“They climbed the rough, steep rock; they wept no more, but they panted. Wide and bright were their eyes with a solemn and high premonition. They climbed to a verdant spot like an oasis in the granite.
“There, like a fountain of song, jetting and singing upward, climbing from song to song, the larks were bursting and soaring out of the thick fine grass all over-floated with blossoms.
“And, lo! a beam of the sun shot over the eastern mountains, touched the grass where he lay, and seemed to say, Behold him! And beam after beam shot over, seeming to say, We have found him! while the larks sang pæans of joy.
“The people gathered around, and silently knelt in a circle; knelt, and folded their hands, but wept not, spoke not, prayed not. Silent they gazed and listened, as though on the threshold of heaven.
“There he lay, all white, in the hollow top of the mountain, straight and peaceful and fair, his hands crossed on his bosom. All white, save an azure glimmer seen ’twixt the snowy eyelids, he lay in the deep soft grass with the lark-choir singing about him,—singing as if they saw the dawn of the Resurrection.
“As they looked, his silvery whiteness grew bright in the sun of the morning. Would he melt like frost, and exhale! Would he rise like a cloud on the sunbeams!
“Thus stayed they an hour, the living as mute as the dead.
“Then one, not turning his eyes, spoke lowly: ‘He moves not, neither to rise and speak, as we knew him; nor moves he to float away and be lost in the air of the morning. Passive he lies, our prince, in a sweet obedience to death. Passive and humble he lies, obeying the law of our Maker. Is it not then that he waits for his people to bear him downward where he has hollowed his bed, to his resting-place in the shadows?’
“Then said another lowly, his eyes still fixed on the dead: ‘Send we messengers down to bring what is meet to bear him. And bring the children to walk closest of all beside him. For their angels see the face of the Heavenly Father.’
“Then he looked in their faces, and said: ‘We are fainting with thirst and hunger. For a night and a day we have fasted and grieved and searched. Let the strong among us bring bread and meat and a litter. I, who am strong, will go.’