Just as the magi had to have faith that he was traveling for the purposes of witnessing a miracle and not just falling for ruse, the author had to have faith that his search for meaning would eventually reward him with answers. Faith can be a difficult thing to maintain during hardship, and both the magi and the author were rewarded for their faith when they "came to a temperate valley" (line 21).

The valley in the poem represents the warmth of feeling that one's faith has been justified. To transition from a seemingly endless journey through bleak and barren terrain, to a bountiful land "smelling of vegetation/With a running stream and a water mill beating the darkness," naturally creates a feeling of accomplishment and joy in both personas. Unfortunately, the reward that was being sought is not as miraculous as was originally expected: "it was (you may say) satisfactory"...
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