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ice　said　to　them；

〃Fear　not！〃

And　they　listened。

〃Fear　not：　for　behold；　I　bring　you　good　tidings　of　great　joy；　which　shall　be　to　all　people。〃

The　voice；　in　sweetness　and　soothing　more　than　human；　and　low　and　clear；　penetrated　all　their　being；　and　filled　them　with　assurance。　They　rose　upon　their　knees；　and；　looking　worshipfully；　beheld　in　the　centre　of　a　great　glory　the　appearance　of　a　man；　clad　in　a　robe　intensely　white；　above　its　shoulders　towered　the　tops　of　wings　shining　and　folded；　a　star　over　its　forehead　glowed　with　steady　lustre；　brilliant　as　Hesperus；　its　hands　were　stretched　towards　them　in　blessing；　its　face　was　serene　and　divinely　beautiful。

They　had　often　heard；　and；　in　their　simple　way；　talked；　of　angels；　and　they　doubted　not　now；　but　said；　in　their　hearts；　The　glory　of　God　is　about　us；　and　this　is　he　who　of　old　came　to　the　prophet　by　the　river　of　Ulai。

Directly　the　angel　continued：

〃For　unto　you　is　born　this　day；　in　the　city　of　David；　a　Savior；　which　is　Christ　the　Lord！〃

Again　there　was　a　rest；　while　the　words　sank　into　their　minds。

〃And　this　shall　be　a　sign　unto　you；〃　the　annunciator　said　next。　〃Ye　shall　find　the　babe；　wrapped　in　swaddling…clothes；　lying　in　a　manger。〃

The　herald　spoke　not　again；　his　good　tidings　were　told；　yet　he　stayed　awhile。　Suddenly　the　light；　of　which　he　seemed　the　centre；　turned　roseate　and　began　to　tremble；　then　up；　far　as　the　men　could　see；　there　was　flashing　of　white　wings；　and　coming　and　going　of　radiant　forms；　and　voices　as　of　a　multitude　chanting　in　unison；

〃Glory　to　God　in　the　highest；　and　on　earth　peace；　good…will　towards　men！〃

Not　once　the　praise；　but　many　times。

Then　the　herald　raised　his　eyes　as　seeking　approval　of　one　far　off；　his　wings　stirred；　and　spread　slowly　and　majestically；　on　their　upper　side　white　as　snow；　in　the　shadow　vari…tinted；　like　mother…of…pearl；　when　they　were　expanded　many　cubits　beyond　his　stature；　he　arose　lightly；　and；　without　effort；　floated　out　of　view；　taking　the　light　up　with　him。　Long　after　he　was　gone；　down　from　the　sky　fell　the　refrain　in　measure　mellowed　by　distance；　〃Glory　to　God　in　the　highest；　and　on　earth　peace；　good…will　towards　men。〃

When　the　shepherds　came　fully　to　their　senses；　they　stared　at　each　other　stupidly；　until　one　of　them　said；　〃It　was　Gabriel；　the　Lord's　messenger　unto　men。〃

None　answered。

〃Christ　the　Lord　is　born；　said　he　not　so？〃

Then　another　recovered　his　voice；　and　replied；　〃That　is　what　he　said。〃

〃And　did　he　not　also　say；　in　the　city　of　David；　which　is　our　Bethlehem　yonder。　And　that　we　should　find　him　a　babe　in　swaddling…clothes？〃

〃And　lying　in　a　manger。〃

The　first　speaker　gazed　into　the　fire　thoughtfully；　but　at　length　said；　like　one　possessed　of　a　sudden　resolve；　〃There　is　but　one　place　in　Bethlehem　where　there　are　mangers；　but　one；　and　that　is　in　the　cave　near　the　old　khan。　Brethren；　let　us　go　see　this　thing　which　has　come　to　pass。　The　priests　and　doctors　have　been　a　long　time　looking　for　the　Christ。　Now　he　is　born；　and　the　Lord　has　given　us　a　sign　by　which　to　know　him。　Let　us　go　up　and　worship　him。〃

〃But　the　flocks！〃

〃The　Lord　will　take　care　of　them。　Let　us　make　haste。〃

Then　they　all　arose　and　left　the　marah。

*　*　*　*　*　*

Around　the　mountain　and　through　the　town　they　passed；　and　came　to　the　gate　of　the　khan；　where　there　was　a　man　on　watch。

〃What　would　you　have？〃　he　asked。

〃We　have　seen　and　heard　great　things　to…night；〃　they　replied。

〃Well；　we；　too；　have　seen　great　things；　but　heard　nothing。　What　did　you　hear？〃

〃Let　us　go　down　to　the　cave　in　the　enclosure；　that　we　may　be　sure；　then　we　will　tell　you　all。　Come　with　us；　and　see　for　yourself。〃

〃It　is　a　fool's　errand。〃

〃No；　the　Christ　is　born。〃

〃The　Christ！　How　do　you　know？〃

〃Let　us　go　and　see　first。〃

The　man　laughed　scornfully。

〃The　Christ　indeed！　How　are　you　to　know　him？〃

〃He　was　born　this　night；　and　is　now　lying　in　a　manger；　so　we　were　told；　and　there　is　but　one　place　in　Bethlehem　with　mangers。〃

〃The　cave？〃

〃Yes。　Come　with　us。〃

They　went　through　the　court…yard　without　notice；　although　there　were　some　up　even　then　talking　about　the　wonderful　light。　The　door　of　the　cavern　was　open。　A　lantern　was　burning　within；　and　they　entered　unceremoniously。

〃I　give　you　peace；〃　the　watchman　said　to　Joseph　and　the　Beth　Dagonite。　〃Here　are　people　looking　for　a　child　born　this　night；　whom　they　are　to　know　by　finding　him　in　swaddling…clothes　and　lying　in　a　manger。〃

For　a　moment　the　face　of　the　stolid　Nazarene　was　moved；　turning　away；　he　said；　〃The　child　is　here。〃

They　were　led　to　one　of　the　mangers；　and　there　the　child　was。　The　lantern　was　brought；　and　the　shepherds　stood　by　mute。　The　little　one　made　no　sign；　it　was　as　others　just　born。

〃Where　is　the　mother？〃　asked　the　watchman。

One　of　the　women　took　the　baby；　and　went　to　Mary；　lying　near；　and　put　it　in　her　arms。　Then　the　bystanders　collected　about　the　two。

〃It　is　the　Christ！〃　said　a　shepherd；　at　last。

〃The　Christ！〃　they　all　repeated；　falling　upon　their　knees　in　worship。　One　of　them　repeated　several　times　over；

〃It　is　the　Lord；　and　his　glory　is　above　the　earth　and　heaven。〃

And　the　simple　men；　never　doubting；　kissed　the　hem　of　the　mother's　robe；　and　with　joyful　faces　departed。　In　the　khan；　to　all　the　people　aroused　and　pressing　about　them；　they　told　their　story；　and　through　the　town；　and　all　the　way　back　to　the　marah；　they　chanted　the　refrain　of　the　angels；　〃Glory　to　God　in　the　highest；　and　on　earth　peace；　good…will　towards　men！〃

The　story　went　abroad；　confirmed　by　the　light　so　generally　seen；　and　the　next　day；　and　for　days　thereafter；　the　cave　was　visited　by　curious　crowds；　of　whom　some　believed；　though　the　greater　part　laughed　and　mocked。




CHAPTER　XII



The　eleventh　day　after　the　birth　of　the　child　in　the　cave；　about　mid…afternoon；　the　three　wise　men　approached　Jerusalem　by　the　road　from　Shechem。　After　crossing　Brook　Cedron；　they　met　many　people；　of　whom　none　failed　to　stop　and　look　after　them　curiously。

Judea　was　of　necessity　an　international　thoroughfare；　a　narrow　ridge；　raised；　apparently；　by　the　pressure　of　the　desert　on　the　east；　and　the　sea　on　the　west；　was　all　she　could　claim　to　be；　over　the　ridge；　however；　nature　had　stretched　the　line　of　trade　between　the　east　and　the　south；　and　that　was　her　wealth。　In　other　words；　the　riches　of　Jerusalem　were　the　tolls　she　levied　on　passing　commerce。　Nowhere　else；　consequently；　unless　in　Rome；　was　there　such　constant　assemblage　of　so　many　people　of　so　many　different　nations；　in　no　other　city　was　a　stranger　less　strange　to　the　residents　than　within　her　walls　and　purlieus。　And　yet　these　three　men　excited　the　wonder　of　all　whom　they　met　on　the　way　to　the　gates。

A　child　belonging　to　some　women　sitting　by　the　roadside　opposite　the　Tombs　of　the　Kings　saw　the　party　coming；　immediately　it　clapped　its　hands；　and　cried；　〃Look；　look！　What　pretty　bells！　What　big　camels！〃

The　bells　were　silver；　the　camels；　as　we　have　seen；　were　of　unusual　size　and　whiteness；　and　moved　with　singular　stateliness；　the　trappings　told　of　the　desert　and　of　long　journeys　thereon；　and　also　of　ample　means　in　possession　of　the　owners；　who　sat　under　the　little　canopies　exactly　as　they　appeared　at　the　rendezvous　beyond　the　Jebel。　Yet　it　was　not　the　bells　or　the　camels；　or　their　furniture；　or　the　demeanor　of　the　riders；　that　were　so　wonderful；　it　was　the　question　put　by　the　man　who　rode　foremost　of　the　three。

The　approach　to　Jerusalem　from　the　north　is　across　a　plain　which　dips　southward；　leaving　the　Damascus　Gate　in　a　vale　or　hollow。　The　road　is　narrow；　but　deeply　cut　by　long　use；　and　in　places　difficult　on　account　of　the　cobbles　left　loose　and　dry　by　the　washing　of　the　rains。　On　either　side；　however；　there　stretched；　in　the　old　time；　rich　fields　and　handsome　olive…groves；　which　must；　in　luxurious　growth；　have　been　beautiful；　especially　to　travellers　fresh　from　the　wastes　of　the　desert。　In　this　road；　the　three　stopped　before　the　party　in　front　of　the　Tombs。

〃Good　people；〃　said　Balthasar；　stroking　his　plaited　beard；　and　bending　from　his　cot；　〃is　not　Jerusalem　close　by？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　woman　into　whose　arms　the　child　had　shrunk。　〃If　the　trees　on　yon　swell　were　a　little　lower　you　could　see　the　towers　on　the　market…place。〃

Balthasar　gave　the　Greek　and　the　Hindoo　a　look；　then　asked；

〃Where　is　he　that　is　born　King　of　the　Jews？〃

The　women　gazed　at　each　other　without　reply。

〃You　have　not　heard　of　him？〃

〃No。〃

〃Well；　tell　everybody　that　we　have　seen　his　star　in　the　east；　and　are　come　to　worship　him。〃

Thereupon　the　friends　rode　on。　Of　others　they　asked　the　same　question；　with　like　result。　A　large　company　whom　they　met　going　to　the　Grotto　of　Jeremiah　were　so　astonished　by　the　inquiry　and　the　appearance　of　the　travellers　that　they　turned　about　and　followed　them　into　the　city。

So　much　were　the　three　occupied　with　the　idea　of　their　mission　that　they　did　not　care　for　the　view　which　presently　rose　before　them　in　the　utmost　magnificence：　for　the　village　first　to　receive　them　on　Bezetha；　for　Mizpah　and　Olivet；　over　on　their　left；　for　the　wall　behind　the　village；　with　its　forty　tall　and　solid　towers；　superadded　partly　for　strength；　partly　to　gratify　the　critical　taste　of