the underground city-第27部分

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d　comrades　of　the　old　overman　every　member　of　this　great　family　of　miners　forming　the　population　of　New　Aberfoyle。

In　the　outer　world；　the　day　was　one　of　the　hottest　of　the　month　of　August；　peculiarly　oppressive　in　northern　countries。　　The　sultry　air　penetrated　the　depths　of　the　coal　mine；　and　elevated　the　temperature。　The　air　which　entered　through　the　ventilating　shafts；　and　the　great　tunnel　of　Loch　Malcolm；　was　charged　with　electricity；　and　the　barometer；　it　was　afterwards　remarked；　had　fallen　in　a　remarkable　manner。　There　was；　indeed；　every　indication　that　a　storm　might　burst　forth　beneath　the　rocky　vault　which　formed　the　roof　of　the　enormous　crypt　of　the　very　mine　itself。

But　the　inhabitants　were　not　at　that　moment　troubling　themselves　about　the　chances　of　atmospheric　disturbance　above　ground。　Everybody；　as　a　matter　of　course；　had　put　on　his　best　clothes　for　the　occasion。　　Madge　was　dressed　in　the　fashion　of　days　gone　by；　wearing　the　〃toy〃　and　the　〃rokelay；〃　or　Tartan　plaid；　of　matrons　of　the　olden　time；　old　Simon　wore　a　coat　of　which　Bailie　Nicol　Jarvie　himself　would　have　approved。

Nell　had　resolved　to　show　nothing　of　her　mental　agitation；　she　forbade　her　heart　to　beat；　or　her　inward　terrors　to

betray　themselves；　and　the　brave　girl　appeared　before　all　with　a　calm　and　collected　aspect。　　She　had　declined　every　ornament　of　dress；　and　the　very　simplicity　of　her　attire　added　to　the　charming　elegance　of　her　appearance。　　Her　hair　was　bound　with　the　〃snood；〃　the　usual　head…dress　of　Scottish　maidens。

All　proceeded　towards　St。　Giles's　chapel；　which　had　been　handsomely　decorated　for　the　occasion。

The　electric　discs　of　light　which　illuminated　Coal　Town　blazed　like　so　many　suns。　　A　luminous　atmosphere　pervaded　New　Aberfoyle。　　In　the　chapel；　electric　lamps　shed　a　glow　over　the　stained…glass　windows；　which　shone　like　fiery　kaleidoscopes。　At　the　porch　of　the　chapel　the　minister　awaited　the　arrival　of　the　wedding　party。

It　approached；　after　having　passed　in　stately　procession　along　the　shore　of　Loch　Malcolm。　　Then　the　tones　of　the　organ　were　heard；　and；　preceded　by　the　minister；　the　group　advanced　into　the　chapel。　The　Divine　blessing　was　first　invoked　on　all　present。　Then　Harry　and　Nell　remained　alone　before　the　minister；　who；　holding　the　sacred　book　in　his　hand；　proceeded　to　say；　〃Harry；　will　you　take　Nell　to　be　your　wife；　and　will　you　promise　to　love　her　always？〃

〃I　promise；〃　answered　the　young　man　in　a　firm　and　steady　voice。

〃And　you；　Nell；〃　continued　the　minister；　〃will　you　take　Harry　to　be　your　husband；　and〃

Before　he　could　finish　the　sentence；　a　prodigious　noise　resounded　from　without。　　One　of　the　enormous　rocks；　on　which　was　formed　the　terrace　overhanging　the　banks　of　Loch　Malcolm；　had　suddenly　given　way　and　opened　without　explosion；　disclosing　a　profound　abyss；　into　which　the　waters　were　now　wildly　plunging。

In　another　instant；　among　the　shattered　rocks　and　rushing　waves　appeared　a　canoe；　which　a　vigorous　arm　propelled　along　the　surface　of　the　lake。　In　the　canoe　was　seen　the　figure　of　an　old　man　standing　upright。　He　was　clothed　in　a　dark　mantle；　his　hair　was　dishevelled；　a　long　white　beard　fell　over　his　breast；　and　in　his　hand　he　bore　a　lighted　Davy　safety　lamp；　the　flame　being　protected　by　the　metallic　gauze　of　the　apparatus。

In　a　loud　voice　this　old　man　shouted；　〃The　fire…damp　is　upon　you！　Woewoe　betide　ye　all！〃


At　the　same　moment　the　slight　smell　peculiar　to　carburetted　hydrogen　was　perceptibly　diffused　through　the　atmosphere。　　And；　in　truth；　the　fall　of　the　rock　had　made　a　passage　of　escape　for　an　enormous　quantity　of　explosive　gas；　accumulated　in　vast　cavities；　the　openings　to　which　had　hitherto　been　blocked　up。

Jets　and　streams　of　the　fire…damp　now　rose　upward　in　the　vaulted　dome；　and　well　did　that　fierce　old　man　know　that　the　consequence　of　what　he　had　done　would　be　to　render　explosive　the　whole　atmosphere　of　the　mine。

James　Starr　and　several　others；　having　hastily　quitted　the　chapel；　and　perceived　the　imminence　of　the　danger；　now　rushed　back；　crying　out　in　accents　of　the　utmost　alarm；　〃Fly　from　the　mine！　Fly　instantly　from　the　mine！〃

〃Now　for　the　fire…damp！　Here　comes　the　fire…damp！〃　yelled　the　old　man；　urging　his　canoe　further　along　the　lake。

Harry　with　his　bride；　his　father　and　his　mother；　left　the　chapel　in　haste　and　in　terror。

〃Fly！　fly　for　your　lives！〃　repeated　James　Starr。　　Alas！　it　was　too　late　to　fly！　　Old　Silfax　stood　there；　prepared　to　fulfill　his　last　dreadful　threatprepared　to　stop　the　marriage　of　Nell　and　Harry　by　overwhelming　the　entire　population　of　the　place　beneath　the　ruins　of　the　coal　mine。

As　he　stood　ready　to　accomplish　this　act　of　vengeance；　his　enormous　owl；　whose　white　plumage　was　marked　with　black　spots；　was　seen　hovering　directly　above　his　head。

At　that　moment　a　man　flung　himself　into　the　waters　of　the　lake；　and　swam　vigorously　towards　the　canoe。

It　was　Jack　Ryan；　fully　determined　to　reach　the　madman　before　he　could　do　the　dreadful　deed　of　destruction。

Silfax　saw　him　coming。　　Instantly　he　smashed　the　glass　of　his　lamp；　and；　snatching　out　the　burning　wick；　waved　it　in　the　air。

Silence　like　death　fell　upon　the　astounded　multitude。　　James　Starr；　in　the　calmness　of　despair；　marvelled　that　the　inevitable　explosion　was　even　for　a　moment　delayed。

Silfax；　gazing　upwards　with　wild　and　contracted　features；　appeared　to　become　aware　that　the　gas；　lighter　than　the　lower　atmosphere；　was　accumulating　far　up　under　the　dome；　and　at　a　sign　from　him　the　owl；　seizing　in　its　claw　the　lighted　match；　soared　upwards　to　the　vaulted　roof；　towards　which　the　madman　pointed　with　outstretched　arm。


Another　second　and　New　Aberfoyle　would　be　no　more。

Suddenly　Nell　sprang　from　Harry's　arms；　and；　with　a　bright　look　of　inspiration；　she　ran　to　the　very　brink　of　the　waters　of　the　lake。　　〃Harfang！　　Harfang！〃　cried　she　in　a　clear　voice；　〃here！　come　to　me！〃

The　faithful　bird；　surprised；　appeared　to　hesitate　in　its　flight。　Presently；　recognizing　Nell's　voice；　it　dropped　the　burning　match　into　the　water；　and；　describing　a　wide　circle；　flew　downwards；　alighting　at　the　maiden's　feet。

Then　a　terrible　cry　echoed　through　the　vaulted　roofs。　It　was　the　last　sound　uttered　by　old　Silfax。

Just　as　Jack　Ryan　laid　his　hand　on　the　edge　of　the　canoe；　the　old　man；　foiled　in　his　purpose　of　revenge；　cast　himself　headlong　into　the　waters　of　the　lake。

〃Save　him！　oh；　save　him！〃　shrieked　Nell　in　a　voice　of　agony。　Immediately　Harry　plunged　into　the　water；　and；　swimming　towards　Jack　Ryan；　he　dived　repeatedly。

But　his　efforts　were　useless。　　The　waters　of　Loch　Malcolm　yielded　not　their　prey：　　they　closed　forever　over　Silfax。


CHAPTER　XIX　THE　LEGEND　OF　OLD　SILFAX


Six　months　after　these　events；　the　marriage；　so　strangely　interrupted；　was　finally　celebrated　in　St。　Giles's　chapel；　and　the　young　couple；　who　still　wore　mourning　garments；　returned　to　the　cottage。　James　Starr　and　Simon　Ford；　henceforth　free　from　the　anxieties　which　had　so　long　distressed　them；　joyously　presided　over　the　entertainment　which　followed　the　ceremony；　and　prolonged　it　to　the　following　day。

On　this　memorable　occasion；　Jack　Ryan；　in　his　favorite　character　of　piper；　and　in　all　the　glory　of　full　dress；　blew　up　his　chanter；　and　astonished　the　company　by　the　unheard　of　achievement　of　playing；　singing；　and　dancing　all　at　once。

It　is　needless　to　say　that　Harry　and　Nell　were　happy。　These　loving　hearts；　after　the　trials　they　had　gone　through　found　in　their　union　the　happiness　they　deserved。

As　to　Simon　Ford；　the　ex…overman　of　New　Aberfoyle；　he　began　to　talk　of　celebrating　his　golden　wedding；　after

fifty　years　of　marriage　with　good　old　Madge；　who　liked　the　idea　immensely　herself。

〃And　after　that；　why　not　golden　wedding　number　two？〃

〃You　would　like　a　couple　of　fifties；　would　you；　Mr。　Simon？〃　said　Jack　Ryan。

〃All　right；　my　boy；〃　replied　the　overman　quietly；　〃I　see　nothing　against　it　in　this　fine　climate　of　ours；　and　living　far　from　the　luxury　and　intemperance　of　the　outer　world。〃

Will　the　dwellers　in　Coal　Town　ever　be　called　to　witness　this　second　ceremony？　　Time　will　show。　　Certainly　the　strange　bird　of　old　Silfax　seemed　destined　to　attain　a　wonderful　longevity。　The　Harfang　continued　to　haunt　the　gloomy　recesses　of　the　cave。　After　the　old　man's　death；　Nell　had　attempted　to　keep　the　owl；　but　in　a　very　few　days　he　flew　away。　　He　evidently　disliked　human　society　as　much　as　his　master　had　done；　and；　besides　that；　he　appeared　to　have　a　particular　spite　against　Harry。　　The　jealous　bird　seemed　to　remember　and　hate　him　for　having　carried　off　Nell　from　the　deep　abyss；　notwithstanding　all　he　could　do　to　prevent　him。　Still；　at　long　intervals；　Nell　would　see　the　creature　hovering　above　Loch　Malcolm。

Could　he　possibly　be　watching　for　his　friend　of　yore？　Did　he　strive　to　pierce；　with　keen　eye；　the　depths　which　had　engulfed　his　master？

The　history　of　the　Harfang　became　legendary；　and　furnished　Jack　Ryan　with　many　a　tale　and　song。　　Thanks　to　him；　the　story　of　old　Silfax　and　his　bird　will　long　be　preserved；　and　handed　down　to　future　generations　of　the　Scottish　peasantry。





End