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80 multitude that they could go neither forward nor backward.

Then some officers of the town took them in charge and led them to the hall of the chief magistrate, where they were accused of having made an unlawful disturbance in the fair.

"You seem to be strangers in this place," said the chief magistrate sternly. "Where do you come from, and what is your business?"

"We are pilgrims," answered Christian, "and we are on our way to our own country, which is the Celestial Land."

"What do you mean by coming thus to our fair and trying to overturn it by your disorder?" asked the magistrate.

"We were but going peaceably along the highway," answered Faithful, "and we should have said nothing had not so many followed us, asking us to buy of their wares. Even then we did nothing, but said that we would buy the truth."

This answer caused the magistrate to fall into a great rage. He called them liars and disturbers of the peace, and commanded them to be punished.

So the officers of the town took them and beat them,