读者小说网

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第19部分（第1页）

He　stood　before　the　image　of　Christ，　and　on　his　right　hand　and　on　his　left　were　the　marvellous　vessels　of　gold，　the　chalice　with　the　yellow　wine，　and　the　vial　with　the　holy　oil。　He　knelt　before　the　image　of　Christ，　and　the　great　candles　burned　brightly　by　the　jewelled　shrine，　and　the　smoke　of　the　incense　curled　in　thin　blue　wreaths　through　the　dome。　He　bowed　his　head　in　prayer，　and　the　priests　in　their　stiff　copes　crept　away　from　the　altar。

And　suddenly　a　wild　tumult　came　from　the　street　outside，　and　in　entered　the　nobles　with　drawn　swords　and　nodding　plumes，　and　shields　of　polished　steel。　“Where　is　this　dreamer　of　dreams？”　they　cried。　“Where　is　this　King　who　is　apparelled　like　a　beggar—this　boy　who　brings　shame　upon　our　state？　Surely　we　will　slay　him，　for　he　is　unworthy　to　rule　over　us。　”

And　the　young　King　bowed　his　head　again，　and　prayed，　and　when　he　had　finished　his　prayer　he　rose　up，　and　turning　round　he　looked　at　them　sadly。

And　lo！　through　the　painted　windows　came　the　sunlight　streaming　upon　him，　and　the　sun…beams　wove　round　him　a　tissued　robe　that　was　fairer　than　the　robe　that　had　been　fashioned　for　his　pleasure。　The　dead　staff　blossomed，　and　bare　lilies　that　were　whiter　than　pearls。　The　dry　thorn　blossomed，　and　bare　roses　that　were　redder　than　rubies。　Whiter　than　fine　pearls　were　the　lilies，　and　their　stems　were　of　bright　silver。　Redder　than　male　rubies　were　the　roses，　and　their　leaves　were　of　beaten　gold。

He　stood　there　in　the　raiment　of　a　king，　and　the　gates　of　the　jewelled　shrine　flew　open，　and　from　the　crystal　of　the　many…rayed　monstrance　shone　a　marvellous　and　mystical　light。　He　stood　there　in　a　king’s　raiment，　and　the　Glory　of　God　filled　the　place，　and　the　saints　in　their　carven　niches　seemed　to　move。　In　the　fair　raiment　of　a　king　he　stood　before　them，　and　the　organ　pealed　out　its　music，　and　the　trumpeters　blew　upon　their　trumpets，　and　the　singing　boys　sang。

And　the　people　fell　upon　their　knees　in　awe，　and　the　nobles　sheathed　their　swords　and　did　homage，　and　the　Bishop’s　face　grew　pale，　and　his　hands　trembled。　“A　greater　than　I　hath　crowned　thee，”　he　cried，　and　he　knelt　before　him。

And　the　young　King　came　down　from　the　high　altar，　and　passed　home　through　the　midst　of　the　people。　But　no　man　dared　look　upon　his　face，　for　it　was　like　the　face　of　an　angel。

★、The　Star…Child

Once　upon　a　time　two　poor　Woodcutters　were　making　their　way　home　through　a　great　pine…forest。　It　was　winter，　and　a　night　of　bitter　cold。　The　snow　lay　thick　upon　the　ground，　and　upon　the　branches　of　the　trees：　the　frost　kept　snapping　the　little　twigs　on　either　side　of　them，　as　they　passed：　and　when　they　came　to　the　Mountain…Torrent　she　was　hanging　motionless　in　air，　for　the　Ice…King　had　kissed　her。

So　cold　was　it　that　even　the　animals　and　the　birds　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　it。

“Ugh！”　snarled　the　Wolf，　as　he　limped　through　the　brushwood　with　his　tail　between　his　legs，　“this　is　perfectly　monstrous　weather。　Why　doesn’t　the　Government　look　to　it？”

“Weet！　weet！　weet！”　twittered　the　green　Lins，　“the　old　Earth　is　dead　and　they　have　laid　her　out　in　her　white　shroud。”

“The　Earth　is　going　to　be　married，　and　this　is　her　bridal　dress，”　whispered　the　Turtle…doves　to　each　other。　Their　little　pink　feet　were　quite　frost…bitten，　but　they　felt　that　it　was　their　duty　to　take　a　romantic　view　of　the　situation。

“Nonsense！”　growled　the　Wolf。　“I　tell　you　that　it　is　all　the　fault　of　the　Government，　and　if　you　don’t　believe　me　I　shall　eat　you。”　The　Wolf　had　a　thoroughly　practical　mind，　and　was　never　at　a　loss　for　a　good　argument。

“Well，　for　my　own　part，　”　said　the　Woodpecker，　who　was　a　born　philosopher，　“I　don’t　care　an　atomic　theory　for　explan…ations。　If　a　thing　is　so，　it　is　so，　and　at　present　it　is　terribly　cold。”

Terribly　cold　it　certainly　was。　The　little　Squirrels，　who　lived　inside　the　tall　fir…tree，　kept　rubbing　each　other’s　noses　to　keep　themselves　warm，　and　the　Rabbits　curled　themselves　up　in　their　holes，　and　did　not　venture　even　to　look　out　of　doors。　The　only　people　who　seemed　to　enjoy　it　were　the　great　horned　Owls。　Their　feathers　were　quite　stiff　with　rime，　but　they　did　not　mind，　and　they　rolled　their　large　yellow　eyes，　and　called　out　to　each　other　across　the　forest，　“Tu…whit！　Tu…whoo！　Tu…whit！　Tu…whoo！　what　delightful　weather　we　are　having！”

On　and　on　went　the　two　Woodcutters，　blowing　lustily　upon　their　fingers，　and　stamping　with　their　huge　iron…shod　boots　upon　the　caked　snow。　Once　they　sank　into　a　deep　drift，　and　came　out　as　white　as　millers　are，　when　the　stones　are　grinding；　and　once　they　slipped　on　the　hard　smooth　ice　where　the　marsh…water　was　frozen，　and　their　faggots　fell　out　of　their　bundles，　and　they　had　to　pick　them　up　and　bind　them　together　again；　and　once　they　thought　that　they　had　lost　their　way，　and　a　great　terror　seized　on　them，　for　they　knew　that　the　Snow　is　cruel　to　those　who　sleep　in　her　arms。　But　they　put　their　trust　in　the　good　Saint　Martin，　who　watches　over　all　travellers，　and　retraced　their　steps，　and　went　warily，　and　at　last　they　reached　the　outskirts　of　the　forest，　and　saw，　far　down　in　the　valley　beneath　them，　the　lights　of　the　village　in　which　they　dwelt。

So　overjoyed　were　they　at　their　deliverance　that　they　laughed　aloud，　and　the　Earth　seemed　to　them　like　a　flower　of　silver，　and　the　Moon　like　a　flower　of　gold。

Yet，　after　that　they　had　laughed　they　became　sad，　for　they　remembered　their　poverty，　and　one　of　them　said　to　the　other，　“Why　did　we　make　merry，　seeing　that　life　is　for　the　rich，　and　not　for　such　as　we　are？　Better　that　we　had　died　of　cold　in　the　forest，　or　that　some　wild　beast　had　fallen　upon　us　and　slain　us。”

“Truly，　”　answered　his　panion，　“much　is　given　to　some，　and　little　is　given　to　others。　Injustice　has　parcelled　out　the　world，　nor　is　there　equal　division　of　aught　save　of　sorrow。”

But　as　they　were　bewailing　their　misery　to　each　other　this　strange　thing　happened。　There　fell　from　heaven　a　very　bright　and　beautiful　star。　It　slipped　down　the　side　of　the　sky，　passing　by　the　other　stars　in　its　course，　and，　as　they　watched　it　wondering，　it　seemed　to　them　to　sink　behind　a　clump　of　willow…trees　that　stood　hard　by　a　little　sheepfold　no　more　than　a　stone’s…throw　away。

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