l you have done, that when the time shall come, you will
have this laid to your charge, that you are a thief and so you will not
get in.

Ignorance.--Well, since I know you not; you keep to your own creed, and
I will keep to mine, and I hope all will be well. And as for the gate
that you talk of, all the world knows that it is far from our land, and
I do not think that there is a man in all our parts who does so much
as know the way to it, and I see not what need there is that he should,
since we have, as you see, a fine green lane at the next turn that comes
down from our part of the world.

Christian said in a low tone of voice to Hopeful: There is more hope of
a fool than of him.

Hopeful.--Let us pass on if you will, and talk to him by and by, when,
may be, he can bear it.

So they went on, and Ignorance trod in their steps a short way from
them, till they saw a road branch off from the one they were in, and
they knew not which of the two to take.

As they stood to think of it, a man whose skin was black, but who was
clad in a white robe, came to them and said: Why do you stand here? They
told him that they were on their way to The Celestial City, but knew not
which of the two roads to take.

Come with me, then, said the man, for it is there that I mean to go.

So they went with him, though it was clear that the road must have made
a bend, for they found they would soon turn their backs on The Celestial
City.

Ere long, Christian and Hopeful were both caught in a net, and knew not
what to do; and with that the white robe fell off the black man's back.

Then they saw where they were. So there they sat down and wept.

Christian.--Did not one of the four men who kept guard on their sheep
tell us to take heed lest Flatterer should spread a net for out feet?

Hopeful.--Those men, too, gave us a note of the way, but we have not
read it, and so have not kept in the right path. Thus they lay in the
net to weep and wail.

At last they saw a Bright One come up to them with a whip of fine cord
in his hand, who said: What do you here? Whence come you?

They told him that their wish was to go to Zion, but that they had been
led out of the way by a black man with a white cloak on, who, as he was
bound for the same place, said he would show them the road.

Then said he: It is Flatterer, a false man, who has put on the garb of a
Bright One for a time.

So he rent the net and let the men out. Then he bade them come