276 THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS.

reste. Most have said so that have known us both; and besides, what I have
read in him I have for the most part found in myself.

Garus. “Come, sir,” said good Gaius, “be of good cheer: you are welcome to me
and tomy house. What thou hast a mind to, call for freely; and what thou wouldst
have my servants do for thee, they will do it with a ready mind.”

Then said Mr. Feeble-mind, “This is an unexpected favor, and as the sun shining
out of a very dark cloud. Did Giant Slay-good intend me this favor when he stopped
me, and resolved to let me go no farther? Did he intend that, after he had rifled my
pockets, I should go to Gaius, mine host? Yet so it is.”

Now, just as Feeble-mind and Gaius were thus in talk, there came one running,
and called at the door, and said, that “ About a mile and a half off there was one Mr.
Not-right, a pilgrim, struck dead upon the place where he was, with a thunderbolt.”

Fresre. “Alas!” said Mr. Feeble-mind, “is he slain? He overtook me some days
before I came so far as hither, and would be my company-keeper. He also was with
me when Slay-good, the giant, took me; but he was nimble of his heels, and escaped ;
but it seems he escaped to die, and I was taken to live.

‘What, one would think, doth seek to slay outright,
Ofttimes delivers from the saddest plight,
That very Providence, whose face is death,
Doth ofttimes to the lowly life bequeath.
I was taken, he did escape and flee;
Hands crossed gives death to him, and life to me.”’

Now, about this time, Matthew and Mercy were married; also Gaius gave his
daughter Phoebe to James, Matthew's brother, to wife; after which time, they yet
stayed about ten days at Gaius’s house, spending their time and the seasons like ag
pilgrims use to do.

When they were to depart, Gaius made them a feast, and they did eat and drink
and were merry. Now, the hour was come that they must be gone, wherefore Mr.
Great-heart called for a reckoning. But Gaius told him that at his house it was not
the custom of pilgrims to pay for their entertainment. He boarded them by the year,
but looked for his pay from the Good Samaritan, who had promised him, at His return,
whatsoever charge he was at with them, faithfully to repay him.

Then said Mr. Great-heart to him,

Great. Beloved, thou doest faithfully, whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and
to strangers, which have borne witness of thy charity before the Church; whom if
thou yet bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well.