Christian.—That there are crowns of light in store for us, and robes that will make us shine like the sun.
Pliable.—This, too, is good; and what else?
Christian.—That there shall be no more care nor grief for he that owns the place will wipe all tears from our eyes.
Pliable.—And what friends shall we find there?
Christian.—There we shall be with all the saints, in robes so bright that our eyes will grow dim to look on them. There shall we meet those who in this world have stood out for the faith, and have been burnt on the stake, and thrown to wild beasts, for the love they bore to the Lord. They will not harm us, but will greet us with love, for they all walk in the sight of God.
Pliable.—But how shall we get to share all this?
Christian.—The Lord of that land saith, if we wish to gain that world we shall be free to have it.
Pliable.—Well, my good friend, glad am I to hear of these thing: come on, let us mend our pace.
Christian.—I can not go so fast as I would, for this load on my back.
Then I saw in my dream that just as they had come to an end of this talk, they drew near to a slough that was in the midst of the plain, and as they took no heed, they both fell in. The name of the slough was Despond. Here they lay for a time in the mud; and the load that Christian had on his back made him sink all the more in the mire.