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THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS

   

Part II

 


Section 2

The Devil's garden - two ill-favoured ones assault them - the Reliever - entertainment at the Interpreter's house - the Significant Rooms - Supper with the Interpreter


 

 

THE DEVIL'S GARDEN

So I saw in my dream that they walked on in their way, and had the weather very comfortable to them.

Then CHRISTIANA began to sing, saying:


"Blest be the day that I began
A pilgrim for to be;
And blessed also be that man
That thereto moved me.

'Tis true, 't was long ere I began
To seek to live for ever:
But now I run fast as I can-
'T is better late, than never.

Our tears to joy, our fears to faith,
Are turned, as we see:
Thus our beginning (as one saith)
Shows what our end will be."


Now there was on the other side of the wall that fenced in way up which CHRISTIANA and her companions were to go, garden; and that garden belonged to him whose was that barking dog of whom mention was made before. And some of the fruit trees that grew in that garden shot their branches over the wall; and being mellow, they that found them did gather them up, and oft ate of them to their hurt. So CHRISTIANA'S boys--as boys are apt to do--being pleased with the trees, and with the fruit that did hang thereon, did pluck them, and began to eat. Their mother did also chide them for so doing; but still the boys went on.

"Well," said she, "my sons, you transgress; for that fruit is none of ours." But she did not know that they did belong to the enemy; I'll warrant you if she had, she would have been ready to die for fear. But that passed, and they went on their way. Now by that they were gone about two bows' shot from the place that let them into the way, they espied two very ill favoured ones coming down apace to meet them. With that CHRISTIANA, and MERCY her friend, covered themselves with their veils; and so kept on their journey. The children also went on before; so that at last they met together. Then they that came down to meet them came just up to the women as if they would embrace them; but CHRISTIANA said, "Stand back, or go peaceably by, as you should." Yet these two, as men that are deaf, regarded not CHRISTIANA'S words; but began to lay hands upon them. At that CHRISTIANA, waxing very wroth, spurned at them with her feet. MERCY also, as well as she could, did what she could to shift them. CHRISTIANA again said to them, "Stand back, and be gone; for we have no money to lose, being pilgrims, as ye see, and such too as live upon the charity of our friends."

Ill-favoured Ones. Then said one of the two men, "We make no assault upon you for money; but are come out to tell you, that if you will but grant one small request which we shall ask, we will make women of you for ever."

Chris. Now CHRISTIANA, imagining what they should mean, made answer again, "We will neither hear, nor regard, nor yield to what you shall ask. We are in haste,---cannot stay; our business is a business of life and death." So again, she and her companions made a fresh essay to go past them: but they hindered them in their way.

Ill-favoured Ones. "We intend no hurt to your lives; 'tis another thing we would have."

Chris. "Aye," quoth CHRISTIANA, "you would have us body and soul, for I know 'tis for that you are come; but we will die rather upon the spot than suffer ourselves to be brought into such snares as shall hazard our wellbeing hereafter." And with that they both shrieked out, and cried, "Murder! murder!" and so put themselves under those laws that are provided for the protection of women.

"If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her." Deuteronomy 22:23-27

But the men still made their approach upon them, with design to prevail against them; they therefore cried out again.

Now they being, as I said, not far from the gate in at which they came, their voice was heard from where they were, thither: wherefore some of the house came out, and knowing that it was CHRISTIANA'S tongue, they made haste to her relief; but by that they were got within sight of them, the women were in a very great scuffle, the children also stood crying by. Then did he that came in for their relief call out to the ruffians, saying, "What is that thing that you do? Would you make my Lord's people to transgress?" He also attempted to take them; but they did make their escape over the wall into the garden of the man to whom the great dog belonged: so the dog became their protector. This RELIEVER then came up to the women, and asked them how they did. So they answered, "We thank thy Prince, pretty well, only we have been somewhat affrighted; we thank thee also for that thou camest into our help, for otherwise we had been overcome."

Reliever. So after a few more words, this RELIEVER said as follows: "I marvelled much when you were entertained at the gate above, seeing ye knew that ye were but weak women, that you petitioned not the Lord there for a conductor. Then might you have avoided these troubles and dangers; for he would have granted you one."

Chris. "Alas," said CHRISTIANA, "We were so taken with our present blessing, that dangers to come were forgotten by us; besides, who could have thought that so near the King's palace there should have lurked such naughty ones? Indeed, it had been well for us had we asked our Lord for one; but since our Lord knew 'twould be for our profit, I wonder he sent not one along with us."

Rel. It is not always necessary to grant things not asked for, lest by so doing, they become of little esteem; but when the want of a thing is felt, it then comes under, in the eyes of him that feels it, that estimate that properly is its due, and so consequently will be thereafter used. Had my Lord granted you a conductor, you would not neither so have bewailed that oversight of yours in not asking for one as now you have occasion to do. So all things work for good, and tend to make you more wary.

Chris. Shall we go back again to my Lord, and confess our folly, and ask for one?

Rel. Your confession of your folly I will present him with; to go back again, you need not. For in all places where you shall come, you will find no want at all; for in everyone of my Lord's lodgings which he has prepared for the reception of his pilgrims, there is sufficient to furnish them against all attempts whatsoever. But, as I said, he will be inquired of by them to do it for them;

"Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock." Ezekiel 36:37

and 'tis a poor thing that is not worth asking for.

When he had thus said, he went back to his place; and the pilgrims went on their way.

Mer. Then said MERCY, "What a sudden blank is here! I made account we had now been past all danger, and that we should never see sorrow more."

Chris. "Thy innocency, my sister," said CHRISTIANA to MERCY, "may excuse thee much; but as for me, my fault is so much the greater, for that I saw this danger before I came out of the doors, and yet did not provide for it, where provision might have been had. I am, therefore, much to be blamed."

Mer. Then said MERCY, "How knew you this before you came from home? Pray open to me this riddle."

Chris. Why, I will tell you. Before I set foot out of doors, one night, as I lay in my bed, I had a dream about this; for methought I saw two men, as like these as ever the world they could look, stand at my bed's feet, plotting how they might prevent my salvation. I will tell you their very words. They said ('twas when I was in my troubles), "What shall we do with this woman; for she cries out, waking and sleeping, for forgiveness? If she be suffered to go on as she begins, we shall lose her as we have lost her husband." This, you know, might have made me take heed and have provided when provision might have been had.

Mer. "Well," said MERCY, "as by this neglect we have an occasion ministered unto us to behold our own imperfections, so our Lord has taken occasion thereby to make manifest the riches of his grace. For he, as we see, has followed us with unasked kindness; and has delivered us from their hands that were stronger than we of his mere good pleasure."

 

The Pilgrim's Progress - Entertainment at the Interpreter's house

 


 

The Pilgrim's Progress - Contents