Page:John Bunyan's Dream Story.djvu/92

88 "Good-morning, fellow traveler," said Christian. "How far go you in this way?"

"I am from the town of Fair-speech, and I am going to the Celestial City," he answered.

"From Fair-speech!" said Christian. "Is there any good thing in that town?"

"I hope so," was the answer.

"I have heard of that town. They say it is a very wealthy place," said Christian.

"Indeed, that is true," said the traveler. "I have a good many rich kindred there."

"Pray, sir, what may we call you?" asked Christian.

"I am a stranger to you, and you to me," was the answer. "If you are going this way, I shall be glad to go with you. I will say to you that I belong to a very respectable family. True, my great grandfather was only a ferryman, rowing one way and looking the other; but I have become a gentleman of the first quality."

Then Christian stepped a little aside to his fellow, Hopeful, and said, "This man will not tell me his name, but I'm quite sure that he is the noted Mr. By-ends of Fair-speech."

"Ask him," said Hopeful; "he will surely not be ashamed of his name."