Page:John Bunyan's Dream Story.djvu/69

Rh "I will stand my ground and do what I can," he said to himself; and he went boldly forward to meet the dreadful fiend.

Apollyon came swiftly on, and gruffly saluted Christian:

"Ho, there, you fellow! Who are you, and whence have you come?"

"I have come from the City of Destruction, and my name is Christian," answered the pilgrim. "I am on my way to the Celestial Land."

"Huh!" growled the fiend. "Don't you know that I am the king of the City of Destruction? You are my subject, and you are trying to run away from me."

"True, I was born in your country," said Christian, "but I am not your subject. I have promised myself to the King of the Celestial Land."

Then was Apollyon very angry, and he would have struck down the pilgrim at once, had he not hoped to gain him over. He roared terribly, and cried, "You are a rebel and a traitor, and deserve nothing but death at my hands. Yet I will forgive you if you will turn now and go back to my city and my service."

But Christian stood his ground bravely and defied the fiend.