AT THE WICKET GATE. 197

“Then they went on again; and said Mercy to Christiana, ‘Had I as good ground
to hope for a loving reception at the wicket-gate as you, I think no Slough of Despond
wovld discourage me.’

“7 Well,’ said the other, ‘You know your sore, and I know mine; and, good friend,
we shall all have enough evil before we come at our journey’s end. Jor can it be

imagined that the people that design to attain such excellent glories as we do, and that

 

are so envied that happiness as we are, but
that we shall meet with what fears and scares,
with what* troubles and afflictions they can
‘possibly assault us with, that hate us?’”
And now Mr. Sagacity left me to dream out
my dream by myself. Wherefore, methought
I saw Christiana, and Mercy, and the boys, go
all of them up to the gate; to which when
they were come, they betook themselves to a
short debate about how they must manage
their calling.at the gate, and what should be
said unto him that did open unto them: so it
was concluded, since Christiana was the eldest,
that she should knock for entrance, and that
she should speak to him that did open, for the
rest. So Christiana began to knock, and, as
her poor husband did, she knocked and
knocked again. But instead of any that

 

“*Come, let us venture, only let us be wary.’ ”

answered, they all thought that they heard as
if a dog came barking upon them; a dog, and a great one too: and this made the
women and children afraid, nor durst they for a while to knock any’ more, for fear the
mastiff should fly upon them. Now, therefore, they were greatly tumbled up and
down in their minds, and knew not what to do. Knock they durst not, for fear of
the dog; go back they durst not, for fear the Keeper of the gate should espy them as
they so went, and should be offended with them. At last they thought of knocking
again, and knocked more vehemently than they did at first. Then said the Keeper
of the gate, “Who is there?” So the dog left off to bark, and He opened unto
them. |

Then Christiana made low obeisance, and said, “Let not our Lord be offended with
His handmaidens, for that we have knocked at His princely gate.”