The Pilgrims Progess | Page 3

man, and to cast my lot in with his. Then said he to Christian, Do you know the way to the place you speak of?
Christian.--I am told by a man whose name is Evangelist, to do my best to reach a gate that is in front of us, where I shall be told how to find the way.
So they went on side by side.
Obstinate.--And I will go back to my place; I will not be one of such vain folk.
Now I saw in my dream, that when Obstinate was gone back, Christian and Pliable set off to cross the plain, and they spoke thus as they went:--
Christian.--Well, Pliable, how do you do now? I am glad you have a mind to go with me.
Pliable.--Come, friend Christian, since there are none but we two here, tell me more of the things of which we go in search.
Christian.--I can find them in my heart, though I know not how to speak of them with my tongue; but yet, since you wish to know, this book tells us of a world that hast no bounds, and a life that has no end.
Pliable.--Well said, and what else?
Christian.--That there are crowns of light in store for us, and robes that will make us shine like the sun.
Pliable.--This, too, is good; and what else?
Christian.--That there shall be no more care nor grief for he that owns the place will wipe all tears from our eyes.
Pliable.--And what friends shall we find there?
Christian.--There we shall be with all the saints, in robes so bright that our eyes will grow dim to look on them. There shall we meet those who in this world have stood out for the faith, and have been burnt on the stake, and thrown to wild beasts, for the love they bore to the Lord. They will not harm us, but will greet us with love, for they all walk in the sight of God.
Pliable.--But how shall we get to share all this?
Christian.--The Lord of that land saith, if we wish to gain that world we shall be free to have it.
Pliable.--Well, my good friend, glad am I to hear of these thing: come on, let us mend our pace.
Christian.--I can not go so fast as I would, for this load on my back.
Then I saw in my dream that just as they had come to an end of this talk, they drew near to a slough that was in the midst of the plain, and as they took no heed, they both fell in. The name of the slough was Despond. Here they lay for a time in the mud; and the load that Christian had on his back made him sink all the more in the mire.
Pliable.--Ah! friend Christian, where are you now?
Christian.--In truth, I do no know.
Then Pliable said to his friend, Is this the bliss of which you have told me all this while? If we have such ill speed when we first set out, what may we look for twixt this and the end of our way? And with that he got out of the mire on that side of the slough which was next to his own house; then off he went, and Christian saw him no more.
So Christian was left to strive in the Slough of Despond as well as he could; yet his aim was to reach that side of the slough that was next The Wicket Gate, which at last he did, but he could not get out for the load that was on his back; till I saw in my dream that a man came to him whose name was Help.
What do you do here? said Help.
Christian.--I was bid to go this way by Evangelist, who told me to pass up to yon gate, that I might flee from the wrath to come, and on my way to it I fell in here.
Help.--But why did you not look for the steps?
Christian.--Fear came so hard on me that I fled the next way and fell in.
Help.--Give me your hand.
So he gave him his hand, and he drew him out, and set him on firm ground, and bade him go on his way.
Then in my dream I went up to Help and said to him, Sir, since this place is on the way from The City of Destruction to The Wicket Gate, how is it that no one mends this patch of ground, so that those who come by may not fall in the slough?
Help.--This slough is such a place as no one can mend. It is the spot to which doth run the scum and filth that wait on sin, and that is why men call it the Slough of Despond. When the man of sin wakes up to a sense of his own lost