three ghost stories-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

across　and　across　his　temples　in　an　extremity　of　feverish　distress；

〃why　not　tell　me　where　that　accident　was　to　happen；if　it　must

happen？　　Why　not　tell　me　how　it　could　be　averted；if　it　could　have

been　averted？　　When　on　its　second　coming　it　hid　its　face；　why　not

tell　me；　instead；　'She　is　going　to　die。　　Let　them　keep　her　at　home'？

If　it　came；　on　those　two　occasions；　only　to　show　me　that　its

warnings　were　true；　and　so　to　prepare　me　for　the　third；　why　not　warn

me　plainly　now？　　And　I；　Lord　help　me！　　A　mere　poor　signal…man　on

this　solitary　station！　　Why　not　go　to　somebody　with　credit　to　be

believed；　and　power　to　act？〃



When　I　saw　him　in　this　state；　I　saw　that　for　the　poor　man's　sake；　as

well　as　for　the　public　safety；　what　I　had　to　do　for　the　time　was　to

compose　his　mind。　　Therefore；　setting　aside　all　question　of　reality

or　unreality　between　us；　I　represented　to　him　that　whoever

thoroughly　discharged　his　duty　must　do　well；　and　that　at　least　it

was　his　comfort　that　he　understood　his　duty；　though　he　did　not

understand　these　confounding　Appearances。　　In　this　effort　I

succeeded　far　better　than　in　the　attempt　to　reason　him　out　of　his

conviction。　　He　became　calm；　the　occupations　incidental　to　his　post

as　the　night　advanced　began　to　make　larger　demands　on　his　attention：

and　I　left　him　at　two　in　the　morning。　　I　had　offered　to　stay　through

the　night；　but　he　would　not　hear　of　it。



That　I　more　than　once　looked　back　at　the　red　light　as　I　ascended　the

pathway；　that　I　did　not　like　the　red　light；　and　that　I　should　have

slept　but　poorly　if　my　bed　had　been　under　it；　I　see　no　reason　to

conceal。　　Nor　did　I　like　the　two　sequences　of　the　accident　and　the

dead　girl。　　I　see　no　reason　to　conceal　that　either。



But　what　ran　most　in　my　thoughts　was　the　consideration　how　ought　I

to　act；　having　become　the　recipient　of　this　disclosure？　　I　had

proved　the　man　to　be　intelligent；　vigilant；　painstaking；　and　exact；

but　how　long　might　he　remain　so；　in　his　state　of　mind？　　Though　in　a

subordinate　position；　still　he　held　a　most　important　trust；　and

would　I　（for　instance）　like　to　stake　my　own　life　on　the　chances　of

his　continuing　to　execute　it　with　precision？



Unable　to　overcome　a　feeling　that　there　would　be　something

treacherous　in　my　communicating　what　he　had　told　me　to　his　superiors

in　the　Company；　without　first　being　plain　with　himself　and　proposing

a　middle　course　to　him；　I　ultimately　resolved　to　offer　to　accompany

him　（otherwise　keeping　his　secret　for　the　present）　to　the　wisest

medical　practitioner　we　could　hear　of　in　those　parts；　and　to　take

his　opinion。　　A　change　in　his　time　of　duty　would　come　round　next

night；　he　had　apprised　me；　and　he　would　be　off　an　hour　or　two　after

sunrise；　and　on　again　soon　after　sunset。　　I　had　appointed　to　return

accordingly。



Next　evening　was　a　lovely　evening；　and　I　walked　out　early　to　enjoy

it。　　The　sun　was　not　yet　quite　down　when　I　traversed　the　field…path

near　the　top　of　the　deep　cutting。　　I　would　extend　my　walk　for　an

hour；　I　said　to　myself；　half　an　hour　on　and　half　an　hour　back；　and

it　would　then　be　time　to　go　to　my　signal…man's　box。



Before　pursuing　my　stroll；　I　stepped　to　the　brink；　and　mechanically

looked　down；　from　the　point　from　which　I　had　first　seen　him。　　I

cannot　describe　the　thrill　that　seized　upon　me；　when；　close　at　the

mouth　of　the　tunnel；　I　saw　the　appearance　of　a　man；　with　his　left

sleeve　across　his　eyes；　passionately　waving　his　right　arm。



The　nameless　horror　that　oppressed　me　passed　in　a　moment；　for　in　a

moment　I　saw　that　this　appearance　of　a　man　was　a　man　indeed；　and

that　there　was　a　little　group　of　other　men；　standing　at　a　short

distance；　to　whom　he　seemed　to　be　rehearsing　the　gesture　he　made。

The　Danger…light　was　not　yet　lighted。　　Against　its　shaft；　a　little

low　hut；　entirely　new　to　me；　had　been　made　of　some　wooden　supports

and　tarpaulin。　　It　looked　no　bigger　than　a　bed。



With　an　irresistible　sense　that　something　was　wrong；with　a

flashing　self…reproachful　fear　that　fatal　mischief　had　come　of　my

leaving　the　man　there；　and　causing　no　one　to　be　sent　to　overlook　or

correct　what　he　did；I　descended　the　notched　path　with　all　the

speed　I　could　make。



〃What　is　the　matter？〃　I　asked　the　men。



〃Signal…man　killed　this　morning；　sir。〃



〃Not　the　man　belonging　to　that　box？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃Not　the　man　I　know？〃



〃You　will　recognise　him；　sir；　if　you　knew　him；〃　said　the　man　who

spoke　for　the　others；　solemnly　uncovering　his　own　head；　and　raising

an　end　of　the　tarpaulin；　〃for　his　face　is　quite　composed。〃



〃O；　how　did　this　happen；　how　did　this　happen？〃　I　asked；　turning　from

one　to　another　as　the　hut　closed　in　again。



〃He　was　cut　down　by　an　engine；　sir。　　No　man　in　England　knew　his　work

better。　　But　somehow　he　was　not　clear　of　the　outer　rail。　　It　was

just　at　broad　day。　　He　had　struck　the　light；　and　had　the　lamp　in　his

hand。　　As　the　engine　came　out　of　the　tunnel；　his　back　was　towards

her；　and　she　cut　him　down。　　That　man　drove　her；　and　was　showing　how

it　happened。　　Show　the　gentleman；　Tom。〃



The　man；　who　wore　a　rough　dark　dress；　stepped　back　to　his　former

place　at　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel。



〃Coming　round　the　curve　in　the　tunnel；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃I　saw　him　at

the　end；　like　as　if　I　saw　him　down　a　perspective…glass。　　There　was

no　time　to　check　speed；　and　I　knew　him　to　be　very　careful。　　As　he

didn't　seem　to　take　heed　of　the　whistle；　I　shut　it　off　when　we　were

running　down　upon　him；　and　called　to　him　as　loud　as　I　could　call。〃



〃What　did　you　say？〃



〃I　said；　'Below　there！　　Look　out！　　Look　out！　　For　God's　sake；　clear

the　way！'〃



I　started。



〃Ah！　it　was　a　dreadful　time；　sir。　　I　never　left　off　calling　to　him。

I　put　this　arm　before　my　eyes　not　to　see；　and　I　waved　this　arm　to

the　last；　but　it　was　no　use。〃





Without　prolonging　the　narrative　to　dwell　on　any　one　of　its　curious

circumstances　more　than　on　any　other；　I　may；　in　closing　it；　point

out　the　coincidence　that　the　warning　of　the　Engine…Driver　included；

not　only　the　words　which　the　unfortunate　Signal…man　had　repeated　to

me　as　haunting　him；　but　also　the　words　which　I　myselfnot　hehad

attached；　and　that　only　in　my　own　mind；　to　the　gesticulation　he　had

imitated。









THE　HAUNTED　HOUSE









CHAPTER　ITHE　MORTALS　IN　THE　HOUSE







Under　none　of　the　accredited　ghostly　circumstances；　and　environed　by

none　of　the　conventional　ghostly　surroundings；　did　I　first　make

acquaintance　with　the　house　which　is　the　subject　of　this　Christmas

piece。　　I　saw　it　in　the　daylight；　with　the　sun　upon　it。　　There　was

no　wind；　no　rain；　no　lightning；　no　thunder；　no　awful　or　unwonted

circumstance；　of　any　kind；　to　heighten　its　effect。　　More　than　that：

I　had　come　to　it　direct　from　a　railway　station：　　it　was　not　more

than　a　mile　distant　from　the　railway　station；　and；　as　I　stood

outside　the　house；　looking　back　upon　the　way　I　had　come；　I　could　see

the　goods　train　running　smoothly　along　the　embankment　in　the　valley。

I　will　not　say　that　everything　was　utterly　commonplace；　because　I

doubt　if　anything　can　be　that；　except　to　utterly　commonplace　people…

…and　there　my　vanity　steps　in；　but；　I　will　take　it　on　myself　to　say

that　anybody　might　see　the　house　as　I　saw　it；　any　fine　autumn

morning。



The　manner　of　my　lighting　on　it　was　this。



I　was　travelling　towards　London　out　of　the　North；　intending　to　stop

by　the　way；　to　look　at　the　house。　　My　health　required　a　temporary

residence　in　the　country；　and　a　friend　of　mine　who　knew　that；　and

who　had　happened　to　drive　past　the　house；　had　written　to　me　to

suggest　it　as　a　likely　place。　　I　had　got　into　the　train　at　midnight；

and　had　fallen　asleep；　and　had　woke　up　and　had　sat　looking　out　of

window　at　the　brilliant　Northern　Lights　in　the　sky；　and　had　fallen

asleep　again；　and　had　woke　up　again　to　find　the　night　gone；　with　the

usual　discontented　conviction　on　me　that　I　hadn't　been　to　sleep　at

all；upon　which　question；　in　the　first　imbecility　of　that

condition；　I　am　ashamed　to　believe　that　I　would　have　done　wager　by

battle　with　the　man　who　sat　opposite　me。　　That　opposite　man　had　had；

through　the　nightas　that　opposite　man　always　hasseveral　legs　too

many；　and　all　of　them　too　long。　　In　addition　to　this　unreasonable

conduct　（which　was　only　to　be　expected　of　him）；　he　had　had　a　pencil

and　a　pocket…book；　and　had　been　perpetually　listening　and　taking

notes。　　It　had　appeared　to　me　that　these　aggravating　notes　related

to　the　jolts　and　bumps　of　the　carriage；　and　I　should　have　resigned

myself　to　his　taking　them；　under　a　general　supposition　that　he　was

in　the　civil…engineering　way　of　life；　if　he　had　not　sat　staring

straight　over　my　head　whenever　he　listened。　　He　was　a　goggle…eyed

gentleman　of　a　perplexed　aspect；　and　his　demeanour　became

unbearable。



It　was　a　cold；　dead　morning　（the　sun　not　being　up　yet）；　and　when　I

had　out…watched　the　paling　light　of　the　fires　of　the　iron　country；

and　the　curtain　of　heavy　smoke　that　hung　at　once　between　me　and　the

stars　and　between　me　and　the　day；　I　turned　to　my　fellow…traveller

and　said：



〃I　BEG　your　pardon；　sir；　but　do　you　observe　anything　particular　in

me〃？　　For；　really；　he　appeared　to　be　taking　down；　either　my

travelling…cap　or　my　hair；　with　a　minuteness　that　was　a　liberty。



The　goggle…eyed　gentleman　withdrew　his　eyes　from　behind　me；　as　if

the　back　of　the　carriage　were　a　hundred　miles　off；　and　said；　with　a

lofty　look　of　compassion　for　my　insignificance：



〃In　you；　sir？B。〃



〃B；　sir？〃　said　I；　growing　warm。



〃I　have　nothing　to　do　with　you；　sir；〃　returned　the　gentleman；　〃pray

let　me　listenO。〃



He　enunciated　this　vowel　after　a　pause；　and　noted　it　down。



At　first　I　was　alarmed；　for　an　Express　lunatic　and　no　communication

with　the　guard；　is　a　serious　position。　　The　thought　came　to　my

relief　that　the　gentleman　might　be　what　is　popularly　called　a

Rapper：　　one　of　a　sect　for　（some　of）　whom　I　have　the　highest

respect；　but　whom　I　don't　believe　in。　　I　was　going　to　ask　him　the

question；　when　he　took　the　bread　out　of　my　mouth。



〃You　will　excuse　me；〃　said　the　gentleman　contemptuously；　〃if　I　am

too　much　in　advance　of　common　humanity　to　trouble　myself　at　all

about　it。　　I　have　passed　the　nightas　indeed　I　pass　the　whole　of　my

time　nowin　spiritual　intercourse。〃



〃O！〃　said　I；　somewhat　snappishly。



〃The　conferences　of　the　night　began；〃　continued　the　gentleman；

turning　several　leaves　of　his　note…book；　〃with　this　message：　　'Evil

communications　corrupt　good　manners。'〃



〃Sound；〃　said　I；　〃but；　absolutely　new？〃



〃New　from　spirits；〃　returned　the　gentleman。



I　could　only　repeat　my　rather　snappish　〃O！〃　and　ask　if　I　might　be

favoured　with　the　last　communication。



〃'A　bird　in　the　hand；'〃　said　the　gentleman；　reading　his　last　entry

with　great　solemnity；　〃'is　worth　two　in　the　Bosh。'〃



〃Truly　I　am　of　the　same