ne but a little way before he espied a foul fiend
coming over the field to meet him: his name is Apollyon. Then did
Christian begin to be afraid, and to cast in his mind whether to go
back, or to stand his ground. But he considered again that he had no
armor for his back, and therefore thought that to turn the back to him
might give him greater advantage with ease to pierce him with his darts;
therefore he resolved to venture, and stand his ground; for, thought he,
had I no more in mine eye than the saving of my life, it would be the
best way to stand.

So he went on, and Apollyon met him. Now the monster was hideous to
behold; he was clothed with scales like a fish, and they are his pride;
he had wings like a dragon, and feet like a bear, and out of his belly
came fire and smoke; and his mouth was as the mouth of a lion. When he
came up to Christian he beheld him with a disdainful countenance, and
thus began to question with him.

_Apollyon._ Whence come you, and whither are you bound?

_Chr._ I am come from the City of Destruction, which is the place of all
evil, and I am going to the city of Zion.

_Apol._ By this I perceive that thou art one of my subjects; for all
that country is mine, and I am the prince and god of it. How is it,
then, that thou hast run away from thy king? Were it not that I hope
thou mayst do me more service, I would strike thee now at one blow to
the ground.

_Chr._ I was, indeed, born in your dominions, but your service was hard,
and your wages such as a man could not live on: for the wages of sin is
death; therefore when I was come to years, I did, as other considerate
persons do, look out, if perhaps I might mend myself.

_Apol._ There is no prince that will thus lightly lose his subjects,
neither will I as yet lose thee; but since thou complainest of thy
service and wages, be content to go back, and what our country will
afford I do here promise to give thee.

_Chr._ But I have let myself to another, even to the King of princes;
and how can I with fairness go back with thee?

_Apol._ Thou hast done in this according to the proverb, "changed a bad
for worse"; but it is ordinary for those that have professed themselves
his servants, after awhile to give him the slip, and return again to me.
Do thou so too, and all shall be well.

_Chr._ I have given him my faith, and sworn my allegiance to him; how
then can I go back from this, and not be hanged as a traitor?

_Apol._ Thou didst t