twice-told tales- the celestial railroad-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TWICE…TOLD　TALES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　CELESTIAL　RAILROAD

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Nathaniel　Hawthorne



　　　NOT　A　GREAT　WHILE　AGO；　passing　through　the　gate　of　dreams；　I

visited　that　region　of　the　earth　in　which　lies　the　famous　city　of

Destruction。　It　interested　me　much　to　learn　that；　by　the　public　spirit

of　some　of　the　inhabitants；　a　railroad　has　recently　been　established

between　this　populous　and　flourishing　town；　and　the　Celestial　City。

Having　a　little　time　upon　my　hands；　I　resolved　to　gratify　a　liberal

curiosity　to　make　a　trip　thither。　Accordingly；　one　fine　morning；　after

paying　my　bill　at　the　hotel；　and　directing　the　porter　to　stow　my

luggage　behind　a　coach；　I　took　my　seat　in　the　vehicle　and　set　out

for　the　Station…　house。　It　was　my　good　fortune　to　enjoy　the　company　of

a　gentleman…　one　Mr。　Smooth…it…away…　who；　though　he　had　never　actually

visited　the　Celestial　City；　yet　seemed　as　well　acquainted　with　its

laws；　customs；　policy；　and　statistics；　as　with　those　of　the　city　of

Destruction；　of　which　he　was　a　native　townsman。　Being；　moreover；　a

Director　of　the　railroad　corporation；　and　one　of　its　largest

stockholders；　he　had　it　in　his　power　to　give　me　all　desirable

information　respecting　that　praiseworthy　enterprise。

　　　Our　coach　rattled　out　of　the　city；　and；　at　a　short　distance　from

its　outskirts；　passed　over　a　bridge；　of　elegant　construction；　but

somewhat　too　slight；　as　I　imagined；　to　sustain　any　considerable

weight。　On　both　sides　lay　an　extensive　quagmire；　which　could　not

have　been　more　disagreeable　either　to　sight　or　smell；　had　all　the

kennels　of　the　earth　emptied　their　pollution　there。

　　　〃This；〃　remarked　Mr。　Smooth…it…away；　〃is　the　famous　Slough　of

Despond…　a　disgrace　to　all　the　neighborhood；　and　the　greater；　that

it　might　so　easily　be　converted　into　firm　ground。〃

　　　〃I　have　understood；　said　I；　〃that　efforts　have　been　made　for　that

purpose；　from　time　immemorial。　Bunyan　mentions　that　above　twenty

thousand　cart…loads　of　wholesome　instructions　had　been　thrown　in　here；

without　effect。〃

　　　〃Very　probably！　and　what　effect　could　be　anticipated　from　such

unsubstantial　stuff？〃　cried　Mr。　Smooth…it…away。　〃You　observe　this

convenient　bridge。　We　obtained　a　sufficient　foundation　for　it　by

throwing　into　the　Slough　some　editions　of　books　of　morality；　volumes

of　French　philosophy　and　German　rationalism；　tracts；　sermons；　and

essays　of　modern　clergymen；　extracts　from　Plato；　Confucius；　and

various　Hindoo　sages；　together　with　a　few　ingenious　commentaries

upon　texts　of　Scripture…　all　of　which；　by　some　scientific　process；

have　been　converted　into　a　mass　like　granite。　The　whole　bog　might　be

filled　up　with　similar　matter。〃

　　　It　really　seemed　to　me；　however；　that　the　bridge　vibrated　and

heaved　up　and　down　in　a　very　formidable　manner；　and；　spite　of　Mr。

Smooth…it…away's　testimony　to　the　solidity　of　its　foundation；　I　should

be　loth　to　cross　it　in　a　crowded　omnibus；　especially；　if　each

passenger　were　encumbered　with　as　heavy　luggage　as　that　gentleman

and　myself。　Nevertheless；　we　got　over　without　accident；　and　soon　found

ourselves　at　the　Station…house。　This　very　neat　and　spacious　edifice　is

erected　on　the　site　of　the　little　Wicket…Gate；　which　formerly；　as

all　old　pilgrims　will　recollect；　stood　directly　across　the　highway；

and；　by　its　inconvenient　narrowness；　was　a　great　obstruction　to　the

traveller　of　liberal　mind　and　expansive　stomach。　The　reader　of　John

Bunyan　will　be　glad　to　know；　that　Christian's　old　friend　Evangelist；

who　was　accustomed　to　supply　each　pilgrim　with　a　mystic　roll；　now

presides　at　the　ticket　office。　Some　malicious　persons；　it　is　true；

deny　the　identity　of　this　reputable　character　with　the　Evangelist　of

old　times；　and　even　pretend　to　bring　competent　evidence　of　an

imposture。　Without　involving　myself　in　a　dispute；　I　shall　merely

observe；　that；　so　far　as　my　experience　goes；　the　square　pieces　of

pasteboard；　now　delivered　to　passengers；　are　much　more　convenient

and　useful　along　the　road；　than　the　antique　roll　of　parchment。　Whether

they　will　be　as　readily　received　at　the　gate　of　the　Celestial　City；

I　decline　giving　an　opinion。

　　　A　large　number　of　passengers　were　already　at　the　Station…house；

awaiting　the　departure　of　the　cars。　By　the　aspect　and　demeanor　of

these　persons；　it　was　easy　to　judge　that　the　feelings　of　the　community

had　undergone　a　very　favorable　change；　in　reference　to　the　celestial

pilgrimage。　It　would　have　done　Bunyan's　heart　good　to　see　it。

Instead　of　a　lonely　and　ragged　man；　with　a　huge　burthen　on　his　back；

plodding　along　sorrowfully　on　foot；　while　the　whole　city　hooted

after　him；　here　were　parties　of　the　first　gentry　and　most

respectable　people　in　the　neighborhood；　setting　forth　towards　the

Celestial　City；　as　cheerfully　as　if　the　pilgrimage　were　merely　a

summer　tour。　Among　the　gentlemen　were　characters　of　deserved　eminence；

magistrates；　politicians；　and　men　of　wealth；　by　whose　example　religion

could　not　but　be　greatly　recommended　to　their　meaner　brethren。　In

the　ladies'　apartment；　too；　I　rejoiced　to　distinguish　some　of　those

flowers　of　fashionable　society；　who　are　so　well　fitted　to　adorn　the

most　elevated　circles　of　the　Celestial　City。　There　was　much　pleasant

conversation　about　the　news　of　the　day；　topics　of　business；

politics；　or　the　lighter　matters　of　amusement；　while　religion；

though　indubitably　the　main　thing　at　heart；　was　thrown　tastefully　into

the　back…ground。　Even　an　infidel　would　have　heard　little　or　nothing　to

shock　his　sensibility。

　　　One　great　convenience　of　the　new　method　of　going　on　pilgrimage；　I

must　not　forget　to　mention。　Our　enormous　burthens；　instead　of　being

carried　on　our　shoulders；　as　had　been　the　custom　of　old；　were　all

snugly　deposited　in　the　baggage…car；　and；　as　I　was　assured；　would　be

delivered　to　their　respective　owners　at　the　journey's　end。　Another

thing；　likewise；　the　benevolent　reader　will　be　delighted　to

understand。　It　may　be　remembered　that　there　was　an　ancient　feud

between　Prince　Beelzebub　and　the　keeper　of　the　Wicket…Gate；　and　that

the　adherents　of　the　former　distinguished　personage　were　accustomed　to

shoot　deadly　arrows　at　honest　pilgrims；　while　knocking　at　the　door。

This　dispute；　much　to　the　credit　as　well　of　the　illustrious

potentate　above…mentioned；　as　of　the　worthy　and　enlightened

Directors　of　the　railroad；　has　been　pacifically　arranged；　on　the

principle　of　mutual　compromise。　The　Prince's　subjects　are　now　pretty

numerously　employed　about　the　Station…house；　some　in　taking　care　of

the　baggage；　others　in　collecting　fuel；　feeding　the　engines；　and

such　congenial　occupations；　and　I　can　conscientiously　affirm；　that

persons　more　attentive　to　their　business；　more　willing　to　accommodate；

or　more　generally　agreeable　to　the　passengers；　are　not　to　be　found

on　any　railroad。　Every　good　heart　must　surely　exult　at　so　satisfactory

an　arrangement　of　an　immemorial　difficulty。

　　　〃Where　is　Mr。　Great…heart？〃　inquired　I。　〃Beyond　a　doubt；　the

Directors　have　engaged　that　famous　old　champion　to　be　chief

conductor　on　the　railroad？〃

　　　〃Why；　no；〃　said　Mr。　Smooth…it…away；　with　a　dry　cough。　〃He　was

offered　the　situation　of　brake…man；　but；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　our

friend　Great…heart　has　grown　preposterously　stiff　and　narrow　in　his

old　age。　He　has　so　often　guided　pilgrims　over　the　road；　on　foot；

that　he　considers　it　a　sin　to　travel　in　any　other　fashion。　Besides；

the　old　fellow　had　entered　so　heartily　into　the　ancient　feud　with

Prince　Beelzebub；　that　he　would　have　been　perpetually　at　blows　or

ill　language　with　some　of　the　Prince's　subjects；　and　thus　have

embroiled　us　anew。　So；　on　the　whole；　we　were　not　sorry　when　honest

Great…heart　went　off　to　the　Celestial　City　in　a　huff；　and　left　us　at

liberty　to　choose　a　more　suitable　and　accommodating　man。　Yonder

comes　the　conductor　of　the　train。　You　will　probably　recognize　him　at

once。〃

　　　The　engine　at　this　moment　took　its　station　in　advance　of　the

cars；　looking；　I　must　confess；　much　more　like　a　sort　of　mechanical

demon　that　would　hurry　us　to　the　infernal　regions；　than　a　laudable

contrivance　for　smoothing　our　way　to　the　Celestial　City。　On　its　top

sat　a　personage　almost　enveloped　in　smoke　and　flame；　which…　not　to

startle　the　reader…　appeared　to　gush　from　his　own　mouth　and　stomach；

as　well　as　from　the　engine's　brazen　abdomen。

　　　〃Do　my　eyes　deceive　me？〃　cried　I。　〃What　on　earth　is　this！　A

living　creature？　If　so；　he　is　own　brother　to　the　engine　he　rides

upon！〃

　　　〃Poh；　poh；　you　are　obtuse！〃　said　Mr。　Smooth…it…away；　with　a

hearty　laugh。　〃Don't　you　know　Apollyon；　Christian's　old　enemy；　with

whom　he　fought　so　fierce　a　battle　in　the　Valley　of　Humiliation？　He　was

the　very　fellow　to　manage　the　engine；　and　so　we　have　reconciled　him　to

the　custom　of　going　on　pilgrimage；　and　engaged　him　as　chief

conductor。〃

　　　〃Bravo；　bravo！〃　exclaimed　I；　with　irrepressible　enthusiasm；　〃this

shows　the　liberality　of　the　age；　this　proves；　if　anything　can；　that

all　musty　prejudices　are　in　a　fair　way　to　be　obliterated。　And　how　will

Christian　rejoice　to　hear　of　this　happy　transformation　of　his　old