three ghost stories-第2章

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〃Not　to　that　effect；　sir。　　Those　were　the　very　words。　　I　know　them

well。〃



〃Admit　those　were　the　very　words。　　I　said　them；　no　doubt；　because　I

saw　you　below。〃



〃For　no　other　reason？〃



〃What　other　reason　could　I　possibly　have？〃



〃You　had　no　feeling　that　they　were　conveyed　to　you　in　any

supernatural　way？〃



〃No。〃



He　wished　me　good…night；　and　held　up　his　light。　　I　walked　by　the

side　of　the　down　Line　of　rails　（with　a　very　disagreeable　sensation

of　a　train　coming　behind　me）　until　I　found　the　path。　　It　was　easier

to　mount　than　to　descend；　and　I　got　back　to　my　inn　without　any

adventure。



Punctual　to　my　appointment；　I　placed　my　foot　on　the　first　notch　of

the　zigzag　next　night；　as　the　distant　clocks　were　striking　eleven。

He　was　waiting　for　me　at　the　bottom；　with　his　white　light　on。　　〃I

have　not　called　out；〃　I　said；　when　we　came　close　together；　〃may　I

speak　now？〃　　〃By　all　means；　sir。〃　　〃Good…night；　then；　and　here's　my

hand。〃　　〃Good…night；　sir；　and　here's　mine。〃　　With　that　we　walked

side　by　side　to　his　box；　entered　it；　closed　the　door；　and　sat　down

by　the　fire。



〃I　have　made　up　my　mind；　sir；〃　he　began；　bending　forward　as　soon　as

we　were　seated；　and　speaking　in　a　tone　but　a　little　above　a　whisper；

〃that　you　shall　not　have　to　ask　me　twice　what　troubles　me。　　I　took

you　for　some　one　else　yesterday　evening。　　That　troubles　me。〃



〃That　mistake？〃



〃No。　　That　some　one　else。〃



〃Who　is　it？〃



〃I　don't　know。〃



〃Like　me？〃



〃I　don't　know。　　I　never　saw　the　face。　　The　left　arm　is　across　the

face；　and　the　right　arm　is　waved；violently　waved。　　This　way。〃



I　followed　his　action　with　my　eyes；　and　it　was　the　action　of　an　arm

gesticulating；　with　the　utmost　passion　and　vehemence；　〃For　God's

sake；　clear　the　way！〃



〃One　moonlight　night；〃　said　the　man；　〃I　was　sitting　here；　when　I

heard　a　voice　cry；　'Halloa！　　Below　there！'　　I　started　up；　looked

from　that　door；　and　saw　this　Some　one　else　standing　by　the　red　light

near　the　tunnel；　waving　as　I　just　now　showed　you。　　The　voice　seemed

hoarse　with　shouting；　and　it　cried；　'Look　out！　　Look　out！'　　And　then

attain；　'Halloa！　　Below　there！　　Look　out！'　　I　caught　up　my　lamp；

turned　it　on　red；　and　ran　towards　the　figure；　calling；　'What's

wrong？　　What　has　happened？　　Where？'　　It　stood　just　outside　the

blackness　of　the　tunnel。　　I　advanced　so　close　upon　it　that　I

wondered　at　its　keeping　the　sleeve　across　its　eyes。　　I　ran　right　up

at　it；　and　had　my　hand　stretched　out　to　pull　the　sleeve　away；　when

it　was　gone。〃



〃Into　the　tunnel？〃　said　I。



〃No。　　I　ran　on　into　the　tunnel；　five　hundred　yards。　　I　stopped；　and

held　my　lamp　above　my　head；　and　saw　the　figures　of　the　measured

distance；　and　saw　the　wet　stains　stealing　down　the　walls　and

trickling　through　the　arch。　　I　ran　out　again　faster　than　I　had　run

in　（for　I　had　a　mortal　abhorrence　of　the　place　upon　me）；　and　I

looked　all　round　the　red　light　with　my　own　red　light；　and　I　went　up

the　iron　ladder　to　the　gallery　atop　of　it；　and　I　came　down　again；

and　ran　back　here。　　I　telegraphed　both　ways；　'An　alarm　has　been

given。　　Is　anything　wrong？'　　The　answer　came　back；　both　ways；　'All

well。'〃



Resisting　the　slow　touch　of　a　frozen　finger　tracing　out　my　spine；　I

showed　him　how　that　this　figure　must　be　a　deception　of　his　sense　of

sight；　and　how　that　figures；　originating　in　disease　of　the　delicate

nerves　that　minister　to　the　functions　of　the　eye；　were　known　to　have

often　troubled　patients；　some　of　whom　had　become　conscious　of　the

nature　of　their　affliction；　and　had　even　proved　it　by　experiments

upon　themselves。　　〃As　to　an　imaginary　cry；〃　said　I；　〃do　but　listen

for　a　moment　to　the　wind　in　this　unnatural　valley　while　we　speak　so

low；　and　to　the　wild　harp　it　makes　of　the　telegraph　wires。〃



That　was　all　very　well；　he　returned；　after　we　had　sat　listening　for

a　while；　and　he　ought　to　know　something　of　the　wind　and　the　wires；

he　who　so　often　passed　long　winter　nights　there；　alone　and　watching。

But　he　would　beg　to　remark　that　he　had　not　finished。



I　asked　his　pardon；　and　he　slowly　added　these　words；　touching　my

arm；　…



〃Within　six　hours　after　the　Appearance；　the　memorable　accident　on

this　Line　happened；　and　within　ten　hours　the　dead　and　wounded　were

brought　along　through　the　tunnel　over　the　spot　where　the　figure　had

stood。〃



A　disagreeable　shudder　crept　over　me；　but　I　did　my　best　against　it。

It　was　not　to　be　denied；　I　rejoined；　that　this　was　a　remarkable

coincidence；　calculated　deeply　to　impress　his　mind。　　But　it　was

unquestionable　that　remarkable　coincidences　did　continually　occur；

and　they　must　be　taken　into　account　in　dealing　with　such　a　subject。

Though　to　be　sure　I　must　admit；　I　added　（for　I　thought　I　saw　that　he

was　going　to　bring　the　objection　to　bear　upon　me）；　men　of　common

sense　did　not　allow　much　for　coincidences　in　making　the　ordinary

calculations　of　life。



He　again　begged　to　remark　that　he　had　not　finished。



I　again　begged　his　pardon　for　being　betrayed　into　interruptions。



〃This；〃　he　said；　again　laying　his　hand　upon　my　arm；　and　glancing

over　his　shoulder　with　hollow　eyes；　〃was　just　a　year　ago。　　Six　or

seven　months　passed；　and　I　had　recovered　from　the　surprise　and

shock；　when　one　morning；　as　the　day　was　breaking；　I；　standing　at　the

door；　looked　towards　the　red　light；　and　saw　the　spectre　again。〃　　He

stopped；　with　a　fixed　look　at　me。



〃Did　it　cry　out？〃



〃No。　　It　was　silent。〃



〃Did　it　wave　its　arm？〃



〃No。　　It　leaned　against　the　shaft　of　the　light；　with　both　hands

before　the　face。　　Like　this。〃



Once　more　I　followed　his　action　with　my　eyes。　　It　was　an　action　of

mourning。　　I　have　seen　such　an　attitude　in　stone　figures　on　tombs。



〃Did　you　go　up　to　it？〃



〃I　came　in　and　sat　down；　partly　to　collect　my　thoughts；　partly

because　it　had　turned　me　faint。　　When　I　went　to　the　door　again；

daylight　was　above　me；　and　the　ghost　was　gone。〃



〃But　nothing　followed？　　Nothing　came　of　this？〃



He　touched　me　on　the　arm　with　his　forefinger　twice　or　thrice　giving

a　ghastly　nod　each　time：…



〃That　very　day；　as　a　train　came　out　of　the　tunnel；　I　noticed；　at　a

carriage　window　on　my　side；　what　looked　like　a　confusion　of　hands

and　heads；　and　something　waved。　　I　saw　it　just　in　time　to　signal　the

driver；　Stop！　　He　shut　off；　and　put　his　brake　on；　but　the　train

drifted　past　here　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards　or　more。　　I　ran　after

it；　and；　as　I　went　along；　heard　terrible　screams　and　cries。　　A

beautiful　young　lady　had　died　instantaneously　in　one　of　the

compartments；　and　was　brought　in　here；　and　laid　down　on　this　floor

between　us。〃



Involuntarily　I　pushed　my　chair　back；　as　I　looked　from　the　boards　at

which　he　pointed　to　himself。



〃True；　sir。　　True。　　Precisely　as　it　happened；　so　I　tell　it　you。〃



I　could　think　of　nothing　to　say；　to　any　purpose；　and　my　mouth　was

very　dry。　　The　wind　and　the　wires　took　up　the　story　with　a　long

lamenting　wail。



He　resumed。　　〃Now；　sir；　mark　this；　and　judge　how　my　mind　is

troubled。　　The　spectre　came　back　a　week　ago。　　Ever　since；　it　has

been　there；　now　and　again；　by　fits　and　starts。〃



〃At　the　light？〃



〃At　the　Danger…light。〃



〃What　does　it　seem　to　do？〃



He　repeated；　if　possible　with　increased　passion　and　vehemence；　that

former　gesticulation　of；　〃For　God's　sake；　clear　the　way！〃



Then　he　went　on。　　〃I　have　no　peace　or　rest　for　it。　　It　calls　to　me；

for　many　minutes　together；　in　an　agonised　manner；　'Below　there！

Look　out！　　Look　out！'　　It　stands　waving　to　me。　　It　rings　my　little

bell〃



I　caught　at　that。　　〃Did　it　ring　your　bell　yesterday　evening　when　I

was　here；　and　you　went　to　the　door？〃



〃Twice。〃



〃Why；　see；〃　said　I；　〃how　your　imagination　misleads　you。　　My　eyes

were　on　the　bell；　and　my　ears　were　open　to　the　bell；　and　if　I　am　a

living　man；　it　did　NOT　ring　at　those　times。　　No；　nor　at　any　other

time；　except　when　it　was　rung　in　the　natural　course　of　physical

things　by　the　station　communicating　with　you。〃



He　shook　his　head。　〃I　have　never　made　a　mistake　as　to　that　yet；　sir。

I　have　never　confused　the　spectre's　ring　with　the　man's。　　The

ghost's　ring　is　a　strange　vibration　in　the　bell　that　it　derives　from

nothing　else；　and　I　have　not　asserted　that　the　bell　stirs　to　the

eye。　　I　don't　wonder　that　you　failed　to　hear　it。　　But　I　heard　it。〃



〃And　did　the　spectre　seem　to　be　there；　when　you　looked　out？〃



〃It　WAS　there。〃'



〃Both　times？〃



He　repeated　firmly：　　〃Both　times。〃



〃Will　you　come　to　the　door　with　me；　and　look　for　it　now？〃



He　bit　his　under　lip　as　though　he　were　somewhat　unwilling；　but

arose。　　I　opened　the　door；　and　stood　on　the　step；　while　he　stood　in

the　doorway。　　There　was　the　Danger…light。　　There　was　the　dismal

mouth　of　the　tunnel。　　There　were　the　high；　wet　stone　walls　of　the

cutting。　　There　were　the　stars　above　them。



〃Do　you　see　it？〃　I　asked　him；　taking　particular　note　of　his　face。

His　eyes　were　prominent　and　strained；　but　not　very　much　more　so；

perhaps；　than　my　own　had　been　when　I　had　directed　them　earnestly

towards　the　same　spot。



〃No；〃　he　answered。　　〃It　is　not　there。〃



〃Agreed；〃　said　I。



We　went　in　again；　shut　the　door；　and　resumed　our　seats。　　I　was

thinking　how　best　to　improve　this　advantage；　if　it　might　be　called

one；　when　he　took　up　the　conversation　in　such　a　matter…of…course

way；　so　assuming　that　there　could　be　no　serious　question　of　fact

between　us；　that　I　felt　myself　placed　in　the　weakest　of　positions。



〃By　this　time　you　will　fully　understand；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃that　what

troubles　me　so　dreadfully　is　the　question；　What　does　the　spectre

mean？〃



I　was　not　sure；　I　told　him；　that　I　did　fully　understand。



〃What　is　its　warning　against？〃　he　said；　ruminating；　with　his　eyes　on

the　fire；　and　only　by　times　turning　them　on　me。　　〃What　is　the

danger？　　Where　is　the　danger？　　There　is　danger　overhanging　somewhere

on　the　Line。　　Some　dreadful　calamity　will　happen。　　It　is　not　to　be

doubted　this　third　time；　after　what　has　gone　before。　　But　surely

this　is　a　cruel　haunting　of　me。　　What　can　I　do？〃



He　pulled　out　his　handkerchief；　and　wiped　the　drops　from　his　heated

forehead。



〃If　I　telegraph　Danger；　on　either　side　of　me；　or　on　both；　I　can　give

no　reason　for　it；〃　he　went　on；　wiping　the　palms　of　his　hands。　　〃I

should　get　into　trouble；　and　do　no　good。　　They　would　think　I　was

mad。　　This　is　the　way　it　would　work；Message：　　'Danger！　　Take

care！'　　Answer：　　'What　Danger？　　Where？'　　Message：　　'Don't　know。

But；　for　God's　sake；　take　care！'　　They　would　displace　me。　　What　else

could　they　do？〃



His　pain　of　mind　was　most　pitiable　to　see。　　It　was　the　mental

torture　of　a　conscientious　man；　oppressed　beyond　endurance　by　an

unintelligible　responsibility　involving　life。



〃When　it　first　stood　under　the　Danger…light；〃　he　went　on；　putting

his　dark　hair　back　from　his　head；　and　drawing　his　hands　outward

across　and　across　his　temples　i