Do you not remember the talk of the astrologers?"
"I say 'tis a light on the hills." Vergilius now spoke in a husky,
solemn whisper. "See, 'tis larger; and I would think it near the
village of Bethlehem."
After a moment of silence he added, with a laugh: "Why stand we here
and whisper, like a lot of women? Let us move on."
Again he seemed to hear peals of song in the sky and their rhythm in
hoof and scabbard. It put him in mind of that strange, mysterious
chant of the old singer.
Soon he drew rein, saying: "Halt and listen!" They stopped, conscious
only of the great silence of the night. Vergilius felt for the arm of
his friend.
"What think you?" said he, his voice full of wonder. "I doubt not the
sound is in our fancy."
"See! The star! It grows!" said David, eagerly. "'Tis like a mighty
lantern hung in the dome of the sky."
Then said Vergilius, a pagan fancy filling his mind: "It may be God is
walking upon the earth."
A moment they rode on, looking up at the heavens. Suddenly Vergilius
bade them halt again, saying: "Hist! What is that cry?"
Now they could hear a faint halloo far behind them.
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