按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 engineer。〃
〃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 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