which he held a little irresolutely, as though he half loved it, and
were yet half wearied of it; as though he was fain to lay it down, and
yet not wholly glad to part with it.

Then Renatus turned a little to the third; and he was more richly
apparelled than the others; his hands were clasped in prayer; and by his
knee there lay a splendid diadem, an Emperor's crown, with few jewels,
but each the price of a kingdom. And Renatus saw that he was very young,
scarce older than himself; and that he had the most beautiful face he
had ever seen, with large soft eyes, clear-cut features, and a mouth
that looked both pure and strong; but in his face there was such a
passion of holiness and surrender, that Renatus fell to wondering what
it was that a man could so adore. He was the only one of the three who
looked, as it were, rapt out of himself; and the crown lay beside him
as if he had forgotten its very existence.

Then there came upon the air a great sound of jubilant and tender music
like the voice of silver trumpets--and the cloud began to lift and draw
up on every side, and revealed at last, very far off and very high, yet
strangely near and clear, a Throne at the head of the steps. But Renatus
dared not look thereon, for he felt that the time was not come; but he
saw, as it were reflected in the eyes of the kings, that they looked
upon a sight of awful splendour and mystery. Then he saw that the two
that still held their crowns laid them down upon the ground with a sort
of fearful haste, as though they were constrained; but the youngest of
the kings smiled, as though he were satisfied beyond his dearest wish.

Then Renatus felt that somewhat was to be done too bright and holy for a
mortal eye to behold, and so he drew back and softly closed the door;
and it was a pain to find himself within the dark church again; it was
as though he had lost the sight of something that a man might desire
above all things to see--but he dared look no longer; and the music came
again, but this time more urgently, in a storm of sound.

Then Renatus went back to his place, that seemed to him very small and
humble beside what he had seen outside. And all the pride was emptied
out of his heart, for he knew that he had looked upon the truth, and
that it was wider than he had dreamed; and then he knelt and prayed that
God would keep him humble and diligent and brave; but then he grew
ashamed of his prayer, for he remembered that, after all, he