204 THE PILGRIMS PROGRESS.

the way, they espied two very ill-fayored ones coming down apace to meet them.
With that, Christiana, and Merey her friend, covered themselves with their veils, and
so kept on their journey; the children also went on before; so that, at last, they met
together. Then they that came down to meet them came just up to the women, as if
they would embrace them; but Christiana said, “Stand back, or go peaceably by, as
you should.”

Yet these two, as men that are deaf, regarded not Christiana’s words, but began to
lay hands upon them. At that, Christiana,
waxing very wroth, spurned at them with her
feet. Mercy also, as well as she could, did
what she could to shift them. Christiana
again said to them, “Stand back, and be gone;
for we have no money to lose, being pilgrims,
as you see, and such, too, as live upon the
charity of our friends.”

Inn-ravorep Onz. Then said one of the two
men, “We make no assault upon you for
money, but are come out to tell you that, if

 

you will grant one small request which we shall
ask, we will make women of’ you for ever.”
Cur. Now Christiana, imagining what they
should mean, made answer again, “We will
neither hear nor regard, nor yield to what
you shall ask. We are in haste, and cannot

 

stay; our business is a business of life or
The Ill-favored ones. death.”

 

So again she and her companions made a
fresh essay to go past them; but they letted them in their way.

Int-ray. And they said, “ We intend no hurt to your lives; it is another thing we
would have.”

Cur. “Ay,” quoth Christiana, “you would have us body and soul, for I know it is
for that you are come; but we will die rather upon the spot, than to suffer ourselves
to be brought into such snares as shall hazard our well-being hereafter.” And, with
that, they both shrieked out, and eried, “Murder! murder!” and so put themselves
under those laws that are provided for the protection of women.“ But the men still