Cueur and Desire are seen here entering the courtyard of a castle through a well-fortified gate. Inside stands a young girl in a torn red dress that leaves her partially exposed, while an angry man peers out of an upper window. Beyond the fortress walls and towers a hilly landscape extends into the distance, while in the foreground the Stream of Tears flows past the outer walls.

Hope has told them about this castle and thus prepared them for the experience awaiting them inside it. Though described in the text as sadly decayed, the painting shows the castle as being quite handsome, with a twin-towered entrance gate resembling the famous Porta Nigra in Trier ( the chief Roman monument of that ancient German City ). The inscription on the Gate Reads:

All the inhabitants of the valley below call this the hill of
Despondency. It is ruled by Sadness ( Dame Tristee )
and Wrath ( Lord Courroux ) who has done harm to
many a man......

Hungry and tired, the travelers freely enter the unguarded gate. A lance leaning against it is gladly picked up by Cueur, who had lost his own in the struggle with the Black Knight. Meanwhile, the gatekeeper, Sloth ( Paresse ), has awakened, hastily slipped on her ragged dress, and with her garters still hanging over her shoes, stands screamimg in mid courtyard. This brings the owner to the window above the three-cornered pediment atop the entrance to the tower. Red-faced with anger, he stretches out an accusing hand at the intruders, welcoming them with threats and curses: How dare you enter here? Who sent you, the Devil? For the shame and injury you bring upon me, you shall pay with your life..... ...Continued... [ Next folio no.26 ]

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