“The stars are out on the blue; their queen will soon come up from the sea, then I’ll induct thee into the feast of the ‘Rose.’ The rose is the queen of flowers, and flowers the thoughts of God!” “The feast of the Rose! I’ve heard it was a licencious, heathen orgy!” “It was then a shameful misnomer. My Mary found it; transformed it. Out of it, through reverence of her, comes a beautiful observance. See here, Jew.” So saying, the knight took from his bosom a string of precious stones and arranged them, as they glowed under the moonlight, on the ground heart-shaped. The knight then questioningly observed the Jew. The latter shook his head and remarked: “I’ve seen such often among the Arabs. They have a prayer for each bead to be said the night after the death of one of their number, believing the shade departs not to Hades ’till the prayers are said. Thou dost not practice their enchantments?” “Bah! Never. My gemmed circle has a deeper, holier significance. Each pendant is to recall to mind some virtue or event in the saintly Mary’s life. Then there are guilds called, ‘Brothers of the Rosary.’ I belong to one such; each member is sworn to pray for all the others wherever scattered. The Turks may have had a praying string, but the Crusaders have appropriated and applied it to nobler uses.” “Tell me more of it, if there be more.” “There are but fifteen in my brotherhood.” “Only fifteen, no room for me?” said the Jew. “Fifteen; to suggest the fifteen great events in Mary’s life; namely, the _Annunciation_; Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to be the Mother of Jesus; the _Visitation_; Mary in the Gospel spirit went quickly to tell her kinswoman of her promised favor; the _Birth of Jesus_, this was the crowning joy; then here is the gem that recalls the _Presentation of Jesus_ in the Temple. Thou knowest, Jew, thy fathers often wondered how, after all, a lamb, an animal, could stand between offended Deity and man. Jesus in the Temple was the fulfillment or explanation of the mystery!” “Yea, truly, I’ve seen this. Oh, that all my people could also see it!” “Then, here is the jewel that reminds us of the ‘_Scourging at the pillar_’ of Him ‘by whose stripes we are healed.’” “Israel reads Isaiah with darkened mind, my loving guide. I’ve seen this. Oh, that my people could.” “Here is the jewel that recalls the ‘_Crowning with thorns_’ of Him that hath to give, at His right hand, ‘pleasures forever more.’ He wore that thorny coronet that His redeemed should return with singing, crowned with everlasting joy.” “I’ve felt it; feel it now. Hallelujah!” “This one is to commemorate ‘_Jesus bearing the Cross_;’ this one ‘_His crucifixion_,’ and this ‘_His resurrection_.’” “The hope of hopes by our Saducees denied!” “Then we have here another to remind us of our Saviour’s ‘_Ascension_,’ with His pregnant promise of a royal return to take at last His children home.” “Come, Lord Jesus, even so, quickly!” cried Ichabod.