as if he must needs fly out of the darksome cave, thither where the
stars were beaming with such pure and serene light; and he felt how
poor and lowly he was, when he thought of their brilliancy; and how
cramped and fettered, when he thought of their free unbounded course
along the heavens.



CHAPTER XI.



But the stars went on their course, and left their glittering
picture only a little while before the Child's eyes. Even this
faded, and then vanished quite away. And he was beginning to feel
tired, and to wish to lay himself down again, when a flickering
Will-o'-the-wisp appeared from behind a bush--so that the Child
thought, at first, one of the stars had wandered out of its way, and
had come to visit him, and to take him with it. And the Child
breathed quick with joy and surprise, and then the Will-o'-the-wisp
came nearer, and sat himself down on a damp mossy stone in front of
the cave, and another fluttered quickly after him, and sat down over
against him and sighed deeply, "Thank God, then, that I can rest at
last!"

"Yes," said the other, "for that you may thank the innocent Child
who sleeps there within; it was his pure breath that freed us."

"Are you, then," said the Child, hesitatingly, "not of yon stars
which wander so brightly there above?"