behind lost sight of him that went before. Vain-confidence then
went on, not seeing the way before him, and fell into a deep pit which
was there. This pit was made by the Prince of those grounds on
purpose, to catch such foolish men as Vain-confidence. He, then, fell
into the pit and was dashed to pieces with his fall. Now Christian and
Hopeful heard him fall, so they called to know what was the matter,
but there was none to answer, only they heard a groaning.

Then said Hopeful, "Where are we now?" But Christian was silent, for
he began to be afraid that he had led Hopeful out of the way.

Now it began to rain and thunder and lighten in a very dreadful
manner, and the river flowed over the banks.

And Hopeful groaned, "Oh that I had kept on my way."

By this time the waters were greatly risen, so that to go back was
very dangerous. Yet they tried to go back, but it was so dark, and the
flood was so high, that as they went they were nearly drowned nine or
ten times, and they could not reach the stile again that night.
Wherefore at last, coming to a little shelter, they sat down, but
being weary they fell asleep. Now there was, not far from the place
where they lay, a castle, called Doubting Castle, and the owner of the
castle was Giant Despair, and it was in his grounds the pilgrims were
now sleeping. Wherefore the giant, getting up early, and walking up
and down in his fields, caught Christian and Hopeful asleep. Then with
a grim and surly voice he woke them, and asked them what they were
doing in his grounds. They told him they were pilgrims and had lost
their way.

The giant said, "You have trampled on my ground, and slept on it, and
therefore you must go along with me." So they were forced to go,
because he was stronger than they. Also they said very little, for
they knew they had done wrong.

The giant therefore drove them before him, and put them into his
castle, into a very dark dungeon. Here, then, they lay, from Wednesday
morning till Saturday night, without one bit of bread or drop of
drink, or light, or any one to speak to them. Now Giant Despair had a
wife, and he told her he had taken a couple of men prisoners, because
they were sleeping on his grounds. Then she told him that, when he
arose in the morning, he should beat them without mercy.

So Giant Despair got a cudgel, and went down to the dungeon and beat
Christian and Hopeful fearfully, so that they could not move. Then the
giant left them, and