the underground city- 第18部分

〃What　is　that？〃

〃That　I　may　be　one　of　the　party　when　Nell's　first　excursion　to　the　face　of　the　earth　comes　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　companion　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　didand　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　cuttingNell　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　communicated　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　comrades　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　unionwhy；　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　dwellingswhy　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；　come　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　combine　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　companions；　thus　rewarding　them　for　letting　him　join　them。　Nell　was　pensive　and　silent。

James　Starr　had　decided；　very　sensibly；　to　set　off　in　the　evening。　It　would　be　very　much　better　for　the　girl　to　pass　gradually　from　the　darkness　of　night　to　the　full　light　of　day；　and　that　would　in　this　way　be　managed；　since　between　midnight　and　noon　she　would　experience　the　successive　phases　of　shade　and　sunshine；　to　which　her　sight　had　to　get　accustomed。

Just　as　they　left　the　cottage；　Nell　took　Harry's　hand　saying；　〃Harry；　is　it　really　necessary　for　me　to　leave　the　mine　at　all；　even　for　these　few　days？〃

〃Yes；　it　is；　Nell；〃　replied　the　young　man。　　〃It　is　needful　for　both　of　us。〃

〃But；　Harry；〃　resumed　Nell；　〃ever　since　you　found　me；　I　have　been　as　happy　as　I　can　possibly　be。　　You　have　been　teaching　me。　Why　is　that　not　enough？　　What　am　I　going　up　there　for？〃

Harry　looked　at　her　in　silence。　　Nell　was　giving　utterance　to　nearly　his　own　thoughts。

〃My　child；〃　said　James　Starr；　〃I　can　well　understand　the　hesitation　you　feel；　but　it　will　be　good　for　you　to　go　with　us。　Those　who　love　you　are　taking　you；　and　they　will　bring　you　back　again。　Afterwards　you　will　be　free；　if　you　wish　it；　to　continue　your　life　in　the　coal　mine；　like　old

Simon；　and　Madge；　and　Harry。　　But　at　least　you　ought　to　be　able　to　compare　what　you　give　up　with　what　you　choose；　then　decide　freely。　　Come！〃

〃Come；　dear　Nell！〃　cried　Harry。

〃Harry；　I　am　willing　to　follow　you；〃　replied　the　maiden。　At　nine　o'clock　the　last　train　through　the　tunnel　started　to　convey　Nell　and　her　companions　to　the　surface　of　the　earth。　Twenty　minutes　later　they　alighted　on　the　platform　where　the　branch　line　to　New　Aberfoyle　joins　the　railway　from　Dumbarton　to　Stirling。

The　night　was　already　dark。　　From　the　horizon　to　the　zenith；　light　vapory　clouds　hurried　through　the　upper　air；　driven　by　a　refreshing　northwesterly　breeze。　　The　day　had　been　lovely；　the　night　promised　to　be　so　likewise。

On　reaching　Stirling；　Nell　and　her　friends；　quitting　the　train；　left　the　station　immediately。　　Just　before　them；　between　high　trees；　they　could　see　a　road　which　led　to　the　banks　of　the　river　Forth。

The　first　physical　impression　on　the　girl　was　the　purity　of　the　air　inhaled　eagerly　by　her　lungs。

〃Breathe　it　freely；　Nell；〃　said　James　Starr；　〃it　is　fragrant　with　all　the　scents　of　the　open　country。〃

〃What　is　all　that　smoke　passing　over　our　heads？〃　inquired　Nell。

〃Those　are　clouds；〃　answered　Harry；　〃blown　along　by　the　westerly　wind。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Nell；　〃how　I　should　like　to　feel　myself　carried　along　in　that　silent　whirl！　　And　what　are　those　shining　sparks　which　glance　here　and　there　between　rents　in　the　clouds？〃

〃Those　are　the　stars　I　have　told　you　about；　Nell。　　So　many　suns　they　are；　so　many　centers　of　worlds　like　our　own；　most　likely。〃

The　constellations　became　more　clearly　visible　as　the　wind　cleared　the　clouds　from　the　deep　blue　of　the　firmament。　Nell　gazed　upon　the　myriad　stars　which　sparkled　overhead。　〃But　how　is　it；〃　she　said　at　length；　〃that　if　these　are　suns；　my　eyes　can　endure　their　brightness？〃

〃My　child；〃　replied　James　Starr；　〃they　are　indeed　suns；　but　suns　at　an　enormous　distance。　　The　nearest　of　these　millions　of　stars；　whose　rays　can　reach　us；　is　Vega；　that　star　in　Lyra　which　you　observe　near　the　zenith；　and　that　is

fifty　thousand　millions　of　leagues　distant。　Its　brightness；　therefore；　cannot　affect　your　vision。　But　our　own　sun；　which　will　rise　to…morrow；　is　only　distant　thirty…eight　millions　of　leagues；　and　no　human　eye　can　gaze　fixedly　upon　that；　for　it　is　brighter　than　the　blaze　of　any　furnace。　But　come；　Nell；　come！〃

They　pursued　their　way；　James　Starr　leading　the　maiden；　Harry　walking　by　her　side；　while　Jack　Ryan　roamed　about　like　a　young　dog；　impatient　of　the　slow　pace　of　his　masters。　　The　road　w