第9部分(第1/7 頁)

〃Superb！ Mr。　Starr；　superb！〃　answered　Ford；　〃just　look　at　it　yourself！〃

And　so　saying；　with　his　pick　he　struck　off　a　fragment　of　the　black　rock。

〃Look！　look！〃　he　repeated；　holding　it　close　to　his　lamp；　〃the　surface　of　this　piece　of　coal　is　shining！ We　have　here　fat　coal；　rich　in　bituminous　matter；　and　see　how　it　es　in　pieces；　almost　without　dust！ Ah；　Mr。　Starr！　twenty　years　ago　this　seam　would　have　entered　into　a　strong　petition　with　Swansea　and　Cardiff！ Well；　stokers　will　quarrel　for　it　still；　and　if　it　costs　little　to　extract　it　from　the　mine；　it　will　not　sell　at　a　less　price　outside。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Madge；　who　had　taken　the　fragment　of　coal　and　was　examining　it　with　the　air　of　a　connoisseur；　〃that's　good　quality　of　coal。 Carry　it　home；　Simon；　carry　it　back　to　the　cottage！　I　want　this　first　piece　of　coal　to　burn　under　our　kettle。〃

〃Well　said；　wife！〃　answered　the　old　overman；　〃and　you　shall　see　that　I　am　not　mistaken。〃

〃Mr。　Starr；〃　asked　Harry；　〃have　you　any　idea　of　the　probable　direction　of　this　long　passage　which　we　have　been　following　since　our　entrance　into　the　new　mine？〃

〃No；　my　lad；〃　replied　the　engineer；　〃with　a　pass　I　could　perhaps　find　out　its　general　bearing；　but　without　a　pass　I　am　here　like　a　sailor　in　open　sea；　in　the　midst　of　fogs；　when　there　is　no　sun　by　which　to　calculate　his　position。〃

〃No　doubt；　Mr。　Starr；〃　replied　Ford；　〃but　pray　don't　pare　our　position　with　that　of　the　sailor；　who　has　everywhere　and　always　an　abyss　under　his　feet！ We　are　on　firm　ground　here；　and　need　never　be　afraid　of　foundering。〃

〃I　won't　tease　you；　then；　old　Simon；〃　answered　James　Starr。 〃Far　be　it　from　me　even　in　jest　to　depreciate　the　New　Aberfoyle　mine　by　an　unjust　parison！ I　only　meant　to　say　one　thing；　and　t