the celeatial railroad-第3章

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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

Bunyana　truthful　man；　but　infected　with　many　fantastic

notionshas　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　misshapen　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　forth　a　great；　dusky　hand；　as　if　to　impede　our

progress。　I　almost　thought　that　they　were　my　own　sins　that

appalled　me　there。　These　were　freaks　of　imaginationnothing

more；　certainly…mere　delusions；　which　I　ought　to　be　heartily

ashamed　of；　but　all　through　the　Dark　Valley　I　was　tormented；　and

pestered；　and　dolefully　bewildered　with　the　same　kind　of　waking

dreams。　The　mephitic　gases　of　that　region　intoxicate　the　brain。

As　the　light　of　natural　day；　however；　began　to　struggle　with　the

glow　of　the　lanterns；　these　vain　imaginations　lost　their

vividness；　and　finally　vanished　from　the　first　ray　of　sunshine

that　greeted　our　escape　from　the　Valley　of　the　Shadow　of　Death。

Ere　we　had　gone　a　mile　beyond　it　I　could　well…nigh　have　taken　my

oath　that　this　whole　gloomy　passage　was　a　dream。



At　the　end　of　the　valley；　as　John　Bunyan　mentions；　is　a　cavern；

where；　in　his　days；　dwelt　two　cruel　giants；　Pope　and　Pagan；　who

had　strown　the　ground　about　their　residence　with　the　bones　of

slaughtered　pilgrims。　These　vile　old　troglodytes　are　no　longer

there；　but　into　their　deserted　cave　another　terrible　giant　has

thrust　himself；　and　makes　it　his　business　to　seize　upon　honest

travellers　and　fatten　them　for　his　table　with　plentiful　meals　of

smoke；　mist；　moonshine；　raw　potatoes；　and　sawdust。　He　is　a　German

by　birth；　and　is　called　Giant　Transcendentalist；　but　as　to　his

form；　his　features；　his　substance；　and　his　nature　generally；　it

is　the　chief　peculiarity　of　this　huge　miscreant　that　neither　he

for　himself；　nor　anybody　for　him；　has　ever　been　able　to　describe

them。　As　we　rushed　by　the　cavern's　mouth　we　caught　a　hasty

glimpse　of　him；　looking　somewhat　like　an　ill…proportioned　figure；

but　considerably　more　like　a　heap　of　fog　and　duskiness。　He

shouted　after　us；　but　in　so　strange　a　phraseology　that　we　knew

not　what　he　meant；　nor　whether　to　be　encouraged　or　affrighted。



It　was　late　in　the　day　when　the　train　thundered　into　the　ancient

city　of　Vanity；　where　Vanity　Fair　is　still　at　the　height　of

prosperity；　and　exhibits　an　epitome　of　whatever　is　brilliant；

gay；　and　fascinating　beneath　the　sun。　As　I　purposed　to　make　a

considerable　stay　here；　it　gratified　me　to　learn　that　there　is　no

longer　the　want　of　harmony　between　the　town's…people　and

pilgrims；　which　impelled　the　former　to　such　lamentably　mistaken

measures　as　the　persecution　of　Christian　and　the　fiery　martyrdom

of　Faithful。　On　the　contrary；　as　the　new　railroad　brings　with　it

great　trade　and　a　constant　influx　of　strangers；　the　lord　of

Vanity　Fair　is　its　chief　patron；　and　the　capitalists　of　the　city

are　among　the　largest　stockholders。　Many　passengers　stop　to　take

their　pleasure　or　make　their　profit　in　the　Fair；　instead　of　going

onward　to　the　Celestial　City。　Indeed；　such　are　the　charms　of　the

place　that　people　often　affirm　it　to　be　the　true　and　only　heaven；

stoutly　contending　that　there　is　no　other；　that　those　who　seek

further　are　mere　dreamers；　and　that；　if　the　fabled　brightness　of

the　Celestial　City　lay　but　a　bare　mile　beyond　the　gates　of

Vanity；　they　would　not　be　fools　enough　to　go　thither。　Without

subscribing　to　these　perhaps　exaggerated　encomiums；　I　can　truly

say　that　my　abode　in　the　city　was　mainly　agreeable；　and　my

intercourse　with　the　inhabitants　productive　of　much　amusement　and

instruction。



Being　naturally　of　a　serious　turn；　my　attention　was　directed　to

the　solid　advantages　derivable　from　a　residence　here；　rather　than

to　the　effervescent　pleasures　which　are　the　grand　object　with　too

many　visitants。　The　Christian　reader；　if　he　have　had　no　accounts

of　the　city　later　than　Bunyan's　time；　will　be　surprised　to　hear

that　almost　every　street　has　its　church；　and　that　the　reverend

clergy　are　nowhere　held　in　higher　respect　than　at　Vanity　Fair。

And　well　do　they　deserve　such　honorable　estimation；　for　the