เ

Now, when they were within sight of the Porter's lodge, they soon came up into it; but they made the more haste after this to go thither, because it is dangerous travelling there in the night. So when they were come to the gate, the guide knocked, and the porter cried, Who is there?' But as soon as the guide said, 'It is I,' he knew his voice and came down for the guide had oft before that come thither as a conductor of pilgrims. When he was come down, he opened the gate, and seeing the guide standing just before it (for he saw not the women, for they were behind him), he said unto him: 'How now, Mr. Greatheart, what is your business here so late to night?' 'I have brought,' answered he, ‘some pilgrims hither, where, by my Lord's commandment, they must lodge: I had been here some time ago, had I not been opposed by the giant that did use to back the lions. But I, after a long and tedious combat, have cut him off, and have brought the pilgrims here in safety.'

6

Porter. Will you not go in and stay till morning?'

Greatheart. No: I will return to my Lord to-night.'

Christiana. Oh Sir, I know not how to be willing you should leave us in our pilgrimage, you have been so faithful and loving to us, you have fought so stoutly for us, you have been so hearty in counselling of us, that I shall never forget your favour towards us.'

Then said Mercy: 'Oh! that we might have thy company to our journey's end! How can such poor women as we hold out in a way so full of troubles as this way is, without a friend and defender.'

Then said James, the youngest of the boys, 'Pray, sir, be persuaded to go with us and help us, because we are so weak, and the way so dangerous as it is.'

Greatheart. I am at my Lord's commandment: if he shall allot me to be your guide quite through, I will willingly wait upon you. But here you failed at first; for when he bid me come thus far with you, then you should have begged me of him to go quite through with you, and he would have granted your request. However, at present I must withdraw, and so, good Christiana, Mercy, and my brave children, adieu!"

145

THE DEAD ASS.

(STERNE.)

'AND this,' said he, putting the remains of a crust into his wallet, and this should have been thy portion hadst thou been alive to share it with me.'

The mourner was sitting upon a stone bench at the door, with the ass's pannel* and its bridle on one side, which he took up from time to time, then laid them down, looked at them, and shook his head. He then took his crust of bread out of his wallet again, as if to eat it, held it some time in his hand, then laid it on the bit of his ass's bridle, looked wistfully at the little arrangements he had made, and then gave a sigh.

The simplicity of his grief drew numbers about him, and La Fleur among the rest, whilst the horses were getting ready. As I continued sitting in the post-chaise, I could see and hear over their heads.

He said he had come last from Spain, where he had been from the furthest borders of * Pannel, a saddle.

L

Franconia, and had got so far on his way home when his ass died. Every one seemed desirous to know what business could have taken so old and poor a man so far a journey from his own home.

It had pleased Heaven, he said, to bless him with three sons, the finest in all Germany, but having in one week lost two of them by the small рох, and the youngest falling ill of the same distemper, he was afraid of being bereft of them all, and made a vow, if Heaven would not take him from him also, he would go in gratitude to St. Iago* of Spain.

When the mourner had got thus far, he stopped to pay nature her tribute, and wept bitterly.

He said, Heaven had accepted the conditions, and that he had set out from his cottage with this poor creature, who had been a patient partner of his journey-that it had eaten the same bread with him all the way, and was unto him as a friend. Everybody who stood about heard the poor fellow with concern. La Fleur offered him money. The mourner said, he did not want it-it was not the value of the ass but the loss of him. The ass, he

St. James, the patron saint of Spain.

said, he was assured, loved him, and upon this told them a long story of a mischance upon their passage over the Pyrenean mountains, which had separated them from each other for three days, during which time the ass had sought for him as much as he had sought for the ass, and that they had neither scarce eat or drunk until they met.

'Thou hast one comfort, friend,' said I, 'at least, in the loss of thy beast: I am sure thou hast been a merciful master to him.'

'Alas,' said the mourner, "I thought so while he was alive, but now that he is dead, I think otherwise. I fear the weight of myself and my afflictions together have been too much for him: they have shortened the poor creature's days, and I fear I have them to answer for.'

Shame on the world! said I to myself; did we love each other as this poor soul loved his ass, it would be something.