"Matter!" said they. "We were going the way you are going, and we went
as far as we dared. But had we gone a little farther we had not been
here to bring the news to thee."

"But what have you met with?" said Christian.

"Why, we were almost in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, but by good
chance we looked before us and saw the danger before we came to it."

"But what have you seen?" said Christian.

"Seen!" said the men, "why, the valley itself was as dark as pitch. We
also saw hobgoblins and dragons, and we heard a continual howling and
yelling as of people in great misery. Death also doth always spread
his wings over it. In a word, it is altogether dreadful, being utterly
without order."

"But," said Christian, "this is the way to the Celestial City."

"Be it your way, then; we will not choose it for ours." So they
parted. Christian went on his way, but still with his sword drawn in
his hand, lest he should be attacked.

I saw then in my dream, that as far as this valley reached, there was
on the right hand a very deep ditch. Again, behold, on the left hand,
there was a very dangerous mire, into which if a man falls he finds no
bottom for his foot to stand on. The pathway here was also exceeding
narrow, and therefore Christian was the more distressed. For when he
sought in the dark to shun the ditch on the one hand, he was ready to
tumble over into the mire on the other, and when he sought to escape
the mire, without great carefulness he would nearly fall into the
ditch. Then he went on, and I heard him sigh bitterly. For besides
these dangers, the pathway was here so dark, that when he lifted up
his foot to go forward, he knew not where, nor upon what he should
set it next. About the middle of this valley I saw the mouth of hell
to be, and it stood close to the wayside.

"Now," thought Christian, "what shall I do?"

And ever and anon the flame and smoke came out in such abundance, with
sparks and hideous noises, that he was forced to put away his sword
and betake himself to another weapon, called All-prayer.

Then he cried out in my hearing, "O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my
soul." Thus he went on a great while, yet still the flames would be
rushing towards him. Also he heard doleful voices and rushings to and
fro, so that sometimes he thought he should be torn in pieces, or
trodden down like mire in the streets.

This frightful sight was seen, and these dreadful noises were heard by
him for severa