n them
the day before, he told them, that since they were never like to come
out of that place, their only way would be forthwith to make an end of
themselves, either with a knife, halter, or poison: for why, said he,
should you choose to live, seeing it is attended with so much
bitterness? But they desired him to let them go. With that he looked
ugly upon them, and rushing to them, had doubtless made an end of them
himself, but that he fell into one of his fits--for he sometimes in
sunshiny weather fell into fits--and lost for a time the use of his
hands; wherefore he withdrew, and left them as before to consider what
to do. Then did the prisoners consult between themselves, whether it
were best to take his counsel or no; and thus they began to discourse.

Brother, said Christian, what shall we do? The life that we now live is
miserable. For my part, I know not whether it is best to live thus, or
to die out of hand. My soul chooseth strangling rather than life, and
the grave is more easy for me than this dungeon. Shall we be ruled by
the Giant?

_Hope._ Indeed our present condition is dreadful, and death would be far
more welcome to me than thus forever to abide; but yet let us consider,
the Lord of the country to which we are going hath said, "Thou shalt do
no murder," no, not to another man's person, much more then are we
forbidden to take his counsel to kill ourselves. Besides, he that kills
another, can but commit murder upon his body; but for one to kill
himself, is to kill body and soul at once. And, moreover, my brother,
thou talkest of ease in the grave, but hast thou forgotten the hell
whither for certain the murderers go? for "no murderer hath eternal
life," etc. And let us consider again, that all the law is not in the
hand of Giant Despair; others, so far as I can understand, have been
taken by him as well as we, and yet have escaped out of his hands. Who
knows but that God, who made the world, may cause that Giant Despair may
die; or that at some time or other he may forget to lock us in; or but
he may, in a short time, have another of his fits before us, and he may
lose the use of his limbs? And if ever that should come to pass again,
for my part, I am resolved to pluck up the heart of a man, and to try my
utmost to get from under his hand. I was a fool that I did not try to do
it before. But however, my brother, let us be patient, and endure
awhile; the time may come that may give us a happy release; bu