the underground city-第4节

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〃That　will　happen；　Harry；　and　in　my　opinion　England　is　very　wrong　in　exchanging　her　fuel　for　the　gold　of　other　nations！　I　know　well；〃　added　the　engineer；　〃that　neither　hydraulics　nor　electricity　has　yet　shown　all　they　can　do；　and　that　some　day　these　two　forces　will　be　more　completely

utilized。　　But　no　matter！　　Coal　is　of　a　very　practical　use；　and　lends　itself　easily　to　the　various　wants　of　industry。　Unfortunately　man　cannot　produce　it　at　will。　　Though　our　external　forests　grow　incessantly　under　the　influence　of　heat　and　water；　our　subterranean　forests　will　not　be　reproduced；　and　if　they　were；　the　globe　would　never　be　in　the　state　necessary　to　make　them　into　coal。〃

James　Starr　and　his　guide；　whilst　talking；　had　continued　their　walk　at　a　rapid　pace。　　An　hour　after　leaving　Callander　they　reached　the　Dochart　pit。

The　most　indifferent　person　would　have　been　touched　at　the　appearance　this　deserted　spot　presented。　　It　was　like　the　skeleton　of　something　that　had　formerly　lived。　　A　few　wretched　trees　bordered　a　plain　where　the　ground　was　hidden　under　the　black　dust　of　the　mineral　fuel；　but　no　cinders　nor　even　fragments　of　coal　were　to　be　seen。　All　had　been　carried　away　and　consumed　long　ago。

They　walked　into　the　shed　which　covered　the　opening　of　the　Yarrow　shaft；　whence　ladders　still　gave　access　to　the　lower　galleries　of　the　pit。　The　engineer　bent　over　the　opening。　　Formerly　from　this　place　could　be　heard　the　powerful　whistle　of　the　air　inhaled　by　the　ventilators。　It　was　now　a　silent　abyss。　　It　was　like　being　at　the　mouth　of　some　extinct　volcano。

When　the　mine　was　being　worked；　ingenious　machines　were　used　in　certain　shafts　of　the　Aberfoyle　colliery；　which　in　this　respect　was　very　well　off；　frames　furnished　with　automatic　lifts；　working　in　wooden　slides；　oscillating　ladders；　called　〃man…engines；〃　which；　by　a　simple　movement；　permitted　the　miners　to　descend　without　danger。

But　all　these　appliances　had　been　carried　away；　after　the　cessation　of　the　works。　　In　the　Yarrow　shaft　there　remained　only　a　long　succession　of　ladders；　separated　at　every　fifty　feet　by　narrow　landings。　Thirty　of　these　ladders　placed　thus　end　to　end　led　the　visitor　down　into　the　lower　gallery；　a　depth　of　fifteen　hundred　feet。　This　was　the　only　way　of　communication　which　existed　between　the　bottom　of　the　Dochart　pit　and　the　open　air。　　As　to　air；　that　came　in　by　the　Yarrow　shaft；　from　whence　galleries　communicated　with　another　shaft　whose　orifice　opened　at　a　higher　level；　the　warm　air　naturally　escaped　by　this　species　of　inverted　siphon。


〃I　will　follow　you；　my　lad；〃　said　the　engineer；　signing　to　the　young　man　to　precede　him。

〃As　you　please；　Mr。　Starr。〃

〃Have　you　your　lamp？〃

〃Yes；　and　I　only　wish　it　was　still　the　safety　lamp；　which　we　formerly　had　to　use！〃

〃Sure　enough；〃　returned　James　Starr；　〃there　is　no　fear　of　fire…damp　explosions　now！〃

Harry　was　provided　with　a　simple　oil　lamp；　the　wick　of　which　he　lighted。　In　the　mine；　now　empty　of　coal；　escapes　of　light　carburetted　hydrogen　could　not　occur。　　As　no　explosion　need　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　t