court, and a pretty large gate to go into it, so that a man might go
in with a large burden on his back.]

Oh! the joy and consolation that I felt in my soul, no tongue
can express,--to think that now after all my travels, perils and
disappointments, I had found what I sought for. So on I went,
journeying with joy unspeakable; and as I went, I viewed the outside
of the house: it was very large, and had but one tower; there was no
carved work about it, no paintings, nor any kind of device that could
be discerned; but all the stones were curiously joined together from
the top to the bottom. I also took notice, that all the stones of
the building were transparent, some more and some less; and I saw no
windows to let in light from without; and, drawing nearer to it, I saw
it had a large outward court, and a pretty large gate to go into it,
so that a man might go in with a large burden on his back. So, coming
to it, in I went; and there I saw many people that were very cheerful,
and appeared to live very pleasant lives. Some of them told me,
they had lived there many years, were well contented, and wanted for
nothing; for there was a mighty tree grew in the midst of the court,
and the fruit thereof was good, and the leaves also, and it bore fruit
all the year long. And many of them were so kind as to invite me to
sit down and eat with them; but that I refused; and they showed me a
great cistern, which they had hewn out to themselves, to catch water
from the elements; and they had made themselves convenient lodgings in
the sides of the court, to lodge in.

[Illustration: And when I was stripped stark naked as ever I was born,
I tried to enter, and found no great difficulty.]

But all this did not satisfy me; for I saw my beloved guide pass