Sacred allegories . deeply interested about the Kings children, and I fanciedit would be very beautiful to see them throwing shadows from theirlittle crosses, and so living unhurt in the garden of the Shadowof the Cross. Now, I had expected that, as there was no difference in thecrosses themselves, so, too, would there be none in the shadows,and that every child who held the cross would make the same useof it. But I soon found that, though the crosses were indeed allalike, there was very great variety in the images which they were some which were very dark and gloomy, and some, onth
Sacred allegories . deeply interested about the Kings children, and I fanciedit would be very beautiful to see them throwing shadows from theirlittle crosses, and so living unhurt in the garden of the Shadowof the Cross. Now, I had expected that, as there was no difference in thecrosses themselves, so, too, would there be none in the shadows,and that every child who held the cross would make the same useof it. But I soon found that, though the crosses were indeed allalike, there was very great variety in the images which they were some which were very dark and gloomy, and some, onthe contrary, were so fair and soft, that they were more beautifulto look upon than the surrounding light; some fell fixed and steadfast,some faint and wavering; some fell in clusters, and some was also a very great difference in the way in which the THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS. 23 children held their crosses : some merely raised them on high, andthen walked quietly wherever the shadow fell; some kept twisting. them backwards and forwards, as though it were a work of muchdifficulty to form the shadow; and some, methought, even when the 24 THE SHADOW OF THE CKOSS. image was most distinct, were unable to see it. Many, too, therewere who hid their crosses, and only used them now and then,and I knew that those poor children were in continual danger; andsome, too, had thrown them away altogether, and I feared thatthey would be lost. At length my eye grew weary with the con-fusion of the scene, and I resolved to fix it steadily on some onechild, and to watch its progress through the garden. One littlegirl there was amidst a group of children, with features so pureand lovely, that, when she had once attracted my attention, Icould easily distinguish her from the rest. The name of Inno-cence was written on her forehead; and, from the whiteness ofher garments, I thought that she must have entered very lately intothe garden. I watched her as she played with her companions inthe fiel
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