32

THE DOOR IS OPENED TO THEM,

and heard, as they thought, CHRISTIANA mentioned by name. For you must know, that there went along, even before her, a talk of her and her children going on pilgrimage. And this was the more pleasing to them, because they had heard that she was CHRISTIAN'S wife, that woman who was some time ago so unwilling to hear of going on pilgrimage. Thus, therefore, they stood still, and heard the good people within commending her, who they little thought stood at the door. At last CHRISTIANA knocked; as she had done at the gate before. Now, when she had knocked, there came to the door a young damsel, named INNOCENT, and opened the door, and looked, and, behold, two women were there.

Then said the damsel to them, With whom would you speak in this place?'

CHRISTIANA answered, We understand that this is a privileged place for those that are become pilgrims, and we now at this door are such: wherefore we pray that we may be partakers of that for which we at this time are come; for the day, as thou seest, is very far spent, and we are loath to-night to go any further. DAM. Pray what may I call your name, that I may tell it to my Lord within?

CHR. My name is CHRISTIANA; I was the wife of that pilgrim that some years ago did travel this way; and these be his four children. This maiden is also my companion, and is going on pilgrimage too.

Then ran INNOCENT in, (for that was her name,) and said to those within, Can you think who is at the • door? there is CHRISTIANA and her children, and

AND THEY ARE WELCOMED TO THE HOUSE.

33

her companion, all waiting for entertainment here!' Then they leaped for joy, and went and told their master. So he came to the door, and, looking upon her, he said, Art thou that CHRISTIANA whom • CHRISTIAN the good man left behind him, when he ⚫ betook himself to a pilgrim's life?'

CHR. I am that woman that was so hard-hearted as to slight my husband's troubles, and that left him to go on his journey alone; and these are his four children; but now I also am come, for I am convinced that no way is right but this.

INTER. Then is fulfilled that which is written of the man that said to his son, "Go work to day in

my vineyard; and he said to his father, I will not; "but afterwards repented and went'."

Then said CHRISTIANA, So be it: Amen. GoD make it a true saying upon me, and grant that I may be found at the last "of him in peace, without spot, " and blameless!"

INTER. But why standest thou at the door? Come in thou daughter of ABRAHAM: we were talking of thee but now, for tidings have come to us before, how thou art become a pilgrim. Come, children, come in: come, maiden,come. So he had them all into the house.

So, when they were within, they were bidden to sit down and rest them; the which when they had done, those that attended upon the pilgrims in the house came into the room to see them. And one smiled, and another smiled, and another smiled, and they all smiled, for joy that CHRISTIANA was become

Matt. xxi. 28, 29.

34

THE MAN WITH THE MUCK-RAKE.

a pilgrim: they also looked upon the boys; they stroked them over their faces with their hands, in token of their kind reception of them: they also carried it lovingly to MERCY, and bid them all welcome into their Master's house.

After a while, because supper was not ready, the INTERPRETER took them into his significant rooms, and showed them what CHRISTIAN, CHRISTIANA'S husband, had seen sometime before. Here therefore they saw the man in the cage, the man and his dream, the man that cut his way through his enemies, and the picture of the biggest of all; together with the rest of those things that were then so profitable to CHRISTIAN.

This done, and, after those things had been somewhat digested by CHRISTIANA and her company, the INTERPRETER takes them apart again, and has them first into a room where was a man that could look no way but downwards, with a muck-rake in his hand: there stood also one over his head with a celestial crown in his hand, and proffered him that crown for his muck-rake; but the man did neither look up nor regard, but rake to himself the straws, the small sticks, and dust of the floor.

Then said CHRISTIANA, I persuade myself, that I know somewhat the meaning of this; for this is the figure of a man in this world: is it not, good Sir?

Thou hast said right, said he, and his muck-rake doth show his carnal mind. And, whereas thou seest him rather give heed to rake up straws and sticks, and the dust of the floor, than do what he says that calls to

THE SPIDER ON THE WALL OF THE BEST ROOM.

35

him from above, with the celestial crown in his hand; it is to show, that heaven is but as a fable to some, and that things here are counted the only things substantial. Now, whereas it was also showed thee, that the man could look no way but downwards, it is to let thee know, that earthly things, when they are with power upon men's minds, quite carry their hearts away from God. Then said CHRISTIANA, Oh! deliver me from this muck-rake.

That prayer, said the INTERPRETER, has lain by till it is almost rusty: "Give me not riches," is scarce the prayer of one of ten thousand'. Straws, and sticks, and dust, with most are the great things now looked after.

With that MERCY and CHRISTIANA wept, and said, It is, alas! too true.'

When the INTERPRETER had showed them this, he had them into the very best room in the house: (a very brave room it was:) so he bid them look round about, and see if they could find any thing profitable there. Then they looked round and round; for there was nothing to be seen but a very great spider on the wall: and that they overlooked.

Then said MERCY, Sir I see nothing: but CHRISTIANA held her peace.

But, said the INTERPRETER, Look again:' she therefore looked again, and said, "Here is not any thing but an ugly spider, who hangs by her hands the wall.' Then,' said he,' is there but one upon spider in all this spacious room?' Then the water

• Prov. xxx. 8.

36

THEIR OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING IT.

stood in CHRISTIANA's eyes, for she was a woman quick of apprehension: and she said, Yes, Lord,

there is more here than one. Yea, and spiders ⚫ whose venom is far more destructive than that which

6

is in her." The INTERPRETER then looked pleasantly on her, and said, Thou hast said the truth.' This made MERCY blush, and the boys to cover their faces, for they all began now to understand the riddle.

"The spider

Then said the INTERPRETER again, "taketh hold with her hands, (as you see,) and is in

king's palaces." And wherefore is this recorded, but to show you, that how full of the venom of sin soever you be, yet you may, by the hand of faith, lay hold of, and dwell in, the best room that belongs to the king's house above? vi

4

I thought, said CHRISTIANA, of something of this; but I could not imagine it all. I thought, that we were like spiders, and that we looked like ugly crea tures, in what fine rooms soever we were; but that by this spider, this venomous and ill-favoured creature, we were to learn how to act faith, that came not into my thoughts; that she worketh with hands; and, as I see, dwells in the best room in the house.-GOD has made nothing in vain.

Then they seemed all to be glad; but the water stood in their eyes: yet they looked one upon another, and also bowed before the INTERPRETER,

He had them then into another room, where was a hen and chickens, and bid them observe a while. So one of the chickens went to the trough to drink, and