were not
idle. For all the time the debate went on--because by this time the
conversation had risen to be a debate--Mercy was taking silent sides with
Christiana and her distress and her intended enterprise, till, when Mrs.
Timorous reviled Christiana and said, "Come away, Mercy, and leave her in
her own hands," Mercy by that time was brought to a standstill. For,
like a rose among thorns, Mercy was thoughtful and wise and womanly far
beyond her years. So much so, that already she had made up her mind to
offer herself as a maidservant to help the widow with her work and to see
her so far on her way, and, indeed, though she kept that to herself, to
go all the way with her, if the way should prove open to her. First, her
heart yearned over Christiana; so she said within herself, If my
neighbour will needs be gone, I will go a little way with her to help
her. Secondly, her heart yearned over her own soul's salvation, for what
Christiana had said had taken some hold upon Mercy's mind. Wherefore she
said within herself, I will yet have more talk with this Christiana, and
if I find truth and life in what she shall say, myself with all my heart
shall also go with her. "Neighbour," spoke out Mercy to Mrs. Timorous,
"I did indeed come with you to see Christiana this morning, and since she
is, as you see, a-taking of her last farewell of her country, I think to
walk this sunshine morning a little way with her to help her on the way."
But she told her not of her second reason, but kept that to herself. I
would fain go on with Mercy's memoirs all night. But you will take up
that inviting thread for yourselves. And meantime I shall stop here and
gather up under two or three heads some of the more memorable results and
lessons of that sunshine-morning call.

1. Well, then, to begin with, there was something quite queen-like,
something absolutely commanding, about Christiana's look and manner, as
well as about all she said and did that morning. Mercy's morning
companion had all the advantages that dress and equipage could give her;
while Christiana stood in the middle of the floor in her housewife's
clothes, covered with dust and surrounded with all her dismantled house;
but, with all that, there was something about Christiana that took
Mercy's heart completely captive. All that Christiana had by this time
come through had blanched her cheek and whitened her hair: but all that
only the more commanded Mercy's sensitive and