《the underground city-地下城(英文版)》地下城(英文版)-第30章

CHAPTER　XIV　A　SUNRISE
A　MONTH　after　this；　on　the　evening　of　the　20th　of　August；　Simon　Ford　and　Madge　took　leave；　with　all　manner　of　good　wishes；　of　four　tourists；　who　were　setting　forth　from　the　cottage。
James　Starr；　Harry；　and　Jack　Ryan　were　about　to　lead　Nell"s　steps　over　yet　untrodden　paths；　and　to　show　her　the　glories　of　nature　by　a　light　to　which　she　was　as　yet　a　stranger。　The　excursion　was　to　last　for　two　days。 James　Starr；　as　well　as　Harry；　considered　that　during　these　eight　and　forty　hours　spent　above　ground；　the　maiden　would　be　able　to　see　everything　of　which　she　must　have　remained　ignorant　in　the　gloomy　pit；　all　the　varied　aspects　of　the　globe；　towns；　plains；　mountains；　rivers；　lakes；　gulfs；　and　seas　would　pass；　panorama…like；　before　her　eyes。
In　that　part　of　Scotland　lying　between　Edinburgh　and　Glasgow；　nature　would　seem　to　have　collected　and　set　forth　specimens　of　every　one　of　these　terrestrial　beauties。 As　to　the　heavens；　they　would　be　spread　abroad　as　over　the　whole　earth；　with　their　changeful　clouds；　serene　or　veiled　moon；　their　radiant　sun；　and　clustering　stars。 The　expedition　had　been　planned　so　as　to　bine　a　view　of　all　these　things。
Simon　and　Madge　would　have　been　glad　to　go　with　Nell；　but　they　never　left　their　cottage　willingly；　and　could　not　make　up　their　minds　to　quit　their　subterranean　home　for　a　single　day。
James　Starr　went　as　an　observer　and　philosopher；　curious　to　note；　from　a　psychological　point　of　view；　the　novel　impressions　made　upon　Nell；　perhaps　also　with　some　hope　of　detecting　a　clue　to　the　mysterious　events　connected　with　her　childhood。 Harry；　with　a　little　trepidation；　asked　himself　whether　it　was　not　possible　that　this　rapid　initiation　into　the　things　of　the　exterior　world　would　change　the　maiden　he　had　known　and　loved　hitherto　into　quite　a　different　girl。 As　for　Jack　Ryan；　he　was　as　joyous　as　a　lark　rising　in　the　first　beams　of　the　sun。　He　only　trusted　that　his　gayety　would　prove　contagious；　and　enliven　his　traveling　panions；　thus　rewarding　them　for　letting　him　join　them。　Nell　was　pensive　and　silent。
James　Starr　had　decided；　very　sensibly；　to　set　off　in　the　evening。　It　would　be　very　much　better　for　the　girl　to　pass　gradually　from　the　darkness　of　night　to　the　full　light　of　day；　and　that　would　in　this　way　be　managed；　since　between　midnight　and　noon　she　would　experience　the　successive　phases　of　shade　and　sunshine；　to　which　her　sight　had　to　get　accustomed。
Just　as　they　left　the　cottage；　Nell　took　Harry"s　hand　saying；　〃Harry；　is　it　really　necessary　for　me　to　leave　the　mine　at　all；　even　for　these　few　days？〃
〃Yes；　it　is；　Nell；〃　replied　the　young　man。 〃It　is　needful　for　both　of　us。〃
〃But；　Harry；〃　resumed　Nell；　〃ever　since　you　found　me；　I　have　been　as　happy　as　I　can　possibly　be。 You　have　been　teaching　me。　Why　is　that　not　enough？ What　am　I　going　up　there　for？〃
Harry　looked　at　her　in　silence。 Nell　was　giving　utterance　to　nearly　his　own　thoughts。
〃My　child；〃　said　James　Starr；　〃I　can　well　understand　the　hesitation　you　feel；　but　it　will　be　good　for　you　to　go　with　us。　Those　who　love　you　are　taking　you；　and　they　will　bring　you　back　again。　Afterwards　you　will　be　free；　if　you　wish　it；　to　continue　your　life　in　the　coal　mine；　like　old
Simon；　and　Madge；　and　Harry。 But　at　least　you　ought　to　be　able　to　pare　what　you　give　up　with　what　you　choose；　then　decide　freely。 e！〃
〃e；　dear　Nell！〃　cried　Harry。
〃Harry；　I　am　willing　to　follow　you；〃　replied　the　maiden。　At　nine　o"clock　the　last　train　through　the　tunnel　started　to　convey　Nell　and　her　panions　to　the　surface　of　the　earth。　Twenty　minutes　later　they　alighted　on　the　platform　where　the　branch　line　to　New　Aberfoyle　joins　the　railway　from　Dumbarton　to　Stirling。
The　night　was　already　dark。 From　the　horizon　to　the　zenith；　light　vapory　clouds　hurried　through　the　upper　air；　driven　by　a　refreshing　northwesterly　breeze。 The　day　had　been　lovely；　the　night　promised　to　be　so　likewise。
On　reaching　Stirling；　Nell　and　her　friends；　quitting　the　train；　left　the　station　immediately。 Just　before　them；　between　high　trees；　they　could　see　a　road　which　led　to　the　banks　of　the　river　Forth。
The　first　physical　impression　on　the　girl　was　the　purity　of　the　air　inhaled　eagerly　by　her　lungs。
〃Breathe　it　freely；　Nell；〃　said　James　Starr；　〃it　is　fragrant　with　all　the　scents　of　the　open　country。〃
〃What　is　all　that　smoke　passing　over　our　heads？〃　inquired　Nell。
〃Those　are　clouds；〃　answered　Harry；　〃blown　along　by　the　westerly　wind。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　Nell；　〃how　I　should　like　to　feel　myself　carried　along　in　that　silent　whirl！ And　what　are　those　shining　sparks　which　glance　here　and　there　between　rents　in　the　clouds？〃
〃Those　are　the　stars　I　have　told　you　about；　Nell。 So　many　suns　they　are；　so　many　centers　of　worlds　like　our　own；　most　likely。〃
The　constellations　became　more　clearly　visible　as　the　wind　cleared　the　clouds　from　the　deep　blue　of　the　firmament。　Nell　gazed　upon　the　myriad　stars　which　sparkled　overhead。　〃But　how　is　it；〃　she　said　at　length；　〃that　if　these　are　suns；　my　eyes　can　endure　their　brightness？〃
〃My　child；〃　replied　James　Starr；　〃they　are　indeed　suns；　but　suns　at　an　enormous　distance。 The　nearest　of　these　millions　of　stars；　whose　rays　can　reach　us；　is　Vega；　that　star　in　Lyra　which　you　observe　near　the　zenith；　and　that　is
fifty　thousand　millions　of　leagues　distant。　Its　brightness；　therefore；　cannot　affect　your　vision。　But　our　own　sun；　which　will　rise　to…morrow；　is　only　distant　thirty…eight　millions　of　leagues；　and　no　human　eye　can　gaze　fixedly　upon　that；　for　it　is　brighter　than　the　blaze　of　any　furnace。　But　e；　Nell；　e！〃
They　pursued　their　way；　James　Starr　leading　the　maiden；　Harry　walking　by　her　side；　while　Jack　Ryan　roamed　about　like　a　young　dog；　impatient　of　the　slow　pace　of　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　levels……all　these　things　filled　her　with　new　sensations；　and　left　lasting　impressions　on　her　mind。
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