the underground city-地下城(英文版)- 第16部分

bonny　Nell！　　A　fine　young　creature　like　that；　who　has　been　brought　up　in　the　mine；　is　just　the　very　wife　for　a　miner。　She　is　an　orphan……so　am　I；　and　if　you　don't　care　much　for　her；　and　if　she　will　have　me……〃

Harry　looked　gravely　at　Jack；　and　let　him　talk　on　without　trying　to　stop　him。　　〃Don't　you　begin　to　feel　jealous；　Harry？〃　asked　Jack　in　a　more　serious　tone。

〃Not　at　all；〃　answered　Harry　quietly。

〃But　if　you　don't　marry　Nell　yourself；　you　surely　can't　expect　her　to　remain　a　spinster？〃

〃I　expect　nothing；〃　said　Harry。

A　movement　of　the　ladder　machinery　now　gave　the　two　friends　the　opportunity……one　to　go　up；　the　other　down　the　shaft。　However；　they　remained　where　they　were。

〃Harry；〃　quoth　Jack；　〃do　you　think　I　spoke　in　earnest　just　now　about　Nell？〃

〃No；　that　I　don't；　Jack。〃

〃Well；　but　now　I　will！〃

〃You？　speak　in　earnest？〃

〃My　good　fellow；　I　can　tell　you　I　am　quite　capable　of　giving　a　friend　a　bit　of　advice。〃

〃Let's　hear；　then；　Jack！〃

〃Well；　look　here！　　You　love　Nell　as　heartily　as　she　deserves。　Old　Simon；　your　father；　and　old　Madge；　your　mother；　both　love　her　as　if　she　were　their　daughter。　　Why　don't　you　make　her　so　in　reality？　Why　don't　you　marry　her？〃

〃e；　Jack；〃　said　Harry；　〃you　are　running　on　as　if　you　knew　how　Nell　felt　on　the　subject。〃

〃Everybody　knows　that；〃　replied　Jack；　〃and　therefore　it　is　impossible　to　make　you　jealous　of　any　of　us。　　But　here　goes　the　ladder　again……I'm　off！〃

〃Stop　a　minute；　Jack！〃　cried　Harry；　detaining　his　panion；　who　was　stepping　onto　the　moving　staircase。

〃I　say！　you　seem　to　mean　me　to　take　up　my　quarters　here　altogether！〃

〃Do　be　serious　and　listen；　Jack！　　I　want　to　speak　in　earnest　myself　now。〃

〃Well；　I'll　listen　till　the　ladder　moves　again；　not　a　minute　longer。〃

〃Jack；〃　resumed　Harry；　〃I　need　not　pretend　that　I　do　not　love　Nell；　I　wish　above　all　things　to　make　her　my　wife。〃


〃That's　all　right！〃

〃But　for　the　present　I　have　scruples　of　conscience　as　to　asking　her　to　make　me　a　promise　which　would　be　irrevocable。〃

〃What　can　you　mean；　Harry？〃

〃I　mean　just　this……that；　it　being　certain　Nell　has　never　been　outside　this　coal　mine　in　the　very　depths　of　which　she　was　born；　it　stands　to　reason　that　she　knows　nothing；　and　can　prehend　nothing　of　what　exists　beyond　it。　Her　eyes……yes；　and　perhaps　also　her　heart……have　everything　yet　to　learn。　　Who　can　tell　what　her　thoughts　will　be；　when　perfectly　new　impressions　shall　be　made　upon　her　mind？　As　yet　she　knows　nothing　of　the　world；　and　to　me　it　would　seem　like　deceiving　her；　if　I　led　her　to　decide　in　ignorance；　upon　choosing　to　remain　all　her　life　in　the　coal　mine。　Do　you　understand　me；　Jack？〃

〃Hem！……yes……pretty　well。　　What　I　understand　best　is　that　you　are　going　to　make　me　miss　another　turn　of　the　ladder。〃

〃Jack；〃　replied　Harry　gravely；　〃if　this　machinery　were　to　stop　altogether；　if　this　landing…place　were　to　fall　beneath　our　feet；　you　must　and　shall　hear　what　I　have　to　say。〃

〃Well　done；　Harry！　that's　how　I　like　to　be　spoken　to！　Let's　settle；　then；　that；　before　you　marry　Nell；　she　shall　go　to　school　in　Auld　Reekie。〃

〃No　indeed；　Jack；　I　am　perfectly　able　myself　to　educate　the　person　who　is　to　be　my　wife。〃

〃Sure　that　will　be　a　great　deal　better；　Harry！〃

〃But；　first　of　all；〃　resumed　Harry；　〃I　wish　that　Nell　should　gain　a　real　knowledge　of　the　upper　world。　　To　illustrate　my　meaning；　Jack；　suppose　you　were　in　love　with　a　blind　girl；　and　someone　said　to　you；　'In　a　month's　time　her　sight　will　be　restored；'　would　you　not　wait　till　after　she　was　cured；　to　marry　her？〃

〃Faith；　to　be　sure　I　would！〃　exclaimed　Jack。

〃Well；　Jack；　Nell　is　at　present　blind；　and　before　she　marries　me；　I　wish　her　to　see　what　I　am；　and　what　the　life　really　is　to　which　she　would　bind　herself。　　In　short；　she　must　have　daylight　let　in　upon　the　subject！〃

〃Well　said；　Harry！　　Very　well　said　indeed！〃　cried　Jack。　　〃Now　I　see　what　you　are　driving　at。　　And　when　may　we　expect　the　operation　to　e　off？〃


〃In　a　month；　Jack；〃　replied　Harry。　　〃Nell　is　getting　used　to　the　light　of　our　reflectors。　　That　is　some　preparation。　In　a　month　she　will；　I　hope；　have　seen　the　earth　and　its　wonders……　the　sky　and　its　splendors。　　She　will　perceive　that　the　limits　of　the　universe　are　boundless。〃

But　while　Harry　was　thus　giving　the　rein　to　his　imagination；　Jack　Ryan；　quitting　the　platform；　had　leaped　on　the　step　of　the　moving　machinery。

〃Hullo；　Jack！　　Where　are　you？〃

〃Far　beneath　you；〃　laughed　the　merry　fellow。　　〃While　you　soar　to　the　heights；　I　plunge　into　the　depths。〃

〃Fare　ye　well。　　Jack！〃　returned　Harry；　himself　laying　hold　of　the　rising　ladder；　〃mind　you　say　nothing　about　what　I　have　been　telling　you。〃

〃Not　a　word；〃　shouted　Jack；　〃but　I　make　one　condition。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃That　I　may　be　one　of　the　party　when　Nell's　first　excursion　to　the　face　of　the　earth　es　off！〃

〃So　you　shall；　Jack；　I　promise　you！〃

A　fresh　throb　of　the　machinery　placed　a　yet　more　considerable　distance　between　the　friends。　　Their　voices　sounded　faintly　to　each　other。　Harry；　however；　could　still　hear　Jack　shouting：

〃I　say！　do　you　know　what　Nell　will　like　better　than　either　sun；　moon；　or　stars；　after　she's　seen　the　whole　of　them？〃

〃No；　Jack！〃

〃Why；　you　yourself；　old　fellow！　still　you！　always　you！〃　And　Jack's　voice　died　away　in　a　prolonged　〃Hurrah！〃

Harry；　after　this；　applied　himself　diligently；　during　all　his　spare　time；　to　the　work　of　Nell's　education。　He　taught　her　to　read　and　to　write；　and　such　rapid　progress　did　she　make；　it　might　have　been　said　that　she　learnt　by　instinct。　Never　did　keen　intelligence　more　quickly　triumph　over　utter　ignorance。　It　was　the　wonder　of　all　beholders。

Simon　and　Madge　became　every　day　more　and　more　attached　to　their　adopted　child；　whose　former　history　continued　to　puzzle　them　a　good　deal。　　They　plainly　saw　the　nature　of　Harry's　feelings　towards　her；　and　were　far　from　displeased　thereat。　They　recollected　that　Simon　had　said　to　the　engineer　on　his　first　visit　to　the　old　cottage；　〃How　can　our　son　ever　think　of　marrying？　Where　could　a　wife

possibly　be　found　suitable　for　a　lad　whose　whole　life　must　be　passed　in　the　depths　of　a　coal　mine？〃

Well！　now　it　seemed　as　if　the　most　desirable　panion　in　the　world　had　been　led　to　him　by　Providence。　　Was　not　this　like　a　blessing　direct　from　Heaven？　　So　the　old　man　made　up　his　mind　that；　if　the　wedding　did　take　place；　the　miners　of　New　Aberfoyle　should　have　a　merry…making　at　Coal　Town；　which　they　would　never　during　their　lives　forget。　Simon　Ford　little　knew　what　he　was　saying！

It　must　be　remarked　that　another　person　wished　for　this　union　of　Harry　and　Nell　as　much　as　Simon　did……and　that　was　James　Starr；　the　engineer。　Of　course　he　was　really　interested　in　the　happiness　of　the　two　young　people。　　But　another　motive；　connected　with　wider　interests；　influenced　him　to　desire　it。

It　has　been　said　that　James　Starr　continued　to　entertain　a　certain　amount　of　apprehension；　although　for　the　present　nothing　appeared　to　justify　it。　Yet　that　which　had　been　might　again　be。　　This　mystery　about　the　new　cutting……Nell　was　evidently　the　only　person　acquainted　with　it。　Now；　if　fresh　dangers　were　in　store　for　the　miners　of　Aberfoyle；　how　were　they　possibly　to　be　guarded　against；　without　so　much　as　knowing　the　cause　of　them？

〃Nell　has　persisted　in　keeping　silence；〃　said　James　Starr　very　often；　〃but　what　she　has　concealed　from　others；　she　will　not　long　hide　from　her　husband。　　Any　danger　would　be　danger　to　Harry　as　well　as　to　the　rest　of　us。　　Therefore；　a　marriage　which　brings　happiness　to　the　lovers；　and　safety　to　their　friends；　will　be　a　good　marriage；　if　ever　there　is　such　a　thing　here　below。〃

Thus；　not　illogically；　reasoned　James　Starr。　　He　municated　his　ideas　to　old　Simon；　who　decidedly　appreciated　them。　Nothing；　then；　appeared　to　stand　in　the　way　of　the　match。　What；　in　fact；　was　there　to　prevent　it？　　They　loved　each　other；　the　parents　desired　nothing　better　for　their　son。　Harry's　rades　envied　his　good　fortune；　but　freely　acknowledged　that　he　deserved　it。　　The　maiden　depended　on　no　one　else；　and　had　but　to　give　the　consent　of　her　own　heart。

Why；　then；　if　there　were　none　to　place　obstacles　in　the　way　of　this　union……why；　as　night　came　on；　and；　the　labors　of　the　day　being　over；　the　electric　lights　in　the　mine　were

extinguished；　and　all　the　inhabitants　of　Coal　Town　at　rest　within　their　dwellings……why　did　a　mysterious　form　always　emerge　from　the　gloomier　recesses　of　New　Aberfoyle；　and　silently　glide　through　the　darkness？

What　instinct　guided　this　phantom　with　ease　through　passages　so　narrow　as　to　appear　to　be　impracticable？

Why　should　the　strange　being；　with　eyes　flashing　through　the　deepest　darkness；　e　cautiously　creeping　along　the　shores　of　Lake　Malcolm？　　Why　so　directly　make　his　way　towards　Simon's　cottage；　yet　so　carefully　as　hitherto　to　avoid　notice？　Why；　bending　towards　the　windows；　did　he　strive　to　catch；　by　listening；　some　fragment　of　the　conversation　within　the　closed　shutters？

And；　on　catching　a　few　words；　why　did　he　shake　his　fist　with　a　menacing　gesture　towards　the　calm　abode；　while　from　between　his　set　teeth　issued　these　words　in　muttered　fury；　〃She　and　he？　　Never！　never！〃


CHAPTER　XIV　A　SUNRISE


A　MONTH　after　this；　on　the　evening　of　the　20th　of　August；　Simon　Ford　and　Madge　took　leave；　with　all　manner　of　good　wishes；　of　four　tourists；　who　were　setting　forth　from　the　cottage。

James　Starr；　Harry；　and　Jack　Ryan　were　about　to　lead　Nell's　steps　over　yet　untrodden　paths；　and　to　show　her　the　glories　of　nature　by　a　light　to　which　she　was　as　yet　a　stranger。　The　excursion　was　to　last　for　two　days。　　James　Starr；　as　well　as　Harry；　considered　that　during　these　eight　and　forty　hours　spent　above　ground；　the　maiden　would　be　able　to　see　everything　of　which　she　must　have　remained　ignorant　in　the　gloomy　pit；　all　the　varied　aspects　of　the　globe；　towns；　plains；　mountains；　rivers；　lakes；　gulfs；　and　seas　would　pass；　panorama…like；　before　her　eyes。

In　that　part　of　Scotland　lying　between　Edinburgh　and　Glasgow；　nature　would　seem　to　have　collected　and　set　forth　specimens　of　every　one　of　these　terrestrial　beauties。　　As　to　the　heavens；　they　would　be　spread　abroad　as　over　the　whole　earth；　with　their　changeful　clouds；　serene　or　veiled　moon；　their　radiant　sun；　and　clustering　stars。　　The　expedition　had　been　planned　so　as　to　bine　a　view　of　all　these　things。

Simon　and　Madge　would　have　been　glad　to　go　with　Nell；　but　they　never　left　their　cottage　willingly；　and　could　not　make　up　their　minds　to　quit　their　subterranean　home　for　a　single　day。

James　Starr　went　as　an　observer　and　philosopher；　curious　to　note；　from　a　psychological　point　of　view；　the　novel　impressions　made　upon　Nell；　perhaps　also　with　some　hope　of　detecting　a　clue　to　the　mysterious　events　connected　with　her　childhood。　　Harry；　with　a　little　trepidation；　asked　himself　whether　it　was　not　possible　that　this　rapid　initiation　into　the　things　of　the　exterior　world　would　change　the　maiden　he　had　known　and　loved　hitherto　into　quite　a　different　girl。　　As　for　Jack　Ryan；　he　was　as　joyous　as　a　lark　rising　in　the　first　beams　of　the　sun。　He　only　trusted　that　his　gayety　would　prove　contagious；　and　enliven　his　traveling　panions；　thus　rewarding　them　for　letting　him　join　them。　Nell　was　pensive　and　silent。

James　Starr　had　decided；　ve