I saw also the long, snowy ridge of
Hermon, and the dark groves of cedars, and the valley of the Jordan,
and the blue waters of the Lake of Galilee, and the fertile plain of
Esdraelon, and the hills of Ephraim, and the highlands of Judah.
Through all these I followed the figure of Artaban moving steadily
onward, until he arrived at Bethlehem. And it was the third day after
the three wise men had come to that place and had found Mary and
Joseph, with the young child, Jesus, and had lain their gifts of gold
and frankincense and myrrh at his feet.
Then the other wise man drew near, weary, but full of hope, bearing his
ruby and his pearl to offer to the King. "For now at last," he said, "I
shall surely find him, though it be alone, and later than my brethren.
This is the place of which the Hebrew exile told me that the prophets
had spoken, and here I shall behold the rising of the great light. But
I must inquire about the visit of my brethren, and to what house the
star directed them, and to whom they presented their tribute."
The streets of the village seemed to be deserted, and Artaban wondered
whether the men had all gone up to the hill-pastures to bring down
their sheep. From the open door of a low stone cottage he heard the
sound of a woman's voice singing softly.
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