but as I said, the sun threw off such bright rays from The
Celestial City, which was built of pure gold, that they could
not, as yet, look on it, save through a glass made for that end.

Now as they went, they met with two men in white robes, and the
face of each shone bright as the light.

These men said: Whence come you? And when they had been told they
said: You have but one thing more to do, which is a hard one, and
then you are in Zion.

Christian and Hopeful did then beg of the two men to go with
them; which they did. But, said they, It is by your own faith
that you must gain it.

Now 'twixt them and the gate was a fierce stream which was broad
and deep; it had no bridge, and the mere sight of it did so stun
Christian and Hopeful that they could not move.

But the men who went with them said: You can not come to the gate
but through this stream.

Is there no way but this one to the gate? said poor Christian.

Yes, quoth they, but there have been but two men, to wit, Enoch
and Elijah who have trod that path since the world was made.

When Christian and Hopeful cast their eyes on the stream once
more, they felt their hearts sink with fear, and gave a look this
way and that in much dread of the waves. Yet through it lay the