第16部分(第3/7 頁)

　her　sight　will　be　restored；'　would　you　not　wait　till　after　she　was　cured；　to　marry　her？〃

〃Faith；　to　be　sure　I　would！〃　exclaimed　Jack。

〃Well；　Jack；　Nell　is　at　present　blind；　and　before　she　marries　me；　I　wish　her　to　see　what　I　am；　and　what　the　life　really　is　to　which　she　would　bind　herself。 In　short；　she　must　have　daylight　let　in　upon　the　subject！〃

〃Well　said；　Harry！ Very　well　said　indeed！〃　cried　Jack。 〃Now　I　see　what　you　are　driving　at。 And　when　may　we　expect　the　operation　to　e　off？〃

〃In　a　month；　Jack；〃　replied　Harry。 〃Nell　is　getting　used　to　the　light　of　our　reflectors。 That　is　some　preparation。　In　a　month　she　will；　I　hope；　have　seen　the　earth　and　its　wonders……　the　sky　and　its　splendors。 She　will　perceive　that　the　limits　of　the　universe　are　boundless。〃

But　while　Harry　was　thus　giving　the　rein　to　his　imagination；　Jack　Ryan；　quitting　the　platform；　had　leaped　on　the　step　of　the　moving　machinery。

〃Hullo；　Jack！ Where　are　you？〃

〃Far　beneath　you；〃　laughed　the　merry　fellow。 〃While　you　soar　to　the　heights；　I　plunge　into　the　depths。〃

〃Fare　ye　well。 Jack！〃　returned　Harry；　himself　laying　hold　of　the　rising　ladder；　〃mind　you　say　nothing　about　what　I　have　been　telling　you。〃

〃Not　a　word；〃　shouted　Jack；　〃but　I　make　one　condition。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃That　I　may　be　one　of　the　party　when　Nell's　first　excursion　to　the　face　of　the　earth　es　off！〃

〃So　you　shall；　Jack；　I　promise　you！〃

A　fresh　throb　of　the　machinery　placed　a　yet　more　considerable　distance　between　the　friends。 Their　voices　sounded　faintly　to　each　other。　Harry；　however；　could　still　hear　Jack　shouting：

〃I　say！　do　you　know　what　Nell　will　like　better　than　either　sun；　moon；　or　stars；　after　she's　seen　the　whole　of　them？〃