And when they answered that the babe would be born in Bethlehem he was still more troubled. He at once sent out messengers to invite the kings to his palace, where he prepared a great banquet for them. After they had feasted he advised them to continue their journey as far as the little town of Bethlehem, where they might come upon the object of their quest. “If you find that the child of prophecy has been born there,” he added, “hasten back and tell me the joyful news that I, too, may come and worship Him.” The kings promised to do as Herod bid them, little knowing the guile and deceit that festered in his wicked heart. Then they resumed their journey. No sooner had they issued out of the gate of Jerusalem than the star once more appeared in the sky, to their great joy. Following it, they arrived at the house where, thirteen days before, Christ had been born. [Illustration: The Journey of the Three Kings. Painting by Andrea del Sarto.] Here the star stood still, burning even more brightly than ever, as if to say, “Here is He whom you seek; this is the palace of the new-born King; this is the court of heaven, since here its King has His abode.” Strange and complex must have been the emotions these wise men felt in their hearts when they saw what the star showed them--this chamber of the King whom they sought, a place more suitable for beasts than for men; since not for men but for beasts had it been prepared. Within the stable the virgin mother was watching over the manger, wherein lay her Divine Son. Her quick ear caught the sound of footsteps and hoof-beats outside the door. In great alarm she lifted the Child out of the manger and encircled Him with her arms. This was the attitude in which the three kings, entering, found the mother and the Child. The scales fell from their eyes at the sight. They now realized that it was in truth no human king who had been born into the world, but the King of Heaven who had taken upon himself a human form. Throwing themselves upon their knees, one by one they approached him, and worshipped him as God and the Savior of man. Then they presented Him with their gifts which had now acquired a new meaning. Caspar’s gold testified that the babe was a king, Melchior’s frankincense showed that he was God, and Balthasar’s myrrh was a reminder that he was a man and doomed to suffer a painful death. For gold was kept in kings’ treasuries, frankincense was burnt in divine worship, and myrrh was used in embalming the bodies of the dead. The infant Jesus returned their offerings with gifts more precious still. For gold He gave charity and spiritual riches, for incense, faith, for myrrh, truth and meekness. That night the kings were warned in a dream that they should not go back by way of Jerusalem because King Herod cherished evil designs against the child Jesus, but that they should return by other roads to their own kingdoms. They obeyed in all meekness and humility.