waters, cold and rapid exceedingly; and around, up hill and
down dale, stretched the wood of firs, larches, pines, and other noble
and useful trees, emitting a very pleasant and virtuous fragrance. The
man thought to enjoy his house, and came with his family, and servants,
and horses, and mules, and oxen, which he had employed to carry down the
timber and charcoal.

[Illustration: A Hilly country]

But scarcely were they settled than an earthquake rent the place,
tearing wall from wall and pillar from pillar, and a voice was heard in
the air, crying, "Ecce domus domini dei." Whereupon they fled,
astonished and in terror, and returned into the town.

And no one of that man's family ventured henceforth to return to that
wood, or to that house, save one called Hilarion, a poor lad and a
servant, but of upright heart and faith in the Lord, which offered to go
back and take his abode there, and cut down the trees and burn the
charcoal for his master.

So he went, being a poor lad and poorly clad in leathern tunic and
coarse serge hood. And Hilarion took with him an ox and an ass to load
with charcoal and drive down to Bethlehem to his master.

And the first night that Hilarion slept in that house, which was fallen
to ruin, only a piece of roof remaining, which he thatched with
pine-branches, he heard voices singing in the air, as of children, both
boys and maidens. But he closed his eyes and repeated a Paternoster, and
turned over and slept. And again, another night, he heard voices, and
knew the house to be haunted, and trembled. But, being clear of heart,
he said two Aves and went to sleep. And once more did he hear voices,
and they were passing sweet; and with them came a fragrance as of
crushed herbs, and many kinds of flowers, and frankincense, and
orris-root; and Hilarion shook, for he feared lest it be the heathen
gods, Mercury, or Macomet, or Apollinis. But he said his prayer and
slept.

But at length, one night, as Hilarion heard those songs as usual, he
opened his eyes. And, behold! the place was light, and a great staircase
of light, like golden cobwebs, stretched up to heaven, and there were
angels going about in numbers, coming and going, with locks like
honeycomb, and dresses pink, and green, and sky-blue, and white, thickly
embroidered with purest pearls, and wings as of butterflies and
peacock's tails, with glories of solid gold about their head. And they
went to and fro, carrying garlands and strewin