the underground city-地下城(英文版)-第18章

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　criminal　we

speak　of；　and　I　mean　to　seek　them　both　in　the　most　distant　recesses　of　the　mine。〃

〃But；〃　inquired　Jack；　〃have　you　any　possible　clew　to　guide　your　search？〃

〃Perhaps　I　have。　　Listen　to　me！　　Five　miles　west　of　New　Aberfoyle；　under　the　solid　rock　which　supports　Ben　Lomond；　there　exists　a　natural　shaft　which　descends　perpendicularly　into　the　vein　beneath。　A　week　ago　I　went　to　ascertain　the　depth　of　this　shaft。　While　sounding　it；　and　bending　over　the　opening　as　my　plumb…line　went　down；　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　air　within　was　agitated；　as　though　beaten　by　huge　wings。〃

〃Some　bird　must　have　got　lost　among　the　lower　galleries；〃　replied　Jack。

〃But　that　is　not　all；　Jack。　　This　very　morning　I　went　back　to　the　place；　and；　listening　attentively；　I　thought　I　could　detect　a　sound　like　a　sort　of　groaning。〃

〃Groaning！〃　cried　Jack；　〃that　must　be　nonsense；　it　was　a　current　of　air……　unless　indeed　some　ghost……〃

〃I　shall　know　to…morrow　what　it　was；〃　said　Harry。

〃To…morrow？〃　answered　Jack；　looking　at　his　friend。

〃Yes；　to…morrow　I　am　going　down　into　that　abyss。〃

〃Harry！　that　will　be　a　tempting　of　Providence。〃

〃No；　Jack；　Providence　will　aid　me　in　the　attempt。　　Tomorrow；　you　and　some　of　our　rades　will　go　with　me　to　that　shaft。　I　will　fasten　myself　to　a　long　rope；　by　which　you　can　let　me　down；　and　draw　me　up　at　a　given　signal。　　I　may　depend　upon　you；　Jack？〃

〃Well；　Harry；〃　said　Jack；　shaking　his　head；　〃I　will　do　as　you　wish　me；　but　I　tell　you　all　the　same；　you　are　very　wrong。〃

〃Nothing　venture　nothing　win；〃　said　Harry；　in　a　tone　of　decision。　〃To…morrow　morning；　then；　at　six　o'clock。　Be　silent；　and　farewell！〃

It　must　be　admitted　that　Jack　Ryan's　fears　were　far　from　groundless。　Harry　would　expose　himself　to　very　great　danger；　supposing　the　enemy　he　sought　for　lay　concealed　at　the　bottom　of　the　pit　into　which　he　was　going　to　descend。　　It　did　not　seem　likely　that　such　was　the　case；　however。

〃Why　in　the　world；〃　repeated　Jack　Ryan；　〃should　he　take　all　this　trouble　to　account　for　a　set　of　facts　so　very

easily　and　simply　explained　by　the　supernatural　intervention　of　the　spirits　of　the　mine？〃

But；　notwithstanding　his　objections　to　the　scheme；　Jack　Ryan　and　three　miners　of　his　gang　arrived　next　morning　with　Harry　at　the　mouth　of　the　opening　of　the　suspicious　shaft。　　Harry　had　not　mentioned　his　intentions　either　to　James　Starr　or　to　the　old　overman。　Jack　had　been　discreet　enough　to　say　nothing。

Harry　had　provided　himself　with　a　rope　about　200　feet　long。　It　was　not　particularly　thick；　but　very　strong……sufficiently　so　to　sustain　his　weight。　　His　friends　were　to　let　him　down　into　the　gulf；　and　his　pulling　the　cord　was　to　be　the　signal　to　withdraw　him。

The　opening　into　this　shaft　or　well　was　twelve　feet　wide。　A　beam　was　thrown　across　like　a　bridge；　so　that　the　cord　passing　over　it　should　hang　down　the　center　of　the　opening；　and　save　Harry　from　striking　against　the　sides　in　his　descent。

He　was　ready。

〃Are　you　still　determined　to　explore　this　abyss？〃　whispered　Jack　Ryan。

〃Yes；　I　am；　Jack。〃

The　cord　was　fastened　round　Harry's　thighs　and　under　his　arms；　to　keep　him　from　rocking。　　Thus　supported；　he　was　free　to　use　both　his　hands。　　A　safety…lamp　hung　at　his　belt；　also　a　large；　strong　knife　in　a　leather　sheath。

Harry　advanced　to　the　middle　of　the　beam；　around　which　the　cord　was　passed。　　Then　his　friends　began　to　let　him　down；　and　he　slowly　sank　into　the　pit。　　As　the　rope　caused　him　to　swing　gently　round　and　round；　the　light　of　his　lamp　fell　in　turns　on　all　points　of　the　side　walls；　so　that　he　was　able　to　examine　them　carefully。　These　walls　consisted　of　pit　coal；　and　so　smooth　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　ascend　them。

Harry　calculated　that　he　was　going　down　at　the　rate　of　about　a　foot　per　second；　so　that　he　had　time　to　look　about　him；　and　be　ready　for　any　event。

During　two　minutes……that　is　to　say；　to　the　depth　of　about　120　feet；　the　descent　continued　without　any　incident。

No　lateral　gallery　opened　from　the　side　walls　of　the　pit；　which　was　gradually　narrowing　into　the　shape　of　a　funnel。　But　Harry　began　to　feel　a　fresher　air　rising　from　beneath；

whence　he　concluded　that　the　bottom　of　the　pit　municated　with　a　gallery　of　some　description　in　the　lowest　part　of　the　mine。

The　cord　continued　to　unwind。　　Darkness　and　silence　were　plete。　If　any　living　being　whatever　had　sought　refuge　in　the　deep　and　mysterious　abyss；　he　had　either　left　it；　or；　if　there；　by　no　movement　did　he　in　the　slightest　way　betray　his　presence。

Harry；　being　more　suspicious　the　lower　he　got；　now　drew　his　knife　and　held　it　in　his　right　hand。　　At　a　depth　of　180　feet；　his　feet　touched　the　lower　point　and　the　cord　slackened　and　unwound　no　further。

Harry　breathed　more　freely　for　a　moment。　　One　of　the　fears　he　entertained　had　been　that；　during　his　descent；　the　cord　might　be　cut　above　him；　but　he　had　seen　no　projection　from　the　walls　behind　which　anyone　could　have　been　concealed。

The　bottom　of　the　abyss　was　quite　dry。　　Harry；　taking　the　lamp　from　his　belt；　walked　round　the　place；　and　perceived　he　had　been　right　in　his　conjectures。

An　extremely　narrow　passage　led　aside　out　of　the　pit。　He　had　to　stoop　to　look　into　it；　and　only　by　creeping　could　it　be　followed；　but　as　he　wanted　to　see　in　which　direction　it　led；　and　whether　another　abyss　opened　from　it；　he　lay　down　on　the　ground　and　began　to　enter　it　on　hands　and　knees。

An　obstacle　speedily　arrested　his　progress。　　He　fancied　he　could　perceive　by　touching　it；　that　a　human　body　lay　across　the　passage。　A　sudden　thrill　of　horror　and　surprise　made　him　hastily　draw　back；　but　he　again　advanced　and　felt　more　carefully。

His　senses　had　not　deceived　him；　a　body　did　indeed　lie　there；　and　he　soon　ascertained　that；　although　icy　cold　at　the　extremities；　there　was　some　vital　heat　remaining。　In　less　time　than　it　takes　to　tell　it；　Harry　had　drawn　the　body　from　the　recess　to　the　bottom　of　the　shaft；　and；　seizing　his　lamp；　he　cast　its　lights　on　what　he　had　found；　exclaiming　immediately；　〃Why；　it　is　a　child！〃

The　child　still　breathed；　but　so　very　feebly　that　Harry　expected　it　to　cease　every　instant。　　Not　a　moment　was　to　be　lost；　he　must　carry　this　poor　little　creature　out　of　the　pit；　and　take　it　home　to　his　mother　as　quickly　as　he　could。　　He

eagerly　fastened　the　cord　round　his　waist；　stuck　on　his　lamp；　clasped　the　child　to　his　breast　with　his　left　arm；　and；　keeping　his　right　hand　free　to　hold　the　knife；　he　gave　the　signal　agreed　on；　to　have　the　rope　pulled　up。

It　tightened　at　once；　he　began　the　ascent。　　Harry　looked　around　him　with　redoubled　care；　for　more　than　his　own　life　was　now　in　danger。

For　a　few　minutes　all　went　well；　no　accident　seemed　to　threaten　him；　when　suddenly　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　great　rush　of　air　from　beneath；　and；　looking　down；　he　could　dimly　perceive　through　the　gloom　a　broad　mass　arising　until　it　passed　him；　striking　him　as　it　went　by。

It　was　an　enormous　bird……of　what　sort　he　could　not　see；　it　flew　upwards　on　mighty　wings；　then　paused；　hovered；　and　dashed　fiercely　down　upon　Harry；　who　could　only　wield　his　knife　in　one　hand。　He　defended　himself　and　the　child　as　well　as　he　could；　but　the　ferocious　bird　seemed　to　aim　all　its　blows　at　him　alone。　Afraid　of　cutting　the　cord；　he　could　not　strike　it　as　he　wished；　and　the　struggle　was　prolonged；　while　Harry　shouted　with　all　his　might　in　hopes　of　making　his　rades　hear。

He　soon　knew　they　did；　for　they　pulled　the　rope　up　faster；　a　distance　of　about　eighty　feet　remained　to　be　got　over。　The　bird　ceased　its　direct　attack；　but　increased　the　horror　and　danger　of　his　situation　by　rushing　at　the　cord；　clinging　to　it　just　out　of　his　reach；　and　endeavoring；　by　pecking　furiously；　to　cut　it。

Harry　felt　overe　with　terrible　dread。　　One　strand　of　the　rope　gave　way；　and　it　made　them　sink　a　little。

A　shriek　of　despair　escaped　his　lips。

A　second　strand　was　divided；　and　the　double　burden　now　hung　suspended　by　only　half　the　cord。

Harry　dropped　his　knife；　and　by　a　superhuman　effort　succeeded；　at　the　moment　the　rope　was　giving　way；　in　catching　hold　of　it　with　his　right　hand　above　the　cut　made　by　the　beak　of　the　bird。　But；　powerfully　as　he　held　it　in　his　iron　grasp；　he　could　feel　it　gradually　slipping　through　his　fingers