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MUGBYJUNCTION1MUGBYJUNCTIONByCharlesDickensMUGBYJUNCTION2CHAPTERI--BARBOXBROTHERSIGuard!Whatplaceisthis?MugbyJunction,sir.Awindyplace!Yes,itmostlyis,sir.Andlookscomfortlessindeed!Yes,itgenerallydoes,sir.Isitarainynightstill?Pours,sir.Openthedoor.I'llgetout.You'llhave,sir,saidtheguard,glisteningwithdropsofwet,andlookingatthetearfulfaceofhiswatchbythelightofhislanternasthetravellerdescended,threeminuteshere.More,Ithink.--ForIamnotgoingon.Thoughtyouhadathroughticket,sir?SoIhave,butIshallsacrificetherestofit.Iwantmyluggage.Pleasetocometothevanandpointitout,sir.Begoodenoughtolookverysharp,sir.Notamomenttospare.Theguardhurriedtotheluggagevan,andthetravellerhurriedafterhim.Theguardgotintoit,andthetravellerlookedintoit.Thosetwolargeblackportmanteausinthecornerwhereyourlightshines.Thosearemine.Nameupon'em,sir?BarboxBrothers.Standclear,sir,ifyouplease.One.Two.Right!Lampwaved.Signallightsaheadalreadychanging.ShriekfromMUGBYJUNCTION3engine.Traingone.MugbyJunction!saidthetraveller,pullingupthewoollenmufflerroundhisthroatwithbothhands.Atpastthreeo'clockofatempestuousmorning!So!Hespoketohimself.Therewasnooneelsetospeakto.Perhaps,thoughtherehadbeenanyoneelsetospeakto,hewouldhavepreferredtospeaktohimself.Speakingtohimselfhespoketoamanwithinfiveyearsoffiftyeitherway,whohadturnedgreytoosoon,likeaneglectedfire;amanofponderinghabit,broodingcarriageofthehead,andsuppressedinternalvoice;amanwithmanyindicationsonhimofhavingbeenmuchalone.Hestoodunnoticedonthedrearyplatform,exceptbytherainandbythewind.Thosetwovigilantassailantsmadearushathim.Verywell,saidhe,yielding.ItsignifiesnothingtometowhatquarterIturnmyface.Thus,atMugbyJunction,atpastthreeo'clockofatempestuousmorning,thetravellerwentwheretheweatherdrovehim.Notbutwhathecouldmakeastandwhenhewassominded,for,comingtotheendoftheroofedshelter(itisofconsiderableextentatMugbyJunction),andlookingoutuponthedarknight,withayetdarkerspirit-wingofstormbeatingitswildwaythroughit,hefacedabout,andheldhisownasruggedlyinthedifficultdirectionashehadhelditintheeasierone.Thus,withasteadystep,thetravellerwentupanddown,upanddown,upanddown,seekingnothingandfindingit.Aplacerepletewithshadowyshapes,thisMugbyJunctionintheblackhoursofthefour-and-twenty.Mysteriousgoodstrains,coveredwithpallsandglidingonlikevastweirdfunerals,conveyingthemselvesguiltilyawayfromthepresenceofthefewlightedlamps,asiftheirfreighthadcometoasecretandunlawfulend.Half-milesofcoalpursuinginaDetectivemanner,followingwhentheylead,stoppingwhentheystop,backingwhentheyback.Red-hotembersshoweringoutupontheground,downthisdarkavenue,anddowntheother,asiftorturingfireswerebeingrakedclear;concurrently,shrieksandgroansandgrindsinvadingtheear,asifthetorturedwereattheheightoftheirsuffering.Iron-barredcagesMUGBYJUNCTION4fullofcattlejanglingbymidway,thedroopingbeastswithhornsentangled,eyesfrozenwithterror,andmouthstoo:atleasttheyhavelongicicles(orwhatseemso)hangingfromtheirlips.Unknownlanguagesintheair,conspiringinred,green,andwhitecharacters.Anearthquake,accompaniedwiththunderandlightning,goingupexpresstoLondon.Now,allquiet,allrusty,windandraininpossession,lampsextinguished,MugbyJunctiondeadandindistinct,withitsrobedrawnoveritshead,likeCaesar.Now,too,asthebelatedtravellerploddedupanddown,ashadowytrainwentbyhiminthegloomwhichwasnootherthanthetrainofalife.Fromwhatsoeverintangibledeepcuttingordarktunnelitemerged,hereitcame,unsummonedandunannounced,stealinguponhim,andpassingawayintoobscurity.Heremournfullywentbyachildwhohadneverhadachildhoodorknownaparent,inseparablefromayouthwithabittersenseofhisnamelessness,coupledtoamantheenforcedbusinessofwhosebestyearshadbeendistastefulandoppressive,linkedtoanungratefulfriend,draggingafterhimawomanoncebeloved.Attendant,withmanyaclankandwrench,werelumberingcares,darkmeditations,hugedimdisappointments,monotonousyears,alongjarringlineofthediscordsofasolitaryandunhappyexistence.--Yours,sir?Thetravellerrecalledhiseyesfromthewasteintowhichtheyhadbeenstaring,andfellbackasteporsoundertheabruptness,andperhapsthechanceappropriateness,ofthequestion.Oh!Mythoughtswerenothereforthemoment.Yes.Yes.Thosetwoportmanteausaremine.AreyouaPorter?OnPorter'swages,sir.ButIamLamps.Thetravellerlookedalittleconfused.Whodidyousayyouare?Lamps,sir,showinganoilyclothinhishand,asfartherexplanation.Surely,surely.Isthereanyhotelortavernhere?Notexactlyhere,sir.ThereisaRefreshmentRoomhere,but--Lamps,withamightyseriouslook,gavehisheadawarningrollthatMUGBYJUNCTION5plainlyadded--butit'sablessedcircumstanceforyouthatit'snotopen.Youcouldn'trecommendit,Isee,ifitwasavailable?Askyourpardon,sir.Ifitwas-?Open?Itain'tmyplace,asapaidservantofthecompany,togivemyopiniononanyofthecompany'stoepics,--hepronounceditmoreliketoothpicks,--beyondlamp-ileandcottons,returnedLampsinaconfidentialtone;but,speakingasaman,Iwouldn'trecommendmyfather(ifhewastocometolifeagain)togoandtryhowhe'dbetreatedattheRefreshmentRoom.Notspeakingasaman,no,IwouldNOT.Thetravellernoddedconviction.IsupposeIcanputupinthetown?Thereisatownhere?Forthetraveller(thoughastay-at-homecomparedwithmosttravellers)