or less, such always got
into it again. But if once after this first check they set out for the
plain, they seemed to go easily along, until their path lay straight by
the den of some destroying beast, or led them into the midst of the
pitfalls, where they wholly lost their reckoning, and knew not how to get
on, or how to get back.

I saw, too, after a while, that they had got lanterns in their hands,
some of which gave a great deal of light. Those which were carried along
the narrow path shot out bright rays on all sides, until towards the end
they quite blazed with light. I could see, too, that these travellers
had some way of trimming and dressing their lamps; and that much of their
light seemed to come from an open book which they carried in their hands,
from the leaves of which there flashed out continually streams of light,
which made their lamps burn so brightly that all their road shone with
it. But as they got further and further from the path, their lamps began
to burn dim. All these travellers, too, had the book of light closed; or
if they now and then opened it, they shut it up again, some carelessly,
and some as if its light frightened them; and not one could I see who
stopped to trim his light: so that just when they got amongst the
pitfalls, and wanted light the most, they were all the most nearly in
darkness.

Now, when I had looked at them for a space, and wondered, my guide said
to me, "Wouldst thou see how they enter on this plain?" Then he took me
to a fair porch, which came from the wilderness I had looked upon before;
and there I saw a man standing in white robes, and speaking good words,
and giving good gifts to each one as he came in. There were persons
coming in of all nations and people, and some, too, of all ages, though
the greatest number were little children, so small that their little
hands would not hold the man's gifts, and so he hung them round their
necks, for them to use as soon as they were able.

Then I joined myself to the group, to hear and see the better what was
passing. The man in white was speaking with a grave kind voice as I came
up. He told the pilgrims that the great Lord of the land had built that
porch, and set him there to help the poor travellers, who were before
without hope or help amongst the beasts, and snares, and pitfalls of the
terrible wilderness; he told them that the blood of the King's own Son
had been shed, that that porch might be built; that th