28 Christiana intercedes for her friend Mercy. princely Gate. Then said the Keeper, Whence come ye? and what is it that you would have? Christiana answered, We are come from whence Christian did come, and upon the same errand as he, to wit, to be, if it shall please you, graciously admitted, by this Gate, into the way that leads to the Celestial City. And I answer, my Lord, in the next place, that I am Christiana, once the wife of Christian, that now is gotten above. With that the Keeper of the Gate did marvel, saying, What! is she now become a pilgrim, that, but a while ago, abhorred that life? Then she bowed her head, and said, Yes: and so are these my sweet babes also. Then he took her by the hand, and led her in, and said also, "Suffer little children to come unto me:" and with that he shut up the Gate. This done, he called to a trumpeter, that was above over the Gate, to entertain Christiana with shouting and sound of trumpet for joy. So he obeyed, and sounded, and filled the air with his melodious notes. Now, all this while, poor Mercy did stand without trembling and crying, for fear that she was rejected. But when Christiana had got admittance for herself and her boys, then she began to make intercession for Mercy. And she said, My Lord, I have a companion of mine that stands yet without, that is come hither upon the same account as myself: one that is much dejected in her mind, for that she comes, as she thinks, without sending for; whereas I was sent for by my husband's King to come. Now Mercy began to be very impatient, and each minute was as long to her as an hour; wherefore she prevented Christiana from a fuller interceding for her, by knocking at the Gate herself. And she knocked then so loud, that she made Christiana to start. Then said the Keeper of the Gate, Who is there? and Christiana said, It is my friend. So he opened the Gate, and looked out; but Mercy was fallen down without in a swoon; for she fainted, and was afraid that no Gate should be opened to her. But Then he took her by the hand, and said, Damsel, I bid thee arise. O Sir, said she, I am faint; there is scarce life left in me. he answered, that one once said, "When my soul fainted within me, |