Stories of Christian's Pilgrimage
Thus, therefore, they went on: Mr. GREAT-HEART and Mr. HONEST went before; CHRISTIANA and her children went next; and Mr. FEEBLE-MIND and Mr. READY-TO-HALT came behind with his crutches. Then said Mr. HONEST:
Honest. Pray, sir, now we are upon the road, tell us some profitable things of some that have gone on pilgrimage before us.
Great-heart. With a good will. I suppose you have heard how CHRISTIAN of old did meet with APOLLYON in the Valley of Humiliation; and also what hard work he had to go through the Valley of the Shadow of Death? Also, I think you cannot but have heard how FAITHFUL was put to it with Madame WANTON; with ADAM the first; with one DISCONTENT; and SHAME --four as deceitful villains as a man can meet with upon the road.
Honest. Yes, I have heard of all this; but, indeed, good FAITHFUL was hardest put to it with SHAME; he was an unwearied one.
Great-heart. Aye, for as the pilgrim well said, "He of all men had the wrong name."
Honest. But pray, sir, where was it that CHRISTIAN and FAITHFUL met TALKATIVE? That same was also a notable one.
Great-heart. He was a confident fool; yet many follow his ways.
Honest. He had like to have beguiled FAITHFUL.
Great-heart. Aye, but CHRISTIAN put him into a way quickly to find him out.
Thus they went on, till they came at the place where EVANGELIST met with CHRISTIAN and FAITHFUL, and prophesied to them of what should befall them at Vanity Fair.
Great-heart. Then said their guide, "Hereabouts did CHRISTIAN and FAITHFUL meet with EVANGELIST, who prophesied to them of what troubles they should meet with at Vanity Fair.
Honest. Say you so? I dare say it was a hard chapter that then he did read unto them!
Great-heart. 'Twas so; but he gave them encouragement withal. But what do we talk of them? they were a couple of lion-like men; they had set their faces like flint. Don't you remember how undaunted they were when they stood before the judge?
Honest. Well, FAITHFUL bravely suffered.
Great-heart. So he did; and as brave things came on't; for HOPEFUL and some others, as the story relates it, were converted by his death.
Honest. Well, but pray go on; for you are well acquainted with things.
Great-heart. Above all that CHRISTIAN met with after he had passed through Vanity Fair, one BY-ENDS was the arch one.
Honest. BY-ENDS! what was he?
Great-heart. A very arch fellow, a downright hypocrite; one that would be religious whichever way the world went; but so cunning, that he would be sure neither to lose nor suffer for it. He had his mode of religion for every fresh occasion; and his wife was as good at it as he. He would turn and change from opinion to opinion; yea, and plead for so doing too. But so far as I could learn, he came to an ill end with his by-ends; nor did I ever hear that any of his children were ever of any esteem with any that truly feared God.