the underground city-第9部分

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anges　of　cells；　capriciously　arranged；　but　a　hive　on　a　vast　scale；　and　which；　instead　of　bees；　might　have　lodged　all　the　ichthyosauri；　megatheriums；　and　ptero…dactyles　of　the　geological　epoch。

A　labyrinth　of　galleries；　some　higher　than　the　most　lofty　cathedrals；　others　like　cloisters；　narrow　and　windingthese　following　a　horizontal　line；　those　on　an　incline　or　running　obliquely　in　all　directions　connected　the　caverns　and　allowed　free　communication　between　them。

The　pillars　sustaining　the　vaulted　roofs；　whose　curves　allowed　of　every　style；　the　massive　walls　between　the　passages；　the　naves　themselves　in　this　layer　of　secondary　formation；　were　composed　of　sandstone　and　schistous　rocks。　　But　tightly　packed　between　these　useless　strata　ran　valuable　veins　of　coal；　as　if　the　black　blood　of　this　strange　mine　had　circulated　through　their　tangled　network。　These　fields　extended　forty　miles　north　and　south；　and　stretched　even　under　the　Caledonian　Canal。　　The　importance　of　this　bed　could　not　be　calculated　until　after　soundings；　but　it　would　certainly　surpass　those　of　Cardiff　and　Newcastle。

We　may　add　that　the　working　of　this　mine　would　be　singularly　facilitated　by　the　fantastic　dispositions　of　the　secondary　earths；　for　by　an　unaccountable　retreat　of　the　mineral　matter　at　the　geological　epoch；　when　the　mass　was　solidifying；　nature　had　already　multiplied　the　galleries　and　tunnels　of　New　Aberfoyle。

Yes；　nature　alone！　　It　might　at　first　have　been　supposed　that　some　works　abandoned　for　centuries　had　been　discovered　afresh。　　Nothing　of　the　sort。　No　one　would　have　deserted　such　riches。　　Human　termites　had　never　gnawed　away　this　part　of　the　Scottish　subsoil；　nature　herself　had　done　it　all。　But；　we　repeat；　it　could　be　compared　to　nothing　but　the　celebrated　Mammoth　caves；　which；　in　an　extent　of　more　than　twenty　miles；　contain　two　hundred　and　twenty…six　avenues；　eleven　lakes；　seven　rivers；　eight　cataracts；　thirty…two　unfathomable　wells；　and　fifty…seven　domes；　some　of　which　are　more　than　four　hundred　and　fifty　feet　in　height。　Like　these　caves；　New　Aberfoyle　was　not　the　work　of　men；　but　the　work　of　the　Creator。

Such　was　this　new　domain；　of　matchless　wealth；　the　discovery　of　which　belonged　entirely　to　the　old　overman。　　Ten　years'　sojourn　in　the　deserted　mine；　an　uncommon　pertinacity　in　research；　perfect　faith；　sustained　by　a　marvelous　mining　instinct　all　these　qualities　together　led　him　to　succeed　where　so　many　others　had　failed。　　Why　had　the　soundings　made　under　the　direction　of　James　Starr　during　the　last　years　of　the　working　stopped　just　at　that　limit；　on　the　very　frontier　of　the　new　mine？　That　was　all　chance；　which　takes　great　part　in　researches　of　this　kind。

However　that　might　be；　there　was；　under　the　Scottish　subsoil；　what　might　be　called　a　subterranean　county；　which；　to　be　habitable；　needed　only　the　rays　of　the　sun；　or；　for　want　of　that；　the　light　of　a　special　planet。

Water　had　collected　in　various　hollows；　forming　vast　ponds；　or　rather　lakes　larger　than　Loch　Katrine；　lying　just　above　them。　Of　course　the　waters　of　these　lakes　had　no　movement　of　currents　or　tides；　no　old　castle　was　reflected　there；　no　birch　or　oak　trees　waved　on　their　banks。　　And　yet　these　deep　lakes；　whose　mirror…like　surface　was　never　ruffled　by　a　breeze；　would　not　be　without　charm　by　the　light　of　some　electric　star；　and；　connected　by　a　string　of　canals；　would　well　complete　the　geography　of　this　strange　domain。

Although　unfit　for　any　vegetable　production；　the　place　could　be　inhabited　by　a　whole　population。　　And　who　knows　but　that　in　this　steady　temperature；　in　the　depths　of　the

mines　of　Aberfoyle；　as　well　as　in　those　of　Newcastle；　Alloa；　or　Cardiff　when　their　contents　shall　have　been　exhaustedwho　knows　but　that　the　poorer　classes　of　Great　Britain　will　some　day　find　a　refuge？


CHAPTER　VIII　EXPLORING


AT　Harry's　call；　James　Starr；　Madge；　and　Simon　Ford　entered　through　the　narrow　orifice　which　put　the　Dochart　pit　in　communication　with　the　new　mine。　　They　found　themselves　at　the　beginning　of　a　tolerably　wide　gallery。　　One　might　well　believe　that　it　had　been　pierced　by　the　hand　of　man；　that　the　pick　and　mattock　had　emptied　it　in　the　working　of　a　new　vein。　The　explorers　question　whether；　by　a　strange　chance；　they　had　not　been　transported　into　some　ancient　mine；　of　the　existence　of　which　even　the　oldest　miners　in　the　county　had　ever　known。

No！　　It　was　merely　that　the　geological　layers　had　left　this　passage　when　the　secondary　earths　were　in　course　of　formation。　Perhaps　some　torrent　had　formerly　dashed　through　it；　but　now　it　was　as　dry　as　if　it　had　been　cut　some　thousand　feet　lower；　through　granite　rocks。　　At　the　same　time；　the　air　circulated　freely；　which　showed　that　certain　natural　vents　placed　it　in　communication　with　the　exterior　atmosphere。

This　observation；　made　by　the　engineer；　was　correct；　and　it　was　evident　that　the　ventilation　of　the　new　mine　would　be　easily　managed。　As　to　the　fire…damp　which　had　lately　filtered　through　the　schist；　it　seemed　to　have　been　contained　in　a　pocket　now　empty；　and　it　was　certain　that　the　atmosphere　of　the　gallery　was　quite　free　from　it。　However；　Harry　prudently　carried　only　the　safety　lamp；　which　would　insure　light　for　twelve　hours。

James　Starr　and　his　companions　now　felt　perfectly　happy。　All　their　wishes　were　satisfied。　　There　was　nothing　but　coal　around　them。　A　sort　of　emotion　kept　them　silent；　even　Simon　Ford　restrained　himself。　His　joy　overflowed；　not　in　long　phrases；　but　in　short　ejaculations。

It　was　perhaps　imprudent　to　venture　so　far　into　the　crypt。　Pooh！　they　never　thought　of　how　they　were　to　get　back。

The　gallery　was　practicable；　not　very　winding。　　They　met　with　no　noxious　exhalations；　nor　did　any　chasm　bar　the　path。　There　was　no　reason　for　stopping　for　a　whole　hour；　James　Starr；　Madge；　Harry；　and　Simon　Ford　walked　on；　though　there　was　nothing　to　show　them　what　was　the　exact　direction　of　this　unknown　tunnel。

And　they　would　no　doubt　have　gone　farther　still；　if　they　had　not　suddenly　come　to　the　end　of　the　wide　road　which　they　had　followed　since　their　entrance　into　the　mine。

The　gallery　ended　in　an　enormous　cavern；　neither　the　height　nor　depth　of　which　could　be　calculated。　　At　what　altitude　arched　the　roof　of　this　excavationat　what　distance　was　its　opposite　wall　the　darkness　totally　concealed；　but　by　the　light　of　the　lamp　the　explorers　could　discover　that　its　dome　covered　a　vast　extent　of　still　water　pond　or　lakewhose　picturesque　rocky　banks　were　lost　in　obscurity。

〃Halt！〃　exclaimed　Ford；　stopping　suddenly。　　〃Another　step；　and　perhaps　we　shall　fall　into　some　fathomless　pit。〃

〃Let　us　rest　awhile；　then；　my　friends；〃　returned　the　engineer。　〃Besides；　we　ought　to　be　thinking　of　returning　to　the　cottage。〃

〃Our　lamp　will　give　light　for　another　ten　hours；　sir；〃　said　Harry。

〃Well；　let　us　make　a　halt；〃　replied　Starr；　〃I　confess　my　legs　have　need　of　a　rest。　　And　you；　Madge；　don't　you　feel　tired　after　so　long　a　walk？〃

〃Not　over　much；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　the　sturdy　Scotchwoman；　〃we　have　been　accustomed　to　explore　the　old　Aberfoyle　mine　for　whole　days　together。〃

〃Tired？　nonsense！〃　interrupted　Simon　Ford；　〃Madge　could　go　ten　times　as　far；　if　necessary。　　But　once　more；　Mr。　Starr；　wasn't　my　communication　worth　your　trouble　in　coming　to　hear　it？　Just　dare　to　say　no；　Mr。　Starr；　dare　to　say　no！〃

〃Well；　my　old　friend；　I　haven't　felt　so　happy　for　a　long　while！〃　replied　the　engineer；　〃the　small　part　of　this　marvelous　mine　that　we　have　explored　seems　to　show　that　its　extent　is　very　considerable；　at　least　in　length。〃

〃In　width　and　in　depth；　too；　Mr。　Starr！〃　returned　Simon　Ford。

〃That　we　shall　know　later。〃


〃And　I　can　answer　for　it！　　Trust　to　the　instinct　of　an　old　miner！　It　has　never　deceived　me！〃

〃I　wish　to　believe　you；　Simon；〃　replied　the　engineer；　smiling。　〃As　far　as　I　can　judge　from　this　short　exploration；　we　possess　the　elements　of　a　working　which　will　last　for　centuries！〃

〃Centuries！〃　exclaimed　Simon　Ford；　〃I　believe　you；　sir！　A　thousand　years　and　more　will　pass　before　the　last　bit　of　coal　is　taken　out　of　our　new　mine！〃

〃Heaven　grant　it！〃　returned　Starr。　　〃As　to　the　quality　of　the　coal　which　crops　out　of　these　walls？〃

〃Superb！　　Mr。　Starr；　superb！〃　answered　Ford；　〃just　look　at　it　yourself！〃

And　so　saying；　with　his　pick　he　struck　off　a　fragment　of　the　black　rock。

〃Look！　look！〃　he　repeated；　holding　it　close　to　his　lamp；　〃the　surface　of　this　piece　of　coal　is　shining！　　We　have　here　fat　coal；　rich　in　bituminous　matter；　and　see　how　it　comes　in　pieces；　almost　without　dust！　　Ah；　Mr。　Starr！　twenty　years　ago　this　seam　would　have　entered　into　a　strong　competition　with　Swansea　and　Cardiff！　　Well；　stokers　will　quarrel　for　it　still；　and　if　it　costs　little　to　extract　it　from　the　mine；　it　will　not　sell　at　a　less　price　outside。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Madge；　who　had　taken　the　fragment　of　coal　and　was　examining　it　with　the　air　of　a　connoisseur；　〃that's　good　quality　of　coal。　　Carry　it　home；　Simon；　carry　it　back　to　the　cottage！　I　want　this　first　piece　of　coal　to　burn　under　our　kettle。〃

〃Well　said；　wife！〃　answered　the　old　overman；　〃and　you　shall　see　that　I　am　not　mistaken。〃

〃Mr。　Starr；〃　asked　Harry；　〃have　you　any　idea　of　the　probable　direction　of　this　long　passage　which　we　have　been　following　since　our　entrance　into　the　new　mine？〃

〃No；　my　lad；〃　replied　the　engineer；　〃with　a　compass　I　could　perhaps　find　out　its　general　bearing；　but　without　a　compass　I　am　here　like　a　sailor　in　open　sea；　in　the　midst　of　fogs；　when　there　is　no　sun　by　which　to　calculate　his　position。〃

〃No　doubt；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　Ford；　〃but　pray　don't　compare　our　position　with　that　of　the　sailor；　who　has　everywhere　and　always　an　abyss　under　his　feet！　　We　are　on　firm　ground　here；　and　need　never　be　afraid　of　foundering。〃


〃I　won't　tease　you；　then；　old　Simon；〃　answered　James　Starr。　　〃Far　be　it　from　me　even　in　jest　to　depreciate　the　New　Aberfoyle　mine　by　an　unjust　comparison！　　I　only　meant　to　say　one　thing；　and　that　is　that　we　don't　know　where　we　are。〃

〃We　are　in　the　subsoil　of　the　county　of　Stirling；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　Simon　Ford；　〃and　that　I　assert　as　if〃

〃Listen！〃　said　Harry；　interrupting　the　old　man。　All　listened；　as　the　young　miner　was　doing。　　His　ears；　which　were　very　sharp；　had　caught　a　dull　sound；　like　a　distant　m