Мхи старой усадьбы
The Celestial Railroad
Hence,also,isobtainedaplentifulsupplyoffuelfortheuseoftheengines.Whoeverhadgazedintothedismalobscurityofthebroadcavernmouth,whenceeverandanondartedhugetonguesofduskyflame,andhadseenthestrange,half-shapedmonsters,andvisionsoffaceshorriblygrotesque,intowhichthesmokeseemedtowreatheitself,andhadheardtheawfulmurmurs,andshrieks,anddeep,shudderingwhispersoftheblast,sometimesformingthemselvesintowordsalmostarticulate,wouldhaveseizeduponMr.Smooth-it-away’scomfortableexplanationasgreedilyaswedid.Theinhabitantsofthecavern,moreover,wereunlovelypersonages,dark,smoke-begrimed,generallydeformed,withmisshapenfeet,andaglowofduskyrednessintheireyesasiftheirheartshadcaughtfireandwereblazingoutoftheupperwindows.Itstruckmeasapeculiaritythatthelaborersattheforgeandthosewhobroughtfueltotheengine,whentheybegantodrawshortbreath,positivelyemittedsmokefromtheirmouthandnostrils.
Amongtheidlersaboutthetrain,mostofwhomwerepuffingcigarswhichtheyhadlightedattheflameofthecrater,Iwasperplexedtonoticeseveralwho,tomycertainknowledge,hadheretoforesetforthbyrailroadfortheCelestialCity.Theylookeddark,wild,andsmoky,withasingularresemblance,indeed,tothenativeinhabitants,likewhom,also,theyhadadisagreeablepropensitytoill-naturedgibesandsneers,thehabitofwhichhadwroughtasettledcontortionoftheirvisages.
