第45章

Tractsoflandandgoldenmansions，situateintheCelestial

City，wereoftenexchanged，atverydisadvantageousrates，forafew

years’leaseofsmall，dismal，inconvenienttenementsinVanity

Fair。PrinceBeelzebubhimselftookgreatinterestinthissortof

traffic，andsometimescondescendedtomeddlewithsmallermatters。

Ioncehadthepleasuretoseehimbargainingwithamiserforhis

soul，which，aftermuchingeniousskirmishingonbothsides，his

Highnesssucceededinobtainingataboutthevalueofsixpence。The

Princeremarked，withasmile，thathewasaloserbythetransaction。

Dayafterday，asIwalkedthestreetsofVanity，mymannersand

deportmentbecamemoreandmorelikethoseoftheinhabitants。The

placebegantoseemlikehome；theideaofpursuingmytravelsto

theCelestialCitywasalmostobliteratedfrommymind。Iwasreminded

ofit，however，bythesightofthesamepairofsimplepilgrimsat

whomwehadlaughedsoheartily，whenApollyonpuffedsmokeand

steamintotheirfaces，atthecommencementofourjourney。Therethey

stoodamidthedensestbustleofVanity-thedealersofferingthem

theirpurple，andfinelinen，andjewels；themenofwitandhumor

gibingatthem；apairofbuxomladiesoglingthemaskance；while

thebenevolentMr。Smooth-it-awaywhisperedsomeofhiswisdomat

theirelbows，andpointedtoanewly-erectedtemple-buttherewere

theseworthysimpletons，makingthescenelookwildandmonstrous，

merelybytheirsturdyrepudiationofallpartinitsbusinessor

pleasures。

Oneofthem-hisnamewasStick-to-the-right-perceivedinmyface，

Isuppose，aspeciesofsympathyandalmostadmiration，which，tomy

owngreatsurprise，Icouldnothelpfeelingforthispragmatic

couple。Itpromptedhimtoaddressme。

“Sir。”inquiredhe，withasad，yetmildandkindlyvoice，“do

youcallyourselfapilgrim？”

“Yes。”Ireplied，“myrighttothatappellationisindubitable。I

ammerelyasojournerhereinVanityFair，beingboundtothe

CelestialCitybythenewrailroad。”

“Alas，friend。”rejoinedMr。Stick-to-the-right，“Idoassure

you，andbeseechyoutoreceivethetruthofmywords，thatthatwhole

concernisabubble。Youmaytravelonitallyourlifetime，were

youtolivethousandsofyears，andyetnevergetbeyondthelimitsof

VanityFair！Yea；thoughyoushoulddeemyourselfenteringthegates

oftheBlessedCity，itwillbenothingbutamiserabledelusion。”

“TheLordoftheCelestialCity。”begantheotherpilgrim，whose

namewasMr。Foot-it-to-Heaven，“hasrefused，andwilleverrefuse，to

grantanactofincorporationforthisrailroad；andunlessthatbe

obtained，nopassengercaneverhopetoenterhisdominions。

Wherefore，everyman，whobuysaticket，mustlayhisaccountwith

losingthepurchase-money-whichisthevalueofhisownsoul。”

“Poh，nonsense！”saidMr。Smooth-it-away，takingmyarmandleading

meoff，“thesefellowsoughttobeindictedforalibel。Ifthelaw

stoodasitoncedidinVanityFair，weshouldseethemgrinning

throughtheironbarsoftheprisonwindow。”

Thisincidentmadeaconsiderableimpressiononmymind，and

contributedwithothercircumstancestoindisposemetoapermanent

residenceinthecityofVanity；although，ofcourse，Iwasnotsimple

enoughtogiveupmyoriginalplanofglidingalongeasilyand

commodiouslybyrailroad。Still，Igrewanxioustobegone。There

wasonestrangethingthattroubledme；amidtheoccupationsor

amusementsoftheFair，nothingwasmorecommonthanforaperson-

whetheratafeast，theatre，orchurch，ortraffickingforwe