hich they went. So I saw that as they went on, there met them
two men in raiment that shone like gold, also their faces shone as the
light. These men asked the pilgrims where they came from, and they
told them. They also asked them where they had lodged, what
difficulties and dangers, what comforts and pleasures they had met in
the way, and they told them.

Then said the men that met them, "You have but two difficulties more
to meet and then you are in the City." So they all walked together
till they came in sight of the gate.

Now I saw that between them and the gate was a river, but there was no
bridge to go over, and the river was deep. At the sight of the river
Christian and Hopeful were stunned, but the men that went with them
said, "You must go through, or you cannot come in at the gate."

The pilgrims then, especially Christian, began to be afraid, and
looked this way and that way, but could find no way by which to escape
the river. Then they entered the river, and Christian began to sink
and to cry out to his friend Hopeful, saying, "I sink in deep waters,
the billows go over my head."

But Hopeful cheered Christian, and said he felt the ground under his
feet. Yet a great horror and darkness fell upon Christian, for he
thought he should never reach the Celestial City, and Hopeful had much
difficulty to keep his friend's head above water. Then I saw in my
dream that at last Christian took courage, and soon he found ground to
stand upon, and the rest of the river was shallow. Thus they got over.
Now upon the bank of the river, on the other side, they saw the two
shining men again, who waited there for them, and led them toward the
gate.

The City stood upon a mighty hill, but the pilgrims went up that with
ease, talking gladly to their shining companions, and thus they came
up to the gate.

And over the gate there were written in letters of gold "Blessed are
they that do the King's Commandments and may enter in through the
gates into the City."

I saw in my dream that these two men went in at the gate, and lo! as
they entered they were transfigured. And they had raiment put on that
shone like gold. They had harps given to them to praise on, and crowns
were given to them in token of honor.

Then I heard in my dream that all the bells in the City rang again for
joy, and that it was said, "Enter ye into the joy of your Lord."

Now just as the gates were opened to let in the men, I looked in after
them, an