e away with themselves."

Then said she, "Take them into the castle yard to-morrow, 25
and show them the bones and skulls of those that
thou hast already dispatched, and make them believe thou
wilt tear them in pieces, as thou hast done their fellows
before them."

So when morning has come, the giant goes to them again, 30
and takes them into the castle yard, and shows them as his
wife had bidden him. "These," said he, "were pilgrims,
as you are, once, and they trespassed on my grounds,
as you have done; and when I thought fit, I tore them in
pieces; and so within ten days I will do to you. Get
you down to your den again."

And with that he beat them all the way thither. 5

Now, when night was come, Mrs. Diffidence and her
husband began to renew their discourse of their prisoners.
The old giant wondered that he could neither by his blows
nor by his counsel bring them to an end.

And with that his wife replied. "I fear," said she, "that 10
they live in hopes that some will come to relieve them,
or that they have picklocks about them, by the means of
which they hope to escape."

"And sayest thou so, my dear?" said the giant. "I
will therefore search them in the morning." 15

Well, on Saturday, about midnight, they began to pray,
and continued in prayer till almost break of day.

Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one
half amazed, broke out into a passionate speech: "What
a fool am I, thus to lie in a dungeon! I have a key in 20
my bosom, called Promise, that will, I am persuaded,
open any lock in Doubting Castle."

Then said Hopeful, "That's good news, good brother;
pluck it out of thy bosom and try."

Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom and began 25
to try at the dungeon door, whose bolt, as he turned the
key, gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and
Christian and Hopeful both came out.

After that, he went to the iron gate, for that must be
opened too, but that lock went desperately hard: yet the 30
key did open it. Then they thrust open the gate to make
their escape with speed; but that gate, as it opened, made
such a creaking that it waked Giant Despair, who, hastily
rising to pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his
fits took him again, so that he could by no