快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


〃Will　you　not　rest　a　while；　Mr。　Starr？〃　asked　the　young　man。

〃No；　my　lad；〃　replied　the　engineer；　〃for　I　am　anxious　to　be　at　your　father's　cottage。〃

〃Follow　me　then；　Mr。　Starr。　　I　will　guide　you；　and　yet　I　daresay　you　could　find　your　way　perfectly　well　through　this　dark　labyrinth。〃

〃Yes；　indeed！　　I　have　the　whole　plan　of　the　old　pit　still　in　my　head。〃

Harry；　followed　by　the　engineer；　and　holding　his　lamp　high　the　better　to　light　their　way；　walked　along　a　high　gallery；　like　the　nave　of　a　cathedral。　　Their　feet　still　struck　against　the　wooden　sleepers　which　used　to　support　the　rails。

They　had　not　gone　more　than　fifty　paces；　when　a　huge　stone　fell　at　the　feet　of　James　Starr。　　〃Take　care；　Mr。　Starr！〃　cried　Harry；　seizing　the　engineer　by　the　arm。

〃A　stone；　Harry！　　Ah！　these　old　vaultings　are　no　longer　quite　secure；　of　course；　and……〃

〃Mr。　Starr；〃　said　Harry　Ford；　〃it　seems　to　me　that　stone　was　thrown；　thrown　as　by　the　hand　of　man！〃

〃Thrown！〃　exclaimed　James　Starr。　　〃What　do　you　mean；　lad？〃

〃Nothing；　nothing；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　Harry　evasively；　his　anxious　gaze　endeavoring　to　pierce　the　darkness。　　〃Let　us　go　on。　Take　my　arm；　sir；　and　don't　be　afraid　of　making　a　false　step。〃

〃Here　I　am；　Harry。〃　　And　they　both　advanced；　whilst　Harry　looked　on　every　side；　throwing　the　light　of　his　lamp　into　all　the　corners　of　the　gallery。

〃Shall　we　soon　be　there？〃　asked　the　engineer。

〃In　ten　minutes　at　most。〃

〃Good。〃

〃But；〃　muttered　Harry；　〃that　was　a　most　singular　thing。　It　is　the　first　time　such　an　accident　has　happened　to　me。

That　stone　falling　just　at　the　moment　we　were　passing。〃

〃Harry；　it　was　a　mere　chance。〃

〃Chance；〃　replied　the　young　man；　shaking　his　head。　　〃Yes；　chance。〃　He　stopped　and　listened。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Harry？〃　asked　the　engineer。

〃I　thought　I　heard　someone　walking　behind　us；〃　replied　the　young　miner；　listening　more　attentively。　　Then　he　added；　〃No；　I　must　have　been　mistaken。　　Lean　harder　on　my　arm；　Mr。　Starr。　　Use　me　like　a　staff。〃

〃A　good　solid　staff；　Harry；〃　answered　James　Starr。　　〃I　could　not　wish　for　a　better　than　a　fine　fellow　like　you。〃

They　continued　in　silence　along　the　dark　nave。　　Harry　was　evidently　preoccupied；　and　frequently　turned；　trying　to　catch；　either　some　distant　noise；　or　remote　glimmer　of　light。

But　behind　and　before；　all　was　silence　and　darkness。


CHAPTER　IV　THE　FORD　FAMILY


TEN　minutes　afterwards；　James　Starr　and　Harry　issued　from　the　principal　gallery。　　They　were　now　standing　in　a　glade；　if　we　may　use　this　word　to　designate　a　vast　and　dark　excavation。　The　place；　however；　was　not　entirely　deprived　of　daylight。　A　few　rays　straggled　in　through　the　opening　of　a　deserted　shaft。　It　was　by　means　of　this　pipe　that　ventilation　was　established　in　the　Dochart　pit。　　Owing　to　its　lesser　density；　the　warm　air　was　drawn　towards　the　Yarrow　shaft。　　Both　air　and　light；　therefore；　perated　in　some　measure　into　the　glade。

Here　Simon　Ford　had　lived　with　his　family　ten　years；　in　a　subterranean　dwelling；　hollowed　out　in　the　schistous　mass；　where　formerly　stood　the　powerful　engines　which　worked　the　mechanical　traction　of　the　Dochart　pit。

Such　was　the　habitation；　〃his　cottage；〃　as　he　called　it；　in　which　resided　the　old　overman。　　As　he　had　some　means　saved　during　a　long　life　of　toil；　Ford　could　have　afforded　to　live　in　the　light　of　day；　among　trees；　or　in　any　town　of　the　kingdom　he　chose；　but　he　and　his　wife　and　son　preferred　remaining　in　the　mine；　where　they　were　happy　together；　having　the　same　opinions；　ideas；　and　tastes。　　Yes；　they

were　quite　fond　of　their　cottage；　buried　fifteen　hundred　feet　below　Scottish　soil。　　Among　other　advantages；　there　was　no　fear　that　tax　gatherers；　or　rent　collectors　would　ever　e　to　trouble　its　inhabitants。

At　this　period；　Simon　Ford；　the　former　overman　of　the　Dochart　pit；　bore　the　weight　of　sixty…five　years　well。　　Tall；　robust；　well…built；　he　would　have　been　regarded　as　one　of　the　most　conspicuous　men　in　the　district　which　supplies　so　many　fine　fellows　to　the　Highland　regiments。

Simon　Ford　was　descended　from　an　old　mining　family；　and　his　ancestors　had　worked　the　very　first　carboniferous　seams　opened　in　Scotland。　　Without　discussing　whether　or　not　the　Greeks　and　Romans　made　use　of　coal；　whether　the　Chinese　worked　coal　mines　before　the　Christian　era；　whether　the　French　word　for　coal　（HOUILLE）　is　really　derived　from　the　farrier　Houillos；　who　lived　in　Belgium　in　the　twelfth　century；　we　may　affirm　that　the　beds　in　Great　Britain　were　the　first　ever　regularly　worked。　So　early　as　the　eleventh　century；　William　the　Conqueror　divided　the　produce　of　the　Newcastle　bed　among　his　panions…in…arms。　At　the　end　of　the　thirteenth　century；　a　license　for　the　mining　of　〃sea　coal〃　was　granted　by　Henry　III。　　Lastly；　towards　the　end　of　the　same　century；　mention　is　made　of　the　Scotch　and　Welsh　beds。

It　was　about　this　time　that　Simon　Ford's　ancestors　perated　into　the　bowels　of　Caledonian　earth；　and　lived　there　ever　after；　from　father　to　son。　　They　were　but　plain　miners。　　They　labored　like　convicts　at　the　work　of　extracting　the　precious　bustible。　It　is　even　believed　that　the　coal　miners；　like　the　salt…makers　of　that　period；　were　actual　slaves。

However　that　might　have　been；　Simon　Ford　was　proud　of　belonging　to　this　ancient　family　of　Scotch　miners。　He　had　worked　diligently　in　the　same　place　where　his　ancestors　had　wielded　the　pick；　the　crowbar；　and　the　mattock。　At　thirty　he　was　overman　of　the　Dochart　pit；　the　most　important　in　the　Aberfoyle　colliery。　　He　was　devoted　to　his　trade。　During　long　years　he　zealously　performed　his　duty。　His　only　grief　had　been　to　perceive　the　bed　being　impoverished；　and　to　see　the　hour　approaching　when　the　seam　would　be　exhausted。

It　was　then　he　devoted　himself　to　the　search　for　new　veins　in　all　the　Aberfoyle　pits；　which　municated　underground　one　with　another。　　He　had　had　the　good　luck　to　discover　several　during　the　last　period　of　the　working。　His　miner's　instinct　assisted　him　marvelously；　and　the　engineer；　James　Starr；　appreciated　him　highly。　　It　might　be　said　that　he　divined　the　course　of　seams　in　the　depths　of　the　coal　mine　as　a　hydroscope　reveals　springs　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth。　He　was　par　excellence　the　type　of　a　miner　whose　whole　existence　is　indissolubly　connected　with　that　of　his　mine。　He　had　lived　there　from　his　birth；　and　now　that　the　works　were　abandoned　he　wished　to　live　there　still。　　His　son　Harry　foraged　for　the　subterranean　housekeeping；　as　for　himself；　during　those　ten　years　he　had　not　been　ten　times　above　ground。

〃Go　up　there！　　What　is　the　good？〃　he　would　say；　and　refused　to　leave　his　black　domain。　　The　place　was　remarkably　healthy；　subject　to　an　equable　temperature；　the　old　overman　endured　neither　the　heat　of　summer　nor　the　cold　of　winter。　His　family　enjoyed　good　health；　what　more　could　he　desire？

But　at　heart　he　felt　depressed。　　He　missed　the　former　animation；　movement；　and　life　in　the　well…worked　pit。　He　was；　however；　supported　by　one　fixed　idea。　　〃No；　no！　the　mine　is　not　exhausted！〃　he　repeated。

And　that　man　would　have　given　serious　offense　who　could　have　ventured　to　express　before　Simon　Ford　any　doubt　that　old　Aberfoyle　would　one　day　revive！　　He　had　never　given　up　the　hope　of　discovering　some　new　bed　which　would　restore　the　mine　to　its　past　splendor。　Yes；　he　would　willingly；　had　it　been　necessary；　have　resumed　the　miner's　pick；　and　with　his　still　stout　arms　vigorously　attacked　the　rock。　　He　went　through　the　dark　galleries；　sometimes　alone；　sometimes　with　his　son；　examining；　searching　for　signs　of　coal；　only　to　return　each　day；　wearied；　but　not　in　despair；　to　the　cottage。

Madge；　Simon's　faithful　panion；　his　〃gude…wife；〃　to　use　the　Scotch　term；　was　a　tall；　strong；　ely　woman。　　Madge　had　no　wish　to　leave　the　Dochart　pit　any　more　than　had　her　husband。　She　shared　all　his　hopes　and　regrets。　　She　encouraged　him；　she　urged　him　on；　and　talked　to　him　in　a　way　which　cheered　the　heart　of　the　old　overman。　　〃Aberfoyle　is　only　asleep；〃　she　would　say。　〃You　are　right　about　that；　Simon。　　This　is　but　a　rest；　it　is　not　death！〃


Madge；　as　well　as　the　others；　was　perfectly　satisfied　to　live　independent　of　the　outer　world；　and　was　the　center　of　the　happiness　enjoyed　by　the　little　family　in　their　dark　cottage。

The　engineer　was　eagerly　expected。　　Simon　Ford　was　standing　at　his　door；　and　as　soon　as　Harry's　lamp　announced　the　arrival　of　his　former　viewer　he　advanced　to　meet　him。


〃Wele；　Mr。　Starr！〃　he　exclaimed；　his　voice　echoing　under　the　roof　of　schist。　　〃Wele　to　the　old　overman's　cottage！　Though　it　is　buried　fifteen　hundred　feet　under　the　earth；　our　house　is　not　the　less　hospitable。〃

〃And　how　are　you；　good　Simon？〃　asked　James　Starr；　grasping　the　hand　which　his　host　held　out　to　him。

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Starr。　　How　could　I　be　otherwise　here；　sheltered　from　the　inclemencies　of　the　weather？　Your　ladies　who　go　to　Newhaven　or　Portobello　in　the　summer　time　would　do　much　better　to　pass　a　few　months　in　the　coal　mine　of　Aberfoyle！　　They　would　run　no　risk　here　of　catching　a　heavy　cold；　as　they　do　in　the　damp　streets　of　the　old　capital。〃

〃I'm　not　the　man　to　contradict　you；　Simon；〃　answered　James　Starr；　glad　to　find　the　old　man　just　as　he　used　to　be。　　〃Indeed；　I　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。

〃Wh