the underground city-第4部分

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d　be　feared；　there　was　no　necessity　for　interposing　between　the　flame　and　the　surrounding　air　that　metallic　screen　which　prevents　the　gas　from　catching　fire。　The　Davy　lamp　was　of　no　use　here。　　But　if　the　danger　did　not　exist；　it　was　because　the　cause　of　it　had　disappeared；　and　with　this　cause；　the　combustible　in　which　formerly　consisted　the　riches　of　the　Dochart　pit。

Harry　descended　the　first　steps　of　the　upper　ladder。　Starr　followed。　　They　soon　found　themselves　in　a　profound　obscurity；　which　was　only　relieved　by　the　glimmer　of　the　lamp。　The　young　man　held　it　above　his　head；　the　better　to　light　his　companion。　　A　dozen　ladders　were　descended　by　the　engineer　and　his　guide；　with　the　measured　step　habitual　to　the　miner。　They　were　all　still　in　good　condition。

James　Starr　examined；　as　well　as　the　insufficient　light　would　permit；　the　sides　of　the　dark　shaft；　which　were　covered　by　a　partly　rotten　lining　of　wood。

Arrived　at　the　fifteenth　landing；　that　is　to　say；　half　way　down；　they　halted　for　a　few　minutes。

〃Decidedly；　I　have　not　your　legs；　my　lad；〃　said　the　engineer；　panting。

〃You　are　very　stout；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　Harry；　〃and　it's　something　too；　you　see；　to　live　all　one's　life　in　the　mine。〃

〃Right；　Harry。　　Formerly；　when　I　was　twenty；　I　could　have　gone　down　all　at　a　breath。　　Come；　forward！〃

But　just　as　the　two　were　about　to　leave　the　platform；　a　voice；　as　yet　far　distant；　was　heard　in　the　depths　of　the　shaft。　It　came　up　like　a　sonorous　billow；　swelling　as　it　advanced；　and　becoming　more　and　more　distinct。


〃Halloo！　who　comes　here？〃　asked　the　engineer；　stopping　Harry。

〃I　cannot　say；〃　answered　the　young　miner。

〃Is　it　not　your　father？〃

〃My　father；　Mr。　Starr？　no。〃

〃Some　neighbor；　then？〃

〃We　have　no　neighbors　in　the　bottom　of　the　pit；〃　replied　Harry。　　〃We　are　alone；　quite　alone。〃

〃Well；　we　must　let　this　intruder　pass；〃　said　James　Starr。　　〃Those　who　are　descending　must　yield　the　path　to　those　who　are　ascending。〃

They　waited。　　The　voice　broke　out　again　with　a　magnificent　burst；　as　if　it　had　been　carried　through　a　vast　speaking　trumpet；　and　soon　a　few　words　of　a　Scotch　song　came　clearly　to　the　ears　of　the　young　miner。

〃The　Hundred　Pipers！〃　cried　Harry。　　〃Well；　I　shall　be　much　surprised　if　that　comes　from　the　lungs　of　any　man　but　Jack　Ryan。〃

〃And　who　is　this　Jack　Ryan？〃　asked　James　Starr。

〃An　old　mining　comrade；〃　replied　Harry。　　Then　leaning　from　the　platform；　〃Halloo！　　Jack！〃　he　shouted。

〃Is　that　you；　Harry？〃　was　the　reply。　　〃Wait　a　bit；　I'm　coming。〃　And　the　song　broke　forth　again。

In　a　few　minutes；　a　tall　fellow　of　five　and　twenty；　with　a　merry　face；　smiling　eyes；　a　laughing　mouth；　and　sandy　hair；　appeared　at　the　bottom　of　the　luminous　cone　which　was　thrown　from　his　lantern；　and　set　foot　on　the　landing　of　the　fifteenth　ladder。　His　first　act　was　to　vigorously　wring　the　hand　which　Harry　extended　to　him。

〃Delighted　to　meet　you！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃If　I　had　only　known　you　were　to　be　above　ground　to…day；　I　would　have　spared　myself　going　down　the　Yarrow　shaft！〃

〃This　is　Mr。　James　Starr；〃　said　Harry；　turning　his　lamp　towards　the　engineer；　who　was　in　the　shadow。

〃Mr。　Starr！〃　cried　Jack　Ryan。　　〃Ah；　sir；　I　could　not　see。　Since　I　left　the　mine；　my　eyes　have　not　been　accustomed　to　see　in　the　dark；　as　they　used　to　do。〃

〃Ah；　I　remember　a　laddie　who　was　always　singing。　　That　was　ten　years　ago。　It　was　you；　no　doubt？〃

〃Ay；　Mr。　Starr；　but　in　changing　my　trade；　I　haven't　changed　my　disposition。　　It's　far　better　to　laugh　and　sing　than　to　cry　and　whine！〃


〃You're　right　there；　Jack　Ryan。　　And　what　do　you　do　now；　as　you　have　left　the　mine？〃

〃I　am　working　on　the　Melrose　farm；　forty　miles　from　here。　Ah；　it's　not　like　our　Aberfoyle　mines！　　The　pick　comes　better　to　my　hand　than　the　spade　or　hoe。　　And　then；　in　the　old　pit；　there　were　vaulted　roofs；　to　merrily　echo　one's　songs；　while　up　above　ground！But　you　are　going　to　see　old　Simon；　Mr。　Starr？〃

〃Yes；　Jack；〃　answered　the　engineer。

〃Don't　let　me　keep　you　then。〃

〃Tell　me；　Jack；〃　said　Harry；　〃what　was　taking　you　to　our　cottage　to…day？〃

〃I　wanted　to　see　you；　man；〃　replied　Jack；　〃and　ask　you　to　come　to　the　Irvine　games。　　You　know　I　am　the　piper　of　the　place。　There　will　be　dancing　and　singing。〃

〃Thank　you；　Jack；　but　it's　impossible。〃

〃Impossible？〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr's　visit　will　last　some　time；　and　I　must　take　him　back　to　Callander。〃

〃Well；　Harry；　it　won't　be　for　a　week　yet。　　By　that　time　Mr。　Starr's　visit　will　be　over；　I　should　think；　and　there　will　be　nothing　to　keep　you　at　the　cottage。〃

〃Indeed；　Harry；〃　said　James　Starr；　〃you　must　profit　by　your　friend　Jack's　invitation。〃

〃Well；　I　accept　it；　Jack；〃　said　Harry。　　〃In　a　week　we　will　meet　at　Irvine。〃

〃In　a　week；　that's　settled；〃　returned　Ryan。　　〃Good…by；　Harry！　Your　servant；　Mr。　Starr。　　I　am　very　glad　to　have　seen　you　again！　I　can　give　news　of　you　to　all　my　friends。　　No　one　has　forgotten　you；　sir。〃

〃And　I　have　forgotten　no　one；〃　said　Starr。

〃Thanks　for　all；　sir；〃　replied　Jack。

〃Good…by；　Jack；〃　said　Harry；　shaking　his　hand。　　And　Jack　Ryan；　singing　as　he　went；　soon　disappeared　in　the　heights　of　the　shaft；　dimly　lighted　by　his　lamp。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　afterwards　James　Starr　and　Harry　descended　the　last　ladder；　and　set　foot　on　the　lowest　floor　of　the　pit。

From　the　bottom　of　the　Yarrow　shaft　radiated　numerous　empty　galleries。　They　ran　through　the　wall　of　schist　and　sandstone；　some　shored　up　with　great；　roughly…hewn　beams；　others　lined　with　a　thick　casing　of　wood。　In　every　direc…

tion　embankments　supplied　the　place　of　the　excavated　veins。　Artificial　pillars　were　made　of　stone　from　neighboring　quarries；　and　now　they　supported　the　ground；　that　is　to　say；　the　double　layer　of　tertiary　and　quaternary　soil；　which　formerly　rested　on　the　seam　itself。　Darkness　now　filled　the　galleries；　formerly　lighted　either　by　the　miner's　lamp　or　by　the　electric　light；　the　use　of　which　had　been　introduced　in　the　mines。

〃Will　you　not　rest　a　while；　Mr。　Starr？〃　asked　the　young　man。

〃No；　my　lad；〃　replied　the　engineer；　〃for　I　am　anxious　to　be　at　your　father's　cottage。〃

〃Follow　me　then；　Mr。　Starr。　　I　will　guide　you；　and　yet　I　daresay　you　could　find　your　way　perfectly　well　through　this　dark　labyrinth。〃

〃Yes；　indeed！　　I　have　the　whole　plan　of　the　old　pit　still　in　my　head。〃

Harry；　followed　by　the　engineer；　and　holding　his　lamp　high　the　better　to　light　their　way；　walked　along　a　high　gallery；　like　the　nave　of　a　cathedral。　　Their　feet　still　struck　against　the　wooden　sleepers　which　used　to　support　the　rails。

They　had　not　gone　more　than　fifty　paces；　when　a　huge　stone　fell　at　the　feet　of　James　Starr。　　〃Take　care；　Mr。　Starr！〃　cried　Harry；　seizing　the　engineer　by　the　arm。

〃A　stone；　Harry！　　Ah！　these　old　vaultings　are　no　longer　quite　secure；　of　course；　and〃

〃Mr。　Starr；〃　said　Harry　Ford；　〃it　seems　to　me　that　stone　was　thrown；　thrown　as　by　the　hand　of　man！〃

〃Thrown！〃　exclaimed　James　Starr。　　〃What　do　you　mean；　lad？〃

〃Nothing；　nothing；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　Harry　evasively；　his　anxious　gaze　endeavoring　to　pierce　the　darkness。　　〃Let　us　go　on。　Take　my　arm；　sir；　and　don't　be　afraid　of　making　a　false　step。〃

〃Here　I　am；　Harry。〃　　And　they　both　advanced；　whilst　Harry　looked　on　every　side；　throwing　the　light　of　his　lamp　into　all　the　corners　of　the　gallery。

〃Shall　we　soon　be　there？〃　asked　the　engineer。

〃In　ten　minutes　at　most。〃

〃Good。〃

〃But；〃　muttered　Harry；　〃that　was　a　most　singular　thing。　It　is　the　first　time　such　an　accident　has　happened　to　me。

That　stone　falling　just　at　the　moment　we　were　passing。〃

〃Harry；　it　was　a　mere　chance。〃

〃Chance；〃　replied　the　young　man；　shaking　his　head。　　〃Yes；　chance。〃　He　stopped　and　listened。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Harry？〃　asked　the　engineer。

〃I　thought　I　heard　someone　walking　behind　us；〃　replied　the　young　miner；　listening　more　attentively。　　Then　he　added；　〃No；　I　must　have　been　mistaken。　　Lean　harder　on　my　arm；　Mr。　Starr。　　Use　me　like　a　staff。〃

〃A　good　solid　staff；　Harry；〃　answered　James　Starr。　　〃I　could　not　wish　for　a　better　than　a　fine　fellow　like　you。〃

They　continued　in　silence　along　the　dark　nave。　　Harry　was　evidently　preoccupied；　and　frequently　turned；　trying　to　catch；　either　some　distant　noise；　or　remote　glimmer　of　light。

But　behind　and　before；　all　was　silence　and　darkness。


CHAPTER　IV　THE　FORD　FAMILY


TEN　minutes　afterwards；　James　Starr　and　Harry　issued　from　the　principal　gallery。　　They　were　now　standing　in　a　glade；　if　we　may　use　this　word　to　designate　a　vast　and　dark　excavation。　The　place；　however；　was　not　entirely　deprived　of　daylight。　A　few　rays　straggled　in　through　the　opening　of　a　deserted　shaft。　It　was　by　means　of　this　pipe　that　ventilation　was　established　in　the　Dochart　pit。　　Owing　to　its　lesser　density；　the　warm　air　was　drawn　towards　the　Yarrow　shaft。　　Both　air　and　light；　therefore；　penetrated　in　some　measure　into　the　glade。

Here　Simon　Ford　had　lived　with　his　family　ten　years；　in　a　subterranean　dwelling；　hollowed　out　in　the　schistous　mass；　where　formerly　stood　the　powerful　engines　which　worked　the　mechanical　traction　of　the　Dochart　pit。

Such　was　the　habitation；　〃his　cottage；〃　as　he　called　it；　in　which　resided　the　old　overman。　　As　he　had　some　means　saved　during　a　long　life　of　toil；　Ford　could　have　afforded　to　live　in　the　light　of　day；　among　trees；　or　in　any　town　of　the　kingdom　he　chose；　but　he　and　his　wife　and　son　preferred　remaining　in　the　mine；　where　they　were　happy　together；　having　the　same　opinions；　ideas；　and　tastes。　　Yes；　they

were　quite　fond　of　their　cottage；　buried　fifteen　hundred　feet　below　Scottish　soil。　　Among　other　advantages；　there　was　no　fear　that　tax　gatherers；　or　rent　collectors　would　ever　come　to　trouble　its　inhabitants。

At　this　period；　Simon　Ford；　the　former　overman　of　the　Dochart　pit；　bore　the　weight　of　sixty…five　years　well。　　Tall；　robust；　well…built；　he　would　have　been　regarded　as　one　of　the　most　conspicuous　men　in　the　district　which　supplies　so　many　fine　fellows　to　the　Highland　regiments。

Simon　Ford　was　descended　from　an　old　mining　family；　and　his　ancestors　had　worked　the　very　first　carboniferous　seams　opened　in　Scotland。　　Without　discussing　whether　or　not　the　Greeks　and　Romans　made　use　of　coal；　whether　the　Chinese　worked　coal　mines　before　the　Christian　era；　whether　the