foiled in his purpose of revenge, cast himself headlong into the waters
of the lake.

"Save him! oh, save him!" shrieked Nell in a voice of agony.
Immediately Harry plunged into the water, and, swimming towards

Jack Ryan, he dived repeatedly.
But his efforts were useless. The waters of Loch Malcolm yielded

not their prey: they closed forever over Silfax.
CHAPTER XIX THE LEGEND OF OLD SILFAX

Six months after these events, the marriage, so strangely interrupted,
was finally celebrated in St. Giles's chapel, and the young couple,

who still wore mourning garments, returned to the cottage.
James Starr and Simon Ford, henceforth free from the anxieties which

had so long distressed them, joyously presided over the entertainment
which followed the ceremony, and prolonged it to the following day.

On this memorable occasion, Jack Ryan, in his favorite character of piper,
and in all the glory of full dress, blew up his chanter, and astonished

the company by the unheard of achievement of playing, singing, and dancing
all at once.

It is needless to say that Harry and Nell were happy.
These loving hearts, after the trials they had gone through found

in their union the happiness they deserved.
As to Simon Ford, the ex-overman of New Aberfoyle, he began to talk

of celebrating his golden wedding, after
fifty years of marriage with good old Madge, who liked

the idea immensely herself.
"And after that, why not golden wedding number two?"

"You would like a couple of fifties, would you, Mr. Simon?"
said Jack Ryan.

"All right, my boy," replied the overman quietly, "I see nothing
against it in this fine climate of ours, and living far from

the luxury and intemperance of the outer world."
Will the dwellers in Coal Town ever be called to witness this

second ceremony? Time will show. Certainly the strange bird
of old Silfax seemed destined to attain a wonderful longevity.

The Harfang continued to haunt the gloomy recesses of the cave.
After the old man's death, Nell had attempted to keep the owl,

but in a very few days he flew away. He evidently disliked
human society as much as his master had done, and, besides that,

he appeared to have a particular spite against Harry. The jealous
bird seemed to remember and hate him for having carried off Nell

from the deep abyss, notwithstanding all he could do to prevent him.
Still, at long intervals, Nell would see the creature hovering

above Loch Malcolm.
Could he possibly be watching for his friend of yore?

Did he strive to pierce, with keen eye, the depths which had
engulfed his master?

The history of the Harfang became legendary, and furnished
Jack Ryan with many a tale and song. Thanks to him, the story

of old Silfax and his bird will long be preserved, and handed
down to future generations of the Scottish peasantry.

End

• revenge [ri´vendʒ] vt.报复 n.报仇；报复 (初中英语单词)
• useless [´ju:sləs] a.无用的，无价值的 (初中英语单词)
• strangely [´streindʒli] ad.奇怪地；陌生地 (初中英语单词)
• celebrated [´selibreitid] a.著名的 (初中英语单词)
• chapel [´tʃæpəl] n.小教堂 (初中英语单词)
• mourning [´mɔ:niŋ] n.悲伤；治丧；戴孝 (初中英语单词)
• henceforth [´hens´fɔ:θ] ad.今后；从今以后 (初中英语单词)
• ceremony [´seriməni] n.典礼；礼仪；客气 (初中英语单词)
• character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)
• achievement [ə´tʃi:vmənt] n.完成；成就，成绩 (初中英语单词)
• wedding [´wediŋ] n.婚礼，结婚 (初中英语单词)
• climate [´klaimit] n.气候；特殊气候地带 (初中英语单词)
• luxury [´lʌkʃəri] n.奢侈(品)；享受 (初中英语单词)
• witness [´witnis] n.见证人 vt.目击 (初中英语单词)
• attain [ə´tein] v.取得；到达；成为 (初中英语单词)
• evidently [´evidəntli] ad.明显地 (初中英语单词)
• pierce [piəs] v.刺穿；突破；洞察 (初中英语单词)
• headlong [´hedlɔŋ] ad.&a.轻率地(的) (高中英语单词)
• memorable [´memərəbəl] a.难忘的；重大的 (高中英语单词)
• needless [´ni:dləs] a.不必要的；无用的 (高中英语单词)
• loving [´lʌviŋ] a.爱的，有爱情的 (高中英语单词)
• gloomy [´glu:mi] a.昏暗的；忧郁的 (高中英语单词)
• notwithstanding [,nɔtwiθ´stændiŋ] prep.&conj.虽然；还是 (高中英语单词)
• strive [straiv] vi.争取；努力；奋斗 (高中英语单词)
• immensely [i´mensli] ad.极大地，无限地 (英语四级单词)
• scottish [´skɔtiʃ, ´skɑtiʃ] a.&n.苏格兰人(的) (英语四级单词)
• joyously [´dʒɔiəsli] ad.快乐地，高兴地 (英语六级单词)