"'
"All that heard were full of astonishment--all save the mother. I saw
no wonder on her face; the great things that my father told caused her
no astonishment; she listened with a quiet and solemn joy, like one
who was saying in her heart: 'I knew it all before.'
"When my father had finished speaking, we all bowed low again before
the young child; and the mother lifted him in her arms and placed his
cheek against her own, smiling graciously on us, but uttering no word.
And we came forth from the stable and stood again beneath the stars in
the courtyard of the inn. By this time many of the travelers were
awake, and an eager company had gathered around us, all of whom
desired to be told of the sign that had been shown to us. To one and
another we rehearsed our story, lingering long to make known the good
tidings, until the morning star appeared and the dawn began to kindle
over the eastern hills. Then we hastened to our own homes in the city,
and told our kindred what had happened unto us. In the early morning
we came back again unto our pastures and our flocks, rejoicing to
stand again in the place where the glory of God had shone and the
music of heaven had filled the air."
Stephanus paused, his face all aglow with the tale that he had been
telling. His eyes swept again the circuit of the moonlit hills and
were lifted reverently up to the sky.
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