第5部分(第1/7 頁)

ss　enjoyed　by　the　little　family　in　their　dark　cottage。

The　engineer　was　eagerly　expected。 Simon　Ford　was　standing　at　his　door；　and　as　soon　as　Harry's　lamp　announced　the　arrival　of　his　former　viewer　he　advanced　to　meet　him。

〃Wele；　Mr。　Starr！〃　he　exclaimed；　his　voice　echoing　under　the　roof　of　schist。 〃Wele　to　the　old　overman's　cottage！　Though　it　is　buried　fifteen　hundred　feet　under　the　earth；　our　house　is　not　the　less　hospitable。〃

〃And　how　are　you；　good　Simon？〃　asked　James　Starr；　grasping　the　hand　which　his　host　held　out　to　him。

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Starr。 How　could　I　be　otherwise　here；　sheltered　from　the　inclemencies　of　the　weather？　Your　ladies　who　go　to　Newhaven　or　Portobello　in　the　summer　time　would　do　much　better　to　pass　a　few　months　in　the　coal　mine　of　Aberfoyle！ They　would　run　no　risk　here　of　catching　a　heavy　cold；　as　they　do　in　the　damp　streets　of　the　old　capital。〃

〃I'm　not　the　man　to　contradict　you；　Simon；〃　answered　James　Starr；　glad　to　find　the　old　man　just　as　he　used　to　be。 〃Indeed；　I　wonder　why　I　do　not　change　my　home　in　the　Canongate　for　a　cottage　near　you。〃

〃And　why　not；　Mr。　Starr？ I　know　one　of　your　old　miners　who　would　be　truly　pleased　to　have　only　a　partition　wall　between　you　and　him。〃

〃And　how　is　Madge？〃　asked　the　engineer。

〃The　goodwife　is　in　better　health　than　I　am；　if　that's　possible；〃　replied　Ford；　〃and　it　will　be　a　pleasure　to　her　to　see　you　at　her　table。　I　think　she　will　surpass　herself　to　do　you　honor。〃

〃We　shall　see　that；　Simon；　we　shall　see　that！〃　said　the　engineer；　to　whom　the　announcement　of　a　good　breakfast　could　not　be　indifferent；　after　his　long　walk。

〃Are　you　hungry；　Mr。　Starr？〃

〃Ravenously　hungry。 My　journey　has　given　me　an　appetite。　I　came　through　horrible