Humiliation, as thou dost now, and for this cause have we come
with you to the foot of the hill. So, though he went with great care,
yet he caught a slip or two.

Then in my dream I saw that when they had got to the foot of the hill,
these good friends of Christian's gave him a loaf of bread, a flask of
wine, and a bunch of dry grapes; and then they left him to go on his
way.

But now in this Vale of Humiliation poor Christian was hard put to it,
for he had not gone far, ere he saw a foe come in the field to meet him,
whose name was Apollyon. Then did Christian fear, and he cast in his
mind if he would go back or stand his ground. But Christian thought that
as he had no coat of mail on his back, to turn round might give Apollyon
a chance to pierce it with his darts. So he stood his ground, For,
thought he, if but to save my life were all I had in view, still the
best way would be to stand.

So he went on, and Apollyon met him with looks of scorn.

Apollyon.--Whence come you, and to what place are you bound?

Christian.--I am come from The City of Destruction, which is a place of
all sin, and I am on my way to Zion.

Apollyon.--By this I see you are mine, for of all that land I am the
Prince. How is it, then, that you have left your king? Were it not that
I have a hope that you may do me more good, I would strike you to the
ground with one blow.

Christian.--I was born in your realm, it is true, but you drove us too
hard, and your wage was such as no man could live on.

Apollyon.--No prince likes to lose his men, nor will I as yet lose you;
so if you will come back, what my realm yields I will give you.

Christian.--But I am bound by vows to the King of Kings; and how can I,
to be true, go back with you?

Apollyon.--You have made a change, it seems, from bad to worse; but why
not give Him the slip, and come back with me?

Christian.--I gave Him my faith, and swore to be true to Him: how can I
go back from this?

Apollyon.--You did the same to me, and yet I will pass by all, if you
will but turn and go back.

Then, when Apollyon saw that Christian was stanch to his Prince, he
broke out in a great rage, and said, I hate that Prince, and I hate his
laws, and I am come out to stop you.

Christian.--Take heed what you do. I am on the King's high way to Zion.

Apollyon.--I am void of fear, and to prove that I mean what I say, here
on this spot I will put thee to death. With that he threw a dart of
fire at h