manage because he had found Christiancommunities all along the way, of whom he had begged fresh candles.
But now his resources were exhausted, and he thought that this would bethe end of his journey.
When the candle was so nearly burned out that the flame scorched hishand, he jumped from his horse and gathered branches and dry leaves andlit these with the last of the flame. But up on the mountain there wasvery little that would ignite, and the fire would soon burn out.
While he sat and grieved because the sacred flame must die, he heardsinging down the road, and a procession of pilgrims came marching up thesteep path, bearing candles in their hands. They were on their way to agrotto where a holy man had lived, and Raniero followed them. Among themwas a woman who was very old and had difficulty in walking, and Ranierocarried her up the mountain.
When she thanked him afterwards, he made a sign to her that she shouldgive him her candle. She did so, and several others also presented himwith the candles which they carried. He extinguished the candles,hurried down the steep path, and lit one of them with the last sparkfrom the fire lighted by the sacred flame.
* * * * *
One day at the noon hour it was very warm, and Raniero had lain down tosleep in a thicket. He slept soundly, and the candle stood beside himbetween a couple of stones. When he had been asleep a while, it began torain, and this continued for some time, without his waking. When at lasthe was startled out of his sleep, the ground around him was wet, and hehardly dared glance toward the light, for fear it might be quenched.
But the light burned calmly and steadily in the rain, and Raniero sawthat this was because two little birds flew and fluttered just above theflame. They caressed it with their bills, and held their wingsoutspread, and in this way they protected the sacred flame from therain.
He took off his hood immediately, and hung it over the candle. Thereuponhe reached out his hand for the two little birds, for he had been seizedwith a desire to pet them. Neither of them flew away because of him, andhe could catch them.
He was very much astonished that the birds were not afraid of him. "Itis because they know I have no thought except to protect that which isthe most sensitive of all, that they do not fear me," thought he.
* * * * *
Raniero rode in the vicinity of Nicaea, in Bithynia. Here he met somewestern gentlemen who were conducting a party of recruits to the HolyLand. In this company was Robert Taillefer, who was a wandering knightand a troubadour.
Raniero, in his torn cloak, came riding along with the candle in hishand, and the warriors began as usual to shout, "A madman, a madman!"But Robert silenced them, and addressed the rider.
"Have you journeyed far in this manner?" he asked.
"I have ridden like this all the way from Jerusalem," answered Raniero.
"Has your light been extinguished many times during the journey?"
"Still burns the flame that lighted the candle with which I rode awayfrom Jerusalem," responded Raniero.
Then Robert Taillefer said to him: "I am also one of those who carry alight, and I would that it burned always. But perchance you, who havebrought your light burning all the way from Jerusalem, can tell me whatI shall do that it may not become extinguished?"
Then Raniero answered: "Master, it is a difficult task, although itappears to be of slight importance. This little flame demands of youthat you shall entirely cease to think of anything else. It will notallow you to have any sweet-heart--in case you should desire anything ofthe sort--neither would you dare on account of this flame to sit down ata revel. You can not have aught else in your thoughts than just thisflame, and must possess no other happiness. But my chief reason foradvising you against making the journey which I have weathered is thatyou can not for an instant feel secure. It matters not through how manyperils you may have guarded the flame, you can not for an instant thinkyourself secure, but must ever expect that the very next moment it mayfail you."
But Robert Taillefer raised his head proudly and answered: "What youhave done for your sacred flame I may do for mine."
* * * * *
Raniero arrived in Italy. One day he rode through lonely roads up amongthe mountains. A woman came running after him and begged him to give hera light from his candle. "The fire in my hut is out," said she. "Mychildren are hungry. Give me a light that I may heat my oven and bakebread for them!"
She reached for the burning candle, but Raniero held it back because hedid not wish that anything should be lighted by that flame but thecandles before the image of the Blessed Virgin.
Then the woman said to him: "Pilgrim, give me a light, for the life ofmy children is the flame which I am in duty bound to keep burning!" Andbecause of these words he permitted her to light the wick of her lampfrom his flame.
Several hours later he rode into a town. It lay far up on the mountain,where it was very cold. A peasant stood in the road and saw the poorwretch who came riding in his torn cloak. Instantly he stripped off theshort mantle which he wore, and flung it to him. But the mantle felldirectly over the candle and extinguished the flame.
Then Raniero remembered the woman who had borrowed a light of him. Heturned back to her and had his candle lighted anew with sacred fire.
When he was ready to ride farther, he said to her: "You say that thesacred flame which you must guard is the life of your children. Can youtell me what name this candle's flame bears, which I have carried overlong roads?"
"Where was your candle lighted?" asked the woman.
"It was lighted at Christ's sepulchre," said Raniero.
"Then it can only be called Gentleness and Love of Humanity," said she.
Raniero laughed at the answer. He thought himself a singular apostle ofvirtues such as these.
* * * * *
Raniero rode forward between beautiful blue hills. He saw he was nearFlorence. He was thinking that he must soon part with his light. Hethought of his tent in Jerusalem, which he had left filled withtrophies, and the brave soldiers who were still in Palestine, and whowould be glad to have him take up the business of war once more, andbear them on to new conquests and honors.
Then he perceived that he experienced no pleasure in thinking of this,but that his thoughts were drawn in another direction.
Then he realized for the first time that he was no longer the same manthat had gone from Jerusalem. The ride with the sacred flame hadcompelled him to rejoice with all who were peaceable and wise andcompassionate, and to abhor the savage and warlike.
He was happy every time he thought of people who labored peacefully intheir homes, and it occurred to him that he would willingly move intohis old workshop in Florence and do beautiful and artistic work.
"Verily this flame has recreated me," he thought. "I believe it has madea new man of me."
V
It was Eastertide when Raniero rode into Florence.
He had scarcely come in through the city gate--riding backwards, withhis hood drawn down over his face and the burning candle in hishand--when a beggar arose and shouted the customary "Pazzo, pazzo!"
At this cry a street gamin darted out of a doorway, and a loafer, whohad had nothing else to do for a long time than to lie and gaze at theclouds, jumped to his feet. Both began shouting the same thing: "Pazzo,pazzo!"
Now that there were three who shrieked, they made a good deal of noiseand so woke up all the street urchins. They came rushing out from nooksand corners. As soon as they saw Raniero, in his torn coat, on thewretched horse, they shouted: "Pazzo, pazzo!"
But this was only what Raniero was accustomed to. He rode quietly up thestreet, seeming: not to notice the shouters.
Then they were not content with merely shouting, but one of them jumpedup and tried to blow out the light. Raniero raised the candle on high,trying at the same time to prod his horse, to escape the boys.
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They kept even pace with him, and did everything they could to put outthe light.
The more he exerted himself to protect the flame the more excited theybecame. They leaped upon one another's backs, puffed their cheeks out,and blew. They flung their caps at the candle. It was only because theywere so numerous and crowded on one another that they did not succeed inquenching the flame.
This was the largest procession on the street. People stood at thewindows and laughed. No one felt any sympathy with a madman, who wantedto defend his candle flame. It was church hour, and many worshipers wereon their way to Mass. They, too, stopped and laughed at the sport.
But now Raniero stood upright in the saddle, so that he could shield thecandle. He looked wild. The hood had fallen back and they saw his face,which was wasted and pale, like a martyr's. The candle he held upliftedas high as he could.
The entire street was one great swarm of people. Even the older