the underground city-第20章

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udged　best　to　avoid　the　subject　for　the　present。　Her　secret　would　certainly　escape　her　by…and…by。

By　the　time　Nell　had　been　a　fortnight　in　the　cottage；　she　had　become　a　most　intelligent　and　zealous　assistant　to　old　Madge。　　It　was　clear　that　she　instinctively　felt　she　should　remain　in　the　dwelling　where　she　had　been　so　charitably　received；　and　perhaps　never　dreamt　of　quitting　it。　This　family　was　all　in　all　to　her；　and　to　the　good　folks　themselves　Nell　had　seemed　an　adopted　child　from　the　moment　when　she　first　came　beneath　their　roof。　　Nell　was　in　truth　a　charming　creature；　her　new　mode　of　existence　added　to　her　beauty；　for　these　were　no　doubt　the　first　happy　days　of　her　life；　and　her　heart　was　full　of　gratitude　towards　those　to　whom　she　owed　them。　　Madge　felt　towards　her　as　a　mother　would；　the　old　woman　doted　upon　her；　in　short；　she　was　beloved　by　everybody。　Jack　Ryan　only　regretted　one　thing；　which　was　that　he　had　not　saved　her　himself。　　Friend

Jack　often　came　to　the　cottage。　　He　sang；　and　Nell；　who　had　never　heard　singing　before；　admired　it　greatly；　but　anyone　might　see　that　she　preferred　to　Jack's　songs　the　graver　conversation　of　Harry；　from　whom　by　degrees　she　learnt　truths　concerning　the　outer　world；　of　which　hitherto　she　had　known　nothing。

It　must　be　said　that；　since　Nell　had　appeared　in　her　own　person；　Jack　Ryan　had　been　obliged　to　admit　that　his　belief　in　hobgoblins　was　in　a　measure　weakened。　　A　couple　of　months　later　his　credulity　experienced　a　further　shock。　　About　that　time　Harry　unexpectedly　made　a　discovery　which；　in　part　at　least；　accounted　for　the　apparition　of　the　fire…maidens　among　the　ruins　of　Dundonald　Castle　at　Irvine。

During　several　days　he　had　been　engaged　in　exploring　the　remote　galleries　of　the　prodigious　excavation　towards　the　south。　　At　last　he　scrambled　with　difficulty　up　a　narrow　passage　which　branched　off　through　the　upper　rock。　To　his　great　astonishment；　he　suddenly　found　himself　in　the　open　air。　The　passage；　after　ascending　obliquely　to　the　surface　of　the　ground；　led　out　directly　among　the　ruins　of　Dundonald　Castle。

There　was；　therefore；　a　communication　between　New　Aberfoyle　and　the　hills　crowned　by　this　ancient　castle。　　The　upper　entrance　to　this　gallery；　being　completely　concealed　by　stones　and　brushwood；　was　invisible　from　without；　at　the　time　of　their　search；　therefore；　the　magistrates　had　been　able　to　discover　nothing。

A　few　days　afterwards；　James　Starr；　guided　by　Harry；　came　himself　to　inspect　this　curious　natural　opening　into　the　coal　mine。　　〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃here　is　enough　to　convince　the　most　superstitious　among　us。　Farewell　to　all　their　brownies；　goblins；　and　fire…maidens　now！〃

〃I　hardly　think；　Mr。　Starr；　we　ought　to　congratulate　ourselves；〃　replied　Harry。　　〃Whatever　it　is　we　have　instead　of　these　things；　it　can't　be　better；　and　may　be　worse　than　they　are。〃

〃That's　true；　Harry；〃　said　the　engineer；　〃but　what's　to　be　done？　It　is　plain　that；　whatever　the　beings　are　who　hide　in　the　mine；　they　reach　the　surface　of　the　earth　by　this　passage。　No　doubt　it　was　the　light　of　torches　waved　by　them　during　that　dark　and　stormy　night　which　attracted　the　MOTALA　towards　the　rocky　coast；　and　like　the　wreckers

of　former　days；　they　would　have　plundered　the　unfortunate　vessel；　had　it　not　been　for　Jack　Ryan　and　his　friends。　　Anyhow；　so　far　it　is　evident；　and　here　is　the　mouth　of　the　den。　　As　to　its　occupants；　the　question　is　Are　they　here　still？〃

〃I　say　yes；　because　Nell　trembles　when　we　mention　them　yes；　because　Nell　will　not；　or　dare　not；　speak　about　them；〃　answered　Harry　in　a　tone　of　decision。

Harry　was　surely　in　the　right。　　Had　these　mysterious　denizens　of　the　pit　abandoned　it；　or　ceased　to　visit　the　spot；　what　reason　could　the　girl　have　had　for　keeping　silence？

James　Starr　could　not　rest　till　he　had　penetrated　this　mystery。　He　foresaw　that　the　whole　future　of　the　new　excavations　must　depend　upon　it。　　Renewed　and　strict　precautions　were　therefore　taken。　The　authorities　were　informed　of　the　discovery　of　the　entrance。　Watchers　were　placed　among　the　ruins　of　the　castle。　Harry　himself　lay　hid　for　several　nights　in　the　thickets　of　brushwood　which　clothed　the　hill…side。

Nothing　was　discoveredno　human　being　emerged　from　the　opening。　So　most　people　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　villains　had　been　finally　dislodged　from　the　mine；　and　that；　as　to　Nell；　they　must　suppose　her　to　be　dead　at　the　bottom　of　the　shaft　where　they　had　left　her。

While　it　remained　unworked；　the　mine　had　been　a　safe　enough　place　of　refuge；　secure　from　all　search　or　pursuit。　　But　now；　circumstances　being　altered；　it　became　difficult　to　conceal　this　lurking…place；　and　it　might　reasonably　be　hoped　they　were　gone；　and　that　nothing　for　the　future　was　to　be　dreaded　from　them。

James　Starr；　however；　could　not　feel　sure　about　it；　neither　could　Harry　be　satisfied　on　the　subject；　often　repeating；　〃Nell　has　clearly　been　mixed　up　with　all　this　secret　business。　If　she　had　nothing　more　to　fear；　why　should　she　keep　silence？　It　cannot　be　doubted　that　she　is　happy　with　us。　　She　likes　us　all　she　adores　my　mother。　　Her　absolute　silence　as　to　her　former　life；　when　by　speaking　out　she　might　benefit　us；　proves　to　me　that　some　awful　secret；　which　she　dares　not　reveal；　weighs　on　her　mind。　It　may　also　be　that　she　believes　it　better　for　us；　as　well　as　for　herself；　that　she　should　remain　mute　in　a　way　otherwise　so　unaccountable。〃


In　consequence　of　these　opinions；　it　was　agreed　by　common　consent　to　avoid　all　allusion　to　the　maiden's　former　mode　of　life。　One　day；　however；　Harry　was　led　to　make　known　to　Nell　what　James　Starr；　his　father；　mother；　and　himself　believed　they　owed　to　her　interference。

It　was　a　fete…day。　The　miners　made　holiday　on　the　surface　of　the　county　of　Stirling　as　well　as　in　its　subterraneous　domains。　Parties　of　holiday…makers　were　moving　about　in　all　directions。　Songs　resounded　in　many　places　beneath　the　sonorous　vaults　of　New　Aberfoyle。　　Harry　and　Nell　left　the　cottage；　and　slowly　walked　along　the　left　bank　of　Loch　Malcolm。

Then　the　electric　brilliance　darted　less　vividly；　and　the　rays　were　interrupted　with　fantastic　effect　by　the　sharp　angles　of　the　picturesque　rocks　which　supported　the　dome。　　This　imperfect　light　suited　Nell；　to　whose　eyes　a　glare　was　very　unpleasant。

〃Nell；〃　said　Harry；　〃your　eyes　are　not　fit　for　daylight　yet；　and　could　not　bear　the　brightness　of　the　sun。〃

〃Indeed　they　could　not；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃if　the　sun　is　such　as　you　describe　it　to　me；　Harry。〃

〃I　cannot　by　any　words；　Nell；　give　you　an　idea　either　of　his　splendor　or　of　the　beauty　of　that　universe　which　your　eyes　have　never　beheld。　But　tell　me；　is　it　really　possible　that；　since　the　day　when　you　were　born　in　the　depths　of　the　coal　mine；　you　never　once　have　been　up　to　the　surface　of　the　earth？〃

〃Never　once；　Harry；〃　said　she；　〃I　do　not　believe　that；　even　as　an　infant；　my　father　or　mother　ever　carried　me　thither。　I　am　sure　I　should　have　retained　some　impression　of　the　open　air　if　they　had。〃

〃I　believe　you　would；〃　answered　Harry。　　〃Long　ago；　Nell；　many　children　used　to　live　altogether　in　the　mine；　communication　was　then　difficult；　and　I　have　met　with　more　than　one　young　person；　quite　as　ignorant　as　you　are　of　things　above…ground。　But　now　the　railway　through　our　great　tunnel　takes　us　in　a　few　minutes　to　the　upper　regions　of　our　country。　I　long；　Nell；　to　hear　you　say；　'Come；　Harry；　my　eyes　can　bear　daylight；　and　I　want　to　see　the　sun！　　I　want　to　look　upon　the　works　of　the　Almighty。'〃

〃I　shall　soon　say　so；　Harry；　I　hope；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃I　shall　soon　go　with　you　to　the　world　above；　and　yet〃


〃What　are　you　going　to　say；　Nell？〃　hastily　cried　Harry；　〃can　you　possibly　regret　having　quitted　that　gloomy　abyss　in　which　you　spent　your　early　years；　and　whence　we　drew　you　half　dead？〃

〃No；　Harry；〃　answered　Nell；　〃I　was　only　thinking　that　darkness　is　beautiful　as　well　as　light。　　If　you　but　knew　what　eyes　accustomed　to　its　depth　can　see！　　Shades　flit　by；　which　one　longs　to　follow；　circles　mingle　and　intertwine；　and　one　could　gaze　on　them　forever；　black　hollows；　full　of　indefinite　gleams　of　radiance；　lie　deep　at　the　bottom　of　the　mine。　　And　then　the　voice…like　sounds！　Ah；　Harry！　one　must　have　lived　down　there　to　understand　w