Some lucky accident, perhaps an invasion of the crusaders, might deliver him; but otherwise he would not despair while God gave him life. Again, irreligious as some may think his former life, he had great belief in the efficacy of the prayers of others. The thought that his father and Martin were praying for him continually gave him comfort.
“God will hear them, if not me,” he thought.
Yet he did really learn to pray for himself more earnestly than he would once have thought possible.
But when a year had nearly passed away in the wearying bondage, he was summoned to the presence of the “Old Man.”
“Christian,” said the latter, “hast thou not borne the heat and burden of slavery long enough?”
“Long enough, indeed, my lord, but I cannot buy my liberty at the expense of my faith.”
“Not when the alternative is a bitter death?”
“No.”
“Thy constancy will be tried. We have borne with thee full long. At next full moon thou wilt have had a year’s reprieve. Thou must prepare to worship the true God and acknowledge His prophet, or die.”
“My choice is made.”