crimes, as she thought, looked very black upon her.Then she cried out aloud in her sleep, "Lord have mercy upon me a sinner:" and the little children heard her.

After this, she thought she saw two very ill favoured ones standing by her bed-side, and saying, 'What shall we do for this woman? for she cries out for mercy waking and sleeping: if she be suffered to go on as she begins, we shall lose her as we have lost her husband.Wherefore we must, by some way, seek to take her off from the thoughts of what shall be hereafter, else all the world cannot help but she will become a pilgrim.'

Now she awoke in a great sweat; also a trembling was upon her but after while she fell to sleeping again. And then she thought she saw Christian her husband in a place of bliss among many immortals, with an harp in his hand, standing and playing upon it before One that sat on a throne, with a rainbow about his head. She saw also, as if he bowed his head with his face towards the paved work that was under his Prince's feet, saying, 'I heartily thank my Lord and King for bringing me into this place.' Then shouted a company of them that stood round about, and harped with their harps: but no man could tell what they said, but Christian and his companions.

Next morning, when she was up, had prayed to God, and talked with her children awhile, one knocked hard at the door; to whom she spake out, saying, 'If thou comest in God's name, come in.' So he said, 'Amen;' and opened the door, and saluted her with, "Peace on this house." The which when he had done, he said, Christiana, knowest thou wherefore I am come?' Then she blushed and trembled; also her heart began to wax warm with desires to know from whence he came, and what his errand was to her. So he said unto her, 'My name is Secret; I dwell with those that are high. It is

1 Luke xviii. 13.

*Ill-favoured ones.] Evil spirits who suggested to Christiana ob

jections to hinder her pilgrimage.

talked of, where I dwell, as if thou hadst a desire to go thither: also there is a report, that thou art aware of the evil thou hast formerly done to thy husband, in hardening of thy heart against his way, and in keeping of these babes in their ignorance. Christiana, the merciful One has sent me to tell thee, that he is a God ready to forgive, and that he taketh delight to multiply the pardon of offences. He also would have thee to know, that he inviteth thee to come into his presence, to his table, and that he will feed thee with the fat of his house, and with the heritage of Jacob thy father.

"There is Christian, thy husband that was, with legions more, his companions, ever beholding that face that doth minister life to the beholders: and they will all be glad, when they shall hear the sound of thy feet step over thy father's threshold.'

Christiana at this was greatly abashed in herself, and bowed her head to the ground. This Vision proceeded and said, ‘Christiana, here is also a letter for thee, which I have brought from thy husband's King;' so she took it and opened it, but it smelt after the manner of the best perfume. Also it was written in letters of gold.The contents of the letter were these: that the King would have her do as did Christian her husband; for that was the only way to come to his city, and to dwell in his presence with joy for ever.' At this the good woman was quite overcome: so she cried out to her visitor, 'Sir, will you carry me and my children with you, that we may also go and worship the King?

.6

Then said the visitor, Christiana, the bitter is before the sweet! Thou must through troubles, as he did that went before thee, enter this celestial city. Wherefore I advise thee to do as did Christian thy husband: go to the Wicket-gate yonder over the plain: for that stands in the head of the way up which thou must go, and I wish thee all good speed. Also I advise thee, that thou put this letter in thy bosom: that thou read therein to thyself and to thy children, until they have got it by heart for it is one of the songs that thou must sing while thou art in this house of thy pilgrimage: also this thou must deliver in at the far gate.

Now I saw in my dream, that this old gentleman, as he told me this story, did himself seem to be greatly affected therewith. He moreover proceeded, and said, So Christiana called, her sons together, and began thus to address herself unto them: My sons, I have, as you perceive, been of late under mich exercise in my soul about the death of your father; not for that I doubt at all of his happiness; for I am satisfied now that he is well I have been also much affected with the thoughts of mine own estate and yours, which I verly believe is by nature miserable. My carriage also to your father in his distress is a great load to my conscience: for I hardened both my heart and yours against him, and refused to go with him on pilgrimage.

The thoughts of these things would now kill me outright, but for that a dream which I had last night, and but for the encouragement this stranger has given me this morning. Come, my children, let us pack up and be gone to the gate that leads us to that celestial country, that we may see your father, and be with him and his companions in peace, according to the laws of that land,'

Then did her children burst out into tears, for joy that the heart of their mother was so inclined. So the visitor bid them farewell: and they began to prepare to set out for their journey.

But, while they were thus about to be gone, two of the women that were Christiana's neighbours came up to her house, and knocked at the door. To whom she said as before. At this the women were stunned; for this kind of language they used not to hear, or to perceive to drop from the lips of Christiana. Yet they came in: but behold, they found the good woman a preparing to be gone from her house.

So they began and said, your meaning by this?

Neighbour, pray, what is

Christiana answered and said to the eldest of them, whose name was Mrs. Timorous, I am preparing for a journey. (This Timorous was daughter to him that met Christian upon the hill of Difficulty, and would have had him gone back for fear of the lions.*)

1 Part i. p. 34, 35.

1

Tim. For what journey, I pray you?

Chr. Even to go after my old husband. And with that she fell a weeping.

Tim. I hope not so, good neighbour; pray, for your poor children's sake, do not so unwomanly cast away yourself.

Chr. Nay, my children shall go with me: not one of them is willing to stay behind.

Tim. I wonder in my heart, what or who has brought you into this mind!

Chr. Oh, neighbour, knew you but as much as I do, I doubt not but that you would along with me.

Tim. Pr'ythee, what new knowledge hast thou got, that so worketh off thy mind from thy friends, and that tempteth thee to go nobody knows where?

Then Christiana replied, I have been sorely afflicted since my husband's departure from me; but especially since he went over the river. But that which troubleth me most, is my churlish carriage to him, when he was under his distress. Besides, I am now as he was then; nothing will serve me but going on pilgrimage. I was a dreaming last night, that I saw him. Oh that my soul was with him! He dwelleth in the presence of the King of the country; he sits and eats with him at his table; he is become a companion of immortals, and has a house now given him to dwell in, to which the best palaces on earth, if compared, seem to me but as a dunghill. The Prince of the palace has also sent for me, with promises of entertainment, if I shall come to him; his messenger was here even now, and brought me a letter, which invites me to come. And with that she plucked out her letter, and read it, and said to them, What now will you say to this?

I

Tim. Oh the madness that has possessed thee and thy husband! to run yourselves upon such difficulties! You have heard, I am sure, what your husband did meet with, even in a manner, at the first step that he took on his way, as our neighbour Obstinate can yet testify, for he went along with him; yea, and Pliable too, until they,

1 2 Cor. v. 1---4.

like wise men, were afraid to go any further.' We also heard, over and above, how he met with the lions, Apollyon, the Shadow of Death, and many other things. Nor is the danger that he met with at Vanity-Fair to be forgotten by thee. For if he, though a man, was so hard put to it, what canst thou, being but a poor womau, do? Consider also, that these four sweet babes are thy children, thy flesh and thy bones. Therefore though thou shouldst be so rash as to cast away thyself; yet for the sake of the fruit of thy body, keep them at home.

But Christiana said unto her, Tempt me not, my neighbour: I have now a price put into my hand to get a gain, and I should be a fool of the greatest sort, if I should have no heart to strike in with the opportunity. And for that you tell me of all these troubles that I am like to meet with in the way, they are so far from being to me a discouragement, that they shew I am in the right. The bitter must come before the sweet, and that also will make the sweet the sweeter. Wherefore since you came not to my house in God's name, as I said, I pray you be gone, and do not disquiet me further.

Then Timorous also reviled her, and said to her fellow, 'Come, neighbour Mercy, let us leave her in her own hands, since she scorns our counsel and company.' But Mercy was at a stand, and could not so readily comply with her neighbour; and that for a two-fold reason1st. Her bowels yearned over Christiana. So she said within herself, If my neighbour will need be gone, I will go a little way with her, and help her.'--2dly. Her bowels yearned over her own soul; for what Christiana had said, had taken some hold upon her mind. Wherefore she said within herself again, I will yet have more talk with this Christiana; and, if I find truth and life in what she shall say, myself with my heart shall also go with her. Wherefore Mercy began thus to reply to her neighbour Timorous. 4

Mer. Neighbour, I did indeed come with you to see Christiana this morning; and, since she is, as you see, a taking her last farewell of the country, I think to walk this sun-shiny morning a little with her, to help her on

1 Part i. p. 4---9.