together towards the
end of the Mountains. Then said the Shepherds one to another, Let us
here shew to the Pilgrims the Gates of the Coelestial City, if they
have still to look through our Perspective-Glass. The Pilgrims then
lovingly accepted the motion; so they had them to the top of an high
Hill, called _Clear_, and gave them their Glass to look.

Then they assayed to look, but the remembrance of that last thing that
the Shepherds had shewed them, made their hands shake, by means of
which impediment they could not look steddily through the Glass; yet
they thought they saw something like the Gate, and also some of the
Glory of the place. Then they went away.

THE PILGRIMS WANDER FROM THE WAY

_By John Bunyan_

Christian and Hopeful went then till they came at a place where they
saw a way put itself into their way, and seemed withal to lie as
straight as the way which they should go: and here they knew not which
of the two to take, for both seemed straight before them; therefore
here they stood still to consider. And as they were thinking about the
way, behold a man black of flesh, but covered with a very light Robe,
came to them, and asked them why they stood there? They answered they
were going to the Coelestial City, but knew not which of these ways
to take. Follow me, said the man, it is thither that I am going. So
they followed him in the way that but now came into the road, which by
degrees turned, and turned them so from the City that they desired to
go to, that in little time their faces were turned away from it: yet
they followed him. But by-and-by, before they were aware, he led them
both within the compass of a Net, in which they were both so
intangled, that they knew not what to do; and with that the white Robe
fell off the black man's back: then they saw where they were.
Wherefore there they lay crying some time, for they could not get
themselves out.

_Chr._ Then said _Christian_ to his fellow, Now do I see myself in an
errour. Did not the Shepherds bid us beware of the Flatterers? As is
the saying of the Wise man, so we have found it this day, _A man that
flattereth his Neighbour, spreadeth a Net for his feet_.

_Hope._ They also gave us a Note of directions about the way, for our
more sure finding thereof; but therein we have also forgotten to read,
and have not kept ourselves from the Paths of the Destroyer. Here
_David_ was wiser than wee;