elieve him of his sword, hacked and broken off as it was,
or else to execute the law upon Self-love on the spot. I will lay down
my commission this very day, he said, with an extraordinary indignation.
Many rich men in the city, and many men deep in the King's service,
muttered mutinous things when their near relative was hurried to the open
cause-way, but by that time the soldiers of Self-denial's company had
brained Self-love with the butts of their muskets. And it was the stand
that our captain made in the matter of Self-love that at last lifted the
young soldier where many had felt he should have been lifted long ago.
From that day he was made a lord, a military peer, and an adviser of the
crown and the crown officers in all the deepest counsels concerning
Mansoul. Only, with the cloak and the coronet of Self-denial the present
history all but comes to an end. For, before the outcast remains of Self-
love had mouldered to their dust on the city gate, the King's chariot had
descended into the street, had ascended up to the palace at the head of
the street, and a new age of the city life had begun, the full history of
which has yet to be told.

Remain behind, then, and begin with us to-night, all you young men. You
cannot begin this lifelong study and this lifelong pursuit of self-denial
too early. For, even if you begin to read our books and to practise our
discipline in your very boyhood, when you are old men and very saints of
God you will feel that your self-love is still so full of life and power,
that your self-denial has scarcely begun. Ah, me! men: both old and
young men. Ah, me! what a life's task set us of God it is to make us a
new heart, to cleanse out an unclean heart, to lay in the dust a proud
heart, and to keep a heart at all times, and in all places, and toward
all people, with all diligence! Who is sufficient for these things?

'Now was Christian somewhat in a maze. But at last, when every man
started back for fear, Christian saw a man of a very stout countenance
come up to him that sat there with the inkhorn to write, saying, Set down
my name, sir! At which there was a pleasant voice heard from those that
were within, even of those who walked upon the top of that place, saying,

"Come in, come in:
Eternal glory thou shalt win."

Then Christian smiled, and said: I think, verily, that I know the meaning
of all this now.'

CHAPTER XVII--FIVE PICKT MEN

'I took wise men