lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第16节

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It　was　a　Junction…Station；　where　the　wooden　razors　before　mentioned

shaved　the　air　very　often；　and　where　the　sharp　electric…telegraph

bell　was　in　a　very　restless　condition。　　All　manner　of　cross…lines

of　rails　came　zig…zagging　into　it；　like　a　Congress　of　iron　vipers；

and；　a　little　way　out　of　it；　a　pointsman　in　an　elevated　signal…box

was　constantly　going　through　the　motions　of　drawing　immense

quantities　of　beer　at　a　public…house　bar。　　In　one　direction；

confused　perspectives　of　embankments　and　arches　were　to　be　seen

from　the　platform；　in　the　other；　the　rails　soon　disentangled

themselves　into　two　tracks　and　shot　away　under　a　bridge；　and　curved

round　a　corner。　　Sidings　were　there；　in　which　empty　luggage…vans

and　cattle…boxes　often　butted　against　each　other　as　if　they

couldn't　agree；　and　warehouses　were　there；　in　which　great

quantities　of　goods　seemed　to　have　taken　the　veil　（of　the

consistency　of　tarpaulin）；　and　to　have　retired　from　the　world

without　any　hope　of　getting　back　to　it。　　Refreshment…rooms　were

there；　one；　for　the　hungry　and　thirsty　Iron　Locomotives　where　their

coke　and　water　were　ready；　and　of　good　quality；　for　they　were

dangerous　to　play　tricks　with；　the　other；　for　the　hungry　and

thirsty　human　Locomotives；　who　might　take　what　they　could　get；　and

whose　chief　consolation　was　provided　in　the　form　of　three　terrific

urns　or　vases　of　white　metal；　containing　nothing；　each　forming　a

breastwork　for　a　defiant　and　apparently　much…injured　woman。



Established　at　this　Station；　Mr。　Thomas　Idle　and　Mr。　Francis

Goodchild　resolved　to　enjoy　it。　　But；　its　contrasts　were　very

violent；　and　there　was　also　an　infection　in　it。



First；　as　to　its　contrasts。　　They　were　only　two；　but　they　were

Lethargy　and　Madness。　　The　Station　was　either　totally　unconscious；

or　wildly　raving。　　By　day；　in　its　unconscious　state；　it　looked　as

if　no　life　could　come　to　it；　…　as　if　it　were　all　rust；　dust；　and

ashes　…　as　if　the　last　train　for　ever；　had　gone　without　issuing　any

Return…Tickets　…　as　if　the　last　Engine　had　uttered　its　last　shriek

and　burst。　　One　awkward　shave　of　the　air　from　the　wooden　razor；　and

everything　changed。　　Tight　office…doors　flew　open；　panels　yielded；

books；　newspapers；　travelling…caps　and　wrappers　broke　out　of　brick

walls；　money　chinked；　conveyances　oppressed　by　nightmares　of

luggage　came　careering　into　the　yard；　porters　started　up　from

secret　places；　ditto　the　much…injured　women；　the　shining　bell；　who

lived　in　a　little　tray　on　stilts　by　himself；　flew　into　a　man's　hand

and　clamoured　violently。　　The　pointsman　aloft　in　the　signal…box

made　the　motions　of　drawing；　with　some　difficulty；　hogsheads　of

beer。　　Down　Train！　　More　bear！　　Up　Train！　　More　beer。　　Cross

junction　Train！　　More　beer！　　Cattle　Train！　　More　beer。　　Goods

Train！　　Simmering；　whistling；　trembling；　rumbling；　thundering。

Trains　on　the　whole　confusion　of　intersecting　rails；　crossing　one

another；　bumping　one　another；　hissing　one　another；　backing　to　go

forward；　tearing　into　distance　to　come　close。　　People　frantic。

Exiles　seeking　restoration　to　their　native　carriages；　and　banished

to　remoter　climes。　　More　beer　and　more　bell。　　Then；　in　a　minute；

the　Station　relapsed　into　stupor　as　the　stoker　of　the　Cattle　Train；

the　last　to　depart；　went　gliding　out　of　it；　wiping　the　long　nose　of

his　oil…can　with　a　dirty　pocket…handkerchief。



By　night；　in　its　unconscious　state；　the　Station　was　not　so　much　as

visible。　　Something　in　the　air；　like　an　enterprising　chemist's

established　in　business　on　one　of　the　boughs　of　Jack's　beanstalk；

was　all　that　could　be　discerned　of　it　under　the　stars。　　In　a　moment

it　would　break　out；　a　constellation　of　gas。　　In　another　moment；

twenty　rival　chemists；　on　twenty　rival　beanstalks；　came　into

existence。　　Then；　the　Furies　would　be　seen；　waving　their　lurid

torches　up　and　down　the　confused　perspectives　of　embankments　and

arches　…　would　be　heard；　too；　wailing　and　shrieking。　　Then；　the

Station　would　be　full　of　palpitating　trains；　as　in　the　day；　with

the　heightening　difference　that　they　were　not　so　clearly　seen　as　in

the　day；　whereas　the　Station　walls；　starting　forward　under　the　gas；

like　a　hippopotamus's　eyes；　dazzled　the　human　locomotives　with　the

sauce…bottle；　the　cheap　music；　the　bedstead；　the　distorted　range　of

buildings　where　the　patent　safes　are　made；　the　gentleman　in　the

rain　with　the　registered　umbrella；　the　lady　returning　from　the　ball

with　the　registered　respirator；　and　all　their　other　embellishments。

And　now；　the　human　locomotives；　creased　as　to　their　countenances

and　purblind　as　to　their　eyes；　would　swarm　forth　in　a　heap；

addressing　themselves　to　the　mysterious　urns　and　the　much…injured

women；　while　the　iron　locomotives；　dripping　fire　and　water；　shed

their　steam　about　plentifully；　making　the　dull　oxen　in　their　cages；

with　heads　depressed；　and　foam　hanging　from　their　mouths　as　their

red　looks　glanced　fearfully　at　the　surrounding　terrors；　seem　as

though　they　had　been　drinking　at　half…frozen　waters　and　were　hung

with　icicles。　　Through　the　same　steam　would　be　caught　glimpses　of

their　fellow…travellers；　the　sheep；　getting　their　white　kid　faces

together；　away　from　the　bars；　and　stuffing　the　interstices　with

trembling　wool。　　Also；　down　among　the　wheels；　of　the　man　with　the

sledge…hammer；　ringing　the　axles　of　the　fast　night…train；　against

whom　the　oxen　have　a　misgiving　that　he　is　the　man　with　the　pole…axe

who　is　to　come　by…and…by；　and　so　the　nearest　of　them　try　to　get

back；　and　get　a　purchase　for　a　thrust　at　him　through　the　bars。

Suddenly；　the　bell　would　ring；　the　steam　would　stop　with　one　hiss

and　a　yell；　the　chemists　on　the　beanstalks　would　be　busy；　the

avenging　Furies　would　bestir　themselves；　the　fast　night…train　would

melt　from　eye　and　ear；　the　other　trains　going　their　ways　more

slowly　would　be　heard　faintly　rattling　in　the　distance　like　old…

fashioned　watches　running　down；　the　sauce…bottle　and　cheap　music

retired　from　view；　even　the　bedstead　went　to　bed；　and　there　was　no

such　visible　thing　as　the　Station　to　vex　the　cool　wind　in　its

blowing；　or　perhaps　the　autumn　lightning；　as　it　found　out　the　iron

rails。



The　infection　of　the　Station　was　this：…　When　it　was　in　its　raving

state；　the　Apprentices　found　it　impossible　to　be　there；　without

labouring　under　the　delusion　that　they　were　in　a　hurry。　　To　Mr。

Goodchild；　whose　ideas　of　idleness　were　so　imperfect；　this　was　no

unpleasant　hallucination；　and　accordingly　that　gentleman　went

through　great　exertions　in　yielding　to　it；　and　running　up　and　down

the　platform；　jostling　everybody；　under　the　impression　that　he　had

a　highly　important　mission　somewhere；　and　had　not　a　moment　to　lose。

But；　to　Thomas　Idle；　this　contagion　was　so　very　unacceptable　an

incident　of　the　situation；　that　he　struck　on　the　fourth　day；　and

requested　to　be　moved。



'This　place　fills　me　with　a　dreadful　sensation；'　said　Thomas；　'of

having　something　to　do。　　Remove　me；　Francis。'



'Where　would　you　like　to　go　next？'　was　the　question　of　the　ever…

engaging　Goodchild。



'I　have　heard　there　is　a　good　old　Inn　at　Lancaster；　established　in

a　fine　old　house：　　an　Inn　where　they　give　you　Bride…cake　every　day

after　dinner；'　said　Thomas　Idle。　　'Let　us　eat　Bride…cake　without

the　trouble　of　being　married；　or　of　knowing　anybody　in　that

ridiculous　dilemma。'



Mr。　Goodchild；　with　a　lover's　sigh；　assented。　　They　departed　from

the　Station　in　a　violent　hurry　（for　which；　it　is　unnecessary　to

observe；　there　was　not　the　least　occasion）；　and　were　delivered　at

the　fine　old　house　at　Lancaster；　on　the　same　night。



It　is　Mr。　Goodchild's　opinion；　that　if　a　visitor　on　his　arrival　at

Lancaster　could　be　accommodated　with　a　pole　which　would　push　the

opposite　side　of　the　street　some　yards　farther　off；　it　would　be

better　for　all　parties。　　Protesting　against　being　required　to　live

in　a　trench；　and　obliged　to　speculate　all　day　upon　what　the　people

can　possibly　be　doing　within　a　mysterious　opposite　window；　which　is

a　shop…window　to　look　at；　but　not　a　shop…window　in　respect　of　its

offering　nothing　for　sale　and　declining　to　give　any　account

whatever　of　itself；　Mr。　Goodchild　concedes　Lancaster　to　be　a

pleasant　place。　　A　place　dropped　in　the　midst　of　a　charming

landscape；　a　place　with　a　fine　ancient　fragment　of　castle；　a　place

of　lovely　walks；　a　place　possessing　staid　old　houses　richly　fitted

with　old　Honduras　mahogany；　which　has　grown　so　dark　with　time　that

it　seems　to　have　got　something　of　a　retrospective　mirror…quality

into　itself；　and　to　show　the　visitor；　in　the　depth　of　its　grain；

through　all　its　polish；　the　hue　of　the　wretched　slaves　who　groaned

long　ago　under　old　Lancaster　merchants。　　And　Mr。　Goodchild　adds

that　the　stones　of　Lancaster　do　sometimes　whisper；　even　yet；　of

rich　men　passed　away　…　upon　whose　great　prosperity　some　of　these

old　doorways　frowned　sullen　in　the　brightest　weather　…　that　their

slave…gain　turned　to　curses；　as　the　Arabian　Wizard's　money　turned

to　leaves；　and　that