®02 THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS.

in all my life: I thought you would come in by violent hands, or take the kingdom
by storm.”

Mer. Alas! to be in my case, who that so was could but have done so? You saw
that the door was shut upon me, and that there was a most cruel dog thereabout.
Who, I say, that was so faint-hearted as I, would not have knocked with all their
might? But, pray, what said my Lord to my rudeness? Was He not angry with me?

Cur. When He heard your lumbering noise, He gave a wonderful innocent smile;
I believe what you did pleased Him well enough, for He showed no sign to the con-
trary. But I marvel in my heart why he keeps such a dog: had I known that afore,
I should not have had heart enough to have ventured myself in this manner. But
now we are in, we are in, and I am glad with all my heart.

Mer. I will ask, if you please, next time He comes down, why He keeps such a
filthy cur in His yard. I hope He will not take it amiss.

“ Ay, do,” said the children, “and persuade Him to hang him, for we are afraid he
will bite us when we go hence.”

So at last He came down to them again, and Mercy fell to the ground on her face
before Him, and worshipped, and said, “ Let my Lord accept the sacrifice of praise
which I now offer unto Him with the calves of my lips.”

So He said unto her, “ Peace be to thee; stand up.” But she continued upon her
face, and said, “ Righteous art Thou, O Lord, when I plead with Thee; yet let me talk
with Thee of Thy judgments.” Wherefore dost Thou keep so cruel a dog in Thy
yard, at the sight of which such women and children as we are ready to fly from the
gate with fear? He answered and said, “That dog has another owner ; he also is kept
close in another man’s ground, only my pilgrims hear his barking: he belongs to the
castle which you see there at a distance, but can come up to the walls of this place.
He has frighted many an honest pilgrim from worse to better, by the great voice of his
roaring. Indeed, he that owneth him doth not keep him out of any good-will to me
or mine, but with intent to keep the pilgrims from coming to me, and that they may
be afraid to come and knock at this gate for entrance. Sometimes also he has broken
out, and has worried some that I love; but I take all at present patiently. I also give
my pilgrims timely help, so that they are not delivered up to his power, to do with
them what his doggish nature would prompt him to. But, what! my purchased one,
I trow, hadst thou known even so much beforehand, thou wouldst not have been afraid
ofadog. The beggars that go from door to door will, rather than lose a supposed
alms, run the hazard of the bawling, barking, and biting too, of a dog; and shall a

dog in ancther man’s yard, a dog whose barking I turn to the profit of pilgrims, keep
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