classic mystery and detective stories-第6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！


that　he　〃was　going　aloft　to　the　main　truck；〃　to　have　the

weathercock　down。　　It　was　a　stormy　night　and　I　remonstrated；　but

Jack　called　my　attention　to　its　making　a　sound　like　a　cry　of

despair；　and　said　somebody　would　be　〃hailing　a　ghost〃　presently；　if

it　wasn't　done。　　So；　up　to　the　top　of　the　house；　where　I　could

hardly　stand　for　the　wind；　we　went；　accompanied　by　Mr。　Beaver；　and

there　Jack；　lantern　and　all；　with　Mr。　Beaver　after　him；　swarmed　up

to　the　top　of　a　cupola；　some　two　dozen　feet　above　the　chimneys；　and

stood　upon　nothing　particular；　coolly　knocking　the　weathercock　off；

until　they　both　got　into　such　good　spirits　with　the　wind　and　the

height；　that　I　thought　they　would　never　come　down。　　Another　night；

they　turned　out　again；　and　had　a　chimney…cowl　off。　　Another　night；

they　cut　a　sobbing　and　gulping　water…pipe　away。　　Another　night；

they　found　out　something　else。　　On　several　occasions；　they　both；　in

the　coolest　manner；　simultaneously　dropped　out　of　their　respective

bedroom　windows；　hand　over　hand　by　their　counterpanes；　to

〃overhaul〃　something　mysterious　in　the　garden。



The　engagement　among　us　was　faithfully　kept；　and　nobody　revealed

anything。　　All　we　knew　was；　if　any　one's　room　were　haunted；　no　one

looked　the　worse　for　it。







The　foregoing　story　is　particularly　interesting　as　illustrating　the

leaning　of　Dickens's　mind　toward　the　spiritualistic　and　mystical

fancies　current　in　his　time；　and　the　counterbalance　of　his　common

sense　and　fun。



〃He　probably　never　made　up　his　own　mind；〃　Mr。　Andrew　Lang　declares

in　a　discussion　of　this　Haunted　House　story。　　Mr。　Lang　says　he　once

took　part　in　a　similar　quest；　and　〃can　recognize　the　accuracy　of

most　of　Dickens's　remarks。　　Indeed；　even　to　persons　not　on　the

level　of　the　Odd　Girl　in　education；　the　temptation　to　produce

'phenomena'　for　fun　is　all　but　overwhelming。　　That　people

communicate　hallucinations　to　each　other　'in　some　diseased　way

without　words；'　is　a　modern　theory　perhaps　first　formulated　here　by

Dickens。〃



〃The　Signal　Man's　Story；〃　which　follows；　is　likewise；　Mr。　Lang

believes；　〃probably　based　on　some　real　story　of　the　kind；　some

anecdote　of　premonitions。　　There　are　scores　in　the　records　of　the

Society　for　Psychical　Research。〃The　Editor。







NO。　1　BRANCH　LINE：　THE　SIGNAL…MAN





〃Halloa！　　Below　there！〃



When　he　heard　a　voice　thus　calling　to　him；　he　was　standing　at　the

door　of　his　box；　with　a　flag　in　his　hand；　furled　round　its　short

pole。　　One　would　have　thought；　considering　the　nature　of　the

ground；　that　he　could　not　have　doubted　from　what　quarter　the　voice

came；　but　instead　of　looking　up　to　where　I　stood　on　the　top　of　the

steep　cutting　nearly　over　his　head；　he　turned　himself　about；　and

looked　down　the　Line。　　There　was　something　remarkable　in　his　manner

of　doing　so；　though　I　could　not　have　said　for　my　life　what。　　But　I

know　it　was　remarkable　enough　to　attract　my　notice；　even　though　his

figure　was　foreshortened　and　shadowed；　down　in　the　deep　trench；　and

mine　was　high　above　him；　so　steeped　in　the　glow　of　an　angry　sunset；

that　I　had　shaded　my　eyes　with　my　hand　before　I　saw　him　at　all。



〃Halloa！　　Below！〃



From　looking　down　the　Line；　he　turned　himself　about　again；　and；

raising　his　eyes；　saw　my　figure　high　above　him。



〃Is　there　any　path　by　which　I　can　come　down　and　speak　to　you？〃



He　looked　up　at　me　without　replying；　and　I　looked　down　at　him

without　pressing　him　too　soon　with　a　repetition　of　my　idle

question。　　Just　then　there　came　a　vague　vibration　in　the　earth　and

air；　quickly　changing　into　a　violent　pulsation；　and　an　oncoming

rush　that　caused　me　to　start　back；　as　though　it　had　a　force　to　draw

me　down。　　When　such　vapor　as　rose　to　my　height　from　this　rapid

train　had　passed　me；　and　was　skimming　away　over　the　landscape；　I

looked　down　again；　and　saw　him　refurling　the　flag　he　had　shown

while　the　train　went　by。



I　repeated　my　inquiry。　　After　a　pause；　during　which　he　seemed　to

regard　me　with　fixed　attention；　he　motioned　with　his　rolled…up　flag

towards　a　point　on　my　level；　some　two　or　three　hundred　yards

distant。　　I　called　down　to　him；　〃All　right！〃　and　made　for　that

point。　　There；　by　dint　of　looking　closely　about　me；　I　found　a　rough

zigzag　descending　path　notched　out；　which　I　followed。



The　cutting　was　extremely　deep；　and　unusually　precipitate。　　It　was

made　through　a　clammy　stone；　that　became　oozier　and　wetter　as　I

went　down。　　For　these　reasons；　I　found　the　way　long　enough　to　give

me　time　to　recall　a　singular　air　of　reluctance　or　compulsion　with

which　he　had　pointed　out　the　path。



When　I　came　down　low　enough　upon　the　zigzag　descent　to　see　him

again；　I　saw　that　he　was　standing　between　the　rails　on　the　way　by

which　the　train　had　lately　passed；　in　an　attitude　as　if　he　were

waiting　for　me　to　appear。　　He　had　his　left　hand　at　his　chin；　and

that　left　elbow　rested　on　his　right　hand；　crossed　over　his　breast。

His　attitude　was　one　of　such　expectation　and　watchfulness　that　I

stopped　a　moment；　wondering　at　it。



I　resumed　my　downward　way；　and　stepping　out　upon　the　level　of　the

railroad；　and　drawing　nearer　to　him；　saw　that　he　was　a　dark；　sallow

man；　with　a　dark　beard　and　rather　heavy　eyebrows。　　His　post　was　in

as　solitary　and　dismal　a　place　as　ever　I　saw。　　On　either　side；　a

dripping…wet　wall　of　jagged　stone；　excluding　all　view　but　a　strip

of　sky；　the　perspective　one　way　only　a　crooked　prolongation　of　this

great　dungeon；　the　shorter　perspective　in　the　other　direction

terminating　in　a　gloomy　red　light；　and　the　gloomier　entrance　to　a

black　tunnel；　in　whose　massive　architecture　there　was　a　barbarous；

depressing；　and　forbidding　air。　　So　little　sunlight　ever　found　its

way　to　this　spot；　that　it　had　an　earthy；　deadly　smell；　and　so　much

cold　wind　rushed　through　it；　that　it　struck　chill　to　me；　as　if　I

had　left　the　natural　world。



Before　he　stirred；　I　was　near　enough　to　him　to　have　touched　him。

Not　even　then　removing　his　eyes　from　mine；　he　stepped　back　one

step；　and　lifted　his　hand。



This　was　a　lonesome　post　to　occupy　（I　said）；　and　it　had　riveted　my

attention　when　I　looked　down　from　up　yonder。　　A　visitor　was　a

rarity；　I　should　suppose；　not　an　unwelcome　rarity；　I　hoped？　　In　me；

he　merely　saw　a　man　who　had　been　shut　up　within　narrow　limits　all

his　life；　and　who；　being　at　last　set　free；　had　a　newly…awakened

interest　in　these　great　works。　　To　such　purpose　I　spoke　to　him；　but

I　am　far　from　sure　of　the　terms　I　used；　for；　besides　that　I　am　not

happy　in　opening　any　conversation；　there　was　something　in　the　man

that　daunted　me。



He　directed　a　most　curious　look　towards　the　red　light　near　the

tunnel's　mouth；　and　looked　all　about　it；　as　if　something　were

missing　from　it；　and　then　looked　it　me。



That　light　was　part　of　his　charge？　　Was　it　not？



He　answered　in　a　low　voice；〃Don't　you　know　it　is？〃



The　monstrous　thought　came　into　my　mind；　as　I　perused　the　fixed

eyes　and　the　saturnine　face；　that　this　was　a　spirit；　not　a　man。　　I

have　speculated　since；　whether　there　may　have　been　infection　in　his

mind。



In　my　turn；　I　stepped　back。　　But　in　making　the　action；　I　detected

in　his　eyes　some　latent　fear　of　me。　　This　put　the　monstrous　thought

to　flight。



〃You　look　at　me；〃　I　said；　forcing　a　smile；　〃as　if　you　had　a　dread

of　me。〃



〃I　was　doubtful；〃　he　returned；　〃whether　I　had　seen　you　before。〃



〃Where？〃



He　pointed　to　the　red　light　he　had　looked　at。



〃There？〃　I　said。



Intently　watchful　of　me；　he　replied　（but　without　sound）；　〃Yes。〃



〃My　good　fellow；　what　should　I　do　there？　　However；　be　that　as　it

may；　I　never　was　there；　you　may　swear。〃



〃I　think　I　may；〃　he　rejoined。　　〃Yes；　I　am　sure　I　may。〃



His　manner　cleared；　like　my　own。　　He　replied　to　my　remarks　with

readiness；　and　in　well…chosen　words。　　Had　he　much　to　do　there？

Yes；　that　was　to　say；　he　had　enough　responsibility　to　bear；　but

exactness　and　watchfulness　were　what　was　required　of　him；　and　of

actual　workmanual　lab