Мхи старой усадьбы
The Celestial Railroad
AtashortdistancebeyondthesuburbsofVanitywepassedtheancientsilvermine,ofwhichDemaswasthefirstdiscoverer,andwhichisnowwroughttogreatadvantage,supplyingnearlyallthecoinedcurrencyoftheworld.AlittlefurtheronwardwasthespotwhereLot’swifehadstoodforeverunderthesemblanceofapillarofsalt.Curioustravellershavelongsincecarrieditawaypiecemeal.Hadallregretsbeenpunishedasrigorouslyasthispoordame’swere,myyearningfortherelinquisheddelightsofVanityFairmighthaveproducedasimilarchangeinmyowncorporealsubstance,andleftmeawarningtofuturepilgrims.
Thenextremarkableobjectwasalargeedifice,constructedofmoss-grownstone,butinamodernandairystyleofarchitecture.Theenginecametoapauseinitsvicinity,withtheusualtremendousshriek.
"ThiswasformerlythecastleoftheredoubtedgiantDespair,"observedMr.Smooth-it-away;"butsincehisdeathMr.Flimsy-faithhasrepairedit,andkeepsanexcellenthouseofentertainmenthere.Itisoneofourstopping-places."
"Itseemsbutslightlyputtogether,"remarkedI,lookingatthefrailyetponderouswalls."IdonotenvyMr.Flimsy-faithhishabitation.Somedayitwillthunderdownupontheheadsoftheoccupants."
"Weshallescapeatallevents,"saidMr.Smooth-it-away,"forApollyonisputtingonthesteamagain."
TheroadnowplungedintoagorgeoftheDelectableMountains,andtraversedthefieldwhereinformeragestheblindmenwanderedandstumbledamongthetombs.
