When, then, he saw the new star in the sky, he never ceased looking at it.

And, lo! it too took the road from east to west which all men traversed.

What was there yonder in the sunset that all went towards it, on earth as in heaven?
Could not one particular star swim against the stream?
True, this new heavenly pilgrim took an unusual path; he leaned somewhat to the north of the barbarous folk.

So the wise man of the east left the fragrant gardens of India and followed the star.

On the road he was joined by two Oriental princes and their suites, who were also seeking they knew not what.
And one night the three wise men saw in the heavens an extraordinary constellation, a group of stars hitherto unknown to any of them.
[Illustration: Diagram of constellation of stars, using asterisks for the stars, spelling out "INRI".] They looked at the constellation for a long while, and Balthasar thought it was like writing.