hen Giant Despair found they were not dead, he fell in a great
rage, and said that it should be worse with them if they had not been
born. At this they shook with fear, and Christian fell down in a swoon;
but when he came to, Hopeful said: My friend, call to mind how strong in
faith you have been till now. Say, could Apollyon hurt you, or all that
you heard, or saw, or felt in the Valley of the Shadow of Death? Look at
the fears, the griefs, the woes that you have gone through. And now to
be cast down! I, too, am in this cell, far more weak a man than you, and
Giant Despair dealt his blows at me as well as you, and keeps me from
food and light. Let us both (if but to shun the shame) bear up as well
as we can.

When night came on, the wife of Giant Despair said to him: Well, will
the two men yield?

To which he said: No; they choose to stand firm, and will not put an end
to their lives.

Then said Mrs. Diffidence: At dawn of day take them to the yard, and
show them the graves where all those whom you have put to death have
been thrown, and make use of threats this time.

So Giant Despair took them to this place, and said: In ten days time you
shall be thrown in here if you do not yield. Go; get you down to your
den once more. With that he beat them all the way back, and there they
lay the whole day in a sad plight.

Now, when night was come, Mrs. Diffidence said to Giant Despair: I fear
much that these men live on in hopes to pick the lock of the cell and
get free.

Dost thou say so, my dear? quoth Giant Despair to his wife; then at sun
rise I will search them.

Now, on that night, as Christian and Hopeful lay in the den, they fell
on their knees to pray, and knelt till the day broke; when Christian
gave a start, and said: Fool that I am thus to lie in this dark den when
I might walk at large! I have a key in my pouch, the name of which
is Promise, that, I feel sure, will turn the lock of all the doors in
Doubting Castle.

Then said Hopeful: That is good news; pluck it from thy breast, and let
us try it.

So Christian put it in the lock, when the bolt sprang back, the door
flew wide, and Christian and Hopeful both came out. When they got to the
yard door the key did just as well; but the lock of the last strong gate
of Doubting Castle went hard, yet it did turn at last, though the hinge
gave so loud a creak that it woke up Giant Despair, who rose to seek
for the two men. But just then he felt his limbs fail,