Chapter IX: A Fierce Conflict

After their journey through Achshaph Amer and his friend Heman passed through a time of rest, peace, and joy. Their path led them beside the green pastures and still waters, and though both of them had their hand on their sword ready to fight the enemy at a moment's notice, they were for a time left in peace.

Many a lesson did Amer learn from Heman, lessons of patience and humility; though if Heman had been told what his example was doing for his young friend he would have been surprised indeed. This humility was one of the chief marks of the King's servants, for they knew that every virtue they possessed, "every victory won, and every thought of holiness," was due to the King's presence—and to Him alone.

The braver the soldier, the more conquests he had over his foes, the brighter he kept his breastplate, the more humble he became, and the less inclined he was to speak of himself or of his attainments.

There were some with whom Amer came in contact who surprised him with long stories of their prowess, of the help they had given to strangers on the road, of the victories they had obtained over Temper or Discontent and other enemies; but he began to notice that when they spoke much about themselves, he often met them again on the road in a very sad condition, as they were an easy prey to the many enemies that were always on the watch to take some mean advantage of the pilgrims. Besides, Amer, knowing what bragging had done for him, could not but fear for them.

The two friends rested in the green pastures and drank deep of the still waters, and so their strength, which had been much tried during the fierce battle of the way, was renewed, their shields and breastplates shone brightly, their shoes were easy to their feet, and their helmets covered their heads from the heat of the sun.

But the soldiers of the King never have much time to rest, and Amer began to notice that every now and then Heman's hand went to his sword suddenly, as if he felt an enemy near him. The lad would have liked to have asked him what enemy was annoying him, but his companion was a silent man, and never cared to talk of himself; indeed Amer had noticed that when the conversation came round to something connected with his friend's own personal history, he visibly shrank. The lad was also aware that he knew very little of the inner history of his friend, and that many an enemy met Heman of which he (Amer) was unconscious, so that occasionally he was startled by an exclamation at his side.

Once when he had imagined from the radiance on his friend's face that he was having a time of peace, the lad was surprised at noticing a sudden change of expression crossing it, as Heman said sternly, speaking to some invisible foe,

"'Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me,'" and at the same time his sword was plucked out of its scabbard and held up in a threatening attitude. After these encounters with his foes Heman's shield blazed with light, and a brightness from the Radiant City played across his face.

Amer himself had an easier time of it, and he supposed that the probable cause was, that being somewhat weak and unstable, the King had surrounded him with his hosts to protect him from the enemy that was surely on the watch.

It was just as they left the green pastures and still waters, that Heman and Amer caught sight of a sad looking little figure a few yards in front of them. It was that of Iddo. She was walking in a dejected attitude, and apparently unaware that just above her was an angel with a drawn sword, warding off an enemy who was doing his best to get her into his clutches.

"Iddo," said Amer, "where is your mother?"

The child was too sad even to show pleasure at the sight of her old friend.

"Mother is in the Valley of Pain," she answered, "and the valley sometimes leads to the dark river, and I am afraid."

"Fear not little sister," said Amer, "wherever your mother is she is not out of the keeping of the Great King. Neither are you. Do you know that an angel is guarding you while your mother is away. Do not you feel his wings?"

"Ah!" said Iddo, "I do not deserve the guardianship of the good angel. I wandered out of my path into the Land of Achshaph, and nearly forgot my King there, and it was only a short time after I left it that mother had to go into the Valley of Pain; and I cannot bear to think that I made some of her days unhappy while I was wandering away. I am so miserable that I feel to have no strength to fight my enemies."

"What enemies, have been worrying you?" asked Amer.

"A little family clad all in grey, called the Morbids, have been dodging my path and have done all they could to impede me; and no sooner had they left than I found that one who is near of kin to them was following me, a much worse enemy, called Depression."

"I know the fellow," said Heman.

"I could only get rid of him by crying perpetually to the King for help. And then no sooner had he left me than a worse enemy still beset me."

"What was his name?" inquired Amer.

Iddo shivered.

"Oh! I dare scarcely think of him," she said, "he had a terrible face, and the first moment I saw him I felt sure he would overcome me. His name was Doubt, and he began by asking me if I thought the King could possibly love me as He had sent mother into the Valley of Pain."

"And what did you say?"

"I did not answer at first, but began to wonder if the King had forgotten me. And then we had a talk and all that the enemy said frightened me so that I lost courage, and when he hit me I fell to the ground and did not try to hit him back."

"But did you not cry to the King for help?"

"No, I forgot to do that. But that kind old man Chisleu passed by my way and cried to Him for me. I cannot think how I could ever have disliked Chisleu or talked evil of him. He could not have been kinder if he had been my father, and if you say there is an angel walking beside me I owe that I expect to his cries. And I owe much to you too, dear Amer," she added looking up at him with a brighter face, "for already I feel happier. But I do not deserve to have you or to have the angel."

"Little sister," said Amer, "where is your Guide Book?"

Iddo fumbled in her pocket and at last drew it out. It did not look as if it had been much used.

"Mother has always used hers," she said, somewhat shame faced, "and I have never looked much at my own."

"Dear child," said Heman, who had been listening in silence to the conversation, "perhaps your mother has been taken from you for awhile to help you to read the Guide Book. It is never safe for a pilgrim, though she may have the best parent possible, to depend upon her mother's study of the Guide Book instead of her own. You did not know that in the Book it is written:—"

"'When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.' You need not have feared, or have doubted for a moment the love of the King for you. And as for forgetting you, why, a sparrow does not fall to the ground without Him knowing it."

"Then will the King never forget me?" asked Iddo, comforted.

"Your mother would forget you sooner than the King, my child."

And before long the mother and child had met again.

Belthiah said little about her experiences to her friends, but that she had passed through deep waters could not be doubted from her whole bearing, and that in the Valley of Pain she had had communion with her King, was also evident, from the radiance that lighted up her face when His name was mentioned in her hearing.

"Little Iddo," she said softly, "you need fear nothing if you have the presence of the King with you. I have found my Guide Book true."

"What does the Guide Book say about the Valley of Pain, mother?"

"'When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.' 'Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.'"

"But," said Iddo, "we do not think we shall have to go through that dark valley, mother, we hope that the King will come for us instead of our going to Him."

"I hope so, Iddo, and if I do not live to see that day I trust that my child will."

When Amer's path diverged again he found himself toiling up a steep piece of hill, somewhat weary. He had however gathered strength from the rest in the green pastures, and steadily made his way among the rocks and stones, walking carefully.

At the steepest point he saw a vision that dazzled him and made him think he was dreaming. Just in front of him was Gabrielle, dressed in white, and looking as she had looked on that evening so long ago in the Dark City. When however she turned towards him he saw that she was changed. She looked older, but her charm for him was as great as ever and he sprang to her side.

"Gabrielle!" he cried, "how came you here?"

"By a short cut," she answered lightly, "and not through the East Gate at all. I climbed over the wall of the City and have come in the hope of finding you."

"But are you then on the way to the Radiant City?"

"Certainly not," she cried, "I do not look like a pilgrim, do I?"

Amer looked at her. Her eyes were full of mocking merriment and her mouth was hard and satirical. He was at once aware that there was no mark of the King upon her brow.

"I want you to come back with me," she said, "surely you must be tired of your journey by this time, and we are tired of being without you. I miss you more than I thought I should."

Amer standing looking upon her felt his old love for her welling up in his heart. He had tried to put the thought of her away from him for long, as he found that whenever he indulged in idle dreamings the enemy took advantage of him, specially a very formidable enemy named Jealousy, whom he had met more than once. He had imagined that by this time Gabrielle had forgotten him, and he had done all he could to banish her from his thoughts. But now that she stood before him in her beauty, notwithstanding the new look in her eyes and a certain hardness about the mouth, he found his love for her was still as strong as ever.

"Come back, dear Amer," she said, holding out her hands to him, "give up the Radiant City."

"You ask an impossible thing," he answered looking at her steadily.

The very fact of his determination made her feel that he was all the more worth winning.

"Have you forgotten the day," she said softly, "when you told me that I should be your Radiant City?"

Amer turned pale.

"I would do anything in the world for you but turn back," he said gravely.

"You won't do just the one thing I ask," she said pouting, and she looked so pretty and so much like the Gabrielle whom he had loved so devotedly that his heart beat quickly, and he could scarcely restrain himself.

"I love you as my own soul," he said fervently.

Gabrielle, aware of the advantage that she was gaining, smiled.

"No, you don't," she answered lightly, "you love your own soul better than me."

At these words Amer's hand flew to his sword. He suddenly felt that the enemy was using the lips of the one he loved best in all the world to tempt him. Could it be the Devil himself? The words in the Guide Book which had perplexed him at first, but of which he had been gradually learning the meaning, flashed across his mind:—

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world."

"Get thee behind me," he cried suddenly, and turning round he expected to come face to face with an enemy he had not before encountered; but the foe was invisible.

"Ah! I see," said Gabrielle, "you are as mad as ever! We should never suit. We are made of different stuff;" then she added in a softer tone of voice,

"If you turn back with me, who knows but that one day I might set out on the journey with you?"

For the moment her companion hesitated, then he said:

"If I were to turn back with you you would not be likely to go forward with me! The only hope is for us to be walking both the same way."

"It would tire me to death," she said, "no, I must make up my mind to do what my father is urging all the time and marry Desmond. I only wanted to make quite sure that nothing would make you change your mind and purpose before I gave my answer. Good-bye."

As Amer watched the vanishing figure of Gabrielle, the great enemy, who has taken captive many a poor soul, sprang upon him and pierced him with poisoned darts. But, looking again and again towards the Radiant City and crying out in his agony and pain to its King, the lad kept his ground.

Harder and harder grew the fight, each gripping each with all the strength they possessed, and neither giving way for a moment. But the King was on Amer's side and there were more with him than against him, so though the fight lasted so long that he felt as if he was in a terrible nightmare and would never awake, the enemy, being resisted resolutely, began to lose heart and finally withdrew with many a bad wound. And Amer, the conqueror, fell down faint and almost done to death. But tender hands ministered unto him and sleep overtook him, sleep such as the King gives to His beloved. He awoke at last with some words of the Guide Book ringing in his ears.

"'He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber. . . . . The Lord is thy Keeper.'"