"  Then  God  be  thanked !  for  though  I  cannot  see,  thousands
of  beings  are
cheered  by  its
welcome  light;
and  in the  land
where  flowers
come  and  grain  i
grows,  the
country  -  f  oik
see  in  the  warm
sun-rays  the
food  for  hun-
gry   mouths. "

Loulette  sighed,  and  he  stroked  her  head.  "  Thou  sighest
because  I  cannot  seethe  sun.  I  would  that  God  had  let  thee
speak."

Once  when  the  heat  was  bitter,  and  the  narrow  streets  had
grown  stilling,  they  wandered  from  the  city,  upon  a  broad
white  dusty  road,  far  from  the  noise  and  din ;  on  they  went
until  they  reached  soft  meadows,  shadowed  by  green  trees
and  cool  with  tinkling  streams.  For  weeks  they  strayed
through  villages  and  hamlets,  whose  rustic  householders
gave  them  cheer  and  welcome  for  the  sake  of  the  old  man's
songs  and  Loulette's  sweet  eyes.
At  last,  when  Autumn  (cunning  alchemist!)  had  turned  the
birch  trees*  silver  into  gold,  and  dyed  the  forest  leaves  wiih
gorgeous  hues  more  brilliant  than  the  fabrics  of  the  East,
they  turned  their  steps  again  toward  the  town.
