The Duquesne Christmas Mystery

EFORE US is a steep hillside, crossed midway by a paved road. Up the center of the hill are stairways of stone, with wide landings; at the top, blocking out the stars, is a dark building with crenellated turrets. Beside the roadway is a windowless hut—a mere blind wall—and at each side of this wall the stairways ascend. Below is a playing field, and beyond this, further down, a river, with great mills beside it, where even at Christmastide the loud forges are flaming.

From the high turrets a sound as of many trumpets floats down. Then a light breaks on the level above the roof of the hut, and one sees dimly three figures, grave, majestic, imperative—the Prophets Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah.

The three Prophets disappear. Below, on the hillside, three Eastern Kings are seen approaching.

Below, on the stairway, Herod appears, and comes slowly up followed by guards and counsellors.

Herod goes down the stair, and pauses at the central landing, his spearmen and counsellors about him.

Herod and his people move slowly down the stairways into darkness. In radiance above the center appears the Messenger Gabriel.

The Gloria in Excelsis is heard afar off. At the left, on the hillside, a faint light glows upon a group of watching shepherds. As the light brightens, they hear the heavenly voices, see the angel, and, struck with awe, fall upon their knees.

The shepherds gather wondering, as the heavenly messenger disappears and the chorus echoes into silence.

Let us go now unto Bethlehem and see the thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

Again the trumpets sound, and a mighty music of voices aspires as the thronging messengers of heaven appear along the central causeway. Before them, above the windowless wall, a star swings magically into flame. The Shepherds and the Eastern Kings move toward the star, enwrapt and silent.

Now the wall seems suddenly to vanish. In its place, filled with a golden radiance, is the manger, and Mary the Mother holding the Child.

The Shepherds kneel in adoration; and the Kings lay at her feet their gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Up from below come slowly the men and women of the nations who dwell in the city, they too kneeling till the stairways are dark with them; and all the while the music swells with a great gladness.

The vision fades, and the people turn singing to the darkness below, where the forges are clanging.

And now the Tree on the playing field breaks into light, and down the stone stairways patter the feet of many children, trooping with song to dance around its glistening spire.

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The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Duquesne Christmas mystery

THE DUQUESNE
CHRISTMAS MYSTERY

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