the underground city-地下城(英文版)-第19部分

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　in　the　glorious　light　of　day？〃

〃No；　Harry；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃I　shall　like　to　think　about　it；　but　I　am　glad　to　go　back　with　you　to　our　dear　old　home。〃

〃Nell！〃　said　Harry；　vainly　attempting　to　steady　his　voice；　〃are　you　willing　to　be　bound　to　me　by　the　most　sacred　tie？　Could　you　marry　me；　Nell？〃


〃Yes；　Harry；　I　could；　if　you　are　sure　that　I　am　able　to　make　you　happy；〃　answered　the　maiden；　raising　her　innocent　eyes　to　his。

Scarcely　had　she　pronounced　these　words　when　an　unaccountable　phenomenon　took　place。　　The　Rob　Roy；　still　half　a　mile　from　land；　experienced　a　violent　shock。　　She　suddenly　grounded。　No　efforts　of　the　engine　could　move　her。

The　cause　of　this　accident　was　simply　that　Loch　Katrine　was　all　at　once　emptied；　as　though　an　enormous　fissure　had　opened　in　its　bed。　In　a　few　seconds　it　had　the　appearance　of　a　sea　beach　at　low　water。　Nearly　the　whole　of　its　contents　had　vanished　into　the　bosom　of　the　earth。

〃My　friends！〃　exclaimed　James　Starr；　as　the　cause　of　this　marvel　became　suddenly　clear　to　him；　〃God　help　New　Aberfoyle！〃


CHAPTER　XVI　A　FINAL　THREAT


ON　that　day；　in　the　colliery　of　New　Aberfoyle；　work　was　going　on　in　the　usual　regular　way。　　In　the　distance　could　be　heard　the　crash　of　great　charges　of　dynamite；　by　which　the　carboniferous　rocks　were　blasted。　Here　masses　of　coal　were　loosened　by　pick…ax　and　crowbar；　there　the　perforating　machines；　with　their　harsh　grating；　bored　through　the　masses　of　sandstone　and　schist。

Hollow；　cavernous　noises　resounded　on　all　sides。　Draughts　of　air　rushed　along　the　ventilating　galleries；　and　the　wooden　swing…doors　slammed　beneath　their　violent　gusts。　In　the　lower　tunnels；　trains　of　trucks　kept　passing　along　at　the　rate　of　fifteen　miles　an　hour；　while　at　their　approach　electric　bells　warned　the　workmen　to　cower　down　in　the　refuge　places。　Lifts　went　incessantly　up　and　down；　worked　by　powerful　engines　on　the　surface　of　the　soil。　　Coal　Town　was　throughout　brilliantly　lighted　by　the　electric　lamps　at　full　power。

Mining　operations　were　being　carried　on　with　the　greatest　activity；　coal　was　being　piled　incessantly　into　the　trucks；　which　went　in　hundreds　to　empty　themselves　into　the　corves　at　the　bottom　of　the　shaft。　While　parties　of　miners　who

had　labored　during　the　night　were　taking　needful　rest；　the　others　worked　without　wasting　an　hour。

Old　Simon　Ford　and　Madge；　having　finished　their　dinner；　were　resting　at　the　door　of　their　cottage。　　Simon　smoked　a　good　pipe　of　tobacco；　and　from　time　to　time　the　old　couple　spoke　of　Nell；　of　their　boy；　of　Mr。　Starr；　and　wondered　how　they　liked　their　trip　to　the　surface　of　the　earth。　　Where　would　they　be　now？　　What　would　they　be　doing？　How　could　they　stay　so　long　away　from　the　mine　without　feeling　homesick？

Just　then　a　terrific　roaring　noise　was　heard。　　It　was　like　the　sound　of　a　mighty　cataract　rushing　down　into　the　mine。　　The　old　people　rose　hastily。　They　perceived　at　once　that　the　waters　of　Loch　Malcolm　were　rising。

A　great　wave；　unfurling　like　a　billow；　swept　up　the　bank　and　broke　against　the　walls　of　the　cottage。　　Simon　caught　his　wife　in　his　arms；　and　carried　her　to　the　upper　part　of　their　dwelling。

At　the　same　moment；　cries　arose　from　all　parts　of　Coal　Town；　which　was　threatened　by　a　sudden　inundation。　　The　inhabitants　fled　for　safety　to　the　top　of　the　schist　rocks　bordering　the　lake；　terror　spread　in　all　directions；　whole　families　in　frantic　haste　rushed　towards　the　tunnel　in　order　to　reach　the　upper　regions　of　the　pit。

It　was　feared　that　the　sea　had　burst　into　the　colliery；　for　its　galleries　and　passages　perated　as　far　as　the　Caledonian　Canal。　　In　that　case　the　entire　excavation；　vast　as　it　was；　would　be　pletely　flooded。　Not　a　single　inhabitant　of　New　Aberfoyle　would　escape　death。

But　when　the　foremost　fugitives　reached　the　entrance　to　the　tunnel；　they　encountered　Simon　Ford；　who　had　quitted　his　cottage。　〃Stop；　my　friends；　stop！〃　shouted　the　old　man；　〃if　our　town　is　to　be　overwhelmed；　the　floods　will　rush　faster　than　you　can；　no　one　can　possibly　escape。　　But　see！　the　waters　are　rising　no　further！　it　appears　to　me　the　danger　is　over。〃

〃And　our　rades　at　the　far　end　of　the　works……what　about　them？〃　cried　some　of　the　miners。

〃There　is　nothing　to　fear　for　them；〃　replied　Simon；　〃they　are　working　on　a　higher　level　than　the　bed　of　the　loch。〃

It　was　soon　evident　that　the　old　man　was　in　the　right。　The　sudden　influx　of　water　had　rushed　to　the　very　lowest

bed　of　the　vast　mine；　and　its　only　ultimate　effect　was　to　raise　the　level　of　Loch　Malcolm　a　few　feet。　　Coal　Town　was　uninjured；　and　it　was　reasonable　to　hope　that　no　one　had　perished　in　the　flood　of　water　which　had　descended　to　the　depths　of　the　mine　never　yet　perated　by　the　workmen。

Simon　and　his　men　could　not　decide　whether　this　inundation　was　owing　to　the　overflow　of　a　subterranean　sheet　of　water　perating　fissures　in　the　solid　rock；　or　to　some　underground　torrent　breaking　through　its　worn　bed；　and　precipitating　itself　to　the　lowest　level　of　the　mine。　But　that　very　same　evening　they　knew　what　to　think　about　it；　for　the　local　papers　published　an　account　of　the　marvelous　phenomenon　which　Loch　Katrine　had　exhibited。

The　surprising　news　was　soon　after　confirmed　by　the　four　travelers；　who；　returning　with　all　possible　speed　to　the　cottage；　learned　with　extreme　satisfaction　that　no　serious　damage　was　done　in　New　Aberfoyle。

The　bed　of　Loch　Katrine　had　fairly　given　way。　　The　waters　had　suddenly　broken　through　by　an　enormous　fissure　into　the　mine　beneath。　Of　Sir　Walter　Scott's　favorite　loch　there　was　not　left　enough　to　wet　the　pretty　foot　of　the　Lady　of　the　Lake；　all　that　remained　was　a　pond　of　a　few　acres　at　the　further　extremity。

This　singular　event　made　a　profound　sensation　in　the　country。　It　was　a　thing　unheard　of　that　a　lake　should　in　the　space　of　a　few　minutes　empty　itself；　and　disappear　into　the　bowels　of　the　earth。　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　erase　Loch　Katrine　from　the　map　of　Scotland　until　（by　public　subscription）　it　could　be　refilled；　care　being　of　course　taken；　in　the　first　place；　to　stop　the　rent　up　tight。　This　catastrophe　would　have　been　the　death　of　Sir　Walter　Scott；　had　he　still　been　in　the　world。

The　accident　was　explicable　when　it　was　ascertained　that；　between　the　bed　of　the　lake　and　the　vast　cavity　beneath；　the　geological　strata　had　bee　reduced　to　a　thin　layer；　incapable　of　longer　sustaining　the　weight　of　water。

Now；　although　to　most　people　this　event　seemed　plainly　due　to　natural　causes；　yet　to　James　Starr　and　his　friends；　Simon　and　Harry　Ford；　the　question　constantly　recurred；　was　it　not　rather　to　be　attributed　to　malevolence？　Uneasy　suspicions　continually　harassed　their　minds。　Was　their　evil

genius　about　to　renew　his　persecution　of　those　who　ventured　to　work　this　rich　mine？

At　the　cottage；　some　days　later；　James　Starr　thus　discussed　the　matter　with　the　old　man　and　his　son：　　〃Well；　Simon；〃　said　he；　〃to　my　thinking　we　must　class　this　circumstance　with　the　others　for　which　we　still　seek　elucidation；　although　it　is　no　doubt　possible　to　explain　it　by　natural　causes。〃

〃I　am　quite　of　your　mind；　Mr。　James；〃　replied　Simon；　〃but　take　my　advice；　and　say　nothing　about　it；　let　us　make　all　researches　ourselves。〃

〃Oh；　I　know　the　result　of　such　research　beforehand！〃　cried　the　engineer。

〃And　what　will　it　be；　then？〃

〃We　shall　find　proofs　of　malevolence；　but　not　the　malefactor。〃

〃But　he　exists！　he　is　there！　　Where　can　he　lie　concealed？　Is　it　possible　to　conceive　that　the　most　depraved　human　being　could；　single…handed；　carry　out　an　idea　so　infernal　as　that　of　bursting　through　the　bed　of　a　lake？　　I　believe　I　shall　end　by　thinking；　like　Jack　Ryan；　that　the　evil　demon　of　the　mine　revenges　himself　on　us　for　having　invaded　his　domain。〃

Nell　was　allowed　to　hear　as　little　as　possible　of　these　discussions。　Indeed；　she　showed　no　desire　to　enter　into　them；　although　it　was　very　evident　that　she　shared　in　the　anxieties　of　her　adopted　parents。　The　melancholy　in　her　countenance　bore　witness　to　much　mental　agitation。

It　was　at　length　resolved　that　James　Starr；　together　with　Simon　and　Harry；　should　return　to　the　scene　of　the　disaster；　and　endeavor　to　satisfy　themselves　as　to　the　cause　of　it。　They　mentioned　their　project　to　no　one。　　To　those　unacquainted　with　the　group　of　facts　on　which　it　was　based；　the　opinion　of　Starr　and　his　friends　could　not　fail　to　appear　wholly　inadmissible。

A　few　days　later；　the　three　friends　proceeded　in　a　small　boat　to　examine　the　natural　pillars　on　which　had　rested　the　solid　earth　forming　the　basin　of　Loch　Katrine。　　They　discovered　that　they　had　been　right　in　suspecting　that　the　massive　columns　had　been　undermined　by　blasting。　The　blackened　traces　of　explosion　were　to　be　seen；　the　waters　having　subsided　below　the　level　of　these　mysterious　operations　Thus　the　fall　of　a　portion　of　the　vast　vaulted　dome　was　proved　to　have　been　premeditated　by　man；　and　by　man's　hand　had　it　been　effected。

〃It　is　impossible　to　doubt　it；〃　said　James　Starr；　〃and　who　can　say　what　might　not　have　happened　had　the　sea；　instead　of　a　little　loch；　been　let　in　upon　us？〃

〃You　may　well　say　that；〃　cried　the　old　overman；　with　a　feeling　of　pride　in　his　beloved　mine；　〃for　nothing　less　than　a　sea　would　have　drowned　our　Aberfoyle。　　But；　once　more；　what　possible　interest　could　any　human　being　have　in　the　destruction　of　our　works？〃

〃It　is　quite　inprehensible；〃　replied　James　Starr。　　〃This　case　is　something　perfectly　unlike　that　of　a　band　of　mon　criminals；　who；　concealing　themselves　in　dens　and　caves；　go　forth　to　rob　and　pillage　the　surrounding　country。　　The　evil　deeds　of　such　men　would　certainly；　in　the　course　of　three　years　have　betrayed　their　existence　and　lurking…places。　Neither　can　it　be；　as　I　sometimes　used　to　think；　that　smugglers　or　coiners　carried　on　their　illegal　practices　in　some　distant　and　unknown　corner　of　these　prodigious　caverns；　and　were　consequently　anxious　to　drive　us　out　of　them。　But　no　one　coins　false　money　or　obtains　contraband　goods　only　to　conceal　them！

〃Yet　it　is　clear　that　an　implacable　enemy　has　sworn　the　ruin　of　New　Aberfoyle；　and　that　some　interest　urges　him　to　seek　in　every　possible　way　to　wreak　his　hatred　upon　us。　He　appears　to　be　too　weak　to　act　openly；　and　lays　his　schemes　in　secret；　but　displays　such　intelligence　as　to　render　him　a　most　formidable　foe。

〃My　friends；　he　must　understand　better　than　we　do　the　secrets　of　our　domain；　since　he　has　all　this　time　eluded　our　vigilance。　He　must　be　a　man　experienced　in　mining；　skilled　beyond　the　most　skillful……　that's　certain；　Simon！　　We　have　proof　enough　of　that。

〃Let　me　see！　　Have　you　never　had　a　personal　enemy；　to　whom　your　suspicions　might　point？　　Think　well！　There　is　such　a　thing　as　hatred　which　time　never　softens。　Go　back　to　recollections　of　your　earliest　days。　What　befalls　us　appears　the　work　of　a　stern　and　patient　will；　and　to　explain　it　demands　every　effort　of　thought　and　memory。〃

Simon　did　not　answer　immediately……his　mind　evidently　engaged　in　a　close　and　candid　survey　of　his　past　life。　　Presently；　raising　his　head；　〃No；〃　said　he；　〃no！　　Heaven　be　my　witness；　neither　Madge　nor　I　have　ever　injured　anybody。　　We　cannot　believe　that　we　have　a　single　enemy　in　the　world。〃

〃Ah！　if　Nell　would　only　speak！〃　cried　the　engineer。

〃Mr。　Starr……and　you；　father；〃