in the world I saw at the Lord’s table,” said the good old bishop. “I saw it shine as if an angel’s face had appeared. A young maiden knelt at the altar, and renewed the vows made at her baptism; and there were white roses and red roses on the blushing cheeks of that young girl. She looked up to heaven with all the purity and love of her young spirit, in all the expression of the highest and purest love.”
“願她蒙福!” 智者說:“但還沒有人說出世界上最美麗的玫瑰。”
“may she be blessed!” said the wise man: “but no one has yet named the loveliest rose in the world.”
這時,一個孩子走進了房間 —— 女王的小兒子。他眼裡噙著淚水,臉頰上閃著淚光;他拿著一本大書,書皮是天鵝絨的,配有銀質的搭扣。
then there came into the room a child — the queen’s little son. tears stood in his eyes, and glistened on his cheeks; he carried a great book and the binding was of velvet, with silver clasps.
“媽媽,” 小男孩喊道;“聽聽我讀的內容吧。” 然後孩子在床邊坐下,讀起了那本講述為拯救所有人,甚至包括尚未出生的人而在十字架上受難的他的書。
“mother,” cried the little boy; “only hear what I have read.” And the child seated himself by the bedside, and read from the book of him who suffered death on the cross to save all men, even who are yet unborn.
他讀到:“人為朋友捨命,人的愛心沒有比這個大的。” 就在他讀的時候,一抹玫瑰色的紅暈湧上了女王的臉頰,她的眼睛變得如此明亮、清澈,以至於她從書頁間看到了一朵可愛的玫瑰綻放出來,這是那位在十字架上灑下鮮血者的象徵。
he read, “Greater love hath no man than this,” and as he read a roseate hue spread over the cheeks of the queen, and her eyes became so enlightened and clear, that she saw from the leaves of the book a lovely rose spring forth, a type of him who shed his