Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk1.djvu/230

226 giant that did use to hack the lions. But I, after a long, and tedious combat with him, have out him off, and have brought the pilgrims hither in safety.

Por. Will you not go in, and stay till morning?

Great. No; I will return to my Lord tonight.

Chr. Oh, sir, I know not how to be willing you should leave us in our pilgrimage: you have been so faithful and loving to us, you have fought so stoutly for us, you have been so hearty in counselling of us, that I shall never forget your favour towards us.

Then said Mercy, Oh that we might have thy company to our journey's end! How can such poor women as we hold out in a way so full of troubles as this way is, without a friend and defender?

Then said James, the youngest of the bow, Pray, sir, be persuaded to go with us and help us, because we are so weak, and the way so dangerous as it is.

Great. I am at my Lord's commandment: if he shall allot me to be your guide quite through, I will willingly wait upon you. But here you failed at first; for when he hid me come thus far with you, then you should have begged me of him to go quite through with you, and the would have granted your request. However, at present I must withdraw; and so good"Christiana, Mercy, and my brave children, adieu.

Then the porter, Mr. Watchful, asked Christiana of her country and of her kindred; and she said, I come from the City of Destruction; I am a widow woman, and my husband is dead; his name was Christian the pilgrim.

How! said the porter, was the your husband? Yes, said she, and these are his children; and this (pointing to Mercy) is one of my townswomen.

Then the porter rang his bell, as at such times he is wont, and there came to the door one of the damsels, whose name was Humble-mind; and to her the porter said, Go tell it within that Christiana, the wife of Christian, and her