the underground city-第17章

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ertain　that　without　it　we　should

never　have　found　our　way　into　the　gallery；　from　which　you　could　not　get　out。〃

〃No　doubt；　Jack；〃　answered　Harry。　　〃It　remains　to　be　seen　whether　this　being　was　as　supernatural　as　you　choose　to　believe。〃

〃Supernatural！〃　exclaimed　Ryan。　　〃But　it　was　as　supernatural　as　a　Will…o'…the…Wisp；　who　may　be　seen　skipping　along　with　his　lantern　in　his　hand；　you　may　try　to　catch　him；　but　he　escapes　like　a　fairy；　and　vanishes　like　a　shadow！　Don't　be　uneasy；　Harry；　we　shall　see　it　again　some　day　or　other！〃

〃Well；　Jack；〃　said　Simon　Ford；　〃Will…o'…the…Wisp　or　not；　we　shall　try　to　find　it；　and　you　must　help　us。〃

〃You'll　get　into　a　scrap　if　you　don't　take　care；　Mr。　Ford！〃　responded　Jack　Ryan。

〃We'll　see　about　that；　Jack！〃

We　may　easily　imagine　how　soon　this　domain　of　New　Aberfoyle　became　familiar　to　all　the　members　of　the　Ford　family；　but　more　particularly　to　Harry。　　He　learnt　to　know　all　its　most　secret　ins　and　outs。　He　could　even　say　what　point　of　the　surface　corresponded　with　what　point　of　the　mine。　　He　knew　that　above　this　seam　lay　the　Firth　of　Clyde；　that　there　extended　Loch　Lomond　and　Loch　Katrine。　　Those　columns　supported　a　spur　of　the　Grampian　mountains。　　This　vault　served　as　a　basement　to　Dumbarton。　　Above　this　large　pond　passed　the　Balloch　railway。　Here　ended　the　Scottish　coast。　　There　began　the　sea；　the　tumult　of　which　could　be　distinctly　heard　during　the　equinoctial　gales。　Harry　would　have　been　a　first…rate　guide　to　these　natural　catacombs；　and　all　that　Alpine　guides　do　on　their　snowy　peaks　in　daylight　he　could　have　done　in　the　dark　mine　by　the　wonderful　power　of　instinct。

He　loved　New　Aberfoyle。　　Many　times；　with　his　lamp　stuck　in　his　hat；　did　he　penetrate　its　furthest　depths。　He　explored　its　ponds　in　a　skillfully…managed　canoe。　He　even　went　shooting；　for　numerous　birds　had　been　introduced　into　the　cryptpintails；　snipes；　ducks；　who　fed　on　the　fish　which　swarmed　in　the　deep　waters。　　Harry's　eyes　seemed　made　for　the　dark；　just　as　a　sailor's　are　made　for　distances。　But　all　this　while　Harry　felt　irresistibly　animated　by　the　hope　of　finding　the　mysterious　being　whose　intervention；　strictly　speaking；　had　saved　himself　and　his　friends。　　Would

he　succeed？　　He　certainly　would；　if　presentiments　were　to　be　trusted；　but　certainly　not；　if　he　judged　by　the　success　which　had　as　yet　attended　his　researches。

The　attacks　directed　against　the　family　of　the　old　overman；　before　the　discovery　of　New　Aberfoyle；　had　not　been　renewed。


CHAPTER　XI　HANGING　BY　A　THREAD


ALTHOUGH　in　this　way　the　Ford　family　led　a　happy　and　contented　life；　yet　it　was　easy　to　see　that　Harry；　naturally　of　a　grave　disposition；　became　more　and　more　quiet　and　reserved。　　Even　Jack　Ryan；　with　all　his　good　humor　and　usually　infectious　merriment；　failed　to　rouse　him　to　gayety　of　manner。

One　Sundayit　was　in　the　month　of　Junethe　two　friends　were　walking　together　on　the　shores　of　Loch　Malcolm。　　Coal　Town　rested　from　labor。　　In　the　world　above；　stormy　weather　prevailed。　Violent　rains　fell；　and　dull　sultry　vapors　brooded　over　the　earth；　the　atmosphere　was　most　oppressive。

Down　in　Coal　Town　there　was　perfect　calm；　no　wind；　no　rain。　A　soft　and　pleasant　temperature　existed　instead　of　the　strife　of　the　elements　which　raged　without。　　What　wonder　then；　that　excursionists　from　Stirling　came　in　considerable　numbers　to　enjoy　the　calm　fresh　air　in　the　recesses　of　the　mine？

The　electric　discs　shed　a　brilliancy　of　light　which　the　British　sun；　oftener　obscured　by　fogs　than　it　ought　to　be；　might　well　envy。　Jack　Ryan　kept　talking　of　these　visitors；　who　passed　them　in　noisy　crowds；　but　Harry　paid　very　little　attention　to　what　he　said。

〃I　say；　do　look；　Harry！〃　cried　Jack。　　〃See　what　numbers　of　people　come　to　visit　us！　　Cheer　up；　old　fellow！　　Do　the　honors　of　the　place　a　little　better。　　If　you　look　so　glum；　you'll　make　all　these　outside　folks　think　you　envy　their　life　above…ground。〃

〃Never　mind　me；　Jack；〃　answered　Harry。　　〃You　are　jolly　enough　for　two；　I'm　sure；　that's　enough。〃

〃I'll　be　hanged　if　I　don't　feel　your　melancholy　creeping　over　me　though！〃　exclaimed　Jack。　　〃I　declare　my　eyes

are　getting　quite　dull；　my　lips　are　drawn　together；　my　laugh　sticks　in　my　throat；　I'm　forgetting　all　my　songs。　Come；　man；　what's　the　matter　with　you？〃

〃You　know　well　enough；　Jack。〃

〃What？　the　old　story？〃

〃Yes；　the　same　thoughts　haunt　me。〃

〃Ah；　poor　fellow！〃　said　Jack；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃If　you　would　only　do　like　me；　and　set　all　the　queer　things　down　to　the　account　of　the　goblins　of　the　mine；　you　would　be　easier　in　your　mind。〃

〃But；　Jack；　you　know　very　well　that　these　goblins　exist　only　in　your　imagination；　and　that；　since　the　works　here　have　been　reopened；　not　a　single　one　has　been　seen。〃

〃That's　true；　Harry；　but　if　no　spirits　have　been　seen；　neither　has　anyone　else　to　whom　you　could　attribute　the　extraordinary　doings　we　want　to　account　for。〃

〃I　shall　discover　them。〃

〃Ah；　Harry！　　Harry！　it's　not　so　easy　to　catch　the　spirits　of　New　Aberfoyle！〃

〃I　shall　find　out　the　spirits　as　you　call　them；〃　said　Harry；　in　a　tone　of　firm　conviction。

〃Do　you　expect　to　be　able　to　punish　them？〃

〃Both　punish　and　reward。　　Remember；　if　one　hand　shut　us　up　in　that　passage；　another　hand　delivered　us！　　I　shall　not　soon　forget　that。〃

〃But；　Harry；　how　can　we　be　sure　that　these　two　hands　do　not　belong　to　the　same　body？〃

〃What　can　put　such　a　notion　in　your　head；　Jack？〃　asked　Harry。

〃Well；　I　don't　know。　　Creatures　that　live　in　these　holes；　Harry；　don't　you　see？　they　can't　be　made　like　us；　eh？〃

〃But　they　ARE　just　like　us；　Jack。〃

〃Oh；　no！　don't　say　that；　Harry！　　Perhaps　some　madman　managed　to　get　in　for　a　time。〃

〃A　madman！　　No　madman　would　have　formed　such　connected　plans；　or　done　such　continued　mischief　as　befell　us　after　the　breaking　of　the　ladders。〃

〃Well；　but　anyhow　he　has　done　no　harm　for　the　last　three　years；　either　to　you；　Harry；　or　any　of　your　people。〃

〃No　matter；　Jack；〃　replied　Harry；　〃I　am　persuaded　that　this　malignant　being；　whoever　he　is；　has　by　no　means　given　up　his　evil　intentions。　I　can　hardly　say　on　what　I

found　my　convictions。　　But　at　any　rate；　for　the　sake　of　the　new　works；　I　must　and　will　know　who　he　is　and　whence　he　comes。〃

〃For　the　sake　of　the　new　works　did　you　say？〃　asked　Jack；　considerably　surprised。

〃I　said　so；　Jack；〃　returned　Harry。　　〃I　may　be　mistaken；　but；　to　me；　all　that　has　happened　proves　the　existence　of　an　interest　in　this　mine　in　strong　opposition　to　ours。　Many　a　time　have　I　considered　the　matter；　I　feel　almost　sure　of　it。　Just　consider　the　whole　series　of　inexplicable　circumstances；　so　singularly　linked　together。　　To　begin　with；　the　anonymous　letter；　contradictory　to　that　of　my　father；　at　once　proves　that　some　man　had　become　aware　of　our　projects；　and　wished　to　prevent　their　accomplishment。　　Mr。　Starr　comes　to　see　us　at　the　Dochart　pit。　No　sooner　does　he　enter　it　with　me　than　an　immense　stone　is　cast　upon　us；　and　communication　is　interrupted　by　the　breaking　of　the　ladders　in　the　Yarrow　shaft。　　We　commence　exploring。　An　experiment；　by　which　the　existence　of　a　new　vein　would　be　proved；　is　rendered　impossible　by　stoppage　of　fissures。　Notwithstanding　this；　the　examination　is　carried　out；　the　vein　discovered。　　We　return　as　we　came；　a　prodigious　gust　of　air　meets　us；　our　lamp　is　broken；　utter　darkness　surrounds　us。　　Nevertheless；　we　make　our　way　along　the　gloomy　passage　until；　on　reaching　the　entrance；　we　find　it　blocked　up。　There　we　wereimprisoned。　　Now；　Jack；　don't　you　see　in　all　these　things　a　malicious　intention？　　Ah；　yes；　believe　me；　some　being　hitherto　invisible；　but　not　supernatural；　as　you　will　persist　in　thinking；　was　concealed　in　the　mine。　　For　some　reason；　known　only　to　himself；　he　strove　to　keep　us　out　of　it。　WAS　there；　did　I　say？　　I　feel　an　inward　conviction　that　he　IS　there　still；　and　probably　prepares　some　terrible　disaster　for　us。　Even　at　the　risk　of　my　life；　Jack；　I　am　resolved　to　discover　him。〃

Harry　spoke　with　an　earnestness　which　strongly　impressed　his　companion。　〃Well；　Harry；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　am　forced　to　agree　with　you　in　certain　points；　won't　you　admit　that　some　kind　fairy　or　brownie；　by　bringing　bread　and　water　to　you；　was　the　means　of〃

〃Jack；　my　friend