“What kingdom do you belong to?” her innocent lips repeat;
“Why, surely, the Kingdom of Heaven!” rings out the answer sweet.
And then for a breathless moment a sudden silence fell,
And you might have heard the fall of a leaf as they looked at little Christel.
But it only lasted a moment; then rose as sudden a shout,—
“Well done, well done for little Christel!” and the bravos rang about.
For the King in his arms had caught her, to her wondering, shy surprise,
And over and over he kissed her, with a mist of tears in his eyes.
“May the blessing of God,” he murmured, “forever rest on thy head!
Henceforth, by his grace, my life shall prove the truth of what thou hast said.”