The Pilgrim's Progress - Part Two
The Author's Way of Sending Forth His Second Part
of the Pilgrim | 1 | 2 | 3
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Danger and a Protector
Now there was on the other side of the wall that fenced in way up which CHRISTIANA
and her companions were to go, garden; and that garden belonged to him whose was
that barking dog of whom mention was made before. And some of the fruit trees that
grew in that garden shot their branches over the wall; and being mellow, they that
found them did gather them up, and oft ate of them to their hurt. So CHRISTIANA'S
boys--as boys are apt to do--being pleased with the trees, and with the fruit that
did hang thereon, did pluck them, and began to eat. Their mother did also chide them
for so doing; but still the boys went on.
"Well," said she, "my sons, you transgress; for that fruit is none
of ours." But she did not know that they did belong to the enemy; I'll warrant
you if she had, she would have been ready to die for fear. But that passed, and they
went on their way. Now by that they were gone about two bows' shot from the place
that let them into the way, they espied two very ill favoured ones coming down apace
to meet them. With that CHRISTIANA, and MERCY her friend, covered themselves with
their veils; and so kept on their journey. The children also went on before; so that
at last they met together. Then they that came down to meet them came just up to
the women as if they would embrace them; but CHRISTIANA said, "Stand back, or
go peaceably by, as you should." Yet these two, as men that are deaf, regarded
not CHRISTIANA'S words; but began to lay hands upon them. At that CHRISTIANA, waxing
very wroth, spurned at them with her feet. MERCY also, as well as she could, did
what she could to shift them. CHRISTIANA again said to them, "Stand back, and
be gone; for we have no money to lose, being pilgrims, as ye see, and such too as
live upon the charity of our friends."
Ill-favoured Ones. Then said one of the two men, "We make no assault
upon you for money; but are come out to tell you, that if you will but grant one
small request which we shall ask, we will make women of you for ever."
Chris. Now CHRISTIANA, imagining what they should mean, made answer again,
"We will neither hear, nor regard, nor yield to what you shall ask. We are in
haste,---cannot stay; our business is a business of life and death." So again,
she and her companions made a fresh essay to go past them: but they hindered them
in their way.
Ill-favoured Ones. "We intend no hurt to your lives; 'tis another thing
we would have."
Chris. "Aye," quoth CHRISTIANA, "you would have us body and
soul, for I know 'tis for that you are come; but we will die rather upon the spot
than suffer ourselves to be brought into such snares as shall hazard our wellbeing
hereafter." And with that they both shrieked out, and cried, "Murder! murder!"
and so put themselves under those laws that are provided for the protection of women.
"If a damsel that is a virgin be
betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; But
unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy
of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so
is this matter: For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel
cried, and there was none to save her."
~ Deuteronomy 22:23-27 ~
But the men still made their approach upon them, with design to prevail against them;
they therefore cried out again.
Now they being, as I said, not far from the gate in at which they came, their voice
was heard from where they were, thither: wherefore some of the house came out, and
knowing that it was CHRISTIANA'S tongue, they made haste to her relief; but by that
they were got within sight of them, the women were in a very great scuffle, the children
also stood crying by. Then did he that came in for their relief call out to the ruffians,
saying, "What is that thing that you do? Would you make my Lord's people to
transgress?" He also attempted to take them; but they did make their escape
over the wall into the garden of the man to whom the great dog belonged: so the dog
became their protector. This RELIEVER then came up to the women, and asked them how
they did. So they answered, "We thank thy Prince, pretty well, only we have
been somewhat affrighted; we thank thee also for that thou camest into our help,
for otherwise we had been overcome."
Reliever. So after a few more words, this RELIEVER said as follows: "I
marvelled much when you were entertained at the gate above, seeing ye knew that ye
were but weak women, that you petitioned not the Lord there for a conductor. Then
might you have avoided these troubles and dangers; for he would have granted you
one."
Chris. "Alas," said CHRISTIANA, "We were so taken with our
present blessing, that dangers to come were forgotten by us; besides, who could have
thought that so near the King's palace there should have lurked such naughty ones?
Indeed, it had been well for us had we asked our Lord for one; but since our Lord
knew 'twould be for our profit, I wonder he sent not one along with us."
Rel. It is not always necessary to grant things not asked for, lest by so
doing, they become of little esteem; but when the want of a thing is felt, it then
comes under, in the eyes of him that feels it, that estimate that properly is its
due, and so consequently will be thereafter used. Had my Lord granted you a conductor,
you would not neither so have bewailed that oversight of yours in not asking for
one as now you have occasion to do. So all things work for good, and tend to make
you more wary.
Chris. Shall we go back again to my Lord, and confess our folly, and ask for
one?
Rel. Your confession of your folly I will present him with; to go back again,
you need not. For in all places where you shall come, you will find no want at all;
for in everyone of my Lord's lodgings which he has prepared for the reception of
his pilgrims, there is sufficient to furnish them against all attempts whatsoever.
But, as I said, he will be inquired of by them to do it for them;
"Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for
this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase
them with men like a flock."
~ Ezekiel 36:37 ~
and 'tis a poor thing that is not worth asking for.
When he had thus said, he went back to his place; and the pilgrims went on their
way.
Mer. Then said MERCY, "What a sudden blank is here! I made account we
had now been past all danger, and that we should never see sorrow more."
Chris. "Thy innocency, my sister," said CHRISTIANA to MERCY, "may
excuse thee much; but as for me, my fault is so much the greater, for that I saw
this danger before I came out of the doors, and yet did not provide for it, where
provision might have been had. I am, therefore, much to be blamed."
Mer. Then said MERCY, "How knew you this before you came from home? Pray
open to me this riddle."
Chris. Why, I will tell you. Before I set foot out of doors, one night, as
I lay in my bed, I had a dream about this; for methought I saw two men, as like these
as ever the world they could look, stand at my bed's feet, plotting how they might
prevent my salvation. I will tell you their very words. They said ('twas when I was
in my troubles), "What shall we do with this woman; for she cries out, waking
and sleeping, for forgiveness? If she be suffered to go on as she begins, we shall
lose her as we have lost her husband." This, you know, might have made me take
heed and have provided when provision might have been had.
Mer. "Well," said MERCY, "as by this neglect we have an occasion
ministered unto us to behold our own imperfections, so our Lord has taken occasion
thereby to make manifest the riches of his grace. For he, as we see, has followed
us with unasked kindness; and has delivered us from their hands that were stronger
than we of his mere good pleasure."
Welcome at the Interpreter's House
Thus now, when they had talked away a little more time, they drew nigh to a house
which stood in the way, which house was built for the relief of pilgrims; as you
will find more fully related in the first part of these records of the "Pilgrim's
Progress." So they drew on towards the house (the house of the INTERPRETER);
and when they came to the door, they heard a great talk in the house. They then gave
ear, and heard, as they thought, CHRISTIANA mentioned by name; for you must know
that there went along, even before her, a talk of her and her children's going on
pilgrimage: and this thing was the more pleasing to them, because they had heard
that she was CHRISTIAN'S wife--that woman who was some time ago so unwilling to hear
of going on pilgrimage. Thus, therefore, they stood still; and heard the good people
within commending her who, they little thought, stood at the door. At last CHRISTIANA
knocked, as she had done at the gate before. Now when she had knocked, there came
to the door a young damsel named INNOCENT, and opened the door, and looked, and behold
two women were there.
Damsel. Then said the damsel to them, "With whom would you speak in this
place?"
Chris. CHRISTIANA answered, "We understand that this is a privileged
place for those that are become pilgrims, and we now at this door are such; wherefore,
we pray that we may be partakers of that for which we at this time are come: for
the day, as thou seest, is very far spent, and we are loath tonight to go any farther."
Damsel. Pray what may I call your name, that I may tell it to my Lord within?
Chris. My name is CHRISTIANA: I was the wife of that pilgrim that some years
ago did travel this way; and these be his four children. This maiden also is my companion,
and is going on pilgrimage too.
Innocent. Then ran INNOCENT in (for that was her name), and said to those
within, "Can you think who is at the door? There is CHRISTIANA and her children,
and her companion, all waiting for entertaining here."
Then they leaped for joy, and went and told their master. So he came to the door,
and looking upon her, he said, "Art thou that CHRISTIANA whom CHRISTIAN, the
good man, left behind him when he betook himself to a pilgrim's life?"
Chris. I am that woman that was so hard hearted as to slight my husband's
troubles, and that left him to go on in his journey alone, and these are his four
children; but now I also am come, for I am convinced that no way is right but this.
Interpreter. Then is fulfilled that which also is written of the man that
said to his son, "Go, work today in my vineyard;" and he said to his father,
"I will not," but afterwards repented and went.
"He answered and said, I will not: but afterward
he repented, and went."
~ Matthew 21:29 ~
Chris. Then said CHRISTIANA, "So be it: Amen. God make it a true saying
upon me; and grant that I may be found at the last of him in peace without spot and
blameless."
Inter. "But why standest thou thus at the door? Come in, thou daughter
of Abraham; we were talking of thee but now, for tidings have come to us before how
thou art become a pilgrim. Come, children, come in; come, maiden, come in."
So he had them all into the house.
So when they were within, they were bidden to sit down and rest; the which when they
had done, those that attended upon the pilgrims in the house came into the room to
see them. And one smiled, and another smiled, and they all smiled for joy that CHRISTIANA
was become a pilgrim. They also looked upon the boys; they stroked them over the
faces with the hand, in token of their kind reception of them; they also carried
it lovingly to MERCY, and bade them all welcome into their master's house.
The Pilgrim's Progress - Part Two
The Author's Way of Sending Forth His Second Part
of the Pilgrim | 1 | 2 | 3
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
8 | 9 | 10 | 11
| 12 | 13 | 14
| 15 | 16 | 17
| 18 | 19 | 20
| 21 | 22 | 23
| 24 | 25 | 26
Back to Pilgrim's Homepage