Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 07
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Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 07
Literature -- Collections
Then Mr. Feeble-mind called for his friends, and told them what errand
had been brought unto him, and what token he had received of the truth
of the message. Then he said, Since I have nothing to bequeath to any,
to what purpose should I make a will? As for my feeble mind, that I will
leave behind me, for that I have no need of that in the place whither I
go. Nor is it worth bestowing upon the poorest pilgrim; wherefore when I
am gone, I desire that you, Mr. Valiant, would bury it in a dung-hill.
This done, and the day being come in which he was to depart, he entered
the river as the rest. His last words were, Hold out faith and patience.
So he went over to the other side.
When days had many of them passed away, Mr. Despondency was sent for.
For a post was come, and brought this message to him, Trembling man,
these are to summon thee to be ready with thy King by the next Lord's
day, to shout for joy for thy deliverance from all thy doubtings.
And said the messenger, That my message is true, take this for a proof;
so he gave him "The grasshopper to be a burden unto him." Now Mr.
Despondency's daughter, whose name was Much-afraid, said when she heard
what was done, that she would go with her father. Then Mr. Despondency
said to his friends, Myself and my daughter, you know what we have been,
and how troublesomely we have behaved ourselves in every company. My
will and my daughter's is, that our desponds and slavish fears be by no
man ever received from the day of our departure for ever, for I know
that after my death they will offer themselves to others. For to be
plain with you, they are ghosts, the which we entertained when we first
began to be pilgrims, and could never shake them off after; and they
will walk about and seek entertainment of the pilgrims, but for our
sakes shut ye the doors upon them.
When the time was come for them to depart, they went to the brink of the
river. The last words of Mr. Despondency were, Farewell, night; welcome,
day. His daughter went through the river singing, but none could
understand what she said.
Then it came to pass a while after, that there was a post in the town
that inquired for Mr. Honest.... When the day that he was to be gone was
come, he addressed himself to go over the river. Now the river at that
time overflowed the banks in some places, but Mr. Honest in his lifetime
had spoken to one Good-conscience to meet him there, the which he also
did, and lent him his hand, and so helped him over. The last words of
Mr. Honest were, Grace reigns. So he left the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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