the underground city-地下城(英文版)-第23部分

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and　ill…will。〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　said　Simon。　　〃To　think　that　his　Nell　should　marry　one　of　the　robbers　of　his　own　coal　mine　would　just　drive　him　wild　altogether。〃

〃He　will　have　to　make　up　his　mind　to　it；　however；〃　cried　Harry。　　〃Mad　as　he　is；　we　shall　manage　to　convince　him　that　Nell　is　better　off　with　us　here　than　ever　she　was　in　the　caverns　of　the　pit。　I　am　sure；　Mr。　Starr；　if　we　could　only　catch　him；　we　should　be　able　to　make　him　listen　to　reason。〃

〃My　poor　Harry！　there　is　no　reasoning　with　a　madman；〃　replied　the　engineer。　　〃Of　course　it　is　better　to　know　your　enemy　than　not；　but　you　must　not　fancy　all　is　right　because　we　have　found　out　who　he　is。　　We　must　be　on　our　guard；　my　friends；　and　to　begin　with；　Harry；　you　positively　must　question　Nell。　She　will　perceive　that　her　silence　is　no　longer　reasonable。　Even　for　her　grandfather's　own　interest；　she　ought　to　speak　now。　For　his　own　sake；　as　well　as　for　ours；　these　insane　plots　must　be　put　a　stop　to。〃

〃I　feel　sure；　Mr。　Starr；〃　answered　Harry；　〃that　Nell　will　of　herself　propose　to　tell　you　what　she　knows。　　You　see　it　was　from　a　sense　of　duty　that　she　has　been　silent　hitherto。　My　mother　was　very　right　to　take　her　to　her　room　just　now。　She　much　needed　time　to　recover　her　spirits；　but　now　I　will　go　for　her。〃

〃You　need　not　do　so；　Harry；〃　said　the　maiden　in　a　clear　and　firm　voice；　as　she　entered　at　that　moment　the　room　in　which　they　were。　Nell　was　very　pale；　traces　of　tears　were　in　her　eyes；　but　her　whole　manner　showed　that　she　had　nerved　herself　to　act　as　her　loyal　heart　dictated　as　her　duty。


〃Nell！〃　cried　Harry；　springing　towards　her。

The　girl　arrested　her　lover　by　a　gesture；　and　continued；　〃Your　father　and　mother；　and　you；　Harry；　must　now　know　all。　And　you　too；　Mr。　Starr；　must　remain　ignorant　of　nothing　that　concerns　the　child　you　have　received；　and　whom　Harry……　unfortunately　for　him；　alas！……drew　from　the　abyss。〃

〃Oh；　Nell！　what　are　you　saying？〃　cried　Harry。

〃Allow　her　to　speak；〃　said　James　Starr　in　a　decided　tone。

〃I　am　the　granddaughter　of　old　Silfax；〃　resumed　Nell。　　〃I　never　knew　a　mother　till　the　day　I　came　here；〃　added　she；　looking　at　Madge。

〃Blessed　be　that　day；　my　daughter！〃　said　the　old　woman。

〃I　knew　no　father　till　I　saw　Simon　Ford；〃　continued　Nell；　〃nor　friend　till　the　day　when　Harry's　hand　touched　mine。　Alone　with　my　grandfather　I　have　lived　during　fifteen　years　in　the　remote　and　most　solitary　depths　of　the　mine。　I　say　WITH　my　grandfather；　but　I　can　scarcely　use　the　expression；　for　I　seldom　saw　him。　　When　he　disappeared　from　Old　Aberfoyle；　he　concealed　himself　in　caverns　known　only　to　himself。　In　his　way　he　was　kind　to　me；　dreadful　as　he　was；　he　fed　me　with　whatever　he　could　procure　from　outside　the　mine；　but　I　can　dimly　recollect　that　in　my　earliest　years　I　was　the　nursling　of　a　goat；　the　death　of　which　was　a　bitter　grief　to　me。　My　grandfather；　seeing　my　distress；　brought　me　another　animal……　a　dog　he　said　it　was。　　But；　unluckily；　this　dog　was　lively；　and　barked。　　Grandfather　did　not　like　anything　cheerful。　He　had　a　horror　of　noise；　and　had　taught　me　to　be　silent；　the　dog　he　could　not　teach　to　be　quiet；　so　the　poor　animal　very　soon　disappeared。　　My　grandfather's　panion　was　a　ferocious　bird；　Harfang；　of　which；　at　first；　I　had　a　perfect　horror；　but　this　creature；　in　spite　of　my　dislike　to　it；　took　such　a　strong　affection　for　me；　that　I　could　not　help　returning　it。　It　even　obeyed　me　better　than　its　master；　which　used　to　make　me　quite　uneasy；　for　my　grandfather　was　jealous。　　Harfang　and　I　did　not　dare　to　let　him　see　us　much　together；　we　both　knew　it　would　be　dangerous。　　But　I　am　talking　too　much　about　myself：　the　great　thing　is　about　you。〃

〃No；　my　child；〃　said　James　Starr；　〃tell　us　everything　that　es　to　your　mind。〃


〃My　grandfather；〃　continued　Nell；　〃always　regarded　your　abode　in　the　mine　with　a　very　evil　eye……not　that　there　was　any　lack　of　space。　　His　chosen　refuge　was　far……very　far　from　you。　But　he　could　not　bear　to　feel　that　you　were　there。　　If　I　asked　any　questions　about　the　people　up　above　us；　his　face　grew　dark；　he　gave　no　answer；　and　continued　quite　silent　for　a　long　time　afterwards。　But　when　he　perceived　that；　not　content　with　the　old　domain；　you　seemed　to　think　of　encroaching　upon　his；　then　indeed　his　anger　burst　forth。　　He　swore　that；　were　you　to　succeed　in　reaching　the　new　mine；　you　should　assuredly　perish。　Notwithstanding　his　great　age；　his　strength　is　astonishing；　and　his　threats　used　to　make　me　tremble。〃

〃Go　on；　Nell；　my　child；〃　said　Simon　to　the　girl；　who　paused　as　though　to　collect　her　thoughts。

〃On　the　occasion　of　your　first　attempt；〃　resumed　Nell；　〃as　soon　as　my　grandfather　saw　that　you　were　fairly　inside　the　gallery　leading　to　New　Aberfoyle；　he　stopped　up　the　opening；　and　turned　it　into　a　prison　for　you。　I　only　knew　you　as　shadows　dimly　seen　in　the　gloom　of　the　pit；　but　I　could　not　endure　the　idea　that　you　would　die　of　hunger　in　these　horrid　places；　and　so；　at　the　risk　of　being　detected；　I　succeeded　in　obtaining　bread　and　water　for　you　during　some　days。　I　should　have　liked　to　help　you　to　escape；　but　it　was　so　difficult　to　avoid　the　vigilance　of　my　grandfather。　You　were　about　to　die。　　Then　arrived　Jack　Ryan　and　the　others。　By　the　providence　of　God　I　met　with　them；　and　instantly　guided　them　to　where　you　were。　　When　my　grandfather　discovered　what　I　had　done；　his　rage　against　me　was　terrible。　　I　expected　death　at　his　hands。　　After　that　my　life　became　insupportable　to　me。　My　grandfather　pletely　lost　his　senses。　　He　proclaimed　himself　King　of　Darkness　and　Flame；　and　when　he　heard　your　tools　at　work　on　coal…beds　which　he　considered　entirely　his　own；　he　became　furious　and　beat　me　cruelly。　　I　would　have　fled　from　him；　but　it　was　impossible；　so　narrowly　did　he　watch　me。　At　last；　in　a　fit　of　ungovernable　fury；　he　threw　me　down　into　the　abyss　where　you　found　me；　and　disappeared；　vainly　calling　on　Harfang；　which　faithfully　stayed　by　me；　to　follow　him。　I　know　not　how　long　I　remained　there；　but　I　felt　I　was　at　the　point　of　death　when　you；　my　Harry；　came　and　saved　me。　But　now　you　all　see　that　the　grandchild　of　old　Silfax　can

never　be　the　wife　of　Harry　Ford；　because　it　would　be　certain　death　to　you　all！〃

〃Nell！〃　cried　Harry。

〃No；〃　continued　the　maiden；　〃my　resolution　is　taken。　　By　one　means　only　can　your　ruin　be　averted；　I　must　return　to　my　grandfather。　He　threatens　to　destroy　the　whole　of　New　Aberfoyle。　　His　is　a　soul　incapable　of　mercy　or　forgiveness；　and　no　mortal　can　say　to　what　horrid　deed　the　spirit　of　revenge　will　lead　him。　My　duty　is　clear；　I　should　be　the　most　despicable　creature　on　earth　did　I　hesitate　to　perform　it。　　Farewell！　　I　thank　you　all　heartily。　You　only　have　taught　me　what　happiness　is。　　Whatever　may　befall；　believe　that　my　whole　heart　remains　with　you。〃

At　these　words；　Simon；　Madge；　and　Harry　started　up　in　an　agony　of　grief；　exclaiming　in　tones　of　despair；　〃What；　Nell！　is　it　possible　you　would　leave　us？〃

James　Starr　put　them　all　aside　with　an　air　of　authority；　and；　going　straight　up　to　Nell；　he　took　both　her　hands　in　his；　saying　quietly；　〃Very　right；　my　child；　you　have　said　exactly　what　you　ought　to　say；　and　now　listen　to　what　we　have　to　say　in　reply。　We　shall　not　let　you　go　away；　if　necessary；　we　shall　keep　you　by　force。　Do　you　think　we　could　be　so　base　as　to　accept　of　your　generous　proposal？　These　threats　of　Silfax　are　formidable……no　doubt　about　it！　But；　after　all；　a　man　is　but　a　man；　and　we　can　take　precautions。　You　will　tell　us；　will　you　not；　even　for　his　own　sake；　all　you　can　about　his　habits　and　his　lurking…places？　All　we　want　to　do　is　to　put　it　out　of　his　power　to　do　harm；　and　perhaps　bring　him　to　reason。〃

〃You　possible；〃　said　Nell。　　〃My　grandfather　is　everywhere　and　nowhere。　　I　have　never　seen　his　retreats。　I　have　never　seen　him　sleep。　　If　he　meant　to　conceal　himself；　he　used　to　leave　me　alone；　and　vanish。　　When　I　took　my　resolution；　Mr。　Starr；　I　was　aware　of　everything　you　could　say　against　it。　Believe　me；　there　is　but　one　way　to　render　Silfax　powerless；　and　that　will　be　by　my　return　to　him。　　Invisible　himself；　he　sees　everything　that　goes　on。　　Just　think　whether　it　is　likely　he　could　discover　your　very　thoughts　and　intentions；　from　that　time　when　the　letter　was　written　to　Mr。　Starr；　up　to　now　that　my　marriage　with　Harry　has　been　arranged；　if　he　did　not　possess　the　extraordinary　faculty　of　knowing　everything。　As　far　as　I

am　able　to　judge；　my　grandfather；　in　his　very　insanity；　is　a　man　of　most　powerful　mind。　　He　formerly　used　to　talk　to　me　on　very　lofty　subjects。　　He　taught　me　the　existence　of　God；　and　never　deceived　me　but　on　one　point；　which　was……that　he　made　me　believe　that　all　men　were　base　and　perfidious；　because　he　wished　to　inspire　me　with　his　own　hatred　of　all　the　human　race。　When　Harry　brought　me　to　the　cottage；　you　thought　I　was　simply　ignorant　of　mankind；　but；　far　beyond　that；　I　was　in　mortal　fear　of　you　all。　　Ah；　forgive　me！　　I　assure　you；　for　many　days　I　believed　myself　in　the　power　of　wicked　wretches；　and　I　longed　to　escape。　　You；　Madge；　first　led　me　to　perceive　the　truth；　not　by　anything　you　said；　but　by　the　sight　of　your　daily　life；　for　I　saw　that　your　husband　and　son　loved　and　respected　you！　Then　all　these　good　and　happy　workmen；　who　so　revere　and　trust　Mr。　Starr；　I　used　to　think　they　were　slaves；　and　when；　for　the　first　time；　I　saw　the　whole　population　of　Aberfoyle　e　to　church　and　kneel　down　to　pray　to　God；　and　praise　Him　for　His　infinite　goodness；　I　said　to　myself；　'My　grandfather　has　deceived　me。'　　But　now；　enlightened　by　all　you　have　taught　me；　I　am　inclined　to　think　he　himself　is　deceived。　I　mean　to　return　to　the　secret　passages　I　formerly　frequented　with　him。　　He　is　certain　to　be　on　the　watch。　　I　will　call　to　him；　he　will　hear　me；　and　who　knows　but　that；　by　returning　to　him；　I　may　be　able　to　bring　him　to　the　knowledge　of　the　truth？〃

The　maiden　spoke　without　interruption；　for　all　felt　that　it　was　good　for　her　to　open　her　whole　heart　to　her　friends。

But　when；　exhausted　by　emotion；　and　with　eyes　full　of　tears；　she　ceased　speaking；　Harry　turned　to　old　Madge　and　said；　〃Mother；　what　should　you　think　of　the　man　who　could　forsake　the　noble　girl　whose　words　you　have　been　listening　to？〃

〃I　should　think　he　was　a　base　coward；〃　said　Madge；　〃and；　were　he　my　son；　I　should　reno