110 The Seven Years of Seeking

said to the chorister: “ Ha, little brother,
"tis good, is it not? to see the bright sun
once more. His face is as the face of an
Angel to us.”

The lad looked at him curiously, but made
no answer.

« Art thou ailing, or sad, or home-sick,
little one, that thou has nought to say?”
asked Serapion.

“ Nay, father, I was but thinking of thy
words, that the face of the sun is as the face
of an Angel.”

“Ay! And is it not so?”

“Nay, father. When I have seen the sun
at sunrise and at sunset I have ever seen a
ring of splendid Angels, and in the midst of
the ring the snow-white Lamb with his red
cross, and the Angels were moving con-
stantly around the Lamb, joyfully glittering ;
and that was the sun. But as it rose into
the heavens the Angels dazzled mine eyes so
that I could see them no more, nor yet the
Lamb, for very brightness. Is the sun then
otherwise than what I see?”

Then was it Serapion’s turn to muse, and
he answered: “To thy young eyes which be
clear and strong—yet try them not over-