Page:Ben-Hur a tale of the Christ.djvu/70

Rh may be sure; then ve will tell you all. Come with us, and see for yourself.&quot;

&quot;It is a fool's errand.&quot;

&quot;No, the Christ is born.&quot;

&quot;The Christ! How do you know ?&quot;

&quot;Let us go and see first.&quot;

The man laughed scornfully.

&quot;The Christ indeed! How are you to know him?&quot;

&quot;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.&quot;

&quot;The cave?&quot;

&quot;Yes. Come with us.&quot;

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.

&quot;I give you peace,&quot; the watchman said to Joseph and the Beth-Dagonite. &quot;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.&quot;

For a moment the face of the stolid Nazarene was moved; turning away, he said, &quot;The child is here.&quot;

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.

&quot;Where is the mother?&quot; 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.

&quot;It is the Christ!&quot; said a shepherd, at last.

&quot;The Christ!&quot; they all repeated, falling upon their knees in worship. One of them repeated several times over, &quot;It is the Lord, and his glory is above the earth and heaven.&quot;

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,