《the underground city-地下城(英文版)》地下城(英文版)-第22章

Jack　Ryan　took　up　his　abode　in　Simon　Ford"s　new　cottage。 They　offered　him　a　room；　which　he　accepted　without　ceremony；　in　his　frank　and　hearty　way。　Old　Madge　loved　him　for　his　fine　character　and　good　nature。　She　in　some　degree　shared　his　ideas　on　the　subject　of　the　fantastic　beings　who　were　supposed　to　haunt　the　mine；　and　the　two；　when　alone；　told　each　other　stories　wild　enough　to　make　one　shudder……stories　well　worthy　of　enriching　the　hyperborean　mythology。
Jack　thus　became　the　life　of　the　cottage。 He　was；　besides　being　a　jovial　panion；　a　good　workman。 Six　months　after　the　works　had　begun；　he　was　made　head　of　a　gang　of　hewers。
〃That　was　a　good　work　done；　Mr。　Ford；〃　said　he；　a　few　days　after　his　appointment。 〃You　discovered　a　new　field；　and　though　you　narrowly　escaped　paying　for　the　discovery　with　your　life……　well；　it　was　not　too　dearly　bought。〃
〃No；　Jack；　it　was　a　good　bargain　we　made　that　time！〃　answered　the　old　overman。 〃But　neither　Mr。　Starr　nor　I　have　forgotten　that　to　you　we　owe　our　lives。〃
〃Not　at　all；〃　returned　Jack。 〃You　owe　them　to　your　son　Harry；　when　he　had　the　good　sense　to　accept　my　invitation　to　Irvine。〃
〃And　not　to　go；　isn"t　that　it？〃　interrupted　Harry；　grasping　his　rade"s　hand。 〃No；　Jack；　it　is　to　you；　scarcely　healed　of　your　wounds……　to　you；　who　did　not　delay　a　day；　no；　nor　an　hour；　that　we　owe　our　being　found　still　alive　in　the　mine！〃
〃Rubbish；　no！〃　broke　in　the　obstinate　fellow。　〃I　won"t　have　that　said；　when　it"s　no　such　thing。　I　hurried　to　find　out　what　had　bee　of　you；　Harry；　that"s　all。　But　to　give　everyone　his　due；　I　will　add　that　without　that　unapproachable　goblin……〃
〃Ah；　there　we　are！〃　cried　Ford。 〃A　goblin！〃
〃A　goblin；　a　brownie；　a　fairy"s　child；〃　repeated　Jack　Ryan；　〃a　cousin　of　the　Fire…Maidens；　an　Urisk；　whatever　you　like！　It"s　not　the　less　certain　that　without　it　we　should
never　have　found　our　way　into　the　gallery；　from　which　you　could　not　get　out。〃
〃No　doubt；　Jack；〃　answered　Harry。 〃It　remains　to　be　seen　whether　this　being　was　as　supernatural　as　you　choose　to　believe。〃
〃Supernatural！〃　exclaimed　Ryan。 〃But　it　was　as　supernatural　as　a　Will…o"…the…Wisp；　who　may　be　seen　skipping　along　with　his　lantern　in　his　hand；　you　may　try　to　catch　him；　but　he　escapes　like　a　fairy；　and　vanishes　like　a　shadow！　Don"t　be　uneasy；　Harry；　we　shall　see　it　again　some　day　or　other！〃
〃Well；　Jack；〃　said　Simon　Ford；　〃Will…o"…the…Wisp　or　not；　we　shall　try　to　find　it；　and　you　must　help　us。〃
〃You"ll　get　into　a　scrap　if　you　don"t　take　care；　Mr。　Ford！〃　responded　Jack　Ryan。
〃We"ll　see　about　that；　Jack！〃
We　may　easily　imagine　how　soon　this　domain　of　New　Aberfoyle　became　familiar　to　all　the　members　of　the　Ford　family；　but　more　particularly　to　Harry。 He　learnt　to　know　all　its　most　secret　ins　and　outs。　He　could　even　say　what　point　of　the　surface　corresponded　with　what　point　of　the　mine。 He　knew　that　above　this　seam　lay　the　Firth　of　Clyde；　that　there　extended　Loch　Lomond　and　Loch　Katrine。 Those　columns　supported　a　spur　of　the　Grampian　mountains。 This　vault　served　as　a　basement　to　Dumbarton。 Above　this　large　pond　passed　the　Balloch　railway。　Here　ended　the　Scottish　coast。 There　began　the　sea；　the　tumult　of　which　could　be　distinctly　heard　during　the　equinoctial　gales。　Harry　would　have　been　a　first…rate　guide　to　these　natural　catabs；　and　all　that　Alpine　guides　do　on　their　snowy　peaks　in　daylight　he　could　have　done　in　the　dark　mine　by　the　wonderful　power　of　instinct。
He　loved　New　Aberfoyle。 Many　times；　with　his　lamp　stuck　in　his　hat；　did　he　perate　its　furthest　depths。　He　explored　its　ponds　in　a　skillfully…managed　canoe。　He　even　went　shooting；　for　numerous　birds　had　been　introduced　into　the　crypt……pintails；　snipes；　ducks；　who　fed　on　the　fish　which　swarmed　in　the　deep　waters。 Harry"s　eyes　seemed　made　for　the　dark；　just　as　a　sailor"s　are　made　for　distances。　But　all　this　while　Harry　felt　irresistibly　animated　by　the　hope　of　finding　the　mysterious　being　whose　intervention；　strictly　speaking；　had　saved　himself　and　his　friends。 Would
he　succeed？ He　certainly　would；　if　presentiments　were　to　be　trusted；　but　certainly　not；　if　he　judged　by　the　success　which　had　as　yet　attended　his　researches。
The　attacks　directed　against　the　family　of　the　old　overman；　before　the　discovery　of　New　Aberfoyle；　had　not　been　renewed。
CHAPTER　XI　HANGING　BY　A　THREAD
ALTHOUGH　in　this　way　the　Ford　family　led　a　happy　and　contented　life；　yet　it　was　easy　to　see　that　Harry；　naturally　of　a　grave　disposition；　became　more　and　more　quiet　and　reserved。 Even　Jack　Ryan；　with　all　his　good　humor　and　usually　infectious　merriment；　failed　to　rouse　him　to　gayety　of　manner。
One　Sunday……it　was　in　the　month　of　June……the　two　friends　were　walking　together　on　the　shores　of　Loch　Malcolm。 Coal　Town　rested　from　labor。 In　the　world　above；　stormy　weather　prevailed。　Violent　rains　fell；　and　dull　sultry　vapors　brooded　over　the　earth；　the　atmosphere　was　most　oppressive。
Down　in　Coal　Town　there　was　perfect　calm；　no　wind；　no　rain。　A　soft　and　pleasant　temperature　existed　instead　of　the　strife　of　the　elements　which　raged　without。 What　wonder　then；　that　excursionists　from　Stirling　came　in　considerable　numbers　to　enjoy　the　calm　fresh　air　in　the　recesses　of　the　mine？
The　electric　discs　shed　a　brilliancy　of　light　which　the　British　sun；　oftener　obscured　by　fogs　than　it　ought　to　be；　might　well　envy。　Jack　Ryan　kept　talking　of　these　visitors；　who　passed　them　in　noisy　crowds；　but　Harry　paid　very　little　attention　to　what　he　said。
〃I　say；　do　look；　Harry！〃　cried　Jack。 〃See　what　numbers　of　people　e　to　visit　us！ Cheer　up；　old　fellow！ Do　the　honors　of　the　place　a　little　better。 If　you　look　so　glum；　you"ll　make　all　these　outside　folks　think　you　envy　their　life　above…ground。〃
〃Never　mind　me；　Jack；〃　answered　Harry。 〃You　are　jolly　enough　for　two；　I"m　sure；　that"s　enough。〃
〃I"ll　be　hanged　if　I　don"t　feel　your　melancholy　creeping　over　me　though！〃　exclaimed　Jack。 〃I　declare　my　eyes
are　getting　quite　dull；　my　lips　are　drawn　together；　my　laugh　sticks　in　my　throat；　I"m　forgetting　all　my　songs。　e；　man；　what"s　the　matter　with　you？〃
〃You　know　well　enough；　Jack。〃
〃What？　the　old　story？〃
〃Yes；　the　same　thoughts　haunt　me。〃