the underground city-第26节

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　to　New　Aberfoyle；　he　stopped　up　the　opening；　and　turned　it　into　a　prison　for　you。　I　only　knew　you　as　shadows　dimly　seen　in　the　gloom　of　the　pit；　but　I　could　not　endure　the　idea　that　you　would　die　of　hunger　in　these　horrid　places；　and　so；　at　the　risk　of　being　detected；　I　succeeded　in　obtaining　bread　and　water　for　you　during　some　days。　I　should　have　liked　to　help　you　to　escape；　but　it　was　so　difficult　to　avoid　the　vigilance　of　my　grandfather。　You　were　about　to　die。　　Then　arrived　Jack　Ryan　and　the　others。　By　the　providence　of　God　I　met　with　them；　and　instantly　guided　them　to　where　you　were。　　When　my　grandfather　discovered　what　I　had　done；　his　rage　against　me　was　terrible。　　I　expected　death　at　his　hands。　　After　that　my　life　became　insupportable　to　me。　My　grandfather　completely　lost　his　senses。　　He　proclaimed　himself　King　of　Darkness　and　Flame；　and　when　he　heard　your　tools　at　work　on　coal…beds　which　he　considered　entirely　his　own；　he　became　furious　and　beat　me　cruelly。　　I　would　have　fled　from　him；　but　it　was　impossible；　so　narrowly　did　he　watch　me。　At　last；　in　a　fit　of　ungovernable　fury；　he　threw　me　down　into　the　abyss　where　you　found　me；　and　disappeared；　vainly　calling　on　Harfang；　which　faithfully　stayed　by　me；　to　follow　him。　I　know　not　how　long　I　remained　there；　but　I　felt　I　was　at　the　point　of　death　when　you；　my　Harry；　came　and　saved　me。　But　now　you　all　see　that　the　grandchild　of　old　Silfax　can

never　be　the　wife　of　Harry　Ford；　because　it　would　be　certain　death　to　you　all！〃

〃Nell！〃　cried　Harry。

〃No；〃　continued　the　maiden；　〃my　resolution　is　taken。　　By　one　means　only　can　your　ruin　be　averted；　I　must　return　to　my　grandfather。　He　threatens　to　destroy　the　whole　of　New　Aberfoyle。　　His　is　a　soul　incapable　of　mercy　or　forgiveness；　and　no　mortal　can　say　to　what　horrid　deed　the　spirit　of　revenge　will　lead　him。　My　duty　is　clear；　I　should　be　the　most　despicable　creature　on　earth　did　I　hesitate　to　perform　it。　　Farewell！　　I　thank　you　all　heartily。　You　only　have　taught　me　what　happiness　is。　　Whatever　may　befall；　believe　that　my　whole　heart　remains　with　you。〃

At　these　words；　Simon；　Madge；　and　Harry　started　up　in　an　agony　of　grief；　exclaiming　in　tones　of　despair；　〃What；　Nell！　is　it　possible　you　would　leave　us？〃

James　Starr　put　them　all　aside　with　an　air　of　authority；　and；　going　straight　up　to　Nell；　he　took　both　her　hands　in　his；　saying　quietly；　〃Very　right；　my　child；　you　have　said　exactly　what　you　ought　to　say；　and　now　listen　to　what　we　have　to　say　in　reply。　We　shall　not　let　you　go　away；　if　necessary；　we　shall　keep　you　by　force。　Do　you　think　we　could　be　so　base　as　to　accept　of　your　generous　proposal？　These　threats　of　Silfax　are　formidableno　doubt　about　it！　But；　after　all；　a　man　is　but　a　man；　and　we　can　take　precautions。　You　will　tell　us；　will　you　not；　even　for　his　own　sake；　all　you　can　about　his　habits　and　his　lurking…places？　All　we　want　to　do　is　to　put　it　out　of　his　power　to　do　harm；　and　perhaps　bring　him　to　reason。〃

〃You　want　to　do　what　is　quite　impossible；〃　said　Nell。　　〃My　grandfather　is　everywhere　and　nowhere。　　I　have　never　seen　his　retreats。　I　have　never　seen　him　sleep。　　If　he　meant　to　conceal　himself；　he　used　to　leave　me　alone；　and　vanish。　　When　I　took　my　resolution；　Mr。　Starr；　I　was　aware　of　everything　you　could　say　against　it。　Believe　me；　there　is　but　one　way　to　render　Silfax　powerless；　and　that　will　be　by　my　return　to　him。　　Invisible　himself；　he　sees　everything　that　goes　on。　　Just　think　whether　it　is　likely　he　could　discover　your　very　thoughts　and　intentions；　from　that　time　when　the　letter　was　written　to　Mr。　Starr；　up　to　now　that　my　marriage　with　Harry　has　been　arranged；　if　he　did　not　possess　the　extraordinary　faculty　of　knowing　everything。　As　far　as　I

am　able　to　judge；　my　grandfather；　in　his　very　insanity；　is　a　man　of　most　powerful　mind。　　He　formerly　used　to　talk　to　me　on　very　lofty　subjects。　　He　taught　me　the　existence　of　God；　and　never　deceived　me　but　on　one　point；　which　wasthat　he　made　me　believe　that　all　men　were　base　and　perfidious；　because　he　wished　to　inspire　me　with　his　own　hatred　of　all　the　human　race。　When　Harry　brought　me　to　the　cottage；　you　thought　I　was　simply　ignorant　of　mankind；　but；　far　beyond　that；　I　was　in　mortal　fear　of　you　all。　　Ah；　forgive　me！　　I　assure　you；　for　many　days　I　believed　myself　in　the　power　of　wicked　wretches；　and　I　longed　to　escape。　　You；　Madge；　first　led　me　to　perceive　the　truth；　not　by　anything　you　said；　but　by　the　sight　of　your　daily　life；　for　I　saw　that　your　husband　and　son　loved　and　respected　you！　Then　all　these　good　and　happy　workmen；　who　so　revere　and　trust　Mr。　Starr；　I　used　to　think　they　were　slaves；　and　when；　for　the　first　time；　I　saw　the　whole　population　of　Aberfoyle　come　to　church　and　kneel　down　to　pray　to　God；　and　praise　Him　for　His　infinite　goodness；　I　said　to　myself；　'My　grandfather　has　deceived　me。'　　But　now；　enlightened　by　all　you　have　taught　me；　I　am　inclined　to　think　he　himself　is　deceived。　I　mean　to　return　to　the　secret　passages　I　formerly　frequented　with　him。　　He　is　certain　to　be　on　the　watch。　　I　will　call　to　him；　he　will　hear　me；　and　who　knows　but　that；　by　returning　to　him；　I　may　be　able　to　bring　him　to　the　knowledge　of　the　truth？〃

The　maiden　spoke　without　interruption；　for　all　felt　that　it　was　good　for　her　to　open　her　whole　heart　to　her　friends。

But　when；　exhausted　by　emotion；　and　with　eyes　full　of　tears；　she　ceased　speaking；　Harry　turned　to　old　Madge　and　said；　〃Mother；　what　should　you　think　of　the　man　who　could　forsake　the　noble　girl　whose　words　you　have　been　listening　to？〃

〃I　should　think　he　was　a　base　coward；〃　said　Madge；　〃and；　were　he　my　son；　I　should　renounce　and　curse　him。〃

〃Nell；　do　you　hear　what　our　mother　says？〃　resumed　Harry。　　〃Wherever　you　go　I　will　follow　you。　　If　you　persist　in　leaving　us；　we　will　go　away　together。〃

〃Harry！　　Harry！〃　cried　Nell。

Overcome　by　her　feelings；　the　girl's　lips　blanched；　and　she　sank　into　the　arms　of　Madge；　who　begged　she　might　be　left　alone　with　her。


CHAPTER　XVIII　NELL'S　WEDDING


IT　was　agreed　that　the　inhabitants　of　the　cottage　must　keep　more　on　their　guard　than　ever。　　The　threats　of　old　Silfax　were　too　serious　to　be　disregarded。　　It　was　only　too　possible　that　he　possessed　some　terrible　means　by　which　the　whole　of　Aberfoyle　might　be　annihilated。

Armed　sentinels　were　posted　at　the　various　entrances　to　the　mine；　with　orders　to　keep　strict　watch　day　and　night。　Any　stranger　entering　the　mine　was　brought　before　James　Starr；　that　he　might　give　an　account　of　himself。　　There　being　no　fear　of　treason　among　the　inhabitants　of　Coal　Town；　the　threatened　danger　to　the　subterranean　colony　was　made　known　to　them。　Nell　was　informed　of　all　the　precautions　taken；　and　became　more　tranquil；　although　she　was　not　free　from　uneasiness。　Harry's　determination　to　follow　her　wherever　she　went　compelled　her　to　promise　not　to　escape　from　her　friends。

During　the　week　preceding　the　wedding；　no　accident　whatever　occurred　in　Aberfoyle。　　The　system　of　watching　was　carefully　maintained；　but　the　miners　began　to　recover　from　the　panic；　which　had　seriously　interrupted　the　work　of　excavation。　James　Starr　continued　to　look　out　for　Silfax。　　The　old　man　having　vindictively　declared　that　Nell　should　never　marry　Simon's　son；　it　was　natural　to　suppose　that　he　would　not　hesitate　to　commit　any　violent　deed　which　would　hinder　their　union。

The　examination　of　the　mine　was　carried　on　minutely。　Every　passage　and　gallery　was　searched；　up　to　those　higher　ranges　which　opened　out　among　the　ruins　of　Dundonald　Castle。　　It　was　rightly　supposed　that　through　this　old　building　Silfax　passed　out　to　obtain　what　was　needful　for　the　support　of　his　miserable　existence　（which　he　must　have　done；　either　by　purchasing　or　thieving）。

As　to　the　〃fire…maidens；〃　James　Starr　began　to　think　that　appearance　must　have　been　produced　by　some　jet　of　fire…damp　gas　which；　issuing　from　that　part　of　the　pit；　could　be　lighted　by　Silfax。　　He　was　not　far　wrong；　but　all　search　for　proof　of　this　was　fruitless；　and　the　continued　strain　of　anxiety　in　this　perpetual　effort　to　detect　a　malignant　and　invisible　being　rendered　the　engineer　outwardly　calman　unhappy　man。

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As　the　wedding…day　approached；　his　dread　of　some　catastrophe　increased；　and　he　could　not　but　speak　of　it　to　the　old　overman；　whose　uneasiness　soon　more　than　equaled　his　own。　　At　length　the　day　came。　Silfax　had　given　no　token　of　existence。

By　daybreak　the　entire　population　of　Coal　Town　was　astir。　Work　was　suspended；　overseers　and　workmen　alike　desired　to　do　honor　to　Simon　Ford　and　his　son。　　They　all　felt　they　owed　a　large　debt　of　gratitude　to　these　bold　and　persevering　men；　by　whose　means　the　mine　had　been　restored　to　its　former　prosperity。　The　ceremony　was　to　take　place　at　eleven　o'clock；　in　St。　Giles's　chapel；　which　stood　on　the　shores　of　Loch　Malcolm。

At　the　appointed　time；　Harry　left　the　cottage；　supporting　his　mother　on　his　arm；　while　Simon　led　the　bride。　Following　them　came　Starr；　the　engineer；　composed　in　manner；　but　in　reality　nerved　to　expect　the　worst；　and　Jack　Ryan；　stepping　superb　in　full　Highland　piper's　costume。　Then　came　the　other　mining　engineers；　the　principal　people　of　Coal　Town；　the　friends　and　comrades　of　the　old　overman　every　member　of　this　great　family　of　miners　forming　the　population　of