登陆注册
5257300000011

第11章 CHAPTER V(1)

SOME STRANGE PHENOMENA

MANY superstitious beliefs exist both in the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland. Of course the mining population must furnish its contingent of legends and fables to this mythological repertory.

If the fields are peopled with imaginary beings, either good or bad, with much more reason must the dark mines be haunted to their lowest depths. Who shakes the seam during tempestuous nights? who puts the miners on the track of an as yet unworked vein? who lights the fire-damp, and presides over the terrible explosions? who but some spirit of the mine? This, at least, was the opinion commonly spread among the superstitious Scotch.

In the first rank of the believers in the supernatural in the Dochart pit figured Jack Ryan, Harry's friend.

He was the great partisan of all these superstitions.

All these wild stories were turned by him into songs, which earned him great applause in the winter evenings.

But Jack Ryan was not alone in his belief. His comrades affirmed, no less strongly, that the Aberfoyle pits were haunted, and that certain strange beings were seen there frequently, just as in the Highlands. To hear them talk, it would have been more extraordinary if nothing of the kind appeared.

Could there indeed be a better place than a dark and deep coal mine for the freaks of fairies, elves, goblins, and other actors in the fantastical dramas? The scenery was all ready, why should not the supernatural personages come there to play their parts?

So reasoned Jack Ryan and his comrades in the Aberfoyle mines.

We have said that the different pits communicated with each other by means of long subterranean galleries.

Thus there existed beneath the county of Stirling a vast tract, full of burrows, tunnels, bored with caves, and perforated with shafts, a subterranean labyrinth, which might be compared to an enormous ant-hill.

Miners, though belonging to different pits, often met, when going to or returning from their work. Consequently there was a constant opportunity of exchanging talk, and circulating the stories which had their origin in the mine, from one pit to another.

These accounts were transmitted with marvelous rapidity, passing from mouth to mouth, and gaining in wonder as they went.

Two men, however, better educated and with more practical minds than the rest, had always resisted this temptation.

They in no degree believed in the intervention of spirits, elves, or goblins. These two were Simon Ford and his son.

And they proved it by continuing to inhabit the dismal crypt, after the desertion of the Dochart pit. Perhaps good Madge, like every Highland woman, had some leaning towards the supernatural.

But she had to repeat all these stories to herself, and so she did, most conscientiously, so as not to let the old traditions be lost.

Even had Simon and Harry Ford been as credulous as their companions, they would not have abandoned the mine to the imps and fairies.

For ten years, without missing a single day, obstinate and immovable in their convictions, the father and son took their picks, their sticks, and their lamps. They went about searching, sounding the rock with a sharp blow, listening if it would return a favor-able sound.

So long as the soundings had not been pushed to the granite of the primary formation, the Fords were agreed that the search, unsuccessful to-day, might succeed to-morrow, and that it ought to be resumed.

They spent their whole life in endeavoring to bring Aberfoyle back to its former prosperity. If the father died before the hour of success, the son was to go on with the task alone.

同类推荐
  • 六十种曲春芜记

    六十种曲春芜记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Beatrix

    Beatrix

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 蜗牛舍说诗新话

    蜗牛舍说诗新话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 至分水戍

    至分水戍

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 阿毗达磨品类足论

    阿毗达磨品类足论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 1、2、3——死(长篇推理小说一)

    1、2、3——死(长篇推理小说一)

    我认识一位神秘的、具有计算机式头脑、机警非凡的名侦探。他名叫墨野陇人。认识他之后,在别人劝说下,我根据他侦破的一桩连续杀人案的内容,写了一部题名《黄金的钥匙》的小说。这一案件是围绕“小栗上野介埋藏的黄金”而展开的。我写的这本小说迄今为止也过去很长时间了。我在这里要叙述的新案件,是在“黄金的钥匙”一案之后不久发生的。
  • 普贤金刚萨埵瑜伽念诵仪

    普贤金刚萨埵瑜伽念诵仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 黑夜给了我明亮的眼睛

    黑夜给了我明亮的眼睛

    本书是女真的中短篇小说集,包含了《儿子上树》《黑夜给了我明亮的眼睛》等11篇小说。所选小说思想性和现实性俱佳,富有艺术感染力。作品贴近生活,行文流畅,故事娓娓道来,读后耐人寻味。
  • 蜜宠娇妻:老公,真会宠

    蜜宠娇妻:老公,真会宠

    “混蛋!”顾佩久瞪着美眸,看着男人怒意翻飞。男人大手不轻不重的,为女孩儿揉着手臂上的淤青。清贵倦敛的嗓音缓缓响起“还打架吗?”嗓音无奈中透着些许宠溺和无奈。前世顾佩玖被陷害而死,死不瞑目,重生之后方觉,打脸为上,虐渣为主,没有什么事情是打一顿不能解决的,如果有,那就两顿![1V1身心干净]
  • 商妇升财有道

    商妇升财有道

    赚钱,我来!送死你去!一朝穿越,直接跳过生儿育女,五岁大的女儿直接送上门。病残幼弱,身无分文,如何安家?她说,“你走吧,我一个残废,会拖累你的!”女儿说,“娘,你是不是嫌弃悔儿吃太多了,如果是,那悔儿以后都不吃了,你别撵悔儿走,好不好?”好,既然你有情,我便有义!她问,“不悔,你是想要金山银山,还是绫罗绸缎,我给你赚!”不悔说,“不要,都不要,不悔只要娘,只要娘!”都说女儿是赔钱货,教的再好,将来也是夫家的,不值钱,她偏不信,一定要把她的不悔教的千家聘,万家求,还求之不得!【片段】“娘,不悔真恨,恨自己为什么不是男儿身,让那些人,这般侮辱娘,生不出儿子!”她笑,“不悔,你且记住,他们辱你,骂你,气了,你就放大黄去咬,咬死一个是一个,咬死两个,算一双!”【片段】听说男神就住在隔壁。听说男神家财万贯,金山银山。听说男神丰神俊朗,玉树临风,谪仙容貌迷倒万千少女。隋缘眉轻蹙,眼微眯,嘴微抿。面前这个没经过她允许,睡她炕上的男人是谁?“半夜三更,你不回家,你家娘子造吗?”“你这般威武霸气,你兄弟造吗?”【种田发家致富温馨文,一对一,男女主身心干净】
  • 江山尽风流

    江山尽风流

    (1对1,宠到极致,虐到暖心,强强对手戏,风起云涌卷看客。)她本是东离国嫡公主,如今,是曾经盛极一时的帝家遗孤,身娇体弱,孑然一身,山中困养十六载,运筹帷幄晓天下。能下地农忙,亦能煮酒风流;能决胜千里,亦能难得糊涂。一道天旨,让她从妻变妾?她只好下山谋一个妻妾不为。帝家覆灭真相、母后枉死内幕,也要一个清白。他是九黎圣子,身份高贵,荣华一身,朝堂江湖,风云在握。能市井穿梭,亦能风花雪月;能拨弄乾坤,亦能放下自在。他说:你安分守己,我护你一世无忧。她说:你的江山你看好,我的一世自无忧。他说:帝玄凌,你欲如何?她说:纳兰胤烨,你之所愿亦是我之所欲。他们之间,隔着家仇天下,是棋逢对手的劲敌,亦是互相欣赏的知己,更是彼此一生的宿命。江山,王权,富贵,最终,他都放下,予她自在,只要她所欲,他都给,因为韶华易逝,时光不复,他终于明白他所愿不过她之一笑,哪怕负了天下又如何?
  • 每天学一点管理·文学·哲学

    每天学一点管理·文学·哲学

    这些常识的讲述以知识结合故事为主,重点在以轻松活泼的方式将学科常识经过梳理、选择、确立后分不同角度撰写。每小节的常识点1500字左右,使我们在轻松阅读中获得最精良的文化滋养。
  • 极品哑凰

    极品哑凰

    玄幻宫和精武学院势不两立!可是她偏偏是玄武双修!当一个在世人眼中哑巴,无能的都统小姐重生之后,会发生什么样的事情?霸中土,尊玄幻,平海渊,渡虚空!时空三界都是她的身影,从无颠覆!从天入海传诵她的传奇,创世战绩!她说:重新活一次就是机会,我要享受那至高绝顶处的尊荣!*都统四小姐,在这个以武为傲的世界里,孱弱无用。琴棋书画样样不会,针织女红件件不懂,受尽了欺压和嘲笑!新的灵魂附身之后,未婚夫殷勤来访,她淡淡说一句:“想见我,精武学院入学考试见。”姐姐气急败坏来挑战,她消失的无影无踪:“本小姐没空。”*生存是为了什么?为了复仇,为了自由,还是为了追求力量?她笑笑:于我,生存是给我一个机会,活出另外一种精彩!报仇,力量---从来不会是人生的主题!*推荐丝古武新文:《凤转乾坤》——高贵公主逆转乾坤将灵魂送到了一个奴隶的身体里,昔日的公主如今变身奴隶!血腥!暴力!低泯的人性!蛮荒的社会!残酷的欲望!睁眼便是血腥,抬手就是杀戮!古武天下!且看她如何突破重重难关,晋级武道的巅峰,超越古武之最!九霄至尊!且看她如何漫步在血腥中,踏过暴力的漩涡,踏上尊者之路!*推荐维丝完结文:《都市花神》——《极品哑凰》是花神后代的故事……续写玄幻的传奇……*推荐好友新文:紫橄榄:《魅世邪仙》——也是玄幻的文文哦。紫月怡:《邪煞》——新文开,看过《魅尊》的千万不要错过哦。迹沧澜:《蓝菲印章》——新文开!******领养名单第一个出现的南扶苏,由冥夏汐领养。……领养进行中——
  • 危害公共安全罪

    危害公共安全罪

    本书是中华人民共和国重要基本法律知识宣讲系列丛书之一,具体内容是对我国刑法分则第一章规定的危害国家安全罪和第二章规定的危害公共安全罪,以及与其相关的司法解释等内容进行宣讲和普及。
  • 曲江春霁

    曲江春霁

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。