SoHesaiduntoher, "Peacebetothee; standup." Butshecontinueduponherface, andsaid, "RighteousartThou, OLord, whenIpleadwithThee; , atthesightofwhichsuchwomenandchildrenaswearereadytoflyfromthegatewithfear?" Heansweredandsaid, "Thatdoghasanotherowner; healsoiskeptcloseinanotherman'sground, onlymypilgrimshearhisbarking: hebelongstothecastlewhichyouseethereatadistance, , , hethatownethhimdothnotkeephimoutofanygood-willtomeormine, butwithintenttokeepthepilgrimsfromcomingtome, , andhasworriedsomethatIlove; , sothattheyarenotdelivereduptohispower, , what! mybelovedone, Ishouldsuppose, hadstthouknownevensomuchbeforehand, , ratherthanloseasupposedalms, runthedangerofthebawling, barking, andbitingtoo, ofadog; andshalladoginanotherman'syard, adogwhosebarkingIturntotheprofitofpilgrims, keepanyonefromcomingtome? Ideliverthemfromthelions, theirdarlingfromthepowerofthedog."
, "Iconfessmyignorance, IspakewhatIunderstoodnot: IacknowledgethatThoudoestallthingswell."
, andtoinquireaftertheway.
SoHefedthem, andwashedtheirfeet, andsettheminthewayofHissteps, accordingasHehaddealtwithherhusbandbefore.
SoIsawinmydreamthattheywalkedonintheirway, andhadtheweatherverycomfortabletothem.
ThenChristianabegantosing:
"BlessedbethedaythatIbegan
Apilgrimfortobe;
Andblessèdalsobetheman
Thattheretomovèdme.
"'Tistrue 'twaslongereIbegan
Toseektoliveforever;
ButnowIrunfastasIcan:
'Tisbetterlatethannever.
"Ourtearstojoy, ourfearstofaith,
Areturnèd, aswesee;
Thusourbeginning (asonesaith)
Showswhatourendwillbe."
Now, therewas, ontheothersideofthewallthatfencedinthewayupwhichChristianaandhercompanionsweretogo, agarden, andthatgardenbelongedtohimwhosewasthatbarkingdog, -treesthatgrewinthatgardenshottheirbranchesoverthewall; and, beingmellow, 'sboys, asboysareapttodo, beingpleasedwiththetrees, andthefruitthatdidhangthereon, didbendthebranchesdown, andpluckthefruit, ; butstilltheboyswenton.
"Well," saidshe, "mysons, youdowrong, forthatfruitisnoneofours;" butshedidnotknowthatitdidbelongtotheenemy: I'llwarrantyou, ifshehad, , andtheywentontheirway.
Christiana'sBoysBegantoEat.
