68 THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS.

Pirry. Come, good Christian, since we have been so loving to you to receive you
into our house this night, let us, if perhaps we may better ourselves thereby, talk with
you of all things that have happened to you in your pilgrimage.

Curis. With a very good will, and I am glad that you are so well disposed.

Prery. What moved you at first to betake yourself to a pilgrim’s life?

Curis. I was driven out of my native country by a dreadful sound that was in mine
ears; to wit, that unavoidable destruction did attend me, if I abode in that place where
I was. P

Prery. But how did it happen that you came out of your country this way?

Currs. It was as God would have it; for, when I was under the fears of destruction,
I did not know whither to go; but by chance there came a man even to me, as I was
trembling and weeping, whose name is Evangelist, and he directed me to the wicket-
gate, which else I should never have found, and so set me in the way that hath led me
directly to this house.

Prery. But did you not come by the house of the Interpreter ?

Curis. Yes, and did see such things there, the remembrance of which will stick by
me as long as I live, especially three things; to wit, how Christ, in despite of Satan,
maintains His work of grace in the heart; how the man had sinned himself quite out
of hopes of God’s mercy ; and also the dream of him that thought in his sleep the day
of judgment was come.

Prery. Why? did you hear him tell his dream?

Curis. Yes, and a dreadful one it was, I thought: it made my heart ache as he was
telling of it; but yet I am glad I heard of it.

Prery. Was that all you saw at the house of the Interpreter?

Curis. No; he took me, and had me where he showed me a stately palace; and
how the people were clad in gold that were in it; and how there came a venturous
man, and cut his way through the armed men that stood in the door to keep him out;
and how he was bid to come in and win eternal glory. Methought those things did
ravish my heart. J would have stayed at that good man’s house a twelvemonth, but
that I knew I had farther to go.

Prery. And what saw you else in the way?

Curtis. Saw? Why, I went but a little farther, and I saw One, as I thought in my
mind, hang bleeding upon a tree; and the very sight of Him made my burden fall off
my back; for I groaned under a very heavy burden, and then it fell down from off
me. It was a strange thing to me, for I never saw such a thing before; yea, and while
I stood looking up (for then I could not forbear looking), three Shining Ones came to