ing in its splendor, illumined to a great distance the
country of the valley of Cedron, whose oriental aspect, so new to
Genevieve, always struck her with surprise and admiration. It being the
season of spring, early this year, the plains which extended to the
gates of Jerusalem were as verdant and as florid as those of Saron,
which Genevieve had traversed when coming from Jaffa (the place where
she had landed) to reach Jerusalem with her mistress. The white and red
roses, the narcissus, the anemony, the yellow gilly-flowers, and the
odiferous immortelles (or everlasting flowers) embalmed the air and
enamelled the fields with their beautiful colors, still moist with the
dew.

On the road-side, a cluster of palm trees shaded the dome of a fountain,
where already came to drink the large fat buffaloes, coupled to their
yoke, and conducted by laborers habited in a robe of camel skin.

Shepherds also brought to the fountain their flocks of goats with long
ears, and sheep with immense tails, whilst young women of swarthy
complexion, dressed in white, arrived no doubt from a village seen at a
short distance, half hidden by a wood of olive trees, drew water from
the fountain and returned to the village, carrying on their head, half
enveloped in their white veils, large flasks of spring water. Farther
on, along the dusky road which serpentined in a descent from the highest
peaks of the mountains, whose summits were slowly disengaging themselves
from the gray blue vapors of the morning, was seen advancing, at a
snail's pace, a long caravan, which rose above the elongated necks of
the camels loaded with bales.

All along the road, followed by Genevieve, blue pigeons, larks and
wagtails, nesting in the groves of nopal and fir, made a chorus of sweet
songs, whilst a white stork, with red legs, rose in the air holding a
snake in his beak.

Several herdsmen and laborers, learning from the persons who followed
the Nazarene, that he was repairing to the little hill of Cedron to
preach good news, changed their route, and driving their flocks on one
side, augmented the crowd attached to the steps of Jesus of Nazareth.
Jane, Aurelia and Genevieve thus approached the village, half hidden in
the wood of olive trees through which they had to pass to arrive at the
hill. On a sudden from this wood, they saw issue in a tumult a great
number of men and women, uttering cries and horrid imprecations.

At the head of this troop marched the doct