CHAPTER II.
THE SLOUGH OF DESPOND.
NOW Christian and Pliable spoke as they did walk on the plain; and thiswas what they said:
_Chr._--"Come, friend Pliable. I am glad you have been led to go withme. Had but Obstinate felt what I have felt, he would not have set hisback on us."
_Pli._--"And do you think that your book is true?"
_Chr._--"Yes: there is a realm where we shall not taste of death, thatwe may dwell in it for aye."
_Pli._--"This is right good; and what else?"
_Chr._--"There we shall not weep or grieve more; for he that owns theplace will wipe all tears from our eyes."
_Pli._--"To hear this doth fill one's heart with joy. But are thesethings to form our bliss? How shall we get to share in them?"
_Chr._--"The Lord hath set down _that_ in this book, the pith of whichis, if we in truth seek to have it, he will, of his free grace, grantit to us."
_Pli._--"Well, my good friend, glad am I to hear of these things. Comeon, let us mend our pace."
Now I saw in my dream that just as they had put an end to this talkthey drew up nigh to a deep slough that was in the midst of the plain;and as they did not heed it, both fell swap in the bog. The name of theslough was Despond.
Then said Pliable, "Ah, friend Christian, where are you now?"
"In sooth," said Christian, "I do not know."
At this Pliable said in sharp tones, "Is this the bliss you have toldme all this while of? If we have such ill speed as we first set out,what may we not look for ere the time we get to the end of our road?May I once get out with my life, you shall hold the brave land for me."And with that he gave a bold stride or two, and got out of the mire onthat side of the slough which was next his own house. So off he went,and Christian saw him no more.
Hence Christian was left to sprawl in the Slough of Despond. But I sawin my dream that a man came to him whose name was Help, and did ask himwhat he did there.
"Sir," said Christian, "I was bade go this way by a man known asEvangelist, who sent me in like way to yon gate, that I might scape thewrath to come."
So he gave him his hand, and drew him out, and set him on sound ground,and let him go on his way.
Then I went to him that did pluck him out, and said, "Sir, whence is itthat this plat is not made whole, that those who pass this way may runno risk?"
And he said to me, "This slough is such a place that none can mend it.It goes by the name of the Slough of Despond; for still, as he whosins is wrought up to a sense of his lost state, there spring forth inhis soul fears, and doubts, and dark thoughts that scare, which all ofthem form in a heap and fix in this place; and this is the cause whythe road is so bad. True, there are, by the help of him who frames thelaws, some stout and firm steps found through the midst of this slough;these steps are all but hid, or if they be seen, men step on one side,and then they get all grime with mire, though the steps be there; butthe ground is good when they are once got in at the gate."
Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress: In Words of One Syllable Page 2
