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The Celestial Railroad
Bunyan’sroad-book,IperceivedthatwemustnowbewithinafewmilesoftheValleyoftheShadowofDeath,intowhichdolefulregion,atourpresentspeed,weshouldplungemuchsoonerthanseemedatalldesirable.Intruth,IexpectednothingbetterthantofindmyselfintheditchononesideortheQuagontheother;butoncommunicatingmyapprehensionstoMr.Smooth-it-away,heassuredmethatthedifficultiesofthispassage,eveninitsworstcondition,hadbeenvastlyexaggerated,andthat,initspresentstateofimprovement,ImightconsidermyselfassafeasonanyrailroadinChristendom.
EvenwhilewewerespeakingthetrainshotintotheentranceofthisdreadedValley.ThoughIpleadguiltytosomefoolishpalpitationsoftheheartduringourheadlongrushoverthecausewayhereconstructed,yetitwereunjusttowithholdthehighestencomiumsontheboldnessofitsoriginalconceptionandtheingenuityofthosewhoexecutedit.Itwasgratifying,likewise,toobservehowmuchcarehadbeentakentodispeltheeverlastinggloomandsupplythedefectofcheerfulsunshine,notarayofwhichhaseverpenetratedamongtheseawfulshadows.Forthispurpose,theinflammablegaswhichexudesplentifullyfromthesoiliscollectedbymeansofpipes,andthencecommunicatedtoaquadruplerowoflampsalongthewholeextentofthepassage.Thusaradiancehasbeencreatedevenoutofthefieryandsulphurouscursethatrestsforeveruponthevalley—aradiancehurtful,however,totheeyes,andsomewhatbewildering,asIdiscoveredbythechangeswhichitwroughtinthevisagesofmycompanions.
