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 his breast, but Christian had a shield on his arm, with which he caught it. Then did Christian draw his sword, for he saw it was time to stir; and Apollyon as fast made at him, and threw darts as thick as hail; with which, in spite of all that Christian could do, Apollyon gave him wounds in his head, hand, and foot. This made Christian pause in the fight for a time, but Apollyon still came on, and Christian once more took heart. They fought for half a day, till Christian, weak from his wounds, was well nigh spent in strength. When Apollyon saw this, he threw him down with a great force; on which Christian's sword fell out of his hand. Then said Apollyon, I am sure of thee now. But while he strove to make an end of Christian, that good man put out his hand in haste to feel for his sword, and caught it. Boast not, oh Apollyon! said he, and with that he struck him a blow which made his foe reel back as one that had had his last wound. Then he spread out his wings and fled, so that Christian for a time saw him no more. Then there came to him a hand which held some of the leaves of the tree of life; some of them Christian took, and as soon as he had put them to his wounds, he saw them heal up. Now near this place was the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and Christian must needs go through it to get to The Celestial City. It was a land of drought and full of pits, a land that none but such as Christian could pass through, and where no man dwelt. So that here he was worst put to it than in his fight with Apollyon, which by and by we shall see. As he drew near the Shadow of Death he met with two men, to whom Christian thus spoke: To what place do you go? Men.--Back! Back! and we would have you do the same if you prize life and peace. Christian.--But why? Men.--We went on as far as we durst. Christian.--What then have you seen?