the underground city-第23章

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hings　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　was　lonely。　Nell　kept　looking　at　the　great　trees；　whose　branches；　waving　in　the　wind；　made　them　seem　to　her　like　giants　gesticulating　wildly。　The　sound　of　the　breeze　in　the　tree…tops；　the　deep　silence　during　a　lull；　the　distant　line　of　the　horizon；　which　could　be　discerned　when　the　road　passed　over　open　levelsall　these　things　filled　her　with　new　sensations；　and　left　lasting　impressions　on　her　mind。

After　some　time　she　ceased　to　ask　questions；　and　her　companions　respected　her　silence；　not　wishing　to　influence　by　any　words　of　theirs　the　girl's　highly　sensitive　imagination；　but　preferring　to　allow　ideas　to　arise　spontaneously　in　her　soul。

At　about　half　past　eleven　o'clock；　they　gained　the　banks　of　the　river　Forth。　　There　a　boat；　chartered　by　James　Starr；　awaited　them。　In　a　few　hours　it　would　convey　them　all　to　Granton。　　Nell　looked　at　the　clear　water　which　flowed　up　to　her　feet；　as　the　waves　broke　gently　on　the　beach；　reflecting　the　starlight。　〃Is　this　a　lake？〃　said　she。

〃No；〃　replied　Harry；　〃it　is　a　great　river　flowing　towards　the　sea；　and　soon　opening　so　widely　as　to　resemble　a　gulf。　Taste　a　little　of　the　water　in　the　hollow　of　your　hand；　Nell；　and　you　will　perceive　that　it　is　not　sweet　like　the　waters　of　Lake　Malcolm。〃

The　maiden　bent　towards　the　stream；　and；　raising　a　little　water　to　her　lips；　〃This　is　quite　salt；〃　said　she。

〃Yes；　the　tide　is　full；　the　sea　water　flows　up　the　river　as　far　as　this；〃　answered　Harry。

〃Oh；　Harry！　　Harry！〃　exclaimed　the　maiden；　〃what　can　that　red　glow　on　the　horizon　be？　　Is　it　a　forest　on　fire？〃

〃No；　it　is　the　rising　moon；　Nell。〃

〃To　be　sure；　that's　the　moon；〃　cried　Jack　Ryan；　〃a　fine

big　silver　plate；　which　the　spirits　of　air　hand　round　and　round　the　sky　to　collect　the　stars　in；　like　money。〃

〃Why；　Jack；〃　said　the　engineer；　laughing；　〃I　had　no　idea　you　could　strike　out　such　bold　comparisons！〃

〃Well；　but；　Mr。　Starr；　it　is　a　just　comparison。　　Don't　you　see　the　stars　disappear　as　the　moon　passes　on？　so　I　suppose　they　drop　into　it。〃

〃What　you　mean　to　say；　Jack；　is　that　the　superior　brilliancy　of　the　moon　eclipses　that　of　stars　of　the　sixth　magnitude；　therefore　they　vanish　as　she　approaches。〃

〃How　beautiful　all　this　is！〃　repeated　Nell　again　and　again；　with　her　whole　soul　in　her　eyes。　　〃But　I　thought　the　moon　was　round？〃

〃So　she　is；　when　'full；'〃　said　James　Starr；　〃that　means　when　she　is　just　opposite　to　the　sun。　　But　to…night　the　moon　is　in　the　last　quarter；　shorn　of　her　just　proportions；　and　friend　Jack's　grand　silver　plate　looks　more　like　a　barber's　basin。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Starr；　what　a　base　comparison！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　was　just　going　to　begin　a　sonnet　to　the　moon；　but　your　barber's　basin　has　destroyed　all　chance　of　an　inspiration。〃

Gradually　the　moon　ascended　the　heavens。　　Before　her　light　the　lingering　clouds　fled　away；　while　stars　still　sparkled　in　the　west；　beyond　the　influence　of　her　radiance。　Nell　gazed　in　silence　on　the　glorious　spectacle。　The　soft　silvery　light　was　pleasant　to　her　eyes；　and　her　little　trembling　hand　expressed　to　Harry；　who　clasped　it；　how　deeply　she　was　affected　by　the　scene。

〃Let　us　embark　now；〃　said　James　Starr。　　〃We　have　to　get　to　the　top　of　Arthur's　Seat　before　sunrise。〃

The　boat　was　moored　to　a　post　on　the　bank。　　A　boatman　awaited　them。　Nell　and　her　friends　took　their　seats；　the　sail　was　spread；　it　quickly　filled　before　the　northwesterly　breeze；　and　they　sped　on　their　way。

What　a　new　sensation　was　this　for　the　maiden！　　She　had　been　rowed　on　the　waters　of　Lake　Malcolm；　but　the　oar；　handled　ever　so　lightly　by　Harry；　always　betrayed　effort　on　the　part　of　the　oarsman。　　Now；　for　the　first　time；　Nell　felt　herself　borne　along　with　a　gliding　movement；　like　that　of　a　balloon　through　the　air。　　The　water　was　smooth　as　a　lake；　and　Nell　reclined　in　the　stern　of　the　boat；　enjoying　its　gentle　rocking。　Occasionally　the　effect　of　the

moonlight　on　the　waters　was　as　though　the　boat　sailed　across　a　glittering　silver　field。　　Little　wavelets　rippled　along　the　banks。　It　was　enchanting。

At　length　Nell　was　overcome　with　drowsiness；　her　eyelids　drooped；　her　head　sank　on　Harry's　shouldershe　slept。　　Harry；　sorry