迪文小说

第3部分（第2页）

But　all　these　appliances　had　been　carried　away；　after　the　cessation　of　the　works。　　In　the　Yarrow　shaft　there　remained　only　a　long　succession　of　ladders；　separated　at　every　fifty　feet　by　narrow　landings。　Thirty　of　these　ladders　placed　thus　end　to　end　led　the　visitor　down　into　the　lower　gallery；　a　depth　of　fifteen　hundred　feet。　This　was　the　only　way　of　munication　which　existed　between　the　bottom　of　the　Dochart　pit　and　the　open　air。　　As　to　air；　that　came　in　by　the　Yarrow　shaft；　from　whence　galleries　municated　with　another　shaft　whose　orifice　opened　at　a　higher　level；　the　warm　air　naturally　escaped　by　this　species　of　inverted　siphon。

〃I　will　follow　you；　my　lad；〃　said　the　engineer；　signing　to　the　young　man　to　precede　him。

〃As　you　please；　Mr。　Starr。〃

〃Have　you　your　lamp？〃

〃Yes；　and　I　only　wish　it　was　still　the　safety　lamp；　which　we　formerly　had　to　use！〃

〃Sure　enough；〃　returned　James　Starr；　〃there　is　no　fear　of　fire…damp　explosions　now！〃

Harry　was　provided　with　a　simple　oil　lamp；　the　wick　of　which　he　lighted。　In　the　mine；　now　empty　of　coal；　escapes　of　light　carburetted　hydrogen　could　not　occur。　　As　no　explosion　need　be　feared；　there　was　no　necessity　for　interposing　between　the　flame　and　the　surrounding　air　that　metallic　screen　which　prevents　the　gas　from　catching　fire。　The　Davy　lamp　was　of　no　use　here。　　But　if　the　danger　did　not　exist；　it　was　because　the　cause　of　it　had　disappeared；　and　with　this　cause；　the　bustible　in　which　formerly　consisted　the　riches　of　the　Dochart　pit。

Harry　descended　the　first　steps　of　the　upper　ladder。　Starr　followed。　　They　soon　found　themselves　in　a　profound　obscurity；　which　was　only　relieved　by　the　glimmer　of　the　lamp。　The　young　man　held　it　above　his　head；　the　better　to　light　his　panion。　　A　dozen　ladders　were　descended　by　the　engineer　and　his　guide；　with　the　measured　step　habitual　to　the　miner。　They　were　all　still　in　good　condition。

James　Starr　examined；　as　well　as　the　insufficient　light　would　permit；　the　sides　of　the　dark　shaft；　which　were　covered　by　a　partly　rotten　lining　of　wood。

Arrived　at　the　fifteenth　landing；　that　is　to　say；　half　way　down；　they　halted　for　a　few　minutes。

〃Decidedly；　I　have　not　your　legs；　my　lad；〃　said　the　engineer；　panting。

〃You　are　very　stout；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　Harry；　〃and　its　something　too；　you　see；　to　live　all　ones　life　in　the　mine。〃

〃Right；　Harry。　　Formerly；　when　I　was　twenty；　I　could　have　gone　down　all　at　a　breath。　　e；　forward！〃

But　just　as　the　two　were　about　to　leave　the　platform；　a　voice；　as　yet　far　distant；　was　heard　in　the　depths　of　the　shaft。　It　came　up　like　a　sonorous　billow；　swelling　as　it　advanced；　and　being　more　and　more　distinct。

〃Halloo！　who　es　here？〃　asked　the　engineer；　stopping　Harry。

〃I　cannot　say；〃　answered　the　young　miner。

〃Is　it　not　your　father？〃

〃My　father；　Mr。　Starr？　no。〃

〃Some　neighbor；　then？〃

〃We　have　no　neighbors　in　the　bottom　of　the　pit；〃　replied　Harry。　　〃We　are　alone；　quite　alone。〃

〃Well；　we　must　let　this　intruder　pass；〃　said　James　Starr。　　〃Those　who　are　descending　must　yield　the　path　to　those　who　are　ascending。〃

They　waited。　　The　voice　broke　out　again　with　a　magnificent　burst；　as　if　it　had　been　carried　through　a　vast　speaking　trumpet；　and　soon　a　few　words　of　a　Scotch　song　came　clearly　to　the　ears　of　the　young　miner。

〃The　Hundred　Pipers！〃　cried　Harry。　　〃Well；　I　shall　be　much　surprised　if　that　es　from　the　lungs　of　any　man　but　Jack　Ryan。〃

〃And　who　is　this　Jack　Ryan？〃　asked　James　Starr。

〃An　old　mining　rade；〃　replied　Harry。　　Then　leaning　from　the　platform；　〃Halloo！　　Jack！〃　he　shouted。

〃Is　that　you；　Harry？〃　was　the　reply。　　〃Wait　a　bit；　Im　ing。〃　And　the　song　broke　forth　again。

In　a　few　minutes；　a　tall　fellow　of　five　and　twenty；　with　a　merry　face；　smiling　eyes；　a　laughing　mouth；　and　sandy　hair；　appeared　at　the　bottom　of　the　luminous　cone　which　was　thrown　from　his　lantern；　and　set　foot　on　the　landing　of　the　fifteenth　ladder。　His　first　act　was　to　vigorously　wring　the　hand　which　Harry　extended　to　him。

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