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

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demon　that　would　hurry　us　to　the　infernal　regions；　than　a　laudable

contrivance　for　smoothing　our　way　to　the　Celestial　City。　On　its　top

sat　a　personage　almost　enveloped　in　smoke　and　flame；　which…　not　to

startle　the　reader…　appeared　to　gush　from　his　own　mouth　and　stomach；

as　well　as　from　the　engine's　brazen　abdomen。

　　　〃Do　my　eyes　deceive　me？〃　cried　I。　〃What　on　earth　is　this！　A

living　creature？　If　so；　he　is　own　brother　to　the　engine　he　rides

upon！〃

　　　〃Poh；　poh；　you　are　obtuse！〃　said　Mr。　Smooth…it…away；　with　a

hearty　laugh。　〃Don't　you　know　Apollyon；　Christian's　old　enemy；　with

whom　he　fought　so　fierce　a　battle　in　the　Valley　of　Humiliation？　He　was

the　very　fellow　to　manage　the　engine；　and　so　we　have　reconciled　him　to

the　custom　of　going　on　pilgrimage；　and　engaged　him　as　chief

conductor。〃

　　　〃Bravo；　bravo！〃　exclaimed　I；　with　irrepressible　enthusiasm；　〃this

shows　the　liberality　of　the　age；　this　proves；　if　anything　can；　that

all　musty　prejudices　are　in　a　fair　way　to　be　obliterated。　And　how　will

Christian　rejoice　to　hear　of　this　happy　transformation　of　his　old

antagonist！　I　promise　myself　great　pleasure　in　informing　him　of　it；

when　we　reach　the　Celestial　City。〃

　　　The　passengers　being　all　comfortably　seated；　we　now　rattled　away

merrily；　accomplishing　a　greater　distance　in　ten　minutes　than

Christian　probably　trudged　over　in　a　day。　It　was　laughable　while　we

glanced　along；　as　it　were；　at　the　tail　of　a　thunderbolt；　to　observe

two　dusty　foot…travellers；　in　the　old　pilgrim…guise；　with　cockle…shell

and　staff；　their　mystic　rolls　of　parchment　in　their　hands；　and　their

intolerable　burthens　on　their　backs。　The　preposterous　obstinacy　of

these　honest　people；　in　persisting　to　groan　and　stumble　along　the

difficult　pathway；　rather　than　take　advantage　of　modern

improvements；　excited　great　mirth　among　our　wiser　brotherhood。　We

greeted　the　two　pilgrims　with　many　pleasant　gibes　and　a　roar　of

laughter；　whereupon；　they　gazed　at　us　with　such　woful　and　absurdly

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