And as they wore 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, that they were going to
the celestial 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 far from the city that they
desired to go to, that in a 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 entangled that they knew not what to do; and with that
the white robe fell off from 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.
Then said Christian to his fellow, "Now do I see myself in an error.
Did not the shepherds bid us beware of the flatterer?" Thus they lay
bewailing themselves in the net. At last they spied a shining one
coming towards them with a whip of small cords in his hand. When he
was come to the place where they were, he asked them whence they
came, and what they did there.
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