Captured By Giant Despair Part 2 of 2

A few days ago we left Christian and his friend Hopeful in the dungeon of Doubting Castle.  They had been tempted to commit suicide but decided to continue to live the life that they had been given.  Let's pick up the story where we left off.

Toward evening the giant came down again to see if they had submitted to his counsel.  He found them alive, but only barely alive, for they were perishing for food and water, and suffering miserably from their wounds.  Seeing them still alive, the giant flew into a terrific rage, storming out at them:  "You have disobeyed my counsel!  Now it shall be worse with you than if you had never been born."

At his terrible words, they shook with fear, and Christian went into a swoon.  When he had come to himself again, they remembered their discussion about taking their own lives.  Christian was now inclined to favor the idea.  But Hopeful made a second plea:  "My brother, remember how valiant you were with Apollyon [Satan].  He could not defeat you, nor were you defeated by all you saw and heard in the Valley of the Shadow of Death.  What hardships, terror, and amazement you have already come through!  And, you see, I'm in the dungeon too, a far weaker person by nature and experience than you, receiving the same punishment and suffering the same agony.  This giant has wounded me and has also cut off bread and water from my mouth.  And along with you, I mourn without the light.  But let us exercise a little more patience.  Remember how brave and strong you were at Vanity Fair.  You did not shrink from chains, or iron cage, or bloody death.  Then, let us (at least to avoid the shame of conduct unbecoming to Christians) bear up with patience as best we can.  Deliverance will come by and by."

That night the giant's wife asked him about the prisoners.  She wanted to know if they had taken his counsel.  "No," he said, "they are sturdy rogues.  They choose to bear all hardships rather than do away with themselves."

She replied:  "Tomorrow, take them into the castle yard and show them the bones and skulls of those you have disposed of and make them believe that before the week ends you will tear them in pieces, as you have done with all others."

So when morning came, he took them into the castle yard and showed them the skeletons of those he had murdered.  "Those," he said, "were once pilgrims like you.  They trespassed on my property, and when I saw fit I tore them to pieces, just as I will do to you within ten days if you remain alive on my premises.  Now go down to your dungeon and think it over."  With that he beat them all the way into the dungeon.  There they lay all day Saturday in a deplorable condition.

That night the giant remarked to his wife that he could not understand how his prisoners remained alive.  He had not been able by blows or threats or counseling to bring them to their end.

Then Gloom said, "I am afraid that they live in hopes that someone will come to their rescue; or they may have tools for picking a lock, thus hoping to get out."

"That is true," he said.  "In the morning I will search them."

About midnight Saturday night, Christian and Hopeful began to pray and continued until almost break of day.  Then Christian suddenly broke out in amazement, "What a fool!  What a fool I am to lie here in this stinking dungeon when I might walk free on the highway to glory!  I have a key in my bosom called Promise which I am sure will open any door in Doubting Castle."

Hopeful:  That is certainly good news, my brother.  Get out your key and try it.

Then Christian took the key of Promise and pushed it into the lock of the dungeon door.  The bolt fell back and the door came open.  They walked out into the castle.  Then they went to the door leading to the castle yard.  The key opened that door also.  Now they came to the great iron gate leading outside.  The lock to the gate was exceedingly difficult, yet they unlocked it and pushed the gate open to make their escape.  But the gate made such a creaking sound that it woke the giant, who jumped out of bed to pursue his prisoners.  Then he was seized by one of his fits and lost the use of his limbs.  The prisoners ran to the King's highway, where they were safely beyond Despair's jurisdiction.

From:  Pilgrim's Progress In Today's English
By John Bunyan
Retold by Jamesh. Thomas