the underground city-地下城(英文版)-第6部分

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　wonder　why　I　do　not　change　my　home　in　the　Canongate　for　a　cottage　near　you。〃

〃And　why　not；　Mr。　Starr？　　I　know　one　of　your　old　miners　who　would　be　truly　pleased　to　have　only　a　partition　wall　between　you　and　him。〃

〃And　how　is　Madge？〃　asked　the　engineer。

〃The　goodwife　is　in　better　health　than　I　am；　if　that's　possible；〃　replied　Ford；　〃and　it　will　be　a　pleasure　to　her　to　see　you　at　her　table。　I　think　she　will　surpass　herself　to　do　you　honor。〃

〃We　shall　see　that；　Simon；　we　shall　see　that！〃　said　the　engineer；　to　whom　the　announcement　of　a　good　breakfast　could　not　be　indifferent；　after　his　long　walk。

〃Are　you　hungry；　Mr。　Starr？〃

〃Ravenously　hungry。　　My　journey　has　given　me　an　appetite。　I　came　through　horrible　weather。〃

〃Ah；　it　is　raining　up　there；〃　responded　Simon　Ford。

〃Yes；　Simon；　and　the　waters　of　the　Forth　are　as　rough　as　the　sea。〃


〃Well；　Mr。　Starr；　here　it　never　rains。　　But　I　needn't　describe　to　you　all　the　advantages；　which　you　know　as　well　as　myself。　Here　we　are　at　the　cottage。　　That　is　the　chief　thing；　and　I　again　say　you　are　wele；　sir。〃

Simon　Ford；　followed　by　Harry；　ushered　their　guest　into　the　dwelling。　James　Starr　found　himself　in　a　large　room　lighted　by　numerous　lamps；　one　hanging　from　the　colored　beams　of　the　roof。

〃The　soup　is　ready；　wife；〃　said　Ford；　〃and　it　mustn't　be　kept　waiting　any　more　than　Mr。　Starr。　　He　is　as　hungry　as　a　miner；　and　he　shall　see　that　our　boy　doesn't　let　us　want　for　anything　in　the　cottage！　By…the…bye；　Harry；〃　added　the　old　overman；　turning　to　his　son；　〃Jack　Ryan　came　here　to　see　you。〃

〃I　know；　father。　　We　met　him　in　the　Yarrow　shaft。〃

〃He's　an　honest　and　a　merry　fellow；〃　said　Ford；　〃but　he　seems　to　be　quite　happy　above　ground。　　He　hasn't　the　true　miner's　blood　in　his　veins。　Sit　down；　Mr。　Starr；　and　have　a　good　dinner；　for　we　may　not　sup　till　late。〃

As　the　engineer　and　his　hosts　were　taking　their　places：

〃One　moment；　Simon；〃　said　James　Starr。　　〃Do　you　want　me　to　eat　with　a　good　appetite？〃

〃It　will　be　doing　us　all　possible　honor；　Mr。　Starr；〃　answered　Ford。

〃Well；　in　order　to　eat　heartily；　I　must　not　be　at　all　anxious。　Now　I　have　two　questions　to　put　to　you。〃

〃Go　on；　sir。〃

〃Your　letter　told　me　of　a　munication　which　was　to　be　of　an　interesting　nature。〃

〃It　is　very　interesting　indeed。〃

〃To　you？〃

〃To　you　and　to　me；　Mr。　Starr。　　But　I　do　not　want　to　tell　it　you　until　after　dinner；　and　on　the　very　spot　itself。　Without　that　you　would　not　believe　me。〃

〃Simon；〃　resumed　the　engineer；　〃look　me　straight　in　the　face。　An　interesting　munication？　　Yes。　　Good！　　I　will　not　ask　more；〃　he　added；　as　if　he　had　read　the　reply　in　the　old　overman's　eyes。

〃And　the　second　question？〃　asked　the　latter。

〃Do　you　know；　Simon；　who　the　person　is　who　can　have　written　this？〃　answered　the　engineer；　handing　him　the　anonymous　letter。


Ford　took　the　letter　and　read　it　attentively。　　Then　giving　it　to　his　son；　〃Do　you　know　the　writing？〃　he　asked。

〃No；　father；〃　replied　Harry。

〃And　had　this　letter　the　Aberfoyle　postmark？〃　inquired　Simon　Ford。

〃Yes；　like　yours；〃　replied　James　Starr。

〃What　do　you　think　of　that；　Harry？〃　said　his　father；　his　brow　darkening。

〃I　think；　father；〃　returned　Harry；　〃that　someone　has　had　some　interest　in　trying　to　prevent　Mr。　Starr　from　ing　to　the　place　where　you　invited　him。〃

〃But　who；〃　exclaimed　the　old　miner；　〃who　could　have　possibly　guessed　enough　of　my　secret？〃　　And　Simon　fell　into　a　reverie；　from　which　he　was　aroused　by　his　wife。

〃Let　us　begin；　Mr。　Starr；〃　she　said。　　〃The　soup　is　already　getting　cold。　Don't　think　any　more　of　that　letter　just　now。〃

On　the　old　woman's　invitation；　each　drew　in　his　chair；　James　Starr　opposite　to　Madge……to　do　him　honor……the　father　and　son　opposite　to　each　other。　　It　was　a　good　Scotch　dinner。　First　they　ate　〃hotchpotch；〃　soup　with　the　meat　swimming　in　capital　broth。　　As　old　Simon　said；　his　wife　knew　no　rival　in　the　art　of　preparing　hotchpotch。　　It　was　the　same　with　the　〃cockyleeky；〃　a　cock　stewed　with　leeks；　which　merited　high　praise。　The　whole　was　washed　down　with　excellent　ale；　obtained　from　the　best　brewery　in　Edinburgh。

But　the　principal　dish　consisted　of　a　〃haggis；〃　the　national　pudding；　made　of　meat　and　barley　meal。　　This　remarkable　dish；　which　inspired　the　poet　Burns　with　one　of　his　best　odes；　shared　the　fate　of　all　the　good　things　in　this　world……it　passed　away　like　a　dream。

Madge　received　the　sincere　pliments　of　her　guest。　The　dinner　ended　with　cheese　and　oatcake；　acpanied　by　a　few　small　glasses　of　〃usquebaugh；〃　capital　whisky；　five　and　twenty　years　old……just　Harry's　age。　　The　repast　lasted　a　good　hour。　James　Starr　and　Simon　Ford　had　not　only　eaten　much；　but　talked　much　too；　chiefly　of　their　past　life　in　the　old　Aberfoyle　mine。

Harry　had　been　rather　silent。　　Twice　he　had　left　the　table；　and　even　the　house。　　He　evidently　felt　uneasy　since　the　incident　of　the　stone；　and　wished　to　examine　the　environs

of　the　cottage。　　The　anonymous　letter　had　not　contributed　to　reassure　him。

Whilst　he　was　absent；　the　engineer　observed　to　Ford　and　his　wife；　〃That's　a　fine　lad　you　have　there；　my　friends。〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr；　he　is　a　good　and　affectionate　son；〃　replied　the　old　overman　earnestly。

〃Is　he　happy　with　you　in　the　cottage？〃

〃He　would　not　wish　to　leave　us。〃

〃Don't　you　think　of　finding　him　a　wife；　some　day？〃

〃A　wife　for　Harry；〃　exclaimed　Ford。　　〃And　who　would　it　be？　A　girl　from　up　yonder；　who　would　love　merry…makings　and　dancing；　who　would　prefer　her　clan　to　our　mine！　　Harry　wouldn't　do　it！〃

〃Simon；〃　said　Madge；　〃you　would　not　forbid　that　Harry　should　take　a　wife。〃

〃I　would　forbid　nothing；〃　returned　the　old　miner；　〃but　there's　no　hurry　about　that。　　Who　knows　but　we　may　find　one　for　him……〃

Harry　re…entered　at　that　moment；　and　Simon　Ford　was　silent。

When　Madge　rose　from　the　table；　all　followed　her　example；　and　seated　themselves　at　the　door　of　the　cottage。　　〃Well；　Simon；〃　said　the　engineer；　〃I　am　ready　to　hear　you。〃

〃Mr。　Starr；〃　responded　Ford；　〃I　do　not　need　your　ears；　but　your　legs。　Are　you　quite　rested？〃

〃Quite　rested　and　quite　refreshed；　Simon。　　I　am　ready　to　go　with　you　wherever　you　like。〃

〃Harry；〃　said　Simon　Ford；　turning　to　his　son；　〃light　our　safety　lamps。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　take　safety　lamps！〃　exclaimed　James　Starr；　in　amazement；　knowing　that　there　was　no　fear　of　explosions　of　fire…damp　in　a　pit　quite　empty　of　coal。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr；　it　will　be　prudent。〃

〃My　good　Simon；　won't　you　propose　next　to　put　me　in　a　miner's　dress？〃

〃Not　just　yet；　sir；　not　just　yet！〃　returned　the　old　overman；　his　deep…set　eyes　gleaming　strangely。

Harry　soon　reappeared；　carrying　three　safety　lamps。　He　handed　one　of　these　to　the　engineer；　the　other　to　his　father；　and　kept　the　third　hanging　from　his　left　hand；　whilst　his　right　was　armed　with　a　long　stick。


〃Forward！〃　said　Simon　Ford；　taking　up　a　strong　pick；　which　was　leaning　against　the　wall　of　the　cottage。

〃Forward！〃　echoed　the　engineer。　　〃Good…by；　Madge。〃

〃GOD　speed　you！〃　responded　the　good　woman。

〃A　good　supper；　wife；　do　you　hear？〃　exclaimed　Ford。　　〃We　shall　be　hungry　when　we　e　back；　and　will　do　it　justice！〃


CHAPTER　V　SOME　STRANGE　PHENOMENA


MANY　superstitious　beliefs　exist　both　in　the　Highlands　and　Lowlands　of　Scotland。　　Of　course　the　mining　population　must　furnish　its　contingent　of　legends　and　fables　to　this　mythological　repertory。　If　the　fields　are　peopled　with　imaginary　beings；　either　good　or　bad；　with　much　more　reason　must　the　dark　mines　be　haunted　to　their　lowest　depths。　　Who　shakes　the　seam　during　tempestuous　nights？　who　puts　the　miners　on　the　track　of　an　as　yet　unworked　vein？　who　lights　the　fire…damp；　and　presides　over　the　terrible　explosions？　who　but　some　spirit　of　the　mine？　　This；　at　least；　was　the　opinion　monly　spread　among　the　superstitious　Scotch。

In　the　first　rank　of　the　believers　in　the　supernatural　in　the　Dochart　pit　figured　Jack　Ryan；　Harry's　friend。　He　was　the　great　partisan　of　all　these　superstitions。　All　these　wild　stories　were　turned　by　him　into　songs；　which　earned　him　great　applause　in　the　winter　evenings。

But　Jack　Ryan　was　not　alone　in　his　belief。　　His　rades　affirmed；　no　less　strongly；　that　the　Aberfoyle　pits　were　haunted；　and　that　certain　strange　beings　were　seen　there　frequently；　just　as　in　the　Highlands。　　To　hear　them　talk；　it　would　have　been　more　extraordinary　if　nothing　of　the　kind　appeared。　Could　there　indeed　be　a　better　place　than　a　dark　and　deep　coal　mine　for　the　freaks　of　fairies；　elves；　goblins；　and　other　actors　in　the　fantastical　dramas？　　The　scenery　was　all　ready；　why　should　not　the　supernatural　personages　e　there　to　play　their　parts？

So　reasoned　Jack　Ryan　and　his　rades　in　the　Aberfoyle　mines。　We　have　said　that　the　different　pits　municated　with　each　other　by　means　of　long　subterranean　galleries。　Thus　there　existed　beneath　the　county　of　Stirling　a　vast　tract；　full　of　burrows；　tunnels；　bored　with　caves；　and　perforated　with　shafts；　a　subterranean　labyrinth；　which　might　be　pared　to　an　enormous　ant…hill。

Miners；　though　belonging　to　different　pits；　often　met；　when　going　to　or　returning　from　their　work。　　Consequently　there　was　a　constant　opportunity　of　exchanging　talk；　and　circulating　the　stories　which　had　their　origin　in　the　mine；　from　one　pit　to　an