the underground city-第17部分

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the　mine。　　And　then　the　voice…like　sounds！　Ah；　Harry！　one　must　have　lived　down　there　to　understand　what　I　feel；　what　I　can　never　express。〃

〃And　were　you　not　afraid；　Nell；　all　alone　there？〃

〃It　was　just　when　I　was　alone　that　I　was　not　afraid。〃

Nell's　voice　altered　slightly　as　she　said　these　words；　however；　Harry　thought　he　might　press　the　subject　a　little　further；　so　he　said；　〃But　one　might　be　easily　lost　in　these　great　galleries；　Nell。　　Were　you　not　afraid　of　losing　your　way？〃

〃Oh；　no；　Harry；　for　a　long　time　I　had　known　every　turn　of　the　new　mine。〃

〃Did　you　never　leave　it？〃

〃Yes；　now　and　then；〃　answered　the　girl　with　a　little　hesitation；　〃sometimes　I　have　been　as　far　as　the　old　mine　of　Aberfoyle。〃

〃So　you　knew　our　old　cottage？〃

〃The　cottage！　oh；　yes；　but　the　people　who　lived　there　I　only　saw　at　a　great　distance。〃

〃They　were　my　father　and　mother；〃　said　Harry；　〃and　I　was　there　too；　we　have　always　lived　therewe　never　would　give　up　the　old　dwelling。〃

〃Perhaps　it　would　have　been　better　for　you　if　you　had；〃　murmured　the　maiden。

〃Why　so；　Nell？　　Was　it　not　just　because　we　were　obstinately　resolved　to　remain　that　we　ended　by　discovering　the　new　vein　of　coal？　And　did　not　that　discovery　lead　to　the　happy　result　of　providing　work　for　a　large　population；　and　restoring　them　to　ease　and　comfort？　and　did　it　not　enable　us　to　find　you；　Nell；　to　save　your　life；　and　give　you　the　love　of　all　our　hearts？〃

〃Ah；　yes；　for　me　indeed　it　is　well；　whatever　may　happen；〃　replied　Nell　earnestly；　〃for　otherswho　can　tell？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Oh；　nothingnothing。　　But　it　used　to　be　very　dangerous　at　that　time　to　go　into　the　new　cuttingyes；　very　dangerous　indeed；　Harry！　　Once　some　rash　people　made　their　way　into　these　chasms。　　They　got　a　long；　long　way；　they　were　lost！〃

〃They　were　lost？〃　said　Harry；　looking　at　her。

〃Yes；　lost！〃　repeated　Nell　in　a　trembling　voice。　〃They　could　not　find　their　way　out。〃

〃And　there；〃　cried　Harry；　〃they　were　imprisoned　during　eight　long　days！　They　were　at　the　point　of　death；　Nell；　and；　but　for　a　kind　and　charitable　beingan　angel　perhapssent　by　God　to　help　them；　who　secretly　brought　them　a　little　food；　but　for　a　mysterious　guide；　who　afterwards　led　to　them　their　deliverers；　they　never　would　have　escaped　from　that　living　tomb！〃

〃And　how　do　you　know　about　that？〃　demanded　the　girl。

〃Because　those　men　were　James　Starr；　my　father；　and　myself；　Nell！〃

Nell　looked　up　hastily；　seized　the　young　man's　hand；　and　gazed　so　fixedly　into　his　eyes　that　his　feelings　were　stirred　to　their　depths。　〃You　were　there？〃　at　last　she　uttered。

〃I　was　indeed；〃　said　Harry；　after　a　pause；　〃and　she　to　whom　we　owe　our　lives　can　have　been　none　other　than　yourself；　Nell！〃

Nell　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　without　speaking。　Harry　had　never　seen　her　so　much　affected。

〃Those　who　saved　your　life；　Nell；〃　added　he　in　a　voice　tremulous　with　emotion；　〃already　owed　theirs　to　you；　do　you　think　they　will　ever　forget　it？〃


CHAPTER　XIII　ON　THE　REVOLVING　LADDER


THE　mining　operations　at　New　Aberfoyle　continued　to　be　carried　on　very　successfully。　　As　a　matter　of　course；　the　engineer；　James　Starr；　as　well　as　Simon　Ford；　the　discoverers　of　this　rich　carboniferous　region；　shared　largely　in　the　profits。

In　time　Harry　became　a　partner。　　But　he　never　thought

of　quitting　the　cottage。　　He　took　his　father's　place　as　overman；　and　diligently　superintended　the　works　of　this　colony　of　miners。　Jack　Ryan　was　proud　and　delighted　at　the　good　fortune　which　had　befallen　his　comrade。　　He　himself　was　getting　on　very　well　also。

They　frequently　met；　either　at　the　cottage　or　at　the　works　in　the　pit。　Jack　did　not　fail　to　remark　the　sentiments　entertained　by　Harry　towards　Nell。　　Harry　would　not　confess　to　them；　but　Jack　only　laughed　at　him　when　he　shook　his　head　and　tried　to　deny　any　special　interest　in　her。

It　must　be　noted　that　Jack　Ryan　had　the　greatest　possible　wish　to　be　of　the　party　when　Nell　should　pay　her　first　visit　to　the　upper　surface　of　the　county　of　Stirling。　　He　wished　to　see　her　wonder　and　admiration　on　first　beholding　the　yet　unknown　face　of　Nature。　　He　very　much　hoped　that　Harry　would　take　him　with　them　when　the　excursion　was　made。　As　yet；　however；　the　latter　had　made　no　proposal　of　the　kind　to　him；　which　caused　him　to　feel　a　little　uneasy　as　to　his　intentions。

One　morning　Jack　Ryan　was　descending　through　a　shaft　which　led　from　the　surface　to　the　lower　regions　of　the　pit。　　He　did　so　by　means　of　one　of　those　ladders　which；　continually　revolving　by　machinery；　enabled　persons　to　ascend　and　descend　without　fatigue。　This　apparatus　had　lowered　him　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet；　when　at　a　narrow　landing…place　he　perceived　Harry；　who　was　coming　up　to　his　labors　for　the　day。

〃Well　met；　my　friend！〃　cried　Jack；　recognizing　his　comrade　by　the　light　of　the　electric　lamps。

〃Ah；　Jack！〃　replied　Harry；　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you。　I've　got　something　to　propose。〃

〃I　can　listen　to　nothing　till　you　tell　me　how　Nell　is；〃　interrupted　Jack　Ryan。

〃Nell　is　all　right；　Jackso　much　so；　in　fact；　that　I　hope　in　a　month　or　six　weeks〃

〃To　marry　her；　Harry？〃

〃Jack；　you　don't　know　what　you　are　talking　about！〃

〃Ah；　that's　very　likely；　but　I　know　quite　well　what　I　shall　do。〃

〃What　will　you　do？〃

〃Marry　her　myself；　if　you　don't；　so　look　sharp；〃　laughed　Jack。　　〃By　Saint　Mungo！　　I　think　an　immense　deal　of

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　orphanso　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　opportunityone　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？〃

〃Come；　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　againI'm　off！〃

〃Stop　a　minute；　Jack！〃　cried　Harry；　detaining　his　companion；　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　thisthat；　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　comprehend　nothing　of　what　exists　beyond　it。　Her　eyesyes；　and　perhaps　also　her　hearthave　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！yespretty　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　come　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　comes　off！〃

〃So　you　shall；　Jack；　I　promise　you！〃

A　fresh　throb　o