Page:John Bunyan's Dream Story.djvu/70

66 "Beware, Apollyon!" he cried. "I am in the King's highway. Therefore, take heed to thyself."

"Ha!" answered Apollyon. "What care I for the King's highway?" And with one foot on one side of the road and one on the other, he stood directly in front of the pilgrim.

"Now I have you!" he said; and he drew flaming darts from his breast and threw them so that they fell like hail all around Christian's head.

But Christian held up his shield to protect himself, and drawing his sword, rushed boldly upon his foe. Then there was a fight such as neither you nor I have ever seen. The giant fiend and the valiant man wrestled and strove, they struck and parried, they pressed this way and that; and neither seemed to get the better of the other.

Christian was wounded in two or three places; and yet for a whole hour he stood up against his foe. At length, however, his foot slipped and he fell; and his sword flew out of his hand.

"Now I have thee!" shouted Apollyon.

But as the fiend raised his arm to fetch the last blow, Christian quickly stretched out his hand and recovered his sword. He leaped to his feet, crying, "Rejoice