the celeatial railroad-第2章

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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　forge　and　those　who　brought　fuel　to　the

engine；　when　they　began　to　draw　short　breath；　positively　emitted

smoke　from　their　mouth　and　nostrils。



Among　the　idlers　about　the　train；　most　of　whom　were　puffing

cigars　which　they　had　lighted　at　the　flame　of　the　crater；　I　was

perplexed　to　notice　several　who；　to　my　certain　knowledge；　had

heretofore　set　forth　by　railroad　for　the　Celestial　City。　They

looked　dark；　wild；　and　smoky；　with　a　singular　resemblance；

indeed；　to　the　native　inhabitants；　like　whom；　also；　they　had　a

disagreeable　propensity　to　ill…natured　gibes　and　sneers；　the

habit　of　which　had　wrought　a　settled　contortion　of　their　visages。

Having　been　on　speaking　terms　with　one　of　these　persons；an

indolent；　good…for…nothing　fellow；　who　went　by　the　name　of

Take…it…easy；I　called　him；　and　inquired　what　was　his　business

there。



〃Did　you　not　start；〃　said　I；　〃for　the　Celestial　City？〃



〃That's　a　fact；〃　said　Mr。　Take…it…easy；　carelessly　puffing　some

smoke　into　my　eyes。　〃But　I　heard　such　bad　accounts　that　I　never

took　pains　to　climb　the　hill　on　which　the　city　stands。　No

business　doing；　no　fun　going　on；　nothing　to　drink；　and　no　smoking

allowed；　and　a　thrumming　of　church　music　from　morning　till　night。

I　would　not　stay　in　such　a　place　if　they　offered　me　house　room

and　living　free。〃



〃But；　my　good　Mr。　Take…it…easy；〃　cried　I；　〃why　take　up　your

residence　here；　of　all　places　in　the　world？〃



〃Oh；〃　said　the　loafer；　with　a　grin；　〃it　is　very　warm　hereabouts；

and　I　meet　with　plenty　of　old　acquaintances；　and　altogether　the

place　suits　me。　I　hope　to　see　you　back　again　some　day　soon。　A

pleasant　journey　to　you。〃



While　he　was　speaking　the　bell　of　the　engine　rang；　and　we　dashed

away　after　dropping　a　few　passengers；　but　receiving　no　new　ones。

Rattling　onward　through　the　Valley；　we　were　dazzled　with　the

fiercely　gleaming　gas　lamps；　as　before。　But　sometimes；　in　the

dark　of　intense　brightness；　grim　faces；　that　bore　the　aspect　and

expression　of　individual　sins；　or　evil　passions；　seemed　to　thrust

themselves　through　the　veil　of　light；　glaring　upon　us；　and

stretching　forth　a　great；　dusky　hand；　as　if　to　impede　our

progress。　I　almost　thought　that　they　were　my　own　sins　that

appalled　me　there。　These　were　freaks　of　imaginationnothing

more；　certainly…mere　delusions；　which　I　ought　to　be　heartily

ashamed　of；　but　all　through　the　Dark　Valley　I　was　tormented；　and

pestered；　and　dolefully　bewildered　with　the　same　kind　of　waking

dreams。　The　mephitic　gases　of　that　region　intoxicate　the　brain。

As　the　light　of　natural　day；　however；　began　to　struggle　with　the

glow　of　the　lanterns；　these　vain　imaginations　lost　their

vividness；　and　finally　vanished　from　the　first　ray　of　sunshine

that　greeted　our　escape　from　the　Valley　of　the　Shadow　of　Death。

Ere　we　had　gone　a　mile　beyond　it　I　could　well…nigh　have　taken　my

oath　that　this　whole　gloomy　passage　was　a　dream。



At　the　end　of　the　valley；　as　John　Bunyan　mentions；　is　a　cavern；

where；　in　his　days；　dwelt　two　cruel　giants；　Pope　and　Pagan；　who

had　strown　the　ground　about　their　residence　with　the　bones　of

slaughtered　pilgrims。　These　vile　old　troglodytes　are　no　longer

there；　but　into　their　deserted　cave　another　terrible　giant　has

thrust　himself；　and　makes　it　his　business　to　seize　upon　honest

travellers　and　fatten　them　for　his　table　with　plentiful　meals　of

smoke；　mist；　moonshine；　raw　potatoes；　and　sawdust。　He　is　a　German

by　birth；　and　is　called　Giant　Transcendentalist；　but　as　to　his

form；　his　features；　his　substance；　and　his　nature　generally；　it

is　the　chief　peculiarity　of　this　huge　miscreant　that　neither　he

for　himself；　nor　anybody　for　him；　has　ever　been　able　to　describe

them。　As　we　rushed　by　the　cavern's　mouth　we　caught　a　hasty

glimpse　of　him；　looking　somewhat　like　an　ill…proportioned　figure；

but　considerably　more　like　a　heap　of　fog　and　duskiness。　He

shouted　after　us；　but　in　so　strange　a　phraseology　that　we　knew

not　what　he　meant；　nor　whether　to　be　encouraged　or　af