the underground city-第21节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　that　she　should　miss　any　of　the　beauties　of　this　magnificent　night；　would　have　aroused　her。

〃Let　her　sleep！〃　said　the　engineer。　　〃She　will　better　enjoy　the　novelties　of　the　day　after　a　couple　of　hours'　rest。〃

At　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　boat　reached　Granton　pier。　Nell　awoke。　　〃Have　I　been　asleep？〃　inquired　she。

〃No；　my　child；〃　said　James　Starr。　　〃You　have　been　dreaming　that　you　slept；　that's　all。〃

The　night　continued　clear。　　The　moon；　riding　in　mid…heaven；　diffused　her　rays　on　all　sides。　　In　the　little　port　of　Granton　lay　two　or　three　fishing　boats；　they　rocked　gently　on　the　waters　of　the　Firth。　　The　wind　fell　as　the　dawn　approached。　The　atmosphere；　clear　of　mists；　promised　one　of　those　fine　autumn　days　so　delicious　on　the　sea　coast。

A　soft；　transparent　film　of　vapor　lay　along　the　horizon；　the　first　sunbeam　would　dissipate　it；　to　the　maiden　it　exhibited　that　aspect　of　the　sea　which　seems　to　blend　it　with　the　sky。　Her　view　was　now　enlarged；　without　producing　the　impression　of　the　boundless　infinity　of　ocean。

Harry　taking　Nell's　hand；　they　followed　James　Starr　and　Jack　Ryan　as　they　traversed　the　deserted　streets。　　To　Nell；　this　suburb　of　the　capital　appeared　only　a　collection　of　gloomy　dark　houses；　just　like　Coal　Town；　only　that　the　roof　was　higher；　and　gleamed　with　small　lights。

She　stepped　lightly　forward；　and　easily　kept　pace　with　Harry。　　〃Are　you　not　tired；　Nell？〃　asked　he；　after　half　an　hour's　walking。

〃No！　my　feet　seem　scarcely　to　touch　the　earth；〃　returned　she。　〃This　sky　above　us　seems　so　high　up；　I　feel　as　if　I　could　take　wing　and　fly！〃

〃I　say！　keep　hold　of　her！〃　cried　Jack　Ryan。　　〃Our　little　Nell　is　too　good　to　lose。　　I　feel　just　as　you　describe　though；　myself；　when　I　have　not　left　the　pit　for　a　long　time。〃

〃It　is　when　we　no　longer　experience　the　oppressive　effect　of　the　vaulted　rocky　roof　above　Coal　Town；〃　said

James　Starr；　〃that　the　spacious　firmament　appears　to　us　like　a　profound　abyss　into　which　we　have；　as　it　were；　a　desire　to　plunge。　Is　that　what　you　feel；　Nell？〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr；　it　is　exactly　like　that；〃　said　Nell。　　〃It　makes　me　feel　giddy。〃

〃Ah！　you　will　soon　get　over　that；　Nell；〃　said　Harry。　　〃You　will　get　used　to　the　outer　world；　and　most　likely　forget　all　about　our　dark　coal　pit。〃

〃No；　Harry；　never！〃　said　Nell；　and　she　put　her　hand　over　her　eyes；　as　though　she　would　recall　the　remembrance　of　everything　she　had　lately　quitted。

Between　the　silent　dwellings　of　the　city；　the　party　passed　along　Leith　Walk；　and　went　round　the　Calton　Hill；　where　stood；　in　the　light　of　the　gray　dawn；　the　buildings　of　the　Observatory　and　Nelson's　Monument。　　By　Regent's　Bridge　and　the　North　Bridge　they　at　last　reached　the　lower　extremity　of　the　Canongate。　　The　town　still　lay　wrapt　in　slumber。

Nell　pointed　to　a　large　building　in　the　center　of　an　open　space；　asking；　〃What　great　confused　mass　is　that？〃

〃That　confused　mass；　Nell；　is　the　palace　of　the　ancient　kings　of　Scotland；　that　is　Holyrood；　where　many　a　sad　scene　has　been　enacted！　The　historian　can　here　invoke　many　a　royal　shade；　from　those　of　the　early　Scottish　kings　to　that　of　the　unhappy　Mary　Stuart；　and　the　French　king；　Charles　X。　When　day　breaks；　however；　Nell；　this　palace　will　not　look　so　very　gloomy。　　Holyrood；　with　its　four　embattled　towers；　is　not　unlike　some　handsome　country　house。　But　let　us　pursue　our　way。　　There；　just　above　the　ancient　Abbey　of　Holyrood；　are　the　superb　cliffs　called　Salisbury　Crags。　Arthur's　Seat　rises　above　them；　and　that　is　where　we　are　going。　From　the　summit　of　Arthur's　Seat；　Nell；　your　eyes　shall　behold　the　sun　appear　above　the　horizon　seaward。〃

They　entered　the　King's　Park；　then；　gradually　ascending　they　passed　across　the　Queen's　Drive；　a　splendid　carriageway　encircling　the　hill；　which　we　owe　to　a　few　lines　in　one　of　Sir　Walter　Scott's　romances。

Arthur's　Seat　is　in　truth　only　a　hill；　seven　hundred　and　fifty　feet　high；　which　stands　alone　amid　surrounding　heights。　In　less　than　half　an　hour；　by　an　easy　winding　path；　James　Starr　and　his　party　reached　the　crest　of　the

crouching　lion；　which；　seen　from　the　west；　Arthur's　Seat　so　much　resembles。　　There；　all　four　seated　themselves；　and　James　Starr；　ever　ready　with　quotations　from　the　great　Scottish　novelist；　simply　said；　〃Listen　to　what　is　written　by　Sir　Walter　Scott　in　the　eighth　chapter　of　the　Heart　of　Mid…Lothian。　'If　I　were　to　choose　a　spot　from　which　the　rising　or　setting　sun　could　be　seen　to　the　greatest　possible　advantage；　it　would　be　from　this　neighborhood。'　Now　watch；　Nell！　the　sun　will　soon　appear；　and　for　the　first　time　you　will　contemplate　its　splendor。〃

The　maiden　turned　her　eyes　eastward。　　Harry；　keeping　close　beside　her；　observed　her　with　anxious　interest。　Would　the　first　beams　of　day　overpower　her　feelings？　All　remained　quiet；　even　Jack　Ryan。　　A　faint　streak　of　pale　rose　tinted　the　light　vapors　of　the　horizon。　　It　was　the　first　ray　of　light　attacking　the　laggards　of　the　night。　　Beneath　the　hill　lay　the　silent　city；　massed　confusedly　in　the　twilight　of　dawn。　Here　and　there　lights　twinkled　among　the　houses　of　the　old　town。　Wes