波波小说

第4部分（第1页）

〃Delighted　to　meet　you！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃If　I　had　only　known　you　were　to　be　above　ground　to…day；　I　would　have　spared　myself　going　down　the　Yarrow　shaft！〃

〃This　is　Mr。　James　Starr；〃　said　Harry；　turning　his　lamp　towards　the　engineer；　who　was　in　the　shadow。

〃Mr。　Starr！〃　cried　Jack　Ryan。　　〃Ah；　sir；　I　could　not　see。　Since　I　left　the　mine；　my　eyes　have　not　been　accustomed　to　see　in　the　dark；　as　they　used　to　do。〃

〃Ah；　I　remember　a　laddie　who　was　always　singing。　　That　was　ten　years　ago。　It　was　you；　no　doubt？〃

〃Ay；　Mr。　Starr；　but　in　changing　my　trade；　I　havent　changed　my　disposition。　　Its　far　better　to　laugh　and　sing　than　to　cry　and　whine！〃

〃Youre　right　there；　Jack　Ryan。　　And　what　do　you　do　now；　as　you　have　left　the　mine？〃

〃I　am　working　on　the　Melrose　farm；　forty　miles　from　here。　Ah；　its　not　like　our　Aberfoyle　mines！　　The　pick　es　better　to　my　hand　than　the　spade　or　hoe。　　And　then；　in　the　old　pit；　there　were　vaulted　roofs；　to　merrily　echo　ones　songs；　while　up　above　ground！……But　you　are　going　to　see　old　Simon；　Mr。　Starr？〃

〃Yes；　Jack；〃　answered　the　engineer。

〃Dont　let　me　keep　you　then。〃

〃Tell　me；　Jack；〃　said　Harry；　〃what　was　taking　you　to　our　cottage　to…day？〃

〃I　wanted　to　see　you；　man；〃　replied　Jack；　〃and　ask　you　to　e　to　the　Irvine　games。　　You　know　I　am　the　piper　of　the　place。　There　will　be　dancing　and　singing。〃

〃Thank　you；　Jack；　but　its　impossible。〃

〃Impossible？〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starrs　visit　will　last　some　time；　and　I　must　take　him　back　to　Callander。〃

〃Well；　Harry；　it　wont　be　for　a　week　yet。　　By　that　time　Mr。　Starrs　visit　will　be　over；　I　should　think；　and　there　will　be　nothing　to　keep　you　at　the　cottage。〃

〃Indeed；　Harry；〃　said　James　Starr；　〃you　must　profit　by　your　friend　Jacks　invitation。〃

〃Well；　I　accept　it；　Jack；〃　said　Harry。　　〃In　a　week　we　will　meet　at　Irvine。〃

〃In　a　week；　thats　settled；〃　returned　Ryan。　　〃Good…by；　Harry！　Your　servant；　Mr。　Starr。　　I　am　very　glad　to　have　seen　you　again！　I　can　give　news　of　you　to　all　my　friends。　　No　one　has　forgotten　you；　sir。〃

〃And　I　have　forgotten　no　one；〃　said　Starr。

〃Thanks　for　all；　sir；〃　replied　Jack。

〃Good…by；　Jack；〃　said　Harry；　shaking　his　hand。　　And　Jack　Ryan；　singing　as　he　went；　soon　disappeared　in　the　heights　of　the　shaft；　dimly　lighted　by　his　lamp。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　afterwards　James　Starr　and　Harry　descended　the　last　ladder；　and　set　foot　on　the　lowest　floor　of　the　pit。

From　the　bottom　of　the　Yarrow　shaft　radiated　numerous　empty　galleries。　They　ran　through　the　wall　of　schist　and　sandstone；　some　shored　up　with　great；　roughly…hewn　beams；　others　lined　with　a　thick　casing　of　wood。　In　every　direc…

tion　embankments　supplied　the　place　of　the　excavated　veins。　Artificial　pillars　were　made　of　stone　from　neighboring　quarries；　and　now　they　supported　the　ground；　that　is　to　say；　the　double　layer　of　tertiary　and　quaternary　soil；　which　formerly　rested　on　the　seam　itself。　Darkness　now　filled　the　galleries；　formerly　lighted　either　by　the　miners　lamp　or　by　the　electric　light；　the　use　of　which　had　been　introduced　in　the　mines。

〃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　fathers　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……〃

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