Why the Chimes Rang | Page 6

begins to grow behind him. The smoke-grimed back wall of the hut has vanished and in its place appears a vision of the cathedral chancel.--One by one objects emerge from the darkness. The light touches the golden altar, the gleaming appointments upon it, the jewel-like tones of the stained glass window above, and the rich carpet under foot; it shows the marble arches at the sides and shines softly on the robe of the kneeling_ PRIEST. _As the dim vision grows to clearness, so the music comes nearer and swells forth softly into the Christmas processional. Unconscious of it all_ HOLGER looks up at the WOMAN, his face swept with despair.)
HOLGER. Oh, it's no use! I'd rather be all blind and never see than miss the vision that the Christ will send!
WOMAN. (_Gazing at the vision_) Look, look what comes!
HOLGER. (_Staring at the woman's face illuminated by the light from the chancel_) Dame! (_He turns to see where the light comes from and the vision meets his eye_) Oh-h-h-h! (He crouches back at the WOMAN'S _feet, held spell-bound by the sight. As the music changes the_ PRIEST _rises slowly to his feet, faces the congregation and makes a gesture of approach. The voices of the choir join the music, and from the left side of the chancel, people begin to enter carrying their gifts_)
(_An imperious looking man, richly dressed in black and gold comes first, bearing a heavy box. He approaches the altar, kneels and puts the chest in the_ PRIEST'S _hands, and, that the full value of his gift may be publicly recognised, he throws back the lid, heaping up the gold coin with which the box is filled. The_ PRIEST _turns, goes up the steps to the altar and raises the chest as high as its weight will permit. The man still kneeling awaits the chimes with superb selfconfidence. The bells do not ring. Slowly the_ PRIEST _lowers the gold to the altar, turns, raises his hand in blessing and dismissal. The rich man rises, looking bewildered at his failure, crosses to the right and stands near the altar as the pageant moves on._)
(The PRIEST _turns to the next comer_, A COURTIER _brave in green and gold, who enters with an air of great elegance, bearing daintily a gilded jewel casket. He kneels, lays it in the_ PRIEST'S _hands. The latter turns to go but the_ COURTIER _detains him a second, raises the lid of the box and holds up string after string of rich gems. The_ PRIEST _carries the jewels to the altar and offers them. The bells do not ring. The_ PRIEST dismisses the COURTIER, _and the young man rises, turns back with assumed lightness of manner and stands at the left of the chancel, watching with great interest._)
(A beautiful WOMAN _clad in flame colored velvet sweeps proudly up to the steps of the altar, kneels, takes from her neck a long strand of pearls and offers it to the_ PRIEST. The PRIEST _receives the necklace, ascends to the altar and offers the jewels. The woman smiling listens tensely for the chimes. They do not ring. The smile fades as the_ PRIEST _turns and blesses her. She rises trying to hide her chagrin in a look of great hauteur, crosses to the right and stands near the man in black and gold with whom she exchanges disdainful smiles over the next arrival._)
(_An old white haired man clad in a scholar's robes totters on, bearing with difficulty a large vellum bound book. The_ PRIEST _takes a step forward to relieve the Old Man of his burden, and as he goes up the altar steps the Sage sinks exhausted to his knees, listening with straining senses for the bells.--They do not ring. The_ PRIEST _blesses the old man and helps him to rise. He turns back and stands near the_ COURTIER _at the left._)
(_A lovely young girl enters, dressed in pale green satin, her arms filled with a sheaf of white lilies. The very way she carries them and bends her head to catch their fragrance shows that to her they are the most beautiful things in the world. Kneeling she gives them into the hands of the_ PRIEST, _and as he offers them, she listens with childish confidence for the ringing of the bells.--Still there is no sound save the organ music and the singing of the choir, subdued almost to a breath as the gifts are offered. Abashed as the_ PRIEST _blesses and dismisses her, the young girl steps back and stands near the old Sage._)
(_There is a stir in the chancel, even the_ PRIEST _turning to watch. The_ KING _enters. He is a man of forty with tall distinguished figure and a proud face. His purple robes, richly jeweled, trail far behind him and on