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The Celestial Railroad
AndhowwillChristianrejoicetohearofthishappytransformationofhisoldantagonist!IpromisemyselfgreatpleasureininforminghimofitwhenwereachtheCelestialCity."
Thepassengersbeingallcomfortablyseated,wenowrattledawaymerrily,accomplishingagreaterdistanceintenminutesthanChristianprobablytrudgedoverinaday.Itwaslaughable,whileweglancedalong,asitwere,atthetailofathunderbolt,toobservetwodustyfoottravellersintheoldpilgrimguise,withcockleshellandstaff,theirmysticrollsofparchmentintheirhandsandtheirintolerableburdensontheirbacks.Thepreposterousobstinacyofthesehonestpeopleinpersistingtogroanandstumblealongthedifficultpathwayratherthantakeadvantageofmodernimprovements,excitedgreatmirthamongourwiserbrotherhood.Wegreetedthetwopilgrimswithmanypleasantgibesandaroaroflaughter;whereupontheygazedatuswithsuchwofulandabsurdlycompassionatevisagesthatourmerrimentgrewtenfoldmoreobstreperous.Apollyonalsoenteredheartilyintothefun,andcontrivedtoflirtthesmokeandflameoftheengine,orofhisownbreath,intotheirfaces,andenveloptheminanatmosphereofscaldingsteam.Theselittlepracticaljokesamusedusmightily,anddoubtlessaffordedthepilgrimsthegratificationofconsideringthemselvesmartyrs.
AtsomedistancefromtherailroadMr.Smooth-it-awaypointedtoalarge,antiqueedifice,which,heobserved,wasatavernoflongstanding,andhadformerlybeenanotedstopping-placeforpilgrims.InBunyan’sroad-bookitismentionedastheInterpreter’sHouse.
