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The Celestial Railroad
"Iwishweweresecureofasgoodareception."
"Neverfear,neverfear!"answeredmyfriend."Come,makehaste;theferryboatwillbeoffdirectly,andinthreeminutesyouwillbeontheothersideoftheriver.Nodoubtyouwillfindcoachestocarryyouuptothecitygates."
Asteamferryboat,thelastimprovementonthisimportantroute,layattheriverside,puffing,snorting,andemittingallthoseotherdisagreeableutteranceswhichbetokenthedeparturetobeimmediate.Ihurriedonboardwiththerestofthepassengers,mostofwhomwereingreatperturbation:somebawlingoutfortheirbaggage;sometearingtheirhairandexclaimingthattheboatwouldexplodeorsink;somealreadypalewiththeheavingofthestream;somegazingaffrightedattheuglyaspectofthesteersman;andsomestilldizzywiththeslumberousinfluencesoftheEnchantedGround.Lookingbacktotheshore,IwasamazedtodiscernMr.Smooth-it-awaywavinghishandintokenoffarewell.
"Don’tyougoovertotheCelestialCity?"exclaimedI.
"Oh,no!"answeredhewithaqueersmile,andthatsamedisagreeablecontortionofvisagewhichIhadremarkedintheinhabitantsoftheDarkValley."Oh,no!Ihavecomethusfaronlyforthesakeofyourpleasantcompany.Good-by!Weshallmeetagain."
AndthendidmyexcellentfriendMr.Smooth-it-awaylaughoutright,inthemidstofwhichcachinnationasmoke-wreathissuedfromhismouthandnostrils,whileatwinkleofluridflamedartedoutofeithereye,provingindubitablythathisheartwasallofaredblaze
