第15部分(第4/7 頁)

y；　Nell？〃　hastily　cried　Harry；　〃can　you　possibly　regret　having　quitted　that　gloomy　abyss　in　which　you　spent　your　early　years；　and　whence　we　drew　you　half　dead？〃

〃No；　Harry；〃　answered　Nell；　〃I　was　only　thinking　that　darkness　is　beautiful　as　well　as　light。 If　you　but　knew　what　eyes　accustomed　to　its　depth　can　see！ Shades　flit　by；　which　one　longs　to　follow；　circles　mingle　and　intertwine；　and　one　could　gaze　on　them　forever；　black　hollows；　full　of　indefinite　gleams　of　radiance；　lie　deep　at　the　bottom　of　the　mine。 And　then　the　voice…like　sounds！　Ah；　Harry！　one　must　have　lived　down　there　to　understand　what　I　feel；　what　I　can　never　express。〃

〃And　were　you　not　afraid；　Nell；　all　alone　there？〃

〃It　was　just　when　I　was　alone　that　I　was　not　afraid。〃

Nell's　voice　altered　slightly　as　she　said　these　words；　however；　Harry　thought　he　might　press　the　subject　a　little　further；　so　he　said；　〃But　one　might　be　easily　lost　in　these　great　galleries；　Nell。 Were　you　not　afraid　of　losing　your　way？〃

〃Oh；　no；　Harry；　for　a　long　time　I　had　known　every　turn　of　the　new　mine。〃

〃Did　you　never　leave　it？〃

〃Yes；　now　and　then；〃　answered　the　girl　with　a　little　hesitation；　〃sometimes　I　have　been　as　far　as　the　old　mine　of　Aberfoyle。〃

〃So　you　knew　our　old　cottage？〃

〃The　cottage！　oh；　yes；　but　the　people　who　lived　there　I　only　saw　at　a　great　distance。〃

〃They　were　my　father　and　mother；〃　said　Harry；　〃and　I　was　there　too；　we　have　always　lived　there……we　never　would　give　up　the　old　dwelling。〃

〃Perhaps　it　would　have　been　better　for　you　if　you　had；〃　murmured　the　maiden。

〃Why　so；　Nell？ Was　it　not　just　because　we　were　obstinately　resolved　to　remain　that　we　ended　by　discovering　the　new　vein　of　coal？　And　did　not　that　discovery　lead　to　the　h