AndasIopenedmoreandmoremineeyes,

Isawhimseatedonthehigheststair,

SuchinthefacethatIendureditnot.

Andinhishandhehadanakedsword,

Whichsoreflectedbackthesunbeamstow'rdsus,

ThatoftinvainIliftedupmineeyes.

"Tellitfromwhereyouare, whatis'tyouwish?"

Beganhetoexclaim; "whereistheescort?

Takeheedyourcominghitherharmyounot!"

"ALadyofHeaven, withthesethingsconversant,"

MyMasteransweredhim, "butevennow

Saidtous, 'Thithergo; thereistheportal.'"

"Andmayshespeedyourfootstepsinallgood,"

Againbeganthecourteousjanitor;

"Comeforwardthenuntothesestairsofours."

Thitherdidweapproach; andthefirststair

Wasmarblewhite, sopolishedandsosmooth,

ImirroredmyselfthereinasIappear.

Thesecond, tinctofdeeperhuethanperse,

Wasofacalcinedandunevenstone,

Crackedallasunderlengthwiseandacross.

Thethird, thatuppermostrestsmassively,

Porphyryseemedtome, asflamingred

Asbloodthatfromaveinisspirtingforth.

Bothofhisfeetwasholdinguponthis

TheAngelofGod, uponthethresholdseated,

Whichseemedtomeastoneofdiamond.

Alongthethreestairsupwardwithgoodwill

DidmyConductordrawme, saying: "Ask

Humblythathethefasteningmayundo."

DevoutlyattheholyfeetIcastme,

Formercy'ssakebesoughtthathewouldopen,

ButfirstuponmybreastthreetimesIsmote.

SevenP'suponmyforeheadhedescribed

Withthesword'spoint, and, "Takeheedthatthouwash

Thesewounds, whenthoushaltbewithin," hesaid.

Ashes, orearththatdryisexcavated,

Ofthesamecolourwerewithhisattire,

Andfrombeneathithedrewforthtwokeys.

Onewasofgold, andtheotherwasofsilver;