the underground city-地下城(英文版)-第24章

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At　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　boat　reached　Granton　pier。　Nell　awoke。　　〃Have　I　been　asleep？〃　inquired　she。

〃No；　my　child；〃　said　James　Starr。　　〃You　have　been　dreaming　that　you　slept；　that's　all。〃

The　night　continued　clear。　　The　moon；　riding　in　mid…heaven；　diffused　her　rays　on　all　sides。　　In　the　little　port　of　Granton　lay　two　or　three　fishing　boats；　they　rocked　gently　on　the　waters　of　the　Firth。　　The　wind　fell　as　the　dawn　approached。　The　atmosphere；　clear　of　mists；　promised　one　of　those　fine　autumn　days　so　delicious　on　the　sea　coast。

A　soft；　transparent　film　of　vapor　lay　along　the　horizon；　the　first　sunbeam　would　dissipate　it；　to　the　maiden　it　exhibited　that　aspect　of　the　sea　which　seems　to　blend　it　with　the　sky。　Her　view　was　now　enlarged；　without　producing　the　impression　of　the　boundless　infinity　of　ocean。

Harry　taking　Nell's　hand；　they　followed　James　Starr　and　Jack　Ryan　as　they　traversed　the　deserted　streets。　　To　Nell；　this　suburb　of　the　capital　appeared　only　a　collection　of　gloomy　dark　houses；　just　like　Coal　Town；　only　that　the　roof　was　higher；　and　gleamed　with　small　lights。

She　stepped　lightly　forward；　and　easily　kept　pace　with　Harry。　　〃Are　you　not　tired；　Nell？〃　asked　he；　after　half　an　hour's　walking。

〃No！　my　feet　seem　scarcely　to　touch　the　earth；〃　returned　she。　〃This　sky　above　us　seems　so　high　up；　I　feel　as　if　I　could　take　wing　and　fly！〃

〃I　say！　keep　hold　of　her！〃　cried　Jack　Ryan。　　〃Our　little　Nell　is　too　good　to　lose。　　I　feel　just　as　you　describe　though；　myself；　when　I　have　not　left　the　pit　for　a　long　time。〃

〃It　is　when　we　no　longer　experience　the　oppressive　effect　of　the　vaulted　rocky　roof　above　Coal　Town；〃　said

James　Starr；　〃that　the　spacious　firmament　appears　to　us　like　a　profound　abyss　into　which　we　have；　as　it　were；　a　desire　to　plunge。　Is　that　what　you　feel；　Nell？〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Starr；　it　is　exactly　like　that；〃　said　Nell。　　〃It　makes　me　feel　giddy。〃

〃Ah！　you　will　soon　get　over　that；　Nell；〃　said　Harry。　　〃You　will　get　used　to　the　outer　world；　and　most　likely　forget　all　about　our　dark　coal　pit。〃

〃No；　Harry；　never！〃　said　Nell；　and　she　put　her　hand　over　her　eyes；　as　though　she　would　recall　the　remembrance　of　everything　she　had　lately　quitted。

Between　the　silent　dwellings　of　the　city；　the　party　passed　along　Leith　Walk；　and　went　round　the　Calton　Hill；　where　stood；　in　the　light　of　the　gray　dawn；　the　buildings　of　the　Observatory　and　Nelson's　Monument。　　By　Regent's　Bridge　and　the　North　Bridge　they　at　last　reached　the　lower　extremity　of　the　Canongate。　　The　town　still　lay　wrapt　in　slumber。

Nell　pointed　to　a　large　building　in　the　center　of　an　open　space；　asking；　〃What　great　confused　mass　is　that？〃

〃That　confused　mass；　Nell；　is　the　palace　of　the　ancient　kings　of　Scotland；　that　is　Holyrood；　where　many　a　sad　scene　has　been　enacted！　The　historian　can　here　invoke　many　a　royal　shade；　from　those　of　the　early　Scottish　kings　to　that　of　the　unhappy　Mary　Stuart；　and　the　French　king；　Charles　X。　When　day　breaks；　however；　Nell；　this　palace　will　not　look　so　very　gloomy。　　Holyrood；　with　its　four　embattled　towers；　is　not　unlike　some　handsome　country　house。　But　let　us　pursue　our　way。　　There；　just　above　the　ancient　Abbey　of　Holyrood；　are　the　superb　cliffs　called　Salisbury　Crags。　Arthur's　Seat　rises　above　them；　and　that　is　where　we　are　going。　From　the　summit　of　Arthur's　Seat；　Nell；　your　eyes　shall　behold　the　sun　appear　above　the　horizon　seaward。〃

They　entered　the　King's　Park；　then；　gradually　ascending　they　passed　across　the　Queen's　Drive；　a　splendid　carriageway　encircling　the　hill；　which　we　owe　to　a　few　lines　in　one　of　Sir　Walter　Scott's　romances。

Arthur's　Seat　is　in　truth　only　a　hill；　seven　hundred　and　fifty　feet　high；　which　stands　alone　amid　surrounding　heights。　In　less　than　half　an　hour；　by　an　easy　winding　path；　James　Starr　and　his　party　reached　the　crest　of　the

crouching　lion；　which；　seen　from　the　west；　Arthur's　Seat　so　much　resembles。　　There；　all　four　seated　themselves；　and　James　Starr；　ever　ready　　the　great　Scottish　novelist；　simply　said；　〃Listen　to　what　is　written　by　Sir　Walter　Scott　in　the　eighth　chapter　of　the　Heart　of　Mid…Lothian。　'If　I　were　to　choose　a　spot　from　which　the　rising　or　setting　sun　could　be　seen　to　the　greatest　possible　advantage；　it　would　be　from　this　neighborhood。'　Now　watch；　Nell！　the　sun　will　soon　appear；　and　for　the　first　time　you　will　contemplate　its　splendor。〃

The　maiden　turned　her　eyes　eastward。　　Harry；　keeping　close　beside　her；　observed　her　with　anxious　interest。　Would　the　first　beams　of　day　overpower　her　feelings？　All　remained　quiet；　even　Jack　Ryan。　　A　faint　streak　of　pale　rose　tinted　the　light　vapors　of　the　horizon。　　It　was　the　first　ray　of　light　attacking　the　laggards　of　the　night。　　Beneath　the　hill　lay　the　silent　city；　massed　confusedly　in　the　twilight　of　dawn。　Here　and　there　lights　twinkled　among　the　houses　of　the　old　town。　Westward　rose　many　hill…tops；　soon　to　be　illuminated　by　tips　of　fire。

Now　the　distant　horizon　of　the　sea　became　more　plainly　visible。　The　scale　of　colors　fell　into　the　order　of　the　solar。　Every　instant　they　increased　in　intensity；　rose　color　became　red；　red　became　fiery；　daylight　dawned。　　Nell　now　glanced　towards　the　city；　of　which　the　outlines　became　more　distinct。　Lofty　monuments；　slender　steeples　emerged　from　the　gloom；　a　kind　of　ashy　light　was　spread　abroad。　　At　length　one　solitary　ray　struck　on　the　maiden's　sight。　　It　was　that　ray　of　green　which；　morning　or　evening；　is　reflected　upwards　from　the　sea　when　the　horizon　is　clear。

An　instant　afterwards；　Nell　turned；　and　pointing　towards　a　bright　prominent　point　in　the　New　Town；　〃Fire！〃　cried　she。

〃No；　Nell；　that　is　no　fire；〃　said　Harry。　　〃The　sun　has　touched　with　gold　the　top　of　Sir　Walter　Scott's　monument〃……and；　indeed；　the　extreme　point　of　the　monument　blazed　like　the　light　of　a　pharos。

It　was　day……the　sun　arose……his　disc　seemed　to　glitter　as　though　he　indeed　emerged　from　the　waters　of　the　sea。　Appearing　at　first　very　large　from　the　effects　of　refraction；　he　contracted　as　he　rose　and　assumed　the　perfectly　circular　form。　Soon　no　eye　could　endure　the　dazzling　splendor；

it　was　as　though　the　mouth　of　a　furnace　was　opened　through　the　sky。

Nell　closed　her　eyes；　but　her　eyelids　could　not　exclude　the　glare；　and　she　pressed　her　fingers　over　them。　Harry　advised　her　to　turn　in　the　opposite　direction。　〃Oh；　no；〃　said　she；　〃my　eyes　must　get　used　to　look　at　what　yours　can　bear　to　see！〃

Even　through　her　hands　Nell　perceived　a　rosy　light；　which　became　more　white　as　the　sun　rose　above　the　horizon。　As　her　sight　became　accustomed　to　it；　her　eyelids　were　raised；　and　at　length　her　eyes　drank　in　the　light　of　day。

The　good　child　knelt　down；　exclaiming；　〃Oh　Lord　God！　how　beautiful　is　Thy　creation！〃　　Then　she　rose　and　looked　around。　At　her　feet　extended　the　panorama　of　Edinburgh……the　clear；　distinct　lines　of　streets　in　the　New　Town；　and　the　irregular　mass　of　houses；　with　their　confused　work　of　streets　and　lanes；　which　constitutes　Auld　Reekie；　properly　so　called。　Two　heights　manded　the　entire　city；　Edinburgh　Castle；　crowning　its　huge　basaltic　rock；　and　the　Calton　Hill；　bearing　on　its　rounded　summit；　among　other　monuments；　ruins　built　to　represent　those　of　the　Parthenon　at　Athens。

Fine　roadways　led　in　all　directions　from　the　capital。　To　the　north；　the　coast　of　the　noble　Firth　of　Forth　was　indented　by　a　deep　bay；　in　which　could　be　seen　the　seaport　town　of　Leith；　between　which　and　this　Modern　Athens　of　the　north　ran　a　street；　straight　as　that　leading　to　the　Piraeus。

Beyond　the　wide　Firth　could　be　seen　the　soft　outlines　of　the　county　of　Fife；　while　beneath　the　spectator　stretched　the　yellow　sands　of　Portobello　and　Newhaven。

Nell　could　not　speak。　　Her　lips　murmured　a　word　or　two　indistinctly；　she　trembled；　became　giddy；　her　strength　failed　her；　overe　by　the　purity　of　the　air　and　the　sublimity　of　the　scene；　she　sank　fainting　into　Harry's　arms；　who；　watching　her　closely；　was　ready　to　support　her。

The　youthful　maiden；　hitherto　entombed　in　the　massive　depths　of　the　earth；　had　now　obtained　an　idea　of　the　universe……　of　the　works　both　of　God　and　of　man。　　She　had　looked　upon　town　and　country；　and　beyond　these；　into　the　immensity　of　the　sea；　the　infinity　of　the　heavens。


CHAPTER　XV　LOCH　LOMOND　A