134 THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS.

with that, his wife replied, “I fear,” said she, “that they live in hope 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.”

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, brake out into
this passionate speech: “ What a fool,” quoth he, “am I to lie in a stinking dungeon,
when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom called Promise, that
will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle.” Then said Hopeful, “That
is good news, good brother: pluck it out of thy bosom, and try.”

Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom, and began 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. Then he went to the outward door that leads
into the castle-yard, and with his key opened that door also. After, he went to the
iron gate, for that must be opened too; but that lock went damnable hard, yet the
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 means go after them. Then they went on, and came to the
King’s highway again, and so were safe because they were out of his jurisdiction.

Now, when they were gone over the stile, they began to contrive with themseives
what they should do at that stile to prevent those that should come after from falling
into the hands of Giant Despair. So they consented to erect there a pillar, and to
engrave upon the side thereof this sentence: “Over this stile is the way to Doubting
Castle, which is kept by Giant Despair, who despiseth the King of the Celestial
Country, and seeks to destroy His holy pilgrims.” Many, therefore, that followed
after, read what was written, and escaped the danger. This done, they sang as
follows :

‘Out of the way we went, and then we found
What ’t was to tread upon forbidden ground :
And let them that come after have a care,
Lest heedlessness make them as we to fare ;
Lest they for trespassing his prisoners are
Whose Castle ’s Doubting, and whose name ’s Despair.’’