804 THE PILGRIMS PROGRESS.

Hoy. Madam Bubble? Is she not a tall, comely dame, somewhat of a swarthy
complexion ?

Sranp. Right, you hit it: she is just such a one.

Hoy. Does she not speak very smoothly, and give you a smile at the end of a
sentence ?

Sranp. You fall right upon it again, for these are her very actions.

Fon. Doth she not wear a great purse by her side, and is not her hand often in it,
fingering her money, as if that was her heart’s delight?

Srinp, "Tis just so. Had she stood by all this while, you could not more amply
have set her anh before me, nor have better described her features.

Hon. Then he that drew her picture was a good limner, and he that wrote of her
said true.

Great. This woman is a witch, and it is by virtue of her sorceries that this ground
is enchanted. Whoever doth lay his head down in her Jap, had as good lay it down
upon that block over which the axe doth hang; and whoever lay their eyes upon her
beauty, are accounted the enemies of God. This is she that maintaineth in their
splendor all those that are the enemies of pilgrims. Yea, this is she that hath
bought off many a man from a pilgrim’s life. She is a great gossiper: she is always,
both she and her daughters, at one pilgrim’s heels or other; now commending, and
then preferring the excellences of this life. She is a bold and impudent slut; she
will talk with any man. She always laugheth poor pilgrims to scorn, but highly
commends the rich. If there be one cunning to get money in a place, she will speak
well of him from house to house. She loveth banqueting and feasting mainly well;
she is always at one full table or another. She has given it out in some places that
she is a goddess, and therefore some do worship her. She has her times and open
places of cheating ; and she will say and avow it, that none can show a good compar-
able to hers. She promiseth to dwell with children’s children, if they will but love
her and make much of her. She will cast out of her purse gold like dust, in some ~
places and to some persons. She loves to be sought after, spoken well of, and to lie
in the bosoms of men. She is never weary of commending her commodities, and she
loves them most that think best of her. She will promise, to some, crowns and king-
doms, if they will but take her advice; yet many hath she brought to the halter, and
ten thousand times more to hell.

Sranp. “Oh,” said Mr. Stand-fast, “what a mercy it is that I did resist her! for
whither might she have drawn me?”

Great. Whither! nay, none but God knows whither; but in general, to be sure,