72 Kenach’s Little Woman

Kenach rose quickly and went to him, and
as they looked out the sleet beat on their
faces, but in the midst of the storm there
was a space of light, as though it were moon-
shine, and the light streamed from an Angel,
who stood near the wall of rock with out-
spread wings, and sheltered the blackbird’s
nest from the wintry blast.

And the monks gazed at the shining love-
liness of the Angel, till the wind fell and the
snow ceased and the light faded away and the
sharp stars came out and the night was still.

Now at sundown of the day that followed,
when the Abbot was in the cave, the young
monk, standing among the rocks, saw ap-
proaching a woman who carried a child in
her arms; and crossing himself he cried a-
loud to her, “Come not any nearer; turn
thy face to the forest, and go down.”

“Nay,” replied the woman, “for we seek
shelter for the night, and food and the solace
of fire for the little one.” ;

“Go down, go down,” cried Diarmait ;
“no woman may come to this hermitage.”

“ How canst thou say that, O monk?”
said the woman. ‘Was the Lord Christ
any worse thanthou? Christ came to redeem