three o'clock
on thy lips , as the child at thy side shuddered , and no finger from heaven nor voice from earth directed thee ; unless , indeed , that faint flashes of light athwart the net of stars told thee that the angels were cutting their way down through the darkness , and into the spheres of men , and that all heaven was in a tumult of expectation , whilst in yonder city men slept , as they always sleep unconscious when God is near . And then , when the feeble plaint broke from Mary 's lips , I can not go further , and the gentle beast turned aside into the rocks and whins , and called to his companions of the stable , and the meek-eyed ox looked calmly at the intruders , and there -- there -- dear God ! to think of it all -- _ In mundo erat , et mundus eum non cognovit _ . '' I sat quietly there until Benediction at three o'clock , and then I remained rolling my beads through my fingers , and singing in my heart the grand majestic O 's of the preceding day 's offices , at the end of every decade , until five o'clock struck . From time to time my little children would come , and leaning on my knee , would gaze with wonder and affection at the Child of Bethlehem ; and then , looking up into my face , put wonderful questions about deep mysteries to their old Father . For all day long , a stream of visitors passed before the crib ; and the next day , and the next , crowds trooped over from Moydore and the neighboring parishes , for the fame of it had gone abroad over the land ; and men and women came , jealous of their own pastors , and wondering at the sudden uprise of Kilronan . Then the climax was reached on the twelfth day , when the Kings appeared , and the group in the stable was complete .