three ghost stories-第13章

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individuality。



When　the　murder　was　first　discovered；　no　suspicion　fellor　I　ought

rather　to　say；　for　I　cannot　be　too　precise　in　my　facts；　it　was

nowhere　publicly　hinted　that　any　suspicion　fellon　the　man　who　was

afterwards　brought　to　trial。　　As　no　reference　was　at　that　time　made

to　him　in　the　newspapers；　it　is　obviously　impossible　that　any

description　of　him　can　at　that　time　have　been　given　in　the

newspapers。　　It　is　essential　that　this　fact　be　remembered。



Unfolding　at　breakfast　my　morning　paper；　containing　the　account　of

that　first　discovery；　I　found　it　to　be　deeply　interesting；　and　I

read　it　with　close　attention。　　I　read　it　twice；　if　not　three　times。

The　discovery　had　been　made　in　a　bedroom；　and；　when　I　laid　down　the

paper；　I　was　aware　of　a　flashrushflowI　do　not　know　what　to

call　it；no　word　I　can　find　is　satisfactorily　descriptive；in

which　I　seemed　to　see　that　bedroom　passing　through　my　room；　like　a

picture　impossibly　painted　on　a　running　river。　　Though　almost

instantaneous　in　its　passing；　it　was　perfectly　clear；　so　clear　that

I　distinctly；　and　with　a　sense　of　relief；　observed　the　absence　of

the　dead　body　from　the　bed。



It　was　in　no　romantic　place　that　I　had　this　curious　sensation；　but

in　chambers　in　Piccadilly；　very　near　to　the　corner　of　St。　James's

Street。　　It　was　entirely　new　to　me。　　I　was　in　my　easy…chair　at　the

moment；　and　the　sensation　was　accompanied　with　a　peculiar　shiver

which　started　the　chair　from　its　position。　　（But　it　is　to　be　noted

that　the　chair　ran　easily　on　castors。）　　I　went　to　one　of　the　windows

（there　are　two　in　the　room；　and　the　room　is　on　the　second　floor）　to

refresh　my　eyes　with　the　moving　objects　down　in　Piccadilly。　　It　was

a　bright　autumn　morning；　and　the　street　was　sparkling　and　cheerful。

The　wind　was　high。　　As　I　looked　out；　it　brought　down　from　the　Park　a

quantity　of　fallen　leaves；　which　a　gust　took；　and　whirled　into　a

spiral　pillar。　　As　the　pillar　fell　and　the　leaves　dispersed；　I　saw

two　men　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　way；　going　from　West　to　East。

They　were　one　behind　the　other。　　The　foremost　man　often　looked　back

over　his　shoulder。　　The　second　man　followed　him；　at　a　distance　of

some　thirty　paces；　with　his　right　hand　menacingly　raised。　　First；

the　singularity　and　steadiness　of　this　threatening　gesture　in　so

public　a　thoroughfare　attracted　my　attention；　and　next；　the　more

remarkable　circumstance　that　nobody　heeded　it。　　Both　men　threaded

their　way　among　the　other　passengers　with　a　smoothness　hardly

consistent　even　with　the　action　of　walking　on　a　pavement；　and　no

single　creature；　that　I　could　see；　gave　them　place；　touched　them；　or

looked　after　them。　　In　passing　before　my　windows；　they　both　stared

up　at　me。　　I　saw　their　two　faces　very　distinctly；　and　I　knew　that　I

could　recognise　them　anywhere。　　Not　that　I　had　consciously　noticed

anything　very　remarkable　in　either　face；　except　that　the　man　who

went　first　had　an　unusually　lowering　appearance；　and　that　the　face

of　the　man　who　followed　him　was　of　the　colour　of　impure　wax。



I　am　a　bachelor；　and　my　valet　and　his　wife　constitute　my　whole

establishment。　　My　occupation　is　in　a　certain　Branch　Bank；　and　I

wish　that　my　duties　as　head　of　a　Department　were　as　light　as　they

are　popularly　supposed　to　be。　　They　kept　me　in　town　that　autumn；

when　I　stood　in　need　of　change。　　I　was　not　ill；　but　I　was　not　well。

My　reader　is　to　make　the　most　that　can　be　reasonably　made　of　my

feeling　jaded；　having　a　depressing　sense　upon　me　of　a　monotonous

life；　and　being　〃slightly　dyspeptic。〃　　I　am　assured　by　my　renowned

doctor　that　my　real　state　of　health　at　that　time　justifies　no

stronger　description；　and　I　quote　his　own　from　his　written　answer　to

my　request　for　it。



As　the　circumstances　of　the　murder；　gradually　unravelling；　took

stronger　and　stronger　possession　of　the　public　mind；　I　kept　them

away　from　mine　by　knowing　as　little　about　them　as　was　possible　in

the　midst　of　the　universal　excitement。　　But　I　knew　that　a　verdict　of

Wilful　Murder　had　been　found　against　the　suspected　murderer；　and

that　he　had　been　committed　to　Newgate　for　trial。　　I　also　knew　that

his　trial　had　been　postponed　over　one　Sessions　of　the　Central

Criminal　Court；　on　the　ground　of　general　prejudice　and　want　of　time

for　the　preparation　of　the　defence。　　I　may　further　have　known；　but　I

believe　I　did　not；　when；　or　about　when；　the　Sessions　to　which　his

trial　stood　postponed　would　come　on。



My　sitting…room；　bedroom；　and　dressing…room；　are　all　on　one　floor。

With　the　last　there　is　no　communication　but　through　the　bedroom。

True；　there　is　a　door　in　it；　once　communicating　with　the　staircase；

but　a　part　of　the　fitting　of　my　bath　has　beenand　had　then　been　for

some　yearsfixed　across　it。　　At　the　same　period；　and　as　a　part　of

the　same　arrangement；the　door　had　been　nailed　up　and　canvased

over。



I　was　standing　in　my　bedroom　late　one　night；　giving　some　directions

to　my　servant　before　he　went　to　bed。　　My　face　was　towards　the　only

available　door　of　communication　with　the　dressing…room；　and　it　was

closed。　　My　servant's　back　was　towards　that　door。　　While　I　was

speaking　to　him；　I　saw　it　open；　and　a　man　look　in；　who　very

earnestly　and　mysteriously　beckoned　to　me。　　That　man　was　the　man　who

had　gone　second　of　the　two　along　Piccadilly；　and　whose　face　was　of

the　colour　of　impure　wax。



The　figure；　having　beckoned；　drew　back；　and　closed　the　door。　　With

no　longer　pause　than　was　made　by　my　crossing　the　bedroom；　I　opened

the　dressing…room　door；　and　looked　in。　　I　had　a　lighted　candle

already　in　my　hand。　　I　felt　no　inward　expectation　of　seeing　the

figure　in　the　dressing…room；　and　I　did　not　see　it　there。



Conscious　that　my　servant　stood　amazed；　I　turned　round　to　him；　and

said：　　〃Derrick；　could　you　believe　that　in　my　cool　senses　I　fancied

I　saw　a〃　　As　I　there　laid　my　hand　upon　his　breast；　with　a　sudden

start　he　trembled　violently；　and　said；　〃O　Lord；　yes；　sir！　　A　dead

man　beckoning！〃



Now　I　do　not　believe　that　this　John　Derrick；　my　trusty　and　attached

servant　for　more　than　twenty　years；　had　any　impression　whatever　of

having　seen　any　such　figure；　until　I　touched　him。　　The　change　in　him

was　so　startling；　when　I　touched　him；　that　I　fully　believe　he

derived　his　impression　in　some　occult　manner　from　me　at　that

instant。



I　bade　John　Derrick　bring　some　brandy；　and　I　gave　him　a　dram；　and

was　glad　to　take　one　myself。　　Of　what　had　preceded　that　night's

phenomenon；　I　told　him　not　a　single　word。　　Reflecting　on　it；　I　was

absolutely　certain　that　I　had　never　seen　that　face　before；　except　on

the　one　occasion　in　Piccadilly。　　Comparing　its　expression　when

beckoning　at　the　door　with　its　expression　when　it　had　stared　up　at

me　as　I　stood　at　my　window；　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　on　the

first　occasion　it　had　sought　to　fasten　itself　upon　my　memory；　and

that　on　the　second　occasion　it　had　made　sure　of　being　immediately

remembered。



I　was　not　very　comfortable　that　night；　though　I　felt　a　certainty；

difficult　to　explain；　that　the　figure　would　not　return。　　At　daylight

I　fell　into　a　heavy　sleep；　from　which　I　was　awakened　by　John

Derrick's　coming　to　my　bedside　with　a　paper　in　his　hand。



This　paper；　it　appeared；　had　been　the　subject　of　an　altercation　at

the　door　between　its　bearer　and　my　servant。　　It　was　a　summons　to　me

to　serve　upon　a　Jury　at　the　forthcoming　Sessions　of　the　Central

Criminal　Court　at　the　Old　Bailey。　　I　had　never　before　been　summoned

on　such　a　Jury；　as　John　Derrick　well　knew。　　He　believedI　am　not

certain　at　this　hour　whether　with　reason　or　otherwisethat　that

class　of　Jurors　were　customarily　chosen　on　a　lower　qualification

than　mine；　and　he　had　at　first　refused　to　accept　the　summons。　　The

man　who　served　it　had　taken　the　matter　very　coolly。　　He　had　said

that　my　attendance　or　non…attendance　was　nothing　to　him；　there　the

summons　was；　and　I　should　deal　with　it　at　my　own　peril；　and　not　at

his。



For　a　day　or　two　I　was　undecided　whether　to　respond　to　this　call；　or

take　no