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And the Star-Child answered them and said, "I am no king's
son, but the child of a poor beggar-woman. And how say ye that I am
beautiful, for I know that I am evil to look at?"
Then he, whose armour was inlaid with gilt flowers, and on
whose helmet crouched a lion that had wings, held up a shield, and
cried, "How saith my lord that he is not beautiful?"
And the Star-Child looked, and lo! his face was even as it had
been, and his comeliness had come back to him, and he saw that in
his eyes which he had not seen there before.
And the priests and the high officers knelt down and said to
him, "It was prophesied of old that on this day should come he who
was to rule over us. Therefore, let our lord take this crown and this
sceptre, and be in his justice and mercy our King over us."
But he said to them, "I am not worthy, for I have denied the
mother who bare me, nor may I rest till I have found her, and known
her forgiveness. Therefore, let me go, for I must wander again over
the world, and may not tarry here, though ye bring me the crown and
the sceptre." And as he spoke he turned his face from them towards
the street that led to the gate of the city, and lo! amongst the crowd
that pressed round the soldiers, he saw the beggar-woman who was
his mother, and at her side stood the leper, who had sat by the road.
And a cry of joy broke from his lips, and he ran over, and
kneeling down he kissed the wounds on his mother's feet, and wet
them with his tears. He bowed his head in the dust, and sobbing, as
one whose heart might break, he said to her: "Mother, I denied thee in
the hour of my pride. Accept me in the hour of my humility. Mother,
I gave thee hatred. Do thou give me love. Mother, I rejected thee.
Receive thy child now." But the beggar-woman answered him not a
word. And he reached out his hands, and clasped the white feet of the
leper, and said to him: "Thrice did I give thee of my mercy. Bid my
mother speak to me once." But the leper answered him not a word.
And he sobbed again and said: "Mother, my suffering is greater
than I can bear. Give me thy forgiveness, and let me go back to the
forest." And the beggar-woman put her hand on his head, and said to
him, "Rise," and the leper put his hand on his head, and said to him,
"Rise," also.
And he rose up from his feet, and looked at them, and lo! they
were a King and a Queen.