第88章 Part 8(10)

But the doubters, remembering their last success, made a retreat, not daring to stand the shock, but fled from the Prince's men; wherefore they pursued them, and in their pursuit slew many, but they could not catch them all. Now those that escaped went some of them home; and the rest by fives, nines, and seventeens, like wanderers, went straggling up and down the country, where they upon the barbarous people showed and exercised many of their Diabolonian actions: nor did these people rise up in arms against them, but suffered themselves to be enslaved by them. They would also after this show themselves in companies before the town of Mansoul, but never to abide in it; for if Captain Credence, Captain Good-Hope, or Captain Experience did but show themselves, they fled.

Those that went out against the blood-men did as they were commanded: they forbore to slay any, but sought to compass them about. But the blood-men, when they saw that no Emmanuel was in the field, concluded also that no Emmanuel was in Mansoul; wherefore they, looking upon what the captains did to be, as they called it, a fruit of the extravagancy of their wild and foolish fancies, rather despised them than feared them. But the captains, minding their business, at last did compass them round; they also that had routed the doubters came in amain to their aid: so, in fine, after some little struggling, (for the blood-men also would have run for it, only now it was too late; for though they are mischievous and cruel, where they can overcome, yet all blood-men are chicken-hearted men, when they once come to see themselves matched and equalled,) - so the captains took them, and brought them to the Prince.

Now when they were taken, had before the Prince, and examined, he found them to be of three several counties, though they all came out of one land.

1. One sort of them came out of Blind-man-shire, and they were such as did ignorantly what they did.

2. Another sort of them came out of Blind-zeal-shire, and they did superstitiously what they did.

3. The third sort of them came out of the town of Malice, in the county of Envy, and they did what they did out of spite and implacableness.

For the first of these, namely, they that came out of Blind-man-shire, when they saw where they were, and against whom they had fought, they trembled and cried, as they stood before him; and as many of these as asked him mercy, he touched their lips with his golden sceptre.

They that came out of Blind-zeal-shire, they did not as their fellows did; for they pleaded that they had a right to do what they did, because Mansoul was a town whose laws and customs were diverse from all that dwelt thereabouts. Very few of these could be brought to see their evil; but those that did, and asked mercy, they also obtained favour.

Now, they that came out of the town of Malice, that is in the county of Envy, they neither wept, nor disputed, nor repented, but stood gnawing their tongues before him for anguish and madness, because they could not have their will upon Mansoul. Now these last, with all those of the other two sorts that did not unfeignedly ask pardon for their faults, - those he made to enter into sufficient bond to answer for what they had done against Mansoul, and against her King, at the great and general assizes to be holden for our Lord the King, where he himself should appoint for the country and kingdom of Universe. So they became bound each man for himself, to come in, when called upon, to answer before our Lord the King for what they had done as before.

And thus much concerning this second army that was sent by Diabolus to overthrow Mansoul.

But there were three of those that came from the land of Doubting, who, after they had wandered and ranged the country a while, and perceived that they had escaped, were so hardy as to thrust themselves, knowing that yet there were in the town Diabolonians, - I say, they were so hardy as to thrust themselves into Mansoul among them. (Three, did I say? Ithink there were four.) Now, to whose house should these Diabolonian doubters go, but to the house of an old Diabolonian in Mansoul, whose name was Evil-Questioning, a very great enemy he was to Mansoul, and a great doer among the Diabolonians there. Well, to this Evil-Questioning's house, as was said, did these Diabolonians come (you may be sure that they had directions how to find the way thither), so he made them welcome, pitied their misfortune, and succoured them with the best that he had in his house. Now, after a little acquaintance (and it was not long before they had that), this old Evil-Questioning asked the doubters if they were all of a town (he knew that they were all of one kingdom), and they answered: 'No, nor not of one shire neither; for I,' said one, 'am an election doubter:' 'I,' said another, 'am a vocation doubter:' then said the third, 'I am a salvation doubter:' and the fourth said he was a grace doubter. 'Well,' quoth the old gentleman, 'be of what shire you will, I am persuaded that you are down, boys: you have the very length of my foot, are one with my heart, and shall be welcome to me.' So they thanked him, and were glad that they had found themselves an harbour in Mansoul.

Then said Evil-Questioning to them: 'How many of your company might there be that came with you to the siege of Mansoul?' and they answered: 'There were but ten thousand doubters in all, for the rest of the army consisted of fifteen thousand blood-men. These blood-men,' quoth they, 'border upon our country; but, poor men! as we hear, they were every one taken by Emmanuel's forces.' 'Ten thousand!' quoth the old gentleman; 'I will promise you, that is a round company. But how came it to pass, since you were so mighty a number, that you fainted, and durst not fight your foes?' 'Our general,' said they, 'was the first man that did run for it.' 'Pray,' quoth their landlord, 'who was that, your cowardly general?'