Chinese -- England -- Fiction; England -- Fiction; Epistolary fiction; Humorous stories
At the station indicated as bearing the sign of the ruler of the country
(which even a person of little discernment could have recognised by
the highly-illuminated representation bearing the elusively-worded
inscription, “In packets only”), I left this fire-chariot, and at once
perceiving another in an attitude of departure, I entered it, as the
casual barbarian had definitely instructed, and began to assure myself
that I had already become expertly proficient in the art of journeying
among these Beneath Regions and to foresee the time, not far distant,
when others would confidently address themselves to me in their
extremities. So entrancing did this contemplation grow, that this
outrageous person began to compose the actual words with which he would
instruct them as the occasion arose, as thus, “Undoubtedly, O virtuous
and not unattractive maiden, this fire-engine will ultimately lead your
refined footsteps into the street called Those who Bake Food. Do not
hesitate, therefore, to occupy the vacant place by this insignificant
one’s side”; or, “By no means, honourable sir; the Cross of Charing
is in the precisely opposite direction to that selected by this
self-opinionated machine for its inopportune destination. Do not rebuke
this person for his immoderate loss of mental gravity, for your mistake,
though pardonable in a stranger, is really excessively diverting. Your
most prudent course now will assuredly be to cast yourself from the
carriage without delay and rely upon the benevolent intervention of a
fire-chariot proceeding backwards.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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