Rigel, Betelgeuse, and Orion. There was no finer church, no finer choir, than the stars speaking in silence to the many consumptives silently condemned, a legion upon the dark rooftops. The wind came down from the north like a runner in lacrosse, violent and hard, to batter every living thing. They were there, each one alone in conversation with the stars, mining ephemeral love from cold and distant light.
In Mark Helprin's "Winter's Tale," the stars Rigel, Betelgeuse, and Orion are depicted as a magnificent choir, serving as a celestial sanctuary for those who feel isolated and afflicted. The imagery emphasizes the stark contrast between the beauty of the night sky and the suffering of individuals below, portrayed as a legion of the condemned. The stars communicate silently, offering a sense of connection and hope to those who gaze upon...