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y　fathers；〃　was　to　say　the　truth　most　simply　and　literally；　for　it　was　the　very　house　Ruth　ruled　as　the　wife　of　Boaz；　the　very　house　in　which　Jesse　and　his　ten　sons；　David　the　youngest；　were　born；　the　very　house　in　which　Samuel　came　seeking　a　king；　and　found　him；　the　very　house　which　David　gave　to　the　son　of　Barzillai；　the　friendly　Gileadite；　the　very　house　in　which　Jeremiah；　by　prayer；　rescued　the　remnant　of　his　race　flying　before　the　Babylonians。

The　appeal　was　not　without　effect。　The　keeper　of　the　gate　slid　down　from　the　cedar　block；　and；　laying　his　hand　upon　his　beard；　said；　respectfully；　〃Rabbi；　I　cannot　tell　you　when　this　door　first　opened　in　welcome　to　the　traveller；　but　it　was　more　than　a　thousand　years　ago；　and　in　all　that　time　there　is　no　known　instance　of　a　good　man　turned　away；　save　when　there　was　no　room　to　rest　him　in。　If　it　has　been　so　with　the　stranger；　just　cause　must　the　steward　have　who　says　no　to　one　of　the　line　of　David。　Wherefore；　I　salute　you　again；　and；　if　you　care　to　go　with　me；　I　will　show　you　that　there　is　not　a　lodging…place　left　in　the　house；　neither　in　the　chambers；　nor　in　the　lewens；　nor　in　the　courtnot　even　on　the　roof。　May　I　ask　when　you　came？〃

〃But　now。〃

The　keeper　smiled。

〃'The　stranger　that　dwelleth　with　you　shall　be　as　one　born　among　you；　and　thou　shalt　love　him　as　thyself。'　Is　not　that　the　law；　Rabbi？〃

Joseph　was　silent。

〃If　it　be　the　law；　can　I　say　to　one　a　long　time　come；　'Go　thy　way；　another　is　here　to　take　thy　place？'〃

Yet　Joseph　held　his　peace。

〃And；　if　I　said　so；　to　whom　would　the　place　belong？　See　the　many　that　have　been　waiting；　some　of　them　since　noon。〃

〃Who　are　all　these　people？〃　asked　Joseph；　turning　to　the　crowd。　〃And　why　are　they　here　at　this　time？〃

〃That　which　doubtless　brought　you；　Rabbithe　decree　of　the　Caesar〃the　keeper　threw　an　interrogative　glance　at　the　Nazarene；　then　continued〃brought　most　of　those　who　have　lodging　in　the　house。　And　yesterday　the　caravan　passing　from　Damascus　to　Arabia　and　Lower　Egypt　arrived。　These　you　see　here　belong　to　it　men　and　camels。〃

Still　Joseph　persisted。

〃The　court　is　large；〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　but　it　is　heaped　with　cargoeswith　bales　of　silk；　and　pockets　of　spices；　and　goods　of　every　kind。〃

Then　for　a　moment　the　face　of　the　applicant　lost　its　stolidity；　the　lustreless；　staring　eyes　dropped。　With　some　warmth　he　next　said；　〃I　do　not　care　for　myself；　but　I　have　with　me　my　wife；　and　the　night　is　coldcolder　on　these　heights　than　in　Nazareth。　She　cannot　live　in　the　open　air。　Is　there　not　room　in　the　town？〃

〃These　people〃the　keeper　waved　his　hand　to　the　throng　before　the　door〃have　all　besought　the　town；　and　they　report　its　accommodations　all　engaged。〃

Again　Joseph　studied　the　ground；　saying；　half　to　himself；　〃She　is　so　young！　if　I　make　her　bed　on　the　hill；　the　frosts　will　kill　her。〃

Then　he　spoke　to　the　keeper　again。

〃It　may　be　you　knew　her　parents；　Joachim　and　Anna；　once　of　Bethlehem；　and；　like　myself；　of　the　line　of　David。〃

〃Yes；　I　knew　them。　They　were　good　people。　That　was　in　my　youth。〃

This　time　the　keeper's　eyes　sought　the　ground　in　thought。　Suddenly　he　raised　his　head。

〃If　I　cannot　make　room　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃I　cannot　turn　you　away。　Rabbi；　I　will　do　the　best　I　can　for　you。　How　many　are　of　your　party？〃

Joseph　reflected；　then　replied；　〃My　wife　and　a　friend　with　his　family；　from　Beth…Dagon；　a　little　town　over　by　Joppa；　in　all；　six　of　us。〃

〃Very　well。　You　shall　not　lie　out　on　the　ridge。　Bring　your　people；　and　hasten；　for；　when　the　sun　goes　down　behind　the　mountain；　you　know　the　night　comes　quickly；　and　it　is　nearly　there　now。〃

〃I　give　you　the　blessing　of　the　houseless　traveller；　that　of　the　sojourner　will　follow。〃

So　saying；　the　Nazarene　went　back　joyfully　to　Mary　and　the　Beth…Dagonite。　In　a　little　while　the　latter　brought　up　his　family；　the　women　mounted　on　donkeys。　The　wife　was　matronly；　the　daughters　were　images　of　what　she　must　have　been　in　youth；　and　as　they　drew　nigh　the　door；　the　keeper　knew　them　to　be　of　the　humble　class。

〃This　is　she　of　whom　I　spoke；〃　said　the　Nazarene；　〃and　these　are　our　friends。〃

Mary's　veil　was　raised。

〃Blue　eyes　and　hair　of　gold；〃　muttered　the　steward　to　himself；　seeing　but　her。　〃So　looked　the　young　king　when　he　went　to　sing　before　Saul。〃

Then　he　took　the　leading…strap　from　Joseph；　and　said　to　Mary；　〃Peace　to　you；　O　daughter　of　David！〃　Then　to　the　others；　〃Peace　to　you　all！〃　Then　to　Joseph；　〃Rabbi；　follow　me。〃

The　party　were　conducted　into　a　wide　passage　paved　with　stone；　from　which　they　entered　the　court　of　the　khan。　To　a　stranger　the　scene　would　have　been　curious；　but　they　noticed　the　lewens　that　yawned　darkly　upon　them　from　all　sides；　and　the　court　itself；　only　to　remark　how　crowded　they　were。　By　a　lane　reserved　in　the　stowage　of　the　cargoes；　and　thence　by　a　passage　similar　to　the　one　at　the　entrance；　they　emerged　into　the　enclosure　adjoining　the　house；　and　came　upon　camels；　horses；　and　donkeys；　tethered　and　dozing　in　close　groups；　among　them　were　the　keepers；　men　of　many　lands；　and　they；　too；　slept　or　kept　silent　watch。　They　went　down　the　slope　of　the　crowded　yard　slowly；　for　the　dull　carriers　of　the　women　had　wills　of　their　own。　At　length　they　turned　into　a　path　running　towards　the　gray　limestone　bluff　overlooking　the　khan　on　the　west。

〃We　are　going　to　the　cave；〃　said　Joseph；　laconically。

The　guide　lingered　till　Mary　came　to　his　side。

〃The　cave　to　which　we　are　going；〃　he　said　to　her；　〃must　have　been　a　resort　of　your　ancestor　David。　From　the　field　below　us；　and　from　the　well　down　in　the　valley；　he　used　to　drive　his　flocks　to　it　for　safety；　and　afterwards；　when　he　was　king；　he　came　back　to　the　old　house　here　for　rest　and　health；　bringing　great　trains　of　animals。　The　mangers　yet　remain　as　they　were　in　his　day。　Better　a　bed　on　the　floor　where　he　has　slept　than　one　in　the　court…yard　or　out　by　the　roadside。　Ah；　here　is　the　house　before　the　cave！〃

This　speech　must　not　be　taken　as　an　apology　for　the　lodging　offered。　There　was　no　need　of　apology。　The　place　was　the　best　then　at　disposal。　The　guests　were　simple　folks；　by　habits　of　life　easily　satisfied。　To　the　Jew　of　that　period；　moreover；　abode　in　caverns　was　a　familiar　idea；　made　so　by　every…day　occurrences；　and　by　what　he　heard　of　Sabbaths　in　the　synagogues。　How　much　of　Jewish　history；　how　many　of　the　many　exciting　incidents　in　that　history；　had　transpired　in　caves！　Yet　further；　these　people　were　Jews　of　Bethlehem；　with　whom　the　idea　was　especially　commonplace；　for　their　locality　abounded　with　caves　great　and　small；　some　of　which　had　been　dwelling…places　from　the　time　of　the　Emim　and　Horites。　No　more　was　there　offence　to　them　in　the　fact　that　the　cavern　to　which　they　were　being　taken　had　been；　or　was；　a　stable。　They　were　the　descendants　of　a　race　of　herdsmen；　whose　flocks　habitually　shared　both　their　habitations　and　wanderings。　In　keeping　with　a　custom　derived　from　Abraham；　the　tent　of　the　Bedawin　yet　shelters　his　horses　and　children　alike。　So　they　obeyed　the　keeper　cheerfully；　and　gazed　at　the　house；　feeling　only　a　natural　curiosity。　Everything　associated　with　the　history　of　David　was　interesting　to　them。

The　building　was　low　and　narrow；　projecting　but　a　little　from　the　rock　to　which　it　was　joined　at　the　rear；　and　wholly　without　a　window。　In　its　blank　front　there　was　a　door；　swung　on　enormous　hinges；　and　thickly　daubed　with　ochreous　clay。　While　the　wooden　bolt　of　the　lock　was　being　pushed　back；　the　women　were　assisted　from　their　pillions。　　Upon　the　opening　of　the　door；　the　keeper　called　out；

〃Come　in！〃

The　guests　entered；　and　stared　about　them。　It　became　apparent　immediately　that　the　house　was　but　a　mask　or　covering　for　the　mouth　of　a　natural　cave　or　grotto；　probably　forty　feet　long；　nine　or　ten　high；　and　twelve　or　fifteen　in　width。　The　light　streamed　through　the　doorway；　over　an　uneven　floor；　falling　upon　piles　of　grain　and　fodder；　and　earthenware　and　household　property；　occupying　the　centre　of　the　chamber。　Along　the　sides　were　mangers；　low　enough　for　sheep；　and　built　of　stones　laid　in　cement。　There　were　no　stalls　or　partitions　of　any　kind。　Dust　and　chaff　yellowed　the　floor；　filled　all　the　crevices　and　hollows；　and　thickened　the　spider…webs；　which　dropped　from　the　ceiling　like　bits　of　dirty　linen；　otherwise　the　place　was　cleanly；　and；　to　appearance；　as　comfortable　as　any　of　the　arched　lewens　of　the　khan　proper。　In　fact；　a　cave　was　the　model　and　first　suggestion　of　the　lewen。

〃Come　in！〃　said　the　guide。　〃These　piles　upon　the　floor　are　for　travellers　like　yourselves。　Take　what　of　them　you　need。〃

Then　he　spoke　to　Mary。

〃Can　you　rest　here？〃

〃The　place　is　sanctified；〃　she　answered。

〃I　leave　you　then。　Peace　be　with　you　all！〃

When　he　was　gone；　they　busied　themselves　making　the　cave　habitable。




CHAPTER　X。



At　a　certain　hour　in　the　evening　the　shouting　and　stir　of　the　people　in　and　about　the　khan　ceased；　at　the　same　time；　every　Israelite；　if　not　already　upon　his　feet；　arose；　solemnized　his　face；　looked　towards　Jerusalem；　crossed　his　hands　upon　his　breast；　and　prayed；　for　it　was　the　sacred　ninth　hour；　when　sacrifices　were　offered　in　the　temple　on　Moriah；　and　God　was　supposed　to　be　there。　When　the　hands　of　the　worshippers　fell　down；　the　commotion　broke　forth　again；　everybody　hastened　to　bread；　or　to　make　his　pallet。　A　little　later；　the　lights　were　put　out；　and　there　was　silence；　and　then　sleep。

*　*　*　*　*　*

About　midnight　some　one　on　the　roof　cried　out；　〃What　light　is　that　in　the　sky？　Awake；　brethren；　awake　and　see！〃

The　people；　half　asleep；　sat　up　and　looked；　then　they　became　wide…awake；　though　wonder…struck。　And　the　stir　spread　to　the　court　below；　and　into　the　lewens；　soon　the　entire　tenantry　of　the　house　and　court　and　enclosure　were　out　gazing　at　the　sky。

And　this　was　what　they　saw。　A　ray　of　light；　beginning　at　a　height　immeasurably　beyond　the　nearest　stars；　and　dropping　obliquely　to　the　earth；　at　its　top；　a　diminishing　point；　at　its　base；　many　furlongs　in　width；　its　sides　blending　softly　with　the　darkness　of　the　night；　its　core　a　roseate　electrical　splendor。　The　apparition　seemed　to　rest　on　the　nearest　mountain　southeast　of　the　town；　making　a　pale　corona　along　the　line　of　the　summit。　The　khan　was　touched　luminously；　so　that　those　upon　the　roo