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及27嫗

the underground city-仇和廓(哂猟井)-及27嫗


梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ○ 賜 ★ 辛酔堀貧和鍬匈梓囚徒貧議 Enter 囚辛指欺云慕朕村匈梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ● 辛指欺云匈競何
!!!!隆堋響頼紗秘慕禰厮宴和肝写偬堋響



electricity察and the barometer察it was afterwards remarked察had fallen in a remarkable manner。 There was察indeed察every indication that a storm might burst forth beneath the rocky vault which formed the roof of the enormous crypt of the very mine itself。

But the inhabitants were not at that moment troubling themselves about the chances of atmospheric disturbance above ground。 Everybody察as a matter of course察had put on his best clothes for the occasion。  Madge was dressed in the fashion of days gone by察wearing the ;toy; and the ;rokelay察─or Tartan plaid察of matrons of the olden time察old Simon wore a coat of which Bailie Nicol Jarvie himself would have approved。

Nell had resolved to show nothing of her mental agitation察she forbade her heart to beat察or her inward terrors to

betray themselves察and the brave girl appeared before all with a calm and collected aspect。  She had declined every ornament of dress察and the very simplicity of her attire added to the charming elegance of her appearance。  Her hair was bound with the ;snood察─the usual head´dress of Scottish maidens。

All proceeded towards St。 Giles's chapel察which had been handsomely decorated for the occasion。

The electric discs of light which illuminated Coal Town blazed like so many suns。  A luminous atmosphere pervaded New Aberfoyle。  In the chapel察electric lamps shed a glow over the stained´glass windows察which shone like fiery kaleidoscopes。 At the porch of the chapel the minister awaited the arrival of the wedding party。

It approached察after having passed in stately procession along the shore of Loch Malcolm。  Then the tones of the organ were heard察and察preceded by the minister察the group advanced into the chapel。 The Divine blessing was first invoked on all present。 Then Harry and Nell remained alone before the minister察who察holding the sacred book in his hand察proceeded to say察 Harry察will you take Nell to be your wife察and will you promise to love her always拭

;I promise察─answered the young man in a firm and steady voice。

;And you察Nell察─continued the minister察 will you take Harry to be your husband察and´´;

Before he could finish the sentence察a prodigious noise resounded from without。  One of the enormous rocks察on which was formed the terrace overhanging the banks of Loch Malcolm察had suddenly given way and opened without explosion察disclosing a profound abyss察into which the waters were now wildly plunging。

In another instant察among the shattered rocks and rushing waves appeared a canoe察which a vigorous arm propelled along the surface of the lake。 In the canoe was seen the figure of an old man standing upright。 He was clothed in a dark mantle察his hair was dishevelled察a long white beard fell over his breast察and in his hand he bore a lighted Davy safety lamp察the flame being protected by the metallic gauze of the apparatus。

In a loud voice this old man shouted察 The fire´damp is upon you Woe´´woe betide ye all 


At the same moment the slight smell peculiar to carburetted hydrogen was perceptibly diffused through the atmosphere。  And察in truth察the fall of the rock had made a passage of escape for an enormous quantity of explosive gas察accumulated in vast cavities察the openings to which had hitherto been blocked up。

Jets and streams of the fire´damp now rose upward in the vaulted dome察and well did that fierce old man know that the consequence of what he had done would be to render explosive the whole atmosphere of the mine。

James Starr and several others察having hastily quitted the chapel察and perceived the imminence of the danger察now rushed back察crying out in accents of the utmost alarm察 Fly from the mine Fly instantly from the mine 

;Now for the fire´damp Here es the fire´damp ─yelled the old man察urging his canoe further along the lake。

Harry with his bride察his father and his mother察left the chapel in haste and in terror。

;Fly fly for your lives ─repeated James Starr。  Alas it was too late to fly  Old Silfax stood there察prepared to fulfill his last dreadful threat´´prepared to stop the marriage of Nell and Harry by overwhelming the entire population of the place beneath the ruins of the coal mine。

As he stood ready to acplish this act of vengeance察his enormous owl察whose white plumage was marked with black spots察was seen hovering directly above his head。

At that moment a man flung himself into the waters of the lake察and swam vigorously towards the canoe。

It was Jack Ryan察fully determined to reach the madman before he could do the dreadful deed of destruction。

Silfax saw him ing。  Instantly he smashed the glass of his lamp察and察snatching out the burning wick察waved it in the air。

Silence like death fell upon the astounded multitude。  James Starr察in the calmness of despair察marvelled that the inevitable explosion was even for a moment delayed。

Silfax察gazing upwards with wild and contracted features察appeared to bee aware that the gas察lighter than the lower atmosphere察was accumulating far up under the dome察and at a sign from him the owl察seizing in its claw the lighted match察soared upwards to the vaulted roof察towards which the madman pointed with outstretched arm。


Another second and New Aberfoyle would be no more。

Suddenly Nell sprang from Harry's arms察and察with a bright look of inspiration察she ran to the very brink of the waters of the lake。  ;Harfang  Harfang ─cried she in a clear voice察 here e to me 

The faithful bird察surprised察appeared to hesitate in its flight。 Presently察recognizing Nell's voice察it dropped the burning match into the water察and察describing a wide circle察flew downwards察alighting at the maiden's feet。

Then a terrible cry echoed through the vaulted roofs。 It was the last sound uttered by old Silfax。

Just as Jack Ryan laid his hand on the edge of the canoe察the old man察foiled in his purpose of revenge察cast himself headlong into the waters of the lake。

;Save him oh察save him ─shrieked Nell in a voice of agony。 Immediately Harry plunged into the water察and察swimming towards Jack Ryan察he dived repeatedly。

But his efforts were useless。  The waters of Loch Malcolm yielded not their prey此 they closed forever over Silfax。


CHAPTER XIX THE LEGEND OF OLD SILFAX


Six months after these events察the marriage察so strangely interrupted察was finally celebrated in St。 Giles's chapel察and the young couple察who still wore mourning garments察returned to the cottage。 James Starr and Simon Ford察henceforth free from the anxieties which had so long distressed them察joyously presided over the entertainment which followed the ceremony察and prolonged it to the following day。

On this memorable occasion察Jack Ryan察in his favorite character of piper察and in all the glory of full dress察blew up his chanter察and astonished the pany by the unheard of achievement of playing察singing察and dancing all at once。

It is needless to say that Harry and Nell were happy。 These loving hearts察after the trials they had gone through found in their union the happiness they deserved。

As to Simon Ford察the ex´overman of New Aberfoyle察he began to talk of celebrating his golden wedding察after

fifty years of marriage with good old Madge察who liked the idea immensely herself。

;And after that察why not golden wedding number two拭

;You would like a couple of fifties察would you察Mr。 Simon拭─said Jack Ryan。

;All right察my boy察─replied the overman quietly察 I see nothing against it in this fine climate of ours察and living far from the luxury and intemperance of the outer world。;

Will the dwellers in Coal Town ever be called to witness this second ceremony拭 Time will show。  Certainly the strange bird of old Silfax seemed destined to attain a wonderful longevity。 The Harfang continued to haunt the gloomy recesses of the cave。 After the old man's death察Nell had attempted to keep the owl察but in a very few days he flew away。  He evidently disliked human society as much as his master had done察and察besides that察he appeared to have a particular spite against Harry。  The jealous bird seemed to remember and hate him for having carried off Nell from the deep abyss察notwithstanding all he could do to prevent him。 Still察at long intervals察Nell would see the creature hovering above Loch Malcolm。

Could he possibly be watching for his friend of yore拭Did he strive to pierce察with keen eye察the depths which had engulfed his master

The history of the Harfang became legendary察and furnished Jack Ryan with many a tale and song。  Thanks to him察the story of old Silfax and his bird will long be preserved察and handed down to future generations of the Scottish peasantry。





End 

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