d interest and delight so long as she
had this to think of. Yet she was not sorry to turn her back upon the
beautiful city, but went on her way singing in unutterable content, and
thinking over what the lady had said, that we were in God's secret, more
than all the great worlds above and even the angels, because of knowing
how it is that in darkness and doubt, and without any open vision, a man
may still keep the right way. The path lay along the bank of the river
which flowed beside her and made the air full of music, and a soft air
blew across the running stream and breathed in her face and refreshed
her, and the birds sang in all the trees. And as she passed through the
villages the people came out to meet her, and asked of her if she had
come from the city, and what she had seen there. And everywhere she
found friends, and kind voices that gave her greeting. But some would
ask her why she still spoke the little language, though it was sweet to
their ears; and others when they heard it hastened to call from the
houses and the fields some among them who knew the other tongue but a
little, and who came and crowded round the little Pilgrim and asked her
many questions both about the things she had been seeing and about the
old time. And she perceived that the village folk were a simple folk,
not learned and wise like those she had left. And that though they lived
within sight of the great city, and showed every stranger the beautiful
view of it, and the glory of its towers, yet few among them had
travelled there; for they were so content with their fields and their
river, and the shade of their trees and the birds singing, and their
simple life, that they wanted no change; though it pleased them to
receive the little Pilgrim, and they brought her in to their villages
rejoicing, and called every one to see her. And they told her that they
had all been poor and laboured hard in the old time, and had never
rested; so that now it was the Father's good pleasure that they should
enjoy great peace and consolation among the fresh-breathing fields and
on the riverside, so that there were many who even now had little
occupation except to think of the Father's goodness and to rest. And
they told her how the Lord Himself would come among them, and sit down
under a tree, and tell them one of His parables, and make them all more
happy than words could say; and how sometimes He would send one out of
the beautiful city, with a poem or ta