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Lesson 17
Christian and Hopeful had no sooner discovered their sad condition, than thunder began to rumble overhead, lightning streaked in jagged lines across the sky, and the rain came upon them in torrents. "Oh," groaned Hopeful, "how I wish I had kept to my way, even if it was rough!" "So do I," answered Christian sadly. "But who would have supposed we would get into such difficulties?" "I was afraid of it from the first," said Hopeful, "but you were older than I." "I am sorry that I got you into such danger. Please forgive me," Christian said humbly. "Surely I will forgive you," said Hopeful. "That is not hard to do when I remember what I have been forgiven. But let us find our way back to the stile and the highway. It is useless to stay here." This was easier said than done, for they could not find a way out of the meadow, and several times they nearly fell into holes filled with water in which they would surely have drowned. At last they found several boards leaning against a fence and crawled under these for shelter from the pouring rain. There, although they were uncomfortable and unhappy, their exhausted bodies relaxed and soon they were both fast asleep. In the rain and darkness they had failed to see a large castle standing near by. Had they seen it in the storm they would surely have gone there to seek shelter, but had they seen it in daylight they would have run from it in terror, for near the gate was a large sign which said:
The giant was a terrible monster. He was known far and wide for his cruelty. Had Christian and Hopeful know he had property in the vicinity they would certainly have stayed as far from it as possible. But when they left the highway for the path along the edge of By-path Meadow they were thinking only of a smoother, easier way to travel and did not expect to get into trouble. Now they were sleeping under a pile of old boards while with every hour trouble came closer to them. While they slept under their rough shelter the storm cased and soon the day dawned bright and clear. Giant Despair dawned bright and clear. Giant Despair was up early and as he was inspecting his grounds he spied the two sleeping men. "Aha," he said to himself, "here are some trespassers. I will teach them a lesson this time." So, seizing a big club, he came close to the strangers without making a sound. When he was almost upon them he shouted in a loud and ugly voice, "What are you doing on my grounds?" Christian and Hopeful sat up bewildered. It took them a full minute to remember where they were and why they were in this condition. Meantime that great giant stood wielding his club, ready to beat them. Then in frightened and weak voices they told him that they were pilgrims who had lost their way. "So you came tramping on my grounds! Well, come with me. You will soon see enough of this." With that he struck them a blow with his club, and they had no choice but to go with him. He drove them before them into the
castle and led them into a dirty dungeon. It had a strong, heavy door with a great lock on it. There was not a possibility of escape. The night before, when they were lost in the darkness and had no one to guide them to the right way, and when the storm had come upon them, they thought nothing could be worse. But here they were, still wet and miserable, and in the clutches of Giant Despair, besides. They were locked in his dungeon with no hope of escape. Christian was even more unhappy than Hopeful, for he knew that he was to blame for persuading his companion to leave the straight way on which they should have traveled. True, Hopeful had forgiven him as much as before, but Christian could not forgive himself. He took his eyes off his Lord who could deliver him in any time of trial, and thought only of his miserable self, and grew more and more unhappy. "But if from Him
we turn the eye,
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