第22部分(第2/7 頁)

　his　own。 At　length　the　day　came。　Silfax　had　given　no　token　of　existence。

By　daybreak　the　entire　population　of　Coal　Town　was　astir。　Work　was　suspended；　overseers　and　workmen　alike　desired　to　do　honor　to　Simon　Ford　and　his　son。 They　all　felt　they　owed　a　large　debt　of　gratitude　to　these　bold　and　persevering　men；　by　whose　means　the　mine　had　been　restored　to　its　former　prosperity。　The　ceremony　was　to　take　place　at　eleven　o'clock；　in　St。　Giles's　chapel；　which　stood　on　the　shores　of　Loch　Malcolm。

At　the　appointed　time；　Harry　left　the　cottage；　supporting　his　mother　on　his　arm；　while　Simon　led　the　bride。　Following　them　came　Starr；　the　engineer；　posed　in　manner；　but　in　reality　nerved　to　expect　the　worst；　and　Jack　Ryan；　stepping　superb　in　full　Highland　piper's　costume。　Then　came　the　other　mining　engineers；　the　principal　people　of　Coal　Town；　the　friends　and　rades　of　the　old　overman……　every　member　of　this　great　family　of　miners　forming　the　population　of　New　Aberfoyle。

In　the　outer　world；　the　day　was　one　of　the　hottest　of　the　month　of　August；　peculiarly　oppressive　in　northern　countries。 The　sultry　air　perated　the　depths　of　the　coal　mine；　and　elevated　the　temperature。　The　air　which　entered　through　the　ventilating　shafts；　and　the　great　tunnel　of　Loch　Malcolm；　was　charged　with　electricity；　and　the　barometer；　it　was　afterwards　remarked；　had　fallen　in　a　remarkable　manner。　There　was；　indeed；　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；　as　a　matter　of　course；　had　put　on　his　best　clothes　for　the　occasion。 Madge　was　dressed　in　the　fa