第16部分(第1/7 頁)

bonny　Nell！ A　fine　young　creature　like　that；　who　has　been　brought　up　in　the　mine；　is　just　the　very　wife　for　a　miner。　She　is　an　orphan……so　am　I；　and　if　you　don't　care　much　for　her；　and　if　she　will　have　me……〃

Harry　looked　gravely　at　Jack；　and　let　him　talk　on　without　trying　to　stop　him。 〃Don't　you　begin　to　feel　jealous；　Harry？〃　asked　Jack　in　a　more　serious　tone。

〃Not　at　all；〃　answered　Harry　quietly。

〃But　if　you　don't　marry　Nell　yourself；　you　surely　can't　expect　her　to　remain　a　spinster？〃

〃I　expect　nothing；〃　said　Harry。

A　movement　of　the　ladder　machinery　now　gave　the　two　friends　the　opportunity……one　to　go　up；　the　other　down　the　shaft。　However；　they　remained　where　they　were。

〃Harry；〃　quoth　Jack；　〃do　you　think　I　spoke　in　earnest　just　now　about　Nell？〃

〃No；　that　I　don't；　Jack。〃

〃Well；　but　now　I　will！〃

〃You？　speak　in　earnest？〃

〃My　good　fellow；　I　can　tell　you　I　am　quite　capable　of　giving　a　friend　a　bit　of　advice。〃

〃Let's　hear；　then；　Jack！〃

〃Well；　look　here！ You　love　Nell　as　heartily　as　she　deserves。　Old　Simon；　your　father；　and　old　Madge；　your　mother；　both　love　her　as　if　she　were　their　daughter。 Why　don't　you　make　her　so　in　reality？　Why　don't　you　marry　her？〃

〃e；　Jack；〃　said　Harry；　〃you　are　running　on　as　if　you　knew　how　Nell　felt　on　the　subject。〃

〃Everybody　knows　that；〃　replied　Jack；　〃and　therefore　it　is　impossible　to　make　you　jealous　of　any　of　us。 But　here　goes　the　ladder　again……I'm　off！〃

〃Stop　a　minute；　Jack！〃　cried　Harry；　detaining　his　panion；　who　was　stepping　onto　the　moving　staircase。

〃I　say！　you　seem　to　mean　me　to　take　up　my　quarters　here　altogether！〃

〃Do　be　serious　and　listen；　Jack！ I　want　to　speak　in　earnest　myself　now。〃

〃Well；　I'll　listen