, his days were neither long nor monotonous. +He must always guard the candle +flame, and on its account he never could feel at +ease. It needed only a puff of breeze—a rain-drop—and +there would have been an end to it.</p> + +<p>As Raniero rode over lonely roads, and +thought only about keeping the flame alive, it +occurred to him that once before he had been +concerned with something similar. Once +before he had seen a person watch over something +which was just as sensitive as a candle +flame.</p> + +<p>This recollection was so vague to him at first +that he wondered if it was something he had +dreamed.</p> + +<p>But as he rode on alone through the country, +it kept recurring to him that he had participated +in something similar once before.</p> + +<p>“It is as if all my life long I had heard tell +of nothing else,” said he.</p> + +<p>One evening he rode into a city. It was after +sundown, and the housewives stood in their +doorways and watched for their husbands. +Then he noticed one who was tall and slender, +and had earnest eyes. She reminded him of +Francesca degli Uberti.</p> + +<p>Instantly it became clear to him what he had +been pondering over. It came to him that for +Francesca her love must have been as a sacred +flame which she had always wished to keep +burning, and which she had constantly feared +that Raniero would quench. He was astonished +at this thought, but grew more and more +certain that the matter stood thus. For the first +time he began to understand why Francesca had +left him, and that it was not with feats of arms +he should win her back.</p> + +<hr class='c005' /> + +<p>The journey which Raniero made was of +long duration. This was in part due to the fact +that he could not venture out when the weather +was bad. Then he sat in some caravansary, +and guarded the candle flame. These were +very trying days.</p> + +<p>One day, when he rode over Mount Lebanon, +he saw that a storm was brewing. He was +riding high up among awful precipices, and a +frightful distance from any human abode. +Finally he saw on the summit of a rock the +tomb of a Saracen saint. It was a little square +stone structure with a vaulted roof. He thought +it best to seek shelter there.</p> + +<p>He had barely entered when a snowstorm +came up, which raged for two days and nights. +At the same time it grew so cold that he came +near freezing to death.</p> + +<p>Raniero knew that there were heaps of +branches and twigs out on the mountain, and it +would not have been difficult for him to gather +fuel for a fire. But he considered the candle +flame which he carried very sacred, and did not +wish to light anything from it, except the candles +before the Blessed Virgin’s Altar.</p> + +<p>The storm increased, and at last he heard +thunder and saw gleams of lightning.</p> + +<p>Then came a flash which struck the mountain, +just in front of the tomb, and set fire to a tree. +And in this way he was enabled to light his +fire without having to borrow of the sacred +flame.</p> + +<hr class='c005' /> + +<p>As Raniero was riding on through a desolate +portion of the Cilician mountain district, his +candles were all used up. The candles which +he had brought with him from Jerusalem had +long since been consumed; but still he had been +able to manage because he had found Christian +communities all along the way, of whom he had +begged fresh candles.</p> + +<p>But now his resources were exhausted, and +he thought that this would be the end of his +journey.</p> + +<p>When the candle was so nearly burned out +that the flame scorched his hand, he jumped +from his horse and gathered branches and dry +leaves and lit these with the last of the flame. +But up on the mountain there was very little +that would ignite, and the fire would soon burn +out.</p> + +<p>While he sat and grieved because the sacred +flame must die, he heard singing down the road, +and a procession of pilgrims came marching up +the steep path, bearing candles in their hands. +They were on their way to a grotto where a +holy man had lived, and Raniero followed +them. Among them was a woman who was +very old and had difficulty in walking, and Raniero +carried her up the mountain.</p> + +<p>When she thanked him afterwards, he made +a sign to her that she should give him her candle. +She did so, and several others also presented +him with the candles which they carried. +He extinguished the candles, hurried down the +steep path, and lit one of them with the last +spark from the fire lighted by the sacred flame.</p> + +<hr class='c005' /> + +<p>One day at the noon hour it was very warm, +and Raniero had lain down to sleep in a thicket. +He slept soundly, and the candle stood beside +him between a couple of stones. When he had +been asleep a while, it began to rain, and this +continued for some time, without his waking. +When at last he was startled out of his sleep, +the ground around him was wet, and he hardly +dared glance toward the light, for fear it might +be quenched.</p> + +<p>But the light burned calmly and steadily in +the rain, and Raniero saw that this was because +two little birds flew and fluttered just above the +flame. They caressed it with their bills, and +held their wings outspread, and in this way they +protected the sacred flame from the rain.</p> + +<p>He took off his hood immediately, and hung +it over the candle. Thereupon he reached out +his hand for the two little birds, for he had +been seized with a desire to pet them. Neither +of them flew away because of him, and he could +catch them.</p> + +<p>He was very much astonished that the birds +were not afraid of him. “It is because they +know I have no thought except to protect that +which is the most sensitive of all, that they do +not fear me,” thought he.</p> + +<hr class='c005' /> + +<p>Raniero rode in the vicinity of Nicæa, in +Bithynia. Here he met some western gentlemen +who were conducting a party of recruits to +the Holy Land. In this company was Robert +Taillefer, who was a wandering knight and a +troubadour.</p> + +<p>Raniero, in his torn cloak, came riding along +with the candle in his hand, and the warriors +began as usual to shout, “A madman, a madman!” +But Robert silenced them, and addressed +the rider.</p> + +<p>“Have you journeyed far in this manner?” +he asked.</p> + +<p>“I have ridden like this all the way from +Jerusalem,” answered Raniero.</p> + +<p>“Has your light been extinguished many +times during the journey?”</p> + +<p>“Still burns the flame that lighted the candle +with which I rode away from Jerusalem,” +responded Raniero.</p> + +<p>Then Robert Taillefer said to him: “I am +also one of those who carry a light, and I would +that it burned always. But perchance you, +who have brought your light burning all the +way from Jerusalem, can tell me what I shall +do that it may not become extinguished?”</p> + +<p>Then Raniero answered: “Master, it is a +difficult task, although it appears to be of slight +importance. This little flame demands of you +that you shall entirely cease to think of anything +else. It will not allow you to have any sweet-heart—in +case you should desire anything of +the sort—neither would you dare on account of +this flame to sit down at a revel. You can not +have aught else in your thoughts than just this +flame, and must possess no other happiness. +But my chief reason for advising you against +making the journey which I have weathered is +that you can not for an instant feel secure. It +matters not through how many perils you may +have guarded the flame, you can not for an instant +think yourself secure, but must ever expect +that the very next moment it may fail +you.”</p> + +<p>But Robert Taillefer raised his head proudly +and answered: “What you have done for your +sacred flame I may do for mine.”</p> + +<hr class='c005' /> + +<p>Raniero arrived in Italy. One day he rode +through lonely roads up among the mountains. +A woman came running after him and begged +him to give her a light from his candle. “The +fire in my hut is out,” said she. “My children +are hungry. Give me a light that I may heat +my oven and bake bread for them!”</p> + +<p>She reached for the burning candle, but Raniero +held it back because he did not wish that +anything should be lighted by that flame but the +candles before the image of the Blessed Virgin.</p> + +<p>Then the woman said to him: “Pilgrim, +give me a light, for the life of my children is +the flame which I am in duty bound to keep +burning!” And because of these words he permitted +her to light the wick of her lamp from +his flame.</p> + +<p>Several hours later he rode into a town. It +lay far up on the mountain, where it was very +cold. A peasant stood in the road and saw the +poor wretch who came riding in his torn cloak. +Instantly he stripped off the short mantle which +he wore, and flung it to him. But the mantle +fell directly over the candle and extinguished +the flame.</p> + +<p>Then Raniero remembered the woman who +had borrowed a light of him. He turned back +to her and had his candle lighted anew with +sacred fire.</p> + +<p>When he was ready to ride farther, he said +to her: “You say that the sacred flame which +you must guard is the life of your children. Can +you tell me what name this candle’s flame bears, +which I have carried over long roads?”</p> + +<p>“Where was your candle lighted?” asked +the woman.</p> + +<p>“It was lighted at Christ’s sepulchre,” said +Raniero.</p> + +<p>“Then it can only be called Gentleness and +Love of Humanity,” said she.</p> + +<p>Raniero laughed at the answer. He thought +himself a singular apostle of virtues such as +these.</p> + +<hr class='c005' /> + +<p>Raniero rode forward between beautiful blue +hills. He saw he was near Florence. He was +thinking that he must soon part with his light. +He thought of his tent in Jerusalem, which he +had left filled with trophies, and the brave soldiers +who were still in Palestine, and who would +be glad to have him take up the business of war +once more, and bear them on to new conquests +and honors.</p> + +<p>Then he perceived that he experienced no +pleasure in thinking of this, but that his +thoughts were drawn in another direction.</p> + +<p>Then he realized for the first time that he +was no longer the same man that had gone from +Jerusalem. The ride with the sacred flame had +compelled him to rejoice with all who were +peaceable and wise and compassionate, and to +abhor the savage and warlike.</p> + +<p>He was happy every time he thought of people +who labored peacefully in their homes, and +it occurred to him that he would willingly move +into his old workshop in Florence and do beautiful +and artistic work.</p> + +<p>“Verily this flame has recreated me,” he +thought. “I believe it has made a new man +of me.”</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>V</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p>It was Eastertide when Raniero rode into +Florence.</p> + +<p>He had scarcely come in through the city +gate—riding backwards, with his hood drawn +down over his face and the burning candle in +his hand—when a beggar arose and shouted +the customary “Pazzo, pazzo!”</p> + +<p>At this cry a street gamin darted out of a +doorway, and a loafer, who had had nothing +else to do for a long time than to lie and gaze +at the clouds, jumped to his feet. Both began +shouting the same thing: “Pazzo, pazzo!”</p> + +<p>Now that there were three who shrieked, +they made a good deal of noise and so woke up +all the street urchins. They came rushing out +from nooks and corners. As soon as they saw +Raniero, in his torn coat, on the wretched horse, +they shouted: “Pazzo, pazzo!”</p> + +<p>But this was only what Raniero was accustomed +to. He rode quietly up the street, seeming: +not to notice the shouters.</p> + +<p>Then they were not content with merely +shouting, but one of them jumped up and tried +to blow out the light. Raniero raised the candle +on high, trying at the same time to prod his +horse, to escape the boys.</p> + +<p>They kept even pace with him, and did +everything they could to put out the light.</p> + +<p>The more he exerted himself to protect the +flame the more excited they became. They +leaped upon one another’s backs, puffed their +cheeks out, and blew. They flung their caps at +the candle. It was only because they were so +numerous and crowded on one another that +they did not succeed in quenching the flame.</p> + +<p>This was the largest procession on the street. +People stood at the windows and laughed. No +one felt any sympathy with a madman, who +wanted to defend his candle flame. It was +church hour, and many worshipers were on +their way to Mass. They, too, stopped and +laughed at the sport.</p> + +<p>But now Raniero stood upright in the saddle, +so that he could shield the candle. He looked +wild. The hood had fallen back and they saw +his face, which was wasted and pale, like a martyr’s. +The candle he held uplifted as high as +he could.</p> + +<p>The entire street was one great swarm of +people. Even the older ones began to take part +in the play. The women waved their head-shawls +and the men swung their caps. Every +one worked to extinguish the light.</p> + +<p>Raniero rode under the vine-covered balcony +of a house. Upon this stood a woman. She +leaned over the lattice-work, snatched the candle, +and ran in with it. The woman was Francesca +degli Uberti.</p> + +<p>The whole populace burst into shrieks of +laughter and shouts, but Raniero swayed in his +saddle and fell to the street.</p> + +<p>As soon as he lay there stricken and unconscious, +the street was emptied of people.</p> + +<p>No one wished to take charge of the fallen +man. His horse was the only creature that +stopped beside him.</p> + +<p>As soon as the crowds had got away from the +street, Francesca degli Uberti came out from +her house, with the burning candle in her hand. +She was still pretty; her features were gentle, +and her eyes were deep and earnest.</p> + +<p>She went up to Raniero and bent over him. +He lay senseless, but the instant the candle light +fell upon his face, he moved and roused himself. +It was apparent that the candle flame had +complete power over him. When Francesca +saw that he had regained his senses, she said: +“Here is your candle. I snatched it from you, +as I saw how anxious you were to keep it +burning. I knew of no other way to help +you.”</p> + +<p>Raniero had had a bad fall, and was hurt. +But now nothing could hold him back. He +began to raise himself slowly. He wanted to +walk, but wavered, and was about to fall. Then +he tried to mount his horse. Francesca helped +him. “Where do you wish to go?” she asked +when he sat in the saddle again. “I want to +go to the cathedral,” he answered. “Then I +shall accompany you,” she said, “for I’m going +to Mass.” And she led the horse for him.</p> + +<p>Francesca had recognized Raniero the very +moment she saw him, but he did not see who +she was, for he did not take time to notice her. +He kept his gaze fixed upon the candle flame +alone.</p> + +<p>They were absolutely silent all the way. Raniero +thought only of the flame, and of guarding +it well these last moments. Francesca could +not speak, for she felt she did not wish to be +certain of that which she feared. She could not +believe but that Raniero had come home insane. +Although she was almost certain of this, she +would rather not speak with him, in order to +avoid any positive assurance.</p> + +<p>After a while Raniero heard some one weep +near him. He looked around and saw that it +was Francesca degli Uberti, who walked beside +him; and she wept. But Raniero saw her only +for an instant, and said nothing to her. He +wanted to think only of the sacred flame.</p> + +<p>Raniero let her conduct him to the sacristy. +There he dismounted. He thanked Francesca +for her help, but looked all the while not upon +her, but on the light. He walked alone up to +the priests in the sacristy.</p> + +<p>Francesca went into the church. It was Easter +Eve, and all the candles stood unlighted +upon the altars, as a symbol of mourning. +Francesca thought that every flame of hope +which had ever burned within her was now +extinguished.</p> + +<p>In the church there was profound solemnity. +There were many priests at the altar. The +canons sat in a body in the chancel, with the +bishop among them.</p> + +<p>By and by Francesca noticed there was commotion +among the priests. Nearly all who were +not needed to serve at Mass arose and went +out into the sacristy. Finally the bishop went, +too.</p> + +<p>When Mass was over, a priest stepped up to +the chancel railing and began to speak to the +people. He related that Raniero di Raniero +had arrived in Florence with sacred fire from +Jerusalem. He narrated what the rider had +endured and suffered on the way. And he +praised him exceeding much.</p> + +<p>The people sat spellbound and listened to +this. Francesca had never before experienced +such a blissful moment. “O God!” she sighed, +“this is greater happiness than I can bear.” +Her tears fell as she listened.</p> + +<p>The priest talked long and well. Finally he +said in a strong, thrilling voice: “It may perchance +appear like a trivial thing now, that a +candle flame has been brought to Florence. +But I say to you: Pray God that He will send +Florence many bearers of Eternal Light; then +she will become a great power, and be extolled +as a city among cities!”</p> + +<p>When the priest had finished speaking, the +entrance doors of the church were thrown open, +and a procession of canons and monks and +priests marched up the center aisle toward the +altar. The bishop came last, and by his side +walked Raniero, in the same cloak that he had +worn during the entire journey.</p> + +<p>But when Raniero had crossed the threshold +of the cathedral, an old man arose and walked +toward him. It was Oddo, the father of the +journeyman who had once worked for Raniero, +and had hanged himself because of him.</p> + +<p>When this man had come up to the bishop +and Raniero, he bowed to them. Thereupon +he said in such a loud voice that all in the +church heard him: “It is a great thing for +Florence that Raniero has come with sacred fire +from Jerusalem. Such a thing has never before +been heard of or conceived. For that reason +perhaps there may be many who will say that it +is not possible. Therefore, I beg that all the +people may know what proofs and witnesses +Raniero has brought with him, to assure us that +this is actually fire which was lighted in Jerusalem.”</p> + +<p>When Raniero heard this he said: “God +help me! how can I produce witnesses? I have +made the journey alone. Deserts and mountain +wastes must come and testify for me.”</p> + +<p>“Raniero is an honest knight,” said the +bishop, “and we believe him on his word.”</p> + +<p>“Raniero must know himself that doubts +will arise as to this,” said Oddo. “Surely, he +can not have ridden entirely alone. His little +pages could certainly testify for him.”</p> + +<p>Then Francesca degli Uberti rushed up to +Raniero. “Why need we witnesses?” said +she. “All the women in Florence would swear +on oath that Raniero speaks the truth!”</p> + +<p>Then Raniero smiled, and his countenance +brightened for a moment. Thereupon he +turned his thoughts and his gaze once more +upon the candle flame.</p> + +<p>There was great commotion in the church. +Some said that Raniero should not be allowed +to light the candles on the altar until his claim +was substantiated. With this many of his old +enemies sided.</p> + +<p>Then Jacopo degli Uberti rose and spoke in +Raniero’s behalf. “I believe every one here +knows that no very great friendship has existed +between my son-in-law and me,” he said; “but +now both my sons and I will answer for him. +We believe he has performed this task, and we +know that one who has been disposed to carry +out such an undertaking is a wise, discreet, and +noble-minded man, whom we are glad to receive +among us.”</p> + +<p>But Oddo and many others were not disposed +to let him taste of the bliss he was yearning for. +They got together in a close group and it was +easy to see that they did not care to withdraw +their demand.</p> + +<p>Raniero apprehended that if this should develop +into a fight, they would immediately try +to get at the candle. As he kept his eyes steadily +fixed upon his opponents, he raised the candle +as high as he could.</p> + +<p>He looked exhausted in the extreme, and distraught. +One could see that, although he +wished to hold out to the very last, he expected +defeat. What mattered it to him now if he +were permitted to light the candles? Oddo’s +word had been a death-blow. When doubt was +once awakened, it would spread and increase. +He fancied that Oddo had already extinguished +the sacred flame forever.</p> + +<p>A little bird came fluttering through the +great open doors into the church. It flew +straight into Raniero’s light. He hadn’t time +to snatch it aside, and the bird dashed against +it and put out the flame.</p> + +<p>Raniero’s arm dropped, and tears sprang to +his eyes. The first moment he felt this as a sort +of relief. It was better thus than if human beings +had killed it.</p> + +<p>The little bird continued its flight into +the church, fluttering confusedly hither and +thither, as birds do when they come into a +room.</p> + +<p>Simultaneously a loud cry resounded +throughout the church: “The bird is on fire! +The sacred candle flame has set its wings on +fire!”</p> + +<p>The little bird chirped anxiously. For a few +moments it fluttered about, like a flickering +flame, under the high chancel arches. Then it +sank suddenly and dropped dead upon the Madonna’s +Altar.</p> + +<p>But the moment the bird fell upon the Altar, +Raniero was standing there. He had forced +his way through the church, no one had been +able to stop him. From the sparks which destroyed +the bird’s wings he lit the candles before +the Madonna’s Altar.</p> + +<p>Then the bishop raised his staff and proclaimed: +“God willed it! God hath testified +for him!”</p> + +<p>And all the people in the church, both his +friends and opponents, abandoned their doubts +and conjectures. They cried as with one voice, +transported by God’s miracle: “God willed it! +God hath testified for him!”</p> + +<p>Of Raniero there is now only a legend, which +says he enjoyed great good fortune for the remainder +of his days, and was wise, and prudent, +and compassionate. But the people of Florence +always called him Pazzo degli Ranieri, in remembrance +of the fact that they had believed +him insane. And this became his honorary +title. He founded a dynasty, which was named +Pazzi, and is called so even to this day.</p> + +<p>It might also be worth mentioning that it +became a custom in Florence, each year at Easter +Eve, to celebrate a festival in memory of +Raniero’s home-coming with the sacred flame, +and that, on this occasion, they always let an +artificial bird fly with fire through the church. +This festival would most likely have been celebrated +even in our day had not some changes +taken place recently.</p> + +<p>But if it be true, as many hold, that the bearers +of sacred fire who have lived in Florence and +have made the city one of the most glorious on +earth, have taken Raniero as their model, and +have thereby been encouraged to sacrifice, to +suffer and endure, this may here be left untold.</p> + +<p>For what has been done by this light, which +in dark times has gone out from Jerusalem, can +neither be measured nor counted.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + THE END + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>THE HOME BOOK OF VERSE FOR YOUNG FOLKS</span><br/> + <br/> + <i>Compiled by</i> <span class='sc'>Burton E. Stevenson</span>, <i>Editor of<br/> + “The Home Book of Verse.”</i><br/> + <br/> + <i>With cover, and illustrations in color and black and white by<br/> + WILLY POGANY. Over 500 pages, large 12mo. $2.00 net.</i> + </div> +</div> + +<p>Not a rambling, hap-hazard collection but a vade-mecum +for youth from the ages of six or seven to sixteen or seventeen. +It opens with Nursery Rhymes and lullabies, progresses +through child rhymes and jingles to more mature +nonsense verse; then come fairy verses and Christmas +poems; then nature verse and favorite rhymed stories; then +through the trumpet and drum period (where an attempt +is made to teach true patriotism) to the final appeal of +“Life Lessons” and “A Garland of Gold” (the great +poems for all ages).</p> + +<p>This arrangement secures sequence of sentiment and a +sort of cumulative appeal. Nearly all the children’s +classics are included, and along with them a body of verse +not so well known but almost equally deserving. There +are many real “finds,” most of which have never before +appeared in any anthology.</p> + +<p>Mr. Stevenson has banished doleful and pessimistic +verse, and has dwelt on hope, courage, cheerfulness and +helpfulness. The book should serve, too, as an introduction +to the greater poems, informing taste for them and +appreciation of them, against the time when the boy or +girl, grown into youth and maiden, is ready to swim out +into the full current of English poetry.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY<br/> + PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>LIFE-STORIES FOR THE YOUNG</span> + </div> +</div> + +<p><b><i>Dean Hodges’</i> SAINTS AND HEROES: To the End of the Middle Ages.</b></p> + +<p>Illustrated. $1.35 net.</p> + +<p>Biographies of Cyprian, Athanasius, Ambrose, Chrysostom, +Jerome, Augustine, Benedict, Gregory the Great, Columba, +Charlemagne, Hildebrand, Anselm, Bernard, Becket, Langton, +Dominic, Francis, Wycliffe, Hus, Savonarola.</p> + +<p>Each of these men was a great person in his time, and represented +its best qualities. Their dramatic and adventurous +experiences make the story of their lives interesting as well +as inspiring and suggestive.</p> + +<p>Church history and doctrine are touched upon only as they +develop in the biographies.</p> + +<p class='c006'> +“Here is much important history told in a readable and attractive +manner, and from the standpoint which makes history most vivid and +most likely to remain fixed in memory, namely, the standpoint of the +individual actor.”—<i>Springfield Republican.</i> +</p> + +<p><b><i>Dean Hodges</i>’ SAINTS AND HEROES: Since the Middle Ages</b></p> + +<p>Illustrated. $1.35 net.</p> + +<p>The new volume includes biographies of Luther, More, +Loyola, Cranmer, Calvin, Knox, Coligny, William the Silent, +Laud, Cromwell, Fox, Wesley, Bunyan and Brewster.</p> + +<p><b><i>John Buchan’s</i> SIR WALTER RALEIGH</b></p> + +<p>With double-page pictures in color; cover linings. Square</p> + +<p>12mo. Price, $2.00 net.</p> + +<p>A life of Raleigh told in eleven chapters. Each chapter +covers some important scene in his life and is told by some +friend or follower as if seen with his own eyes. Some of +the characters are invented, but all that they tell really happened.</p> + +<p>The narrative has spirit, color, and atmosphere, and is +unusually well written.</p> + +<p>America figures largely in the story, and American boys will +enjoy this book.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY<br/> + PUBLISHERS <span class='smaller'>VIII</span>’12 NEW YORK + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>By CARROLL WATSON RANKIN</span> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class='c007' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>STORIES FOR GIRLS</span><br/> + <br/> + <b>THE CINDER POND</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>Ada C. Williamson</span>. $1.25 net. + </div> +</div> + +<p>Years ago, a manufacturer built a great dock, jutting out +from and then turning parallel to the shore of a northern +Michigan town. The factory was abandoned, and following +the habits of small towns, the space between the dock and +the shore became “The Cinder Pond.” Jean started life in the +colony of squatters that came to live in the shanties on the +dock, but fortune, heroism, and a mystery combine to change +her fortunes and those of her friends near the Cinder Pond.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>THE CASTAWAYS OF PETE’S PATCH</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>Ada C. Williamson</span>. $1.25 net. + </div> +</div> + +<p>A tale of five girls and two youthful grown-ups who enjoyed +unpremeditated camping.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>DANDELION COTTAGE</b><br/> + Illustrated by Mmes. <span class='sc'>Shinn</span> and <span class='sc'>Finley</span>. $1.50. + </div> +</div> + +<p>Four young girls secure the use of a tumbledown cottage. +They set up housekeeping under numerous disadvantages, and +have many amusements and queer experiences.</p> + +<p class='c006'> +“A capital story. It is refreshing to come upon an author who can +tell us about real little girls, with sensible ordinary parents, girls who +are neither phenomenal nor silly.”—<i>Outlook.</i> +</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>THE ADOPTING OF ROSA MARIE</b><br/> + A sequel to “Dandelion Cottage.” Illustrated by Mrs. <span class='sc'>Shinn</span>. $1.50. + </div> +</div> + +<p>The little girls who played at keeping house in the earlier +book, enlarge their activities to the extent of playing mother +to a little Indian girl.</p> + +<p class='c006'> +“Those who have read ‘Dandelion Cottage’ will need no urging to +follow further.... A lovable group of four real children, happily not +perfect, but full of girlish plans and pranks.... A delightful sense +of humor.”—<i>Boston Transcript.</i> +</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>THE GIRLS OF GARDENVILLE</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>Mary Wellman</span>. 12mo. $1.50. + </div> +</div> + +<p>Interesting, amusing, and natural stories of a girls’ club.</p> + +<p class='c006'> +“Will captivate as many adults as if it were written for them.... +The secret of Mrs. Rankin’s charm is her naturalness ... real +girls ... not young ladies with ‘pigtails,’ but girls of sixteen who are not +twenty-five ... as original as amusing.”—<i>Boston Transcript.</i> +</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY<br/> + PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>BOOKS FOR GIRLS<br/> + <i>By BEULAH MARIE DIX</i></span><br/> + <br/> + <b>BETTY-BIDE-AT-HOME</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>Faith Avery</span>. 12mo. $1.25 net. + </div> +</div> + +<p>A story of family life. Betty is just ready for college, her +brother is studying medicine, her sister is almost able to make +her own way in the world, when a sudden catastrophe compels +Betty to choose between her own ambitions and her mother’s +happiness. Betty stays at home and learns many things, among +them the fact that duty and success can be combined. The +account of her literary ventures will help girls who want to +write.</p> + +<p>Betty is a spirited, energetic, lovable girl. The style and +atmosphere of the story are both better than is usually the +case in girls’ stories.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>FRIENDS IN THE END</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>Faith Avery</span>. 12mo. $1.25 net. + </div> +</div> + +<p>An out-of-door story for girls which tells how Dorothea +Marden went, under protest, from the city to spend the +summer at a farm in the New Hampshire mountains; how she +met Jo Gifford from South Tuxboro, who had red hair, and +knew she shouldn’t like her, but did; how Dorothea and Jo, at +the farm, fell out with the young folks close by at Camp Comfort; +how they carried on the war, with varying success, and +how they were sorry that they did so, and how they were glad +in the end to make peace.</p> + +<p><span class='smaller'>“Will attract boys and girls equally and be good for both.”—<i>Outlook.</i></span></p> + +<p><span class='smaller'>“More than the usual plot and literary completeness.”—<i>Christian Register.</i></span></p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY<br/> + PUBLISHERS <span class='smaller'>VIII</span>’12 NEW YORK + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>BY ALICE CALHOUN HAINES</span><br/> + <i>For Young Folks from 9 to 16 Years old.</i> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class='c007' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>PARTNERS FOR FAIR</b><br/> + With illustrations by <span class='sc'>Faith Avery</span>. $1.25 net. + </div> +</div> + +<p>A story full of action, not untinged by pathos, of a boy +and his faithful dog and their wanderings after the poorhouse +burns down. They have interesting experiences with a +traveling circus; the boy is thrown from a moving train, and +has a lively time with the Mexican Insurrectos, from whom he +is rescued by our troops.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>THE LUCK OF THE DUDLEY GRAHAMS</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>Francis Day</span>. 300 pp., 12mo. $1.50. + </div> +</div> + +<p>A family story of city life. Lightened by humor and an +airship.</p> + +<p class='c006'>“Among the very best of books for young folks. Appeals especially +to girls.”—<i>Wisconsin List for Township Libraries.</i><br/> +<br/> +“Promises to be perennially popular. A family of happy, healthy, +inventive, bright children make the best of restricted conditions and +prove themselves masters of circumstances.”—<i>Christian Register.</i><br/> +<br/> +“Sparkles with cleverness and humor.”—<i>Brooklyn Eagle.</i></p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + COCK-A-DOODLE HILL<br/> + A sequel to the above. Illustrated by <span class='sc'>Francis Day</span>.<br/> + 296 pp., 12mo. $1.50. + </div> +</div> + +<p>“Cockle-a-doodle Hill” is where the Dudley Graham family +went to live when they left New York, and here Ernie started +her chicken-farm, with one solitary fowl, “Hennerietta.” The +pictures of country scenes and the adventures and experiences +of this household of young people are very life-like.</p> + +<p class='c006'>“No better book for young people than ‘The Luck of the Dudley +Grahams’ was offered last year. ‘Cock-a-Doodle Hill’ is another of +similar qualities.”—<i>Philadelphia Press.</i></p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY<br/> + PUBLISHERS (<span class='smaller'>VIII</span>’12) NEW YORK + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>COMPANION STORIES OF COUNTRY LIFE</span><br/> + FOR BOYS <i>By CHARLES P. BURTON</i> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class='c007' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>THE BOYS OF BOB’S HILL</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>George A. Williams</span>. 12mo. $1.25. + </div> +</div> + +<p>A lively story of a party of boys in a small New England +town.</p> + +<p class='c006'>“A first-rate juvenile ... a real story for the live human boy—any +boy will read it eagerly to the end ... quite thrilling adventures.”—<i>Chicago +Record-Herald.</i><br/> +<br/> +“Tom Sawyer would have been a worthy member of the Bob’s Hill +crowd and shared their good times and thrilling adventures with +uncommon relish.... A jolly group of youngsters as nearly true to +the real thing in boy nature as one can ever expect to find between +covers.”—<i>Christian Register.</i></p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>THE BOB’S CAVE BOYS</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>Victor Perard</span>. $1.50. + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'> +“It would be hard to find anything better in the literature of New +England boy life. Healthy, red-blooded, human boys, full of fun, +into trouble and out again, but frank, honest, and clean.”—<i>The Congregationalist.</i> +</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>THE BOB’S HILL BRAVES</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>H. S. DeLay</span>. 12mo. $1.50. + </div> +</div> + +<p>The “Bob’s Hill” band spend a vacation in Illinois, where +they play at being Indians, hear thrilling tales of real Indians, +and learn much frontier history. A history of especial interest +to “Boy Scouts.”</p> + +<p class='c006'> +“Merry youngsters. Capital. Thrilling tales of the red men and +explorers. These healthy red-blooded, New England boys.”—<i>Philadelphia +Press.</i> +</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>THE BOY SCOUTS OF BOB’S HILL</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>Gordon Grant</span>. 12mo. $1.25 net. + </div> +</div> + +<p>The “Bob’s Hill” band organizes a Boy Scouts band and +have many adventures. Mr. Burton brings in tales told around +a camp-fire of La Salle, Joliet, the Louisiana Purchase, and +the Northwestern Reservation.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <b>CAMP BOB’S HILL</b><br/> + Illustrated by <span class='sc'>Gordon Grant</span>. $1.25 net. + </div> +</div> + +<p>A tale of Boy Scouts on their summer vacation.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY<br/> + PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'></div> +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>SHORT PLAYS ABOUT FAMOUS AUTHORS</span><br/> + <br/> + (Goldsmith, Dickens, Heine, Fannie Burney, Shakespeare)<br/> + <br/> + <span class='sc'>By Maude Morrison Frank.</span> $1.00 <i>net</i>. + </div> +</div> + +<p><span class='sc'>The Mistake at the Manor</span> shows the fifteen-year-old +Goldsmith in the midst of the humorous incident in his life which +later formed the basis of “She Stoops to Conquer.”</p> + +<p><span class='sc'>A Christmas Eve With Charles Dickens</span> reveals the author +as a poor factory boy in a lodging-house, dreaming of an old-time +family Christmas.</p> + +<p><span class='sc'>When Heine was Twenty-one</span> dramatizes the early disobedience +of the author in writing poetry against his uncle’s orders.</p> + +<p><span class='sc'>Miss Burney at Court</span> deals with an interesting incident in +the life of the author of “Evelina” when she was at the Court +of George III.</p> + +<p><span class='sc'>The Fairies’ Plea</span>, which is an adaptation of Thomas Hood’s +poem, shows Shakespeare intervening to save the fairies from +the scythe of Time.</p> + +<p>Designed in general for young people near enough to the +college age to feel an interest in the personal and human aspects +of literature, but the last two could easily be handled by +younger actors. They can successfully be given by groups or +societies of young people without the aid of a professional coach.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <span class='larger'>LITTLE PLAYS FROM AMERICAN HISTORY<br/> + FOR YOUNG FOLKS</span><br/> + <br/> + <span class='sc'>By Alice Johnstone Walker.</span> $1.00 <i>net</i>. + </div> +</div> + +<p><span class='sc'>Hiding the Regicides</span>, a number of brief and stirring episodes, +concerning the pursuit of Colonels Whalley and Goff by the +officers of Charles II at New Haven in old colony days.</p> + +<p><span class='sc'>Mrs. Murray’s Dinner Party</span>, in three acts, is a lively comedy +about a Patriot hostess and British Officers in Revolutionary +Days.</p> + +<p><span class='sc'>Scenes from Lincoln’s Time</span>; the martyred President does not +himself appear. They cover Lincoln’s helping a little girl with +her trunk, women preparing lint for the wounded, a visit to the +White House of an important delegation from New York, and +of the mother of a soldier boy sentenced to death—and the coming +of the army of liberation to the darkies.</p> + +<p>Tho big events are touched upon, the mounting of all these +little plays is simplicity itself, and they have stood the test of +frequent school performance.</p> + +<div class='nf-center-c'> + <div class='nf-center'> + HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY<br/> + <span class='sc'>Publishers</span> <span class='sc'>New York</span> + </div> +</div> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44818 ***</div> + </body> + <!-- created with fpn.py 1.29 on 2014-02-01 13:19:36 GMT --> +</html> diff --git a/44818-h/images/cover.jpg b/44818-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ecf7ccb --- /dev/null +++ b/44818-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/44818-h/images/i_005.jpg 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