第13部分(第1/7 頁)

〃You　know　well　enough；　Jack。〃

〃What？　the　old　story？〃

〃Yes；　the　same　thoughts　haunt　me。〃

〃Ah；　poor　fellow！〃　said　Jack；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃If　you　would　only　do　like　me；　and　set　all　the　queer　things　down　to　the　account　of　the　goblins　of　the　mine；　you　would　be　easier　in　your　mind。〃

〃But；　Jack；　you　know　very　well　that　these　goblins　exist　only　in　your　imagination；　and　that；　since　the　works　here　have　been　reopened；　not　a　single　one　has　been　seen。〃

〃That's　true；　Harry；　but　if　no　spirits　have　been　seen；　neither　has　anyone　else　to　whom　you　could　attribute　the　extraordinary　doings　we　want　to　account　for。〃

〃I　shall　discover　them。〃

〃Ah；　Harry！ Harry！　it's　not　so　easy　to　catch　the　spirits　of　New　Aberfoyle！〃

〃I　shall　find　out　the　spirits　as　you　call　them；〃　said　Harry；　in　a　tone　of　firm　conviction。

〃Do　you　expect　to　be　able　to　punish　them？〃

〃Both　punish　and　reward。 Remember；　if　one　hand　shut　us　up　in　that　passage；　another　hand　delivered　us！ I　shall　not　soon　forget　that。〃

〃But；　Harry；　how　can　we　be　sure　that　these　two　hands　do　not　belong　to　the　same　body？〃

〃What　can　put　such　a　notion　in　your　head；　Jack？〃　asked　Harry。

〃Well；　I　don't　know。 Creatures　that　live　in　these　holes；　Harry；　don't　you　see？　they　can't　be　made　like　us；　eh？〃

〃But　they　ARE　just　like　us；　Jack。〃

〃Oh；　no！　don't　say　that；　Harry！ Perhaps　some　madman　managed　to　get　in　for　a　time。〃

〃A　madman！ No　madman　would　have　formed　such　connected　plans；　or　done　such　continued　mischief　as　befell　us　after　the　breaking　of　the　ladders。〃

〃Well；　but　anyhow　he　has　done　no　harm　for　the　last　three　years；　either　to　you；　Harry；　or　any　of　your　people。〃

〃No　matter；　Jack；〃　replied　Harry；　〃I　am　persuaded　that　th