第20部分(第6/7 頁)

se　words；　'You　have　robbed　me　of　the　last　vein　of　our　old　mine'？〃

〃Ah！　there　it　is；〃　replied　Simon；　〃for　a　long　time　it　had　been　a　fancy　of　his……I　told　you　his　mind　was　deranged……　that　he　had　a　right　to　the　mine　of　Aberfoyle；　so　he　became　more　and　more　savage　in　temper　the　deeper　the　Dochart　pit……　his　pit！……was　worked　out。 It　just　seemed　as　if　it　was　his　own　body　that　suffered　from　every　blow　of　the　pickax。　You　must　remember　that；　Madge？〃

〃Ay；　that　I　do；　Simon；〃　replied　she。

〃I　can　recollect　all　this；〃　resumed　Simon；　〃since　I　have　seen　the　name　of　Silfax　on　the　door。 But　I　tell　you；　I　thought　the　man　was　dead；　and　never　imagined　that　the　spiteful　being　we　have　so　long　sought　for　could　be　the　old　fireman　of　the　Dochart　pit。〃

〃Well；　now；　then；〃　said　Starr；　〃it　is　all　quite　plain。　Chance　made　known　to　Silfax　the　new　vein　of　coal。　With　the　egotism　of　madness；　he　believed　himself　the　owner　of　a　treasure　he　must　conceal　and　defend。 Living　in　the　mine；　and　wandering　about　day　and　night；　he　perceived　that　you　had　discovered　the　secret；　and　had　written　in　all　haste　to　beg　me　to　e。　Hence　the　letter　contradicting　yours；　hence；　after　my　arrival；　all　the　accidents　that　occurred；　such　as　the　block　of　stone　thrown　at　Harry；　the　broken　ladder　at　the　Yarrow　shaft；　the　obstruction　of　the　openings　into　the　wall　of　the　new　cutting；　hence；　in　short；　our　imprisonment；　and　then　our　deliverance；　brought　about　by　the　kind　assistance　of　Nell；　who　acted　of　course　without　the　knowledge　of　this　man　Silfax；　and　contrary　to　his　intentions。〃

〃You　describe　everything　exactly　as　it　must　have　happened；　Mr。　Starr；〃　returned　old　Simon。 〃The　old　'Monk'　is　mad　enough　now；　at　any　rate！〃

〃All　the　better；〃　quoth　Madge。

〃I　don't　know　that；〃　said　Starr；　shaking