twice-told tales- the celestial railroad-第2部分

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compassionate　visages；　that　our　merriment　grew　tenfold　more

obstreperous。　Apollyon；　also；　entered　heartily　into　the　fun；　and

contrived　to　flirt　the　smoke　and　flame　of　the　engine；　or　of　his　own

breath；　into　their　faces；　and　envelope　them　in　an　atmosphere　of

scalding　steam。　These　little　practical　jokes　amused　us　mightily；　and

doubtless　afforded　the　pilgrims　the　gratification　of　considering

themselves　martyrs。

　　　At　some　distance　from　the　railroad；　Mr。　Smooth…it…away　pointed　to　a

large；　antique　edifice；　which；　he　observed；　was　a　tavern　of　long

standing；　and　had　formerly　been　a　noted　stopping…place　for　pilgrims。

In　Bunyan's　road…book　it　is　mentioned　as　the　Interpreter's　House。

　　　〃I　have　long　had　a　curiosity　to　visit　that　old　mansion；〃　remarked

I。

　　　〃It　is　not　one　of　our　stations；　as　you　perceive；〃　said　my

companion。　〃The　keeper　was　violently　opposed　to　the　railroad；　and　well

he　might　be；　as　the　track　left　his　house　of　entertainment　on　one　side；

and　thus　was　pretty　certain　to　deprive　him　of　all　his　reputable

customers。　But　the　foot…path　still　passes　his　door；　and　the　old

gentleman　now　and　then　receives　a　call　from　some　simple　traveller；　and

entertains　him　with　fare　as　old…fashioned　as　himself。〃

　　　Before　our　talk　on　this　subject　came　to　a　conclusion；　we　were

rushing　by　the　place　where　Christian's　burthen　fell　from　his

shoulders；　at　the　sight　of　the　Cross。　This　served　as　a　theme　for　Mr。

Smooth…it…away；　Mr。　Live…for…the…world；　Mr。　Hide…sin…in…the…heart；　Mr。

Scaly…conscience；　and　a　knot　of　gentlemen　from　the　town　of

Shun…repentance；　to　descant　upon　the　inestimable　advantages

resulting　from　the　safety　of　our　baggage。　Myself；　and　all　the

passengers　indeed；　joined　with　great　unanimity　in　this　view　of　the

matter；　for　our　burthens　were　rich　in　many　things　esteemed　precious

throughout　the　world；　and　especially；　we　each　of　us　possessed　a

great　variety　of　favorite　Habits；　which　we　trusted　would　not　be　out　of

fashion；　even　in　the　polite　circles　of　the　Celestial　City。　It　would

have　been　a　sad　spectacle　to　see　such　an　assortment　of　valuable

articles　tumbling　into　the　sepulchre。　Thus　pleasantly　conversing　on

the　favorable　circumstances　of　our　position；　as　compared　with　those　of

past　pilgrims；　and　of　narrow…minded　ones　at　the　present　day；　we　soon

found　ourselves　at　the　foot　of　the　Hill　Difficulty。　Through　the　very

heart　of　this　rocky　mountain　a　tunnel　has　been　constructed；　of　most

admirable　architecture；　with　a　lofty　arch　and　a　spacious　double…track；

so　that；　unless　the　earth　and　rocks　should　chance　to　crumble　down；

it　will　remain　an　eternal　monument　of　the　builder's　skill　and

enterprise。　It　is　a　great　though　incidental　advantage；　that　the

materials　from　the　heart　of　the　Hill　Difficulty　have　been　employed

in　filling　up　the　Valley　of　Humiliation；　thus　obviating　the

necessity　of　descending　into　that　disagreeable　and　unwholesome　hollow。

　　　〃This　is　a　wonderful　improvement；　indeed；〃　said　I。　〃Yet　I　should

have　been　glad　of　an　opportunity　to　visit　the　Palace　Beautiful；　and　be

introduced　to　the　charming　young　ladies…　Miss　Prudence；　Miss　Piety；

Miss　Charity；　and　the　rest…　who　have　the　kindness　to　entertain

pilgrims　there。〃

　　　〃Young　ladies！〃　cried　Mr。　Smooth…it…away；　as　soon　as　he　could　speak

for　laughing。　〃And　charming　young　ladies！　Why；　my　dear　fellow；　they

are　old　maids；　every　soul　of　them…　prim；　starched；　dry；　and　angular…

and　not　one　of　them；　I　will　venture　to　say；　has　altered　so　much　as　the

fashion　of　her　gown；　since　the　days　of　Christian's　pilgrimage。〃

　　　〃Ah；　well；　said　I；　much　comforted；　〃then　I　can　very　readily

dispense　with　their　acquaintance。〃

　　　The　respectable　Apollyon　was　now　putting　on　the　steam　at　a

prodigious　rate；　anxious；　perhaps；　to　get　rid　of　the　unpleasant

reminiscences　connected　with　the　spot　where　he　had　so　disastrously

encountered　Christian。　Consulting　Mr。　Bunyan's　road…book；　I

perceived　that　we　must　now　be　within　a　few　miles　of　the　Valley　of

the　Shadow　of　Death；　into　which　doleful　region；　at　our　present

speed；　we　should　plunge　much　sooner　than　seemed　at　all　desirable。　In

truth；　I　expected　nothing　better　than　to　find　myself　in　the　ditch　on

one　side；　or　the　quag　on　the　other。　But　on　communicating　my

apprehensions　to　Mr。　Smooth…it…away；　he　assured　me　that　the

difficulties　of　this　passage；　even　in　its　worst　condition；　had　been

vastly　exaggerated；　and　that；　in　its　present　state　of　improvement；　I

might　consider　myself　as　safe　as　on　any　railroad　in　Christendom。

　　　Even　while　we　were　speaking；　the　train　shot　into　the　entrance　of

this　dreaded　Valley。　Though　I　plead　guilty　to　some　foolish

palpitations　of　the　heart；　during　our　headlong　rush　over　the

causeway　here　constructed；　yet　it　were　unjust　to　withhold　the

highest　encomiums　on　the　boldness　of　its　original　conception；　and

the　ingenuity　of　those　who　executed　it。　It　was　gratifying；　likewise；

to　observe　how　much　care　had　been　taken　to　dispel　the　everlasting

gloom；　and　supply　the　defect　of　cheerful　sunshine；　not　a　ray　of

which　has　ever　penetrated　among　these　awful　shadows。　For　this　purpose；

the　inflammable　gas；　which　exudes　plentifully　from　the　soil；　is

collected　by　means　of　pipes；　and　thence　communicated　to　a　quadruple

row　of　lamps；　along　the　whole　extent　of　the　passage。　Thus　a　radiance

has　been　created；　even　out　of　the　fiery　and　sulphurous　curse　that

rests　for　ever　upon　the　Valley；　a　radiance　hurtful；　however；　to　the

eyes；　and　somewhat　bewildering；　as　I　discovered　by　the　changes　which

it　wrought　in　the　visages　of　my　companions。　In　this　respect；　as

compared　with　natural　daylight；　there　is　the　same　difference　as

between　truth　and　falsehood；　but　if　the　reader　have　ever　travelled

through　the　dark　Valley；　he　will　have　learned　to　be　thankful　for　any

light　that　he　could　get；　if　not　from　the　sky　above；　then　from　the

blasted　soil　beneath。　Such　was　the　red　brilliancy　of　these　lamps；　that

they　appeared　to　build　walls　of　fire　on　both　sides　of　the　track；

between　which　we　held　our　course　at　lightning　speed；　while　a

reverberating　thunder　filled　the　Valley　with　its　echoes。　Had　the

engine　run　off　the　track…　a　catastrophe；　it　is　whispered；　by　no

means　unprecedented…　the　bottomless　pit；　if　there　be　any　such　place；

would　undoubtedly　have　received　us。　Just　as　some　dismal　fooleries　of

this　nature　had　made　my　heart　quake；　there　came　a　tremendous　shriek；

careering　along　the　Valley　as　if　a　thousand　devils　had　burst　their

lungs　to　utter　it；　but　which　proved　to　be　merely　the　whistle　of　the

engine；　on　arriving　at　a　stopping…place。

　　　The　spot；　where　we　had　now　paused；　is　the　same　that　our　friend

Bunyan…　truthful　man；　but　infected　with　many　fantastic　notions…　has

designated；　in　terms　plainer　than　I　like　to　repeat；　as　the　mouth　of

the　infernal　region。　This；　however；　must　be　a　mistake；　inasmuch　as　Mr。

Smooth…it…away；　while　we　remained　in　the　smoky　and　lurid　cavern；

took　occasion　to　prove　that　Tophet　has　not　even　a　metaphorical

existence。　The　place；　he　assured　us；　is　no　other　than　the　crater　of

a　half…extinct　volcano；　in　which　the　Directors　had　caused　forges　to　be

set　up；　for　the　manufacture　of　railroad　iron。　Hence；　also；　is　obtained

a　plentiful　supply　of　fuel　for　the　use　of　the　engines。　Whoever　had

gazed　into　the　dismal　obscurity　of　the　broad　cavern…mouth；　whence　ever

and　anon　darted　huge　tongues　of　dusky　flame…　and　had　seen　the　strange；

half…shaped　monsters；　and　visions　of　faces　horribly　grotesque；　into

which　the　smoke　seemed　to　wreathe　itself…　and　had　heard　the　awful

murmurs；　and　shrieks；　and　deep　shuddering　whispers　of　the　blast；

sometimes　forming　themselves　into　words　almost　articulate…　would

have　seized　upon　Mr。　Smooth…it…away's　comfortable　explanation；　as

greedily　as　we　did。　The　inhabitants　of　the　cavern；　moreover；　were

unlovely　personages；　dark；　smoke…begrimed；　generally　deformed；　with

mis…shapen　feet；　and　a　glow　of　dusky　redness　in　their　eyes；　as　if

their　hearts　had　caught　fire；　and　were　blazing　out　of　the　upper

windows。　It　struck　me　as　a　peculiarity；　that　the　laborers　at　the

forge；　and　those　who　brought　fuel　to　the　engine；　when　they　began　to

draw　short　breath；　positively　emitted　smoke　from　their　mouth　and

nostrils。

　　　Among　the　idlers　about　the　train；　most　of　whom　were　puffing

cigars　which　they　had　lighted　at　the　flame　of　the　crater；　I　was

perplexed　to　notice　several　who；　to　my　certain　knowledge；　had

heretofore　set　forth　by　railroad　for　the　Celestial　City。　They　looked

dark；　wild；　and　smoky；　with　a　singular　resemblance；　indeed；　to　the

native　inhabitants；　like　whom；　also；　they　had　a　disagreeable

propensity　to　ill…natured　gibes　and　sneers；　the　habit　of　which　had

wrought　a　settled　contortion　of　their　visages。　Having　been　on　speaking

terms　with　one　of　these　persons…　an　indolent；　good…for…nothing　fellow；

who　went　by　the　name　of　Take…it…easy…　I　called　him；　and　inquired

what　was　his　business　there。

　　　〃Did　you　not　start；〃　said　I；　〃for　the　Celestial　City？〃

　　　〃That's　a　fact；〃　said　Mr。　Take…it…easy；　carelessly　puffing　some

smoke　into　my　eyes。　〃But　I　heard　such　bad　accounts；　that　I　never

took　pains　to　climb　the　hill；　on　which　the　city　stands。　No　business

doing…　no　fun　going　on…　nothing　to　drink；　and　no　smoking　allowed…

and　a　thrumming　of　church…music　from　morning　till　night！　I　would　not

stay　in　such　a　place；　if　they　offered　me　house…room　and　living　free。〃

　　　〃But；　my　good　Mr。　Take…it…easy；〃　cried　I；　〃why　take　up　your

residence　here；　of　all　places　in　the　world？〃

　　　〃Oh；〃　said　the　loafer；　with　a　grin；　〃it　is　very　warm　hereabouts；

and　I　meet　with　plenty　of　old　acquaintances；　and　altogether　the

place　suits　me。　I　hope　to　see　you　back　again；　some　day　soon。　A

pleasant　journey　to　you！〃

　　　While　he　was　speaking；　the　bell　of　the　engine　rang；　and　we　dashed

away；　after　dropping　a　few　passengers；　but　receiving　no　new　ones。

Rattling　onward　through　the　Valley；　we　were　dazzled　with　the

fiercely　gleaming　gas…lamps；　as　before。　But　sometimes；　in　the　dark

of　intense　brightness；　grim　faces；　that　bore　the　aspect　and　expression

of　individual　sins；　or　evil　passions；　seemed　to　thrust　themselves

through　the　veil　of　light；　glaring　upon　us；　and　stretching