Story Hour Readings: Seventh Year Part 52

So, when morning was come, he goes to them in a surly manner as before, and perceiving them to be very sore with the stripes that he had given them the day before, 20 he told them that, since they were never like to come out of that place, their only way would be forthwith to make an end of themselves, either with knife, halter, or poison.

"For why," he said, "should you choose to live, seeing it is attended with so much bitterness?" 25

But they desired him to let them go. With that he looked ugly upon them, and rushing to them, had doubtless made an end of them himself, but that he fell into one of his fits and lost for a time the use of his hands.

Wherefore he withdrew, and left them, as before, to 30 consider what to do.

Then did the prisoners consult between themselves, whether it was best to take his counsel or no. But they soon resolved to reject it; for it would be very wicked to kill themselves; and, besides, something might soon happen to enable them to make their escape.

Well, towards evening the giant goes down to the dungeon 5 again, to see if his prisoners had taken his counsel; but when he came there, he found them alive. I say, he found them alive; at which he fell into a grievous rage, and told them that, seeing they had disobeyed his counsel, it should be worse with them than if they had never been born. 10

At this they trembled greatly, and I think that Christian fell into a swoon; but, coming a little to himself again, they renewed their discourse about the giant's counsel, and whether yet they had best take it or no. Now Christian again seemed for doing it, but Hopeful reminded 15 him of the hardships and terrors he had already gone through, and said that they ought to bear up with patience as well as they could, and steadily reject the giant's wicked counsel.

Now, night being come again, and the giant and his 20 wife being in bed, she asked him concerning the prisoners, and if they had taken his counsel. To this he replied, "They are st.u.r.dy rogues; they choose rather to bear all hardships than to make away with themselves."

Then said she, "Take them into the castle yard to-morrow, 25 and show them the bones and skulls of those that thou hast already dispatched, and make them believe thou wilt tear them in pieces, as thou hast done their fellows before them."

So when morning has come, the giant goes to them again, 30 and takes them into the castle yard, and shows them as his wife had bidden him. "These," said he, "were pilgrims, as you are, once, and they trespa.s.sed on my grounds, as you have done; and when I thought fit, I tore them in pieces; and so within ten days I will do to you. Get you down to your den again."

And with that he beat them all the way thither. 5

Now, when night was come, Mrs. Diffidence and her husband began to renew their discourse of their prisoners.

The old giant wondered that he could neither by his blows nor by his counsel bring them to an end.

And with that his wife replied. "I fear," said she, "that 10 they live in hopes that some will come to relieve them, or that they have picklocks about them, by the means of which they hope to escape."

"And sayest thou so, my dear?" said the giant. "I will therefore search them in the morning." 15

Well, on Sat.u.r.day, about midnight, they began to pray, and continued in prayer till almost break of day.

Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half amazed, broke out into a pa.s.sionate speech: "What a fool am I, thus to lie in a dungeon! I have a key in 20 my bosom, called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle."

Then said Hopeful, "That's good news, good brother; pluck it out of thy bosom and try."

Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom and began 25 to try at the dungeon door, whose bolt, as he turned the key, gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came out.

After that, he went to the iron gate, for that must be opened too, but that lock went desperately hard: yet the 30 key did open it. Then they thrust open the gate to make their escape with speed; but that gate, as it opened, made such a creaking that it waked Giant Despair, who, hastily rising to pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his fits took him again, so that he could by no means go after them. Then they went on, and came to the King's highway again, and so were safe. 5

--_Pilgrim's Progress._

1. Who was traveling with Christian? What mishap first befell them? Why did it occur? What next did they encounter? What happened to the two in Doubting Castle?

2. Explain what an allegory is. Remembering this is an allegory, what do you think each of the following represents in actual life: Bypath Meadow, Vain-Confidence, Doubting Castle, Giant Despair, Mrs. Diffidence, the key called Promise, the King's highway?

3. What is the significance of the name of each of the two leading characters?

4. Select and read aloud a short pa.s.sage that reminds you of the Bible. In what way is the language of your pa.s.sage like that of the Bible?

5. John Bunyan (1628-1688) was an Englishman, believed to be the son of a gipsy tinker. He said his youth was very unG.o.dly; but he married a religious woman and early became a preacher. At the same time he began to write books of a religious nature. Because he preached at "unlawful meetings"

he was thrown into prison, where he remained for twelve years. It was while he was in the Bedford jail that he wrote the first part of _Pilgrim's Progress_, the book that has made his name one of the best loved in literature. After his release from prison, he became an elected pastor of the Baptist faith, and spent his remaining years in preaching and writing. What is there in the above extract that may reflect his experiences in Bedford?

CHRISTMAS EVE AT FEZZIWIG'S

BY CHARLES d.i.c.kENS

Old Fezziwig in his warehouse laid down his pen and looked up at the clock, which pointed to the hour of seven. He rubbed his hands; adjusted his waistcoat; laughed all over himself, from his shoes to his organ 5 of benevolence; and called out in a comfortable, oily, rich, fat, jovial voice:

"Yo-ho, there! Ebenezer! d.i.c.k!"

Ebenezer came briskly in, followed by his fellow 'prentice. 10

"Yo-ho, my boys!" said Fezziwig. "No more work to-night. Christmas Eve, d.i.c.k! Christmas, Ebenezer!

Let's have the shutters up," cried old Fezziwig, with a sharp clap of his hands, "before a man can say Jack Robinson." 15

You wouldn't believe how those two fellows went at it!

They charged into the street with the shutters--one, two, three--had 'em in their places--four, five, six--barred 'em and pinned 'em--seven, eight, nine--and came back before you could have got to twelve, panting like race 20 horses.

"Hilli-ho!" cried old Fezziwig, skipping down from his desk with wonderful agility. "Clear away, my lads, and let's have lots of room here! Hilli-ho, d.i.c.k! Chirrup, Ebenezer!" 25

Clear away? There was nothing they wouldn't have cleared away or couldn't have cleared away, with old Fezziwig looking on. It was done in a minute. Every movable was packed off, as if it were dismissed from public life forevermore. The floor was swept and watered, the lamps were trimmed, fuel was heaped upon the fire; and the warehouse was as snug and warm, and dry and bright, 5 as any ballroom you would desire to see.

In came a fiddler with a music book, and went up to the lofty desk, and made an orchestra of it. In came Mrs.

Fezziwig, one vast substantial smile. In came the three Miss Fezziwigs, beaming and lovable. In came the six 10 young followers whose hearts they broke. In came all the young men and young women employed in the business.

In came the housemaid with her cousin the baker. In came the cook with her brother's particular friend the milkman In came the boy from over the way, who was 15 suspected of not having enough to eat from his master. In they all came, one after another--some shyly, some boldly, some gracefully, some awkwardly, some pushing, some pulling. In they all came, anyhow and everyhow.

Away they all went, twenty couples at once; down the 20 middle and up again; round and round in various stages of affectionate grouping; old top couple always turning up in the wrong place; new top couple starting off again as soon as they got there; all top couples at last, and not a bottom one to help them! 25

When this result was brought about, old Fezziwig, clapping his hands to stop the dance, cried out, "Well done!" Then there were more dances, and there were forfeits, and more dances; and there was cake, and there was a great piece of cold roast, and there was a great piece 30 of cold boiled, and there were mince pies and other delicacies.

But the great effect of the evening came after the roast and the boiled, when the fiddler, artful dog, struck up _Sir Roger de Coverley_. Then old Mr. Fezziwig stood out to dance with Mrs. Fezziwig. Top couple, too, with a good stiff piece of work cut out for them; three or four and twenty pair of partners; people who were not to 5 be trifled with--people who would dance and had no notion of walking.

But if they had been twice as many--aye, four times--old Mr. Fezziwig would have been a match for them and so would Mrs. Fezziwig. As to _her_, she was worthy to 10 be his partner in every sense of the term. If that's not high praise, tell me higher and I'll use it. . . . And when Mr. Fezziwig and Mrs. Fezziwig had gone all through the dance--advance and retire, both hands to your partner, bow and curtsy, thread the needle, and back to your place--Fezziwig 15 "cut" so deftly that he appeared to wink with his legs, and came upon his feet again without a stagger.

When the clock struck eleven this domestic ball broke up.

Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig took their stations one on either side of the door, and shaking hands with every person 20 individually as he or she went out, wished him or her a Merry Christmas. When everybody had retired but the two apprentices they did the same to them; and thus the cheerful voices died away and the lads were left to their beds--which were under a counter in the back shop. 25

--_A Christmas Carol._

1. _A Christmas Carol_ is a story everybody should read and re-read. Why do you think it is so popular? What is there about this selection that is likable? How does it reflect the joy of the Christmas season?

2. List the books you know that d.i.c.kens wrote.

Which have you read? Find some interesting facts about d.i.c.kens's life and report these to the cla.s.s.

JEAN VALJEAN MEETS THE BISHOP