THE ILL-FAVORED ONES. 208

any one from coming tome? I deliver them from the lions, their darling from the
power of the dog.”

Mer. Then said Mercy, “I confess my ignorance: I spake what I understood not:
T acknowledge that Thou doest all things well.”

Cur. Then Christiana began to talk of their journey, and to inquire after the way.

So He fed them, and washed their feet, and set them in the way of His steps, accord-
ing as He had dealt with her husband before.

So I saw in my dream that they walked on in their way, and had the weather very
comfortable to them.

Then Christiana began to sing, saying:

‘Blessed be the day that I began
A pilgrim for to be ;
And blesséd also be the man
That thereto movéd me.

‘Tis true, ‘t was long ere I began
To seek to live for ever ;
But now I run fast as I can:
"T is better late than never.

‘*Our tears to joy, our fears to faith,
Are turnéd, as we see ;
Thus our beginning (as one saith)
Shows what our end will be.’’

Now, there was, on the other side of the wall that fenced in the way up which
Christiana and her companions were to go, a garden, and that garden belonged to him
whose was that barking dog, of whom mention was made before. And some of the
fruit-trees that grew in that garden shot their branches over the wall; and, being
mellow, they that found them did gather them up, and oft eat of them to their hurt.
So Christiana’s boys, as boys are apt to do, being pleased with the trees, and the fruit
that did hang thereon, did plash* them, and began to eat. Their mother did also chide
them for so doing; but still the boys went on.

“ Well,” said she, “ my sons, you transgress, for that fruit is none of ours;” but she
did not know that it did belong to the enemy: I'll warrant you, if she had, she would
have been ready to die for fear. But that passed, and they went on their way.

Now, by that they were gone about two bowshots from the place that led them into

* To plash, verb act., or to bend, plier— Dictionnaire Royale Frangais-Anglais et Anglais-Frangais,” par. A. Boyer, 4to.

1729.