the celeatial railroad-第4节

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possession；　for　another　jewel　of　the　same　kind；　but　so　worn　and

defaced　as　to　be　utterly　worthless。　In　one　shop　there　were　a

great　many　crowns　of　laurel　and　myrtle；　which　soldiers；　authors；

statesmen；　and　various　other　people　pressed　eagerly　to　buy；　some

purchased　these　paltry　wreaths　with　their　lives；　others　by　a

toilsome　servitude　of　years；　and　many　sacrificed　whatever　was

most　valuable；　yet　finally　slunk　away　without　the　crown。　There

was　a　sort　of　stock　or　scrip；　called　Conscience；　which　seemed　to

be　in　great　demand；　and　would　purchase　almost　anything。　Indeed；

few　rich　commodities　were　to　be　obtained　without　paying　a　heavy

sum　in　this　particular　stock；　and　a　man's　business　was　seldom

very　lucrative　unless　he　knew　precisely　when　and　how　to　throw　his

hoard　of　conscience　into　the　market。　Yet　as　this　stock　was　the

only　thing　of　permanent　value；　whoever　parted　with　it　was　sure　to

find　himself　a　loser　in　the　long　run。　Several　of　the　speculations

were　of　a　questionable　character。　Occasionally　a　member　of

Congress　recruited　his　pocket　by　the　sale　of　his　constituents；

and　I　was　assured　that　public　officers　have　often　sold　their

country　at　very　moderate　prices。　Thousands　sold　their　happiness

for　a　whim。　Gilded　chains　were　in　great　demand；　and　purchased

with　almost　any　sacrifice。　In　truth；　those　who　desired；　according

to　the　old　adage；　to　sell　anything　valuable　for　a　song；　might

find　customers　all　over　the　Fair；　and　there　were　innumerable

messes　of　pottage；　piping　hot；　for　such　as　chose　to　buy　them　with

their　birthrights。　A　few　articles；　however；　could　not　be　found

genuine　at　Vanity　Fair。　If　a　customer　wished　to　renew　his　stock

of　youth　the　dealers　offered　him　a　set　of　false　teeth　and　an

auburn　wig；　if　he　demanded　peace　of　mind；　they　recommended　opium

or　a　brandy　bottle。



Tracts　of　land　and　golden　mansions；　situate　in　the　Celestial

City；　were　often　exchanged；　at　very　disadvantageous　rates；　for　a

few　years'　lease　of　small；　dismal；　inconvenient　tenements　in

Vanity　Fair。　Prince　Beelzebub　himself　took　great　interest　in　this

sort　of　traffic；　and　sometimes　condescended　to　meddle　with

smaller　matters。　I　once　had　the　pleasure　to　see　him　bargaining

with　a　miser　for　his　soul；　which；　after　much　ingenious

skirmishing　on　both　sides；　his　highness　succeeded　in　obtaining　at

about　the　value　of　sixpence。　The　prince　remarked　with　a　smile；

that　he　was　a　loser　by　the　transaction。



Day　after　day；　as　I　walked　the　streets　of　Vanity；　my　manners　and

deportment　became　more　and　more　like　those　of　the　inhabitants。

The　place　began　to　seem　like　home；　the　idea　of　pursuing　my

travels　to　the　Celestial　City　was　almost　obliterated　from　my

mind。　I　was　reminded　of　it；　however；　by　the　sight　of　the　same

pair　of　simple　pilgrims　at　whom　we　had　laughed　so　heartily　when

Apollyon　puffed　smoke　and　steam　into　their　faces　at　the

commencement　of　our　journey。　There　they　stood　amidst　the　densest

bustle　of　Vanity；　the　dealers　offering　them　their　purple　and　fine

linen　and　jewels；　the　men　of　wit　and　humor　gibing　at　them；　a　pair

of　buxom　ladies　ogling　them　askance；　while　the　benevolent　Mr。

Smooth…it…away　whispered　some　of　his　wisdom　at　their　elbows；　and

pointed　to　a　newly…erected　temple；　but　there　were　these　worthy

simpletons；　making　the　scene　look　wild　and　monstrous；　merely　by

their　sturdy　repudiation　of　all　part　in　its　business　or

pleasures。



One　of　themhis　name　was　Stick…to…the…rightperceived　in　my

face；　I　suppose；　a　species　of　sympathy　and　almost　admiration；

which；　to　my　own　great　surprise；　I　could　not　help　feeling　for

this　pragmatic　couple。　It　prompted　him　to　address　me。



〃Sir；〃　inquired　he；　with　a　sad；　yet　mild　and　kindly　voice。　〃do

you　call　yourself　a　pilgrim？〃



〃Yes；〃　I　replied；　〃my　right　to　that　appellation　is　indubitable。　I

am　merely　a　sojourner　here　in　Vanity　Fair；　being　bound　to　the

Celestial　City　by　the　new　railroad。〃



〃Alas；　friend；〃　rejoined　Mr。　Stick…to…the…truth；　〃I　do　assure

you；　and　beseech　you　to　receive　the　truth　of　my　words；　that　that

whole　concern　is　a　bubble。　You　may　travel　on　it　all　your

lifetime；　were　you　to　live　thousands　of　years；　and　yet　never　get

beyond　the　limits　of　Vanity　Fair。　Yea；　though　you　should　deem

yourself　entering　the　gates　of　the　blessed　city；　it　will　be

nothing　but　a　miserable　delusion。〃



〃The　Lord　of　the　Celestial　City；〃　began　the　other　pilgrim；　whose

name　was　Mr。　Foot…it…to…heaven；　〃has　refused；　and　will　ever

refuse；　to　grant　an　act　of　incorporation　for　this　railroad；　and

unless　that　be　obtained；　no　passenger　can　ever　hope　to　enter　his

dominions。　Wherefore　every　man　who　buys　a　ticket　must　lay　his

account　with　losing　the　purchase　money；　which　is　the　value　of　his

own　soul。〃



〃Poh；　nonsense！〃　said　Mr。　Smooth…it…away；　taking　my　arm　and

leading　me　off；　〃these　fellows　ought　to　be　indicted　for　a　libel。

If　the　law　stood　as　it　once　did　in　Vanity　Fair　we　should　see　them

grinning　through　the　iron　bars　of　the　prison　window。〃



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　an