Nicanor looked at her with a gleam of quickening interest.
"Why, that is a tale," he said. "Now I have never heard of this before. Why was he born in a stable, and what gifts did those wise men bring?"
Within the room the sounds had died, leaving a heavy silence, and neither noticed. For of old Death young Life is ever heedless; ever the brazen fanfare of life's trumpets drowns the thin reed-plaint of death. In the passage their voices whispered guiltily.
"Because His mother went to a place which was called Bethlehem, with Joseph her husband, to pay the taxes, and there was no room at the inn," said Eldris, explaining. "And the angel of the Lord had told Joseph that these things should be, and that he need not put away Mary as he was minded to do." She knew the facts of the story she would tell him; give it form and coherence she could not.
"Who was Mary?"
"The wife of Joseph."
"Why put her away?"
"Because the Child was to be born."
Nicanor drew his heavy eyebrows to a scowl of intense perplexity.
"Now why should he put her away for doing what all good wives should do?"