第21部分(第1/7 頁)

and　ill…will。〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　said　Simon。 〃To　think　that　his　Nell　should　marry　one　of　the　robbers　of　his　own　coal　mine　would　just　drive　him　wild　altogether。〃

〃He　will　have　to　make　up　his　mind　to　it；　however；〃　cried　Harry。 〃Mad　as　he　is；　we　shall　manage　to　convince　him　that　Nell　is　better　off　with　us　here　than　ever　she　was　in　the　caverns　of　the　pit。　I　am　sure；　Mr。　Starr；　if　we　could　only　catch　him；　we　should　be　able　to　make　him　listen　to　reason。〃

〃My　poor　Harry！　there　is　no　reasoning　with　a　madman；〃　replied　the　engineer。 〃Of　course　it　is　better　to　know　your　enemy　than　not；　but　you　must　not　fancy　all　is　right　because　we　have　found　out　who　he　is。 We　must　be　on　our　guard；　my　friends；　and　to　begin　with；　Harry；　you　positively　must　question　Nell。　She　will　perceive　that　her　silence　is　no　longer　reasonable。　Even　for　her　grandfather's　own　interest；　she　ought　to　speak　now。　For　his　own　sake；　as　well　as　for　ours；　these　insane　plots　must　be　put　a　stop　to。〃

〃I　feel　sure；　Mr。　Starr；〃　answered　Harry；　〃that　Nell　will　of　herself　propose　to　tell　you　what　she　knows。 You　see　it　was　from　a　sense　of　duty　that　she　has　been　silent　hitherto。　My　mother　was　very　right　to　take　her　to　her　room　just　now。　She　much　needed　time　to　recover　her　spirits；　but　now　I　will　go　for　her。〃

〃You　need　not　do　so；　Harry；〃　said　the　maiden　in　a　clear　and　firm　voice；　as　she　entered　at　that　moment　the　room　in　which　they　were。　Nell　was　very　pale；　traces　of　tears　were　in　her　eyes；　but　her　whole　manner　showed　that　she　had　nerved　herself　to　act　as　her　loyal　heart　dictated　as　her　duty。

〃Nell！〃　cried　Harry；　springing　towards　her。

The　girl　arrested　her　lover　by　a　gesture；　and　continued；　〃Your　father　and　mother；　and　you；　Harry；　must　now　know　all。　And　you　too；　Mr。　Starr；　must