Just as the shadows were closing down around the hill, an interesting
little group found its way up the winding path through the orchards,
touched as they were by the sunset coloring, and into the gate of the
city. The man, seemingly about fifty years of age, walked with slow
and measured tread. He had a black beard, lightly sprinkled with gray,
and he carried in his hand a staff, which served him in walking and
also in persuading the donkey he was leading to move a little more
rapidly.
It was plain to see that the errand he had come on was an important
one, both from the care with which he was dressed and from the anxious
look which now and then spread over his face.
Upon the donkey's back sat a woman, and your attention would have been
directed to her at once if you could have been there. She was
marvelously beautiful. She was very young--just at that interesting
period between girlhood and womanhood, when the charm is so great.
Her eyes were large and blue and they were a prominent feature in the
face that was absolutely perfect in contour and coloring.
She wore an outer robe of a dull woolen stuff which covered the blue
garment worn underneath--the garment which indicated that she was a
virgin. Over her head and around her neck she wore the customary white
veil or "wimple.
Pages:
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155