Little Christian stayed here more than one night,” said Mercy, while they were dressing. “If Prudence invited us, what shall you say? She looks so pleasant. I should like to make friends with her and with her sisters.”
“We will see what they wish us to do,” replied Christiana. “Perhaps all the pilgrims stay here for a few days.”
After breakfast the three sisters began to talk to their new guests, and presently Prudence said, “We should like you to stay with us for a little while, if you think you can be happy here.”
“Oh, yes!” answered Christiana. “We should enjoy it very much indeed.”
The little pilgrims spent a whole month at the Palace Beautiful, and during that time many things happened of which I must tell you. Prudence and her sisters were very kind, and sometimes Prudence called the three boys together and questioned them to see what they knew. Christiana had tried to teach them about the King and His Son, and she was pleased to hear that they answered well.
“You must take pains to remember what your sister teaches you,” said Prudence. “And when you hear older people talking of holy things, it will be right for you to listen, that you may learn more about the King and His goodness. And do not forget that the flowers and the birds and all the beautiful things around you were made by the King, and that there is a lesson for you to learn from even the humblest daisy or the tiniest fly. You are all so fond of reading,” she continued, “and that is a good thing, but you may be sure that you will never find any better book than the King’s own Book, the one that little Christian loved so dearly. There are stories in it for little children and wise sayings for old people, and the more you read it, the more you will love it, for it will teach you how to serve the King faithfully.”
Not far from the Palace lived a boy whose name was Brisk. He was a bright, good-natured lad, and Prudence hoped that he would one day be a true servant of the King. He often came to the Palace and talked to her, but she had never yet been able to persuade him to give up his careless ways and become a pilgrim. He always said he was too busy, but that someday he would find time to begin his journey.
When the little pilgrims had been at the Palace for about a week, Brisk came in one morning as usual. Mercy had a very sweet face, and when Brisk began to talk to her, he thought she was the nicest little girl he had ever seen. He asked her to come with him to see his brothers and sisters. But Mercy answered that she had a great deal of work to do, for she did not think that Prudence would be pleased if she left the Palace.
Brisk was so busy himself that he did not like Mercy any the less for being industrious, and he came to the Palace nearly every day that he might talk to her. Mercy asked her friends about him, and they told her that he had not yet learned to love the King, although he liked to come to the Palace and talk with the pilgrims.
“He is a nice boy,” said Mercy, “but he will not be a good friend for me if he does not love the King.” So, whenever he came, she sat quietly sewing and did not take much notice of him.