the celeatial railroad-第5章

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This　incident　made　a　considerable　impression　on　my　mind；　and

contributed　with　other　circumstances　to　indispose　me　to　a

permanent　residence　in　the　city　of　Vanity；　although；　of　course；　I

was　not　simple　enough　to　give　up　my　original　plan　of　gliding

along　easily　and　commodiously　by　railroad。　Still；　I　grew　anxious

to　be　gone。　There　was　one　strange　thing　that　troubled　me。　Amid

the　occupations　or　amusements　of　the　Fair；　nothing　was　more

common　than　for　a　personwhether　at　feast；　theatre；　or　church；

or　trafficking　for　wealth　and　honors；　or　whatever　he　might　be

doing；　to　vanish　like　a　soap　bubble；　and　be　never　more　seen　of

his　fellows；　and　so　accustomed　were　the　latter　to　such　little

accidents　that　they　went　on　with　their　business　as　quietly　as　if

nothing　had　happened。　But　it　was　otherwise　with　me。



Finally；　after　a　pretty　long　residence　at　the　Fair；　I　resumed　my

journey　towards　the　Celestial　City；　still　with　Mr。　Smooth…it…away

at　my　side。　At　a　short　distance　beyond　the　suburbs　of　Vanity　we

passed　the　ancient　silver　mine；　of　which　Demas　was　the　first

discoverer；　and　which　is　now　wrought　to　great　advantage；

supplying　nearly　all　the　coined　currency　of　the　world。　A　little

further　onward　was　the　spot　where　Lot's　wife　had　stood　forever

under　the　semblance　of　a　pillar　of　salt。　Curious　travellers　have

long　since　carried　it　away　piecemeal。　Had　all　regrets　been

punished　as　rigorously　as　this　poor　dame's　were；　my　yearning　for

the　relinquished　delights　of　Vanity　Fair　might　have　produced　a

similar　change　in　my　own　corporeal　substance；　and　left　me　a

warning　to　future　pilgrims。



The　next　remarkable　object　was　a　large　edifice；　constructed　of

moss…grown　stone；　but　in　a　modern　and　airy　style　of　architecture。

The　engine　came　to　a　pause　in　its　vicinity；　with　the　usual

tremendous　shriek。



〃This　was　formerly　the　castle　of　the　redoubted　giant　Despair；〃

observed　Mr。　Smooth…it…away；　〃but　since　his　death　Mr。

Flimsy…faith　has　repaired　it；　and　keeps　an　excellent　house　of

entertainment　here。　It　is　one　of　our　stopping…places。〃



〃It　seems　but　slightly　put　together；〃　remarked　I；　looking　at　the

frail　yet　ponderous　walls。　〃I　do　not　envy　Mr。　Flimsy…faith　his

habitation。　Some　day　it　will　thunder　down　upon　the　heads　of　the

occupants。〃



〃We　shall　escape　at　all　events；〃　said　Mr。　Smooth…it…away；　〃for

Apollyon　is　putting　on　the　steam　again。〃



The　road　now　plunged　into　a　gorge　of　the　Delectable　Mountains；

and　traversed　the　field　where　in　former　ages　the　blind　men

wandered　and　stumbled　among　the　tombs。　One　of　these　ancient

tombstones　had　been　thrust　across　the　track　by　some　malicious

person；　and　gave　the　train　of　cars　a　terrible　jolt。　Far　up　the

rugged　side　of　a　mountain　I　perceived　a　rusty　iron　door；　half

overgrown　with　bushes　and　creeping　plants；　but　with　smoke　issuing

from　its　crevices。



〃Is　that；〃　inquired　I；　〃the　very　door　in　the　hill…side　which　the

shepherds　assured　Christian　was　a　by…way　to　hell？〃



〃That　was　a　joke　on　the　part　of　the　shepherds；〃　said　Mr。

Smooth…itaway；　with　a　smile。　〃It　is　neither　more　nor　less　than

the　door　of　a　cavern　which　they　use　as　a　smoke…house　for　the

preparation　of　mutton　hams。〃



My　recollections　of　the　journey　are　now；　for　a　little　space；　dim

and　confused；　inasmuch　as　a　singular　drowsiness　here　overcame　me；

owing　to　the　fact　that　we　were　passing　over　the　enchanted　ground；

the　air　of　which　encourages　a　disposition　to　sleep。　I　awoke；

however；　as　soon　as　we　crossed　the　borders　of　the　pleasant　land

of　Beulah。　All　the　passengers　were　rubbing　their　eyes；　comparing

watches；　and　congratulating　one　another　on　the　prospect　of

arriving　so　seasonably　at　the　journey's　end。　The　sweet　breezes　of

this　happy　clime　came　refreshingly　to　our　nostrils；　we　beheld　the

glimmering　gush　of　silver　fountains；　overhung　by　trees　of

beautiful　foliage　and　delicious　fruit；　which　were　propagated　by

grafts　from　the　celestial　gardens。　Once；　as　we　dashed　onward　like

a　hurricane；　there　was　a　flutter　of　wings　and　the　bright

appearance　of　an　angel　in　the　air；　speeding　forth　on　some

heavenly　mission。　The　engine　now　announced　the　close　vicinity　of

the　final　station…house　by　one　last　and　horrible　scream；　in　which

there　seemed　to　be　distinguishable　every　kind　of　wailing　and　woe；

and　bitter　fierceness　of　wrath；　all　mixed　up　with　the　wild

laughter　of　a　devil　or　a　madman。　Throughout　our　journey；　at　every

stopping…place；　Apollyon　had　exercised　his　ingenuity　in　screwing

the　most　abominable　sounds　out　of　the　whistle　of　the

steam…engine；　but　in　this　closing　effort　he　outdid　himself　and

created　an　infernal　uproar；　which；　besides　disturbing　the

peaceful　inhabitants　of　Beulah；　must　have　sent　its　discord　even

through　the　celestial　gates。



While　the　horrid　clamor　was　still　ringing　in　our　ears　we　heard　an

exulting　strain；　as　if　a　thousand　instruments　of　music；　with

height　and　depth　and　sweetness　in　their　tones；　at　once　tender　and

triumphant；　were　struck　in　unison；　to　greet　the　approach　of　some

illustrious　hero；　who　had　fought　the　good　fight　and　won　a

glorious　victory；　and　was　come　to　lay　aside　his　battered　arms

forever。　Looking　to　ascertain　what　might　be　the　occasion　of　this

glad　harmony；　I　perceived；　on　alighting　from　the　cars；　that　a

multitude　of　shining　ones　had　assembled　on　the　other　side　of　the

river；　to　welcome　two　poor　pilgrims；　who　were　just　emerging　from

its　depths。　They　were　the　same　whom　Apollyon　and　ourselves　had

persecuted　with　taunts；　and　gibes；　and　scalding　steam；　at　the

commencement　of　our　journeythe　same　whose　unworldly　aspect　and

impressive　words　had　stirred　my　conscience　amid　the　wild

revellers　of　Vanity　Fair。



〃How　amazingly　well　those　men　have　got　on；〃　cried　I　to　Mr。

Smoothitaway。　〃I　wish　we　were　secure　of　as　good　a　reception。〃



〃Never　fear；　never　fear！〃　answered　my　friend。　〃Come；　make　haste；

the　ferry　boat　will　be　off　directly；　and　in　three　minutes　you

will　be　on　the　other　side　of　the　river。　No　doubt　you　will　find

coaches　to　carry　you　up　to　the　city　gates。〃



A　steam　ferry　boat；　the　last　improvement　on　this　important　route；

lay　at　the　river　side；　puffing；　snorting；　and　emitting　all　those

other　disagreeable　utterances　which　betoken　the　departure　to　be

immediate。　I　hurried　on　board　with　the　rest　of　the　passengers；

most　of　whom　were　in　great　perturbation：　some　bawling　out　for

their　baggage；　some　tearing　their　hair　and　exclaiming　that　the

boat　would　explode　or　sink；　some　already　pale　with　the　heaving　of

the　stream；　some　gazing　affrighted　at　the　ugly　aspect　of　the

steersman；　and　some　still　dizzy　with　the　slumberous　influences　of

the　Enchanted　Ground。　Looking　back　to　the　shore；　I　was　amazed　to

discern　Mr。　Smooth…it…away　waving　his　hand　in　token　of　farewell。



〃Don't　you　go　over　to　the　Celestial　City？〃　exclaimed　I。



〃Oh；　no！〃　answered　he　with　a　queer　smile；　and　that　same

disagreeable　contortion　of　visage　which　I　had　remarked　in　the

inhabitants　of　the　Dark　Valley。　〃Oh；　no！　I　have　come　thus　far

only　for　the　sake　of　your　pleasant　company。　Good…by！　We　shall

meet　again。〃



And　then　did　my　excellent　friend　Mr。　Smooth…it…away　laugh

outright；　in　the　midst　of　which　cachinnation　a　smoke…wreath

issued　from　his　mouth　and　nostrils；　while　a　twinkle　of　lurid

flame　darted　out　of　either　eye；　proving　indubitably　that　his

heart　was　all　of　a　red　blaze。　The　impudent　fiend！　To　deny　the

existence　of　Tophet；　when　he　felt　its　fiery　tortures　raging

within　his　breast。　I　rushed　to　the　side　of　the　boat；　intending　to

fling　myself　on　shore；　but　the　wheels；　as　they　began　their

revolutions；　threw　a　dash　of　spray　over　me　so　coldso　deadly

cold；　with　the　chill　that　will　never　leave　those　waters　until

Death　be　drowned　in　his　own　riverthat　with　a　shiver　and　a

heartquake　I　awoke。　Thank　Heaven　it　was　a　Dream！