關燈 巨大 直達底部
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第10部分

hey had seen these fantastic creatures with their own eyes。 Jack Ryan was naturally one of them。 It was a fact that from time to time long flames appeared; sometimes on a broken piece of wall; sometimes on the summit of the tower which was the highest point of Dundonald Castle。

Did these flames really assume a human shape; as was asserted? Did they merit the name of fire…maidens; given them by the people of the coast? It was evidently just an optical delusion; aided by a good deal of credulity; and science could easily have explained the phenomenon。

However that might be; these fire…maidens had the reputation of frequenting the ruins of the old castle and there performing wild strathspeys; especially on dark nights。 Jack Ryan; bold fellow though he was; would never have dared to acpany those dances with the music of his bagpipes。

〃Old Nick is enough for them!〃 said he。 〃He doesn't need me to plete his infernal orchestra。〃

We may well believe that these strange apparitions frequently furnished a text for the evening stories。 Jack Ryan was ending the evening with one of these。 His auditors; transported into the phantom world; were worked up into a state of mind which would believe anything。

All at once shouts were heard outside。 Jack Ryan stopped short in the middle of his story; and all rushed out of the barn。 The night was pitchy dark。 Squalls of wind and rain swept along the beach。 Two or three fishermen; their backs against a rock; the better to resist the wind; were shouting at the top of their voices。

Jack Ryan and his panions ran up to them。 The

shouts were; however; not for the inhabitants of the farm; but to warn men who; without being aware of it; were going to destruction。 A dark; confused mass appeared so