Summary
Christiana, Mercy, and the boys continue on their journey.
Christiana sings of her happiness at being a pilgrim at last. They
spot a garden on the other side of the wall. The boys mischievously
climb over the wall and steal some fruit from the garden, which
belongs to the devil. Christiana chastises them, not knowing that
the fruit belongs to a great enemy.
As they proceed, two Ill-Favored Ones come up to meet
them. Modestly, Christiana and Mercy veil their faces. The two strangers do
not mean to rob them, but say they seek something else from the women.
Christiana and Mercy are terrified and cry for help. A helper, called
the Reliever, emerges from a nearby house. He drives away the Ill-Favored
Ones. Mercy and Christiana express their gratitude, and the Reliever
asks why the women did not request a “conductor,” or guide, for
their journey from the Lord. Christiana realizes her folly and apologizes
for it.
Christiana and Mercy arrive at the house of the Interpreter,
who once sheltered and instructed her husband. Inside the house,
the Interpreter shows the women various meaningful scenes in his
Significant Rooms, just as he did before with Christian. Christiana
sees a man raking muck and realizes this man represents humans who are
overly absorbed in carnal matters, never looking up to heaven. Next
the Interpreter shows Christiana an empty room with a spider on
the wall. Christiana recognizes the spider as sin.
The Interpreter then leads the women into a room where
a butcher kills a sheep that meekly accepts its death. He explains
that all Christians should accept their deaths in this way. Next
the Interpreter guides them through a garden of flowers, all beautiful
in different ways, but the flowers do not quarrel over one another’s beauty,
which suggests that humans too should accept the lot they are given.
The Interpreter points out several more moral emblems in his house,
including a robin with a spider in its mouth. The Interpreter explains
that the robin is like a “professor,” or one who claims religion
without living it sincerely, since robins seem bright and clean
but secretly eat sinful spiders.
The Interpreter invites his guests to eat and asks them
how they decided to begin their pilgrimages. Christiana explains
she was moved to join her husband but was held up by neighbors,
who frightened her. Mercy says that when she stopped by Christiana’s house
and saw her packing up to leave she was compelled to join her. In
the morning the Interpreter bids them to wash before leaving. After
their baths they are clothed in fresh garments and are ready to continue
their journey.
The Interpreter sends them on their way accompanied by
his manservant, Great-heart, who takes weapons and armor with him and
rides ahead on the way toward the Palace Beautiful. During their
travel, Christiana and Great-heart engage in a deep and detailed
theological discussion of pardon in word and in deed. They pass
the spot where Christian lost his burden, and Christiana feels elated.
They also pass three rogues named Simple, Sloth, and Presumption
who had crossed paths earlier with Christian. Now they hang in chains
on the side of the road.
