the celeatial railroad-第2节

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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　burdens　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　envelop　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　footpath　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　burden　fell　from　his

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

Mr。　Smooth…it…away；　Mr。　Livefor…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　burdens　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　ladiesMiss　Prudence；

Miss　Piety；　Miss　Charity；　and　the　restwho　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　themprim；　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　forever　upon　the　valleya

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　getif　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

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