《the underground city-地下城(英文版)》地下城(英文版)-第15章

d　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　munication　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 it。　However；　Harry　prudently　carried　only　the　safety　lamp；　which　would　insure　light　for　twelve　hours。
James　Starr　and　his　panions　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　e　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　excavation……at　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　lake……whose　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　munication　worth　your　trouble　in　ing　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　es　in　pieces；　almost　without　dust！ Ah；　Mr。　Starr！　twenty　years　ago　this　seam　would　have　entered　into　a　strong　petition　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　pass　I　could　perhaps　find　out　its　general　bearing；　but　without　a　pass　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　pare　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　parison！ 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　murmur。　His　panions　were　not　long　in　hearing　it　themselves。　It　w