第 2 节
作者:
人生几何 更新:2021-08-28 17:14 字数:9322
In a word; I should have set this man down as one of the safest of
men to be employed in that capacity; but for the circumstance that
while he was speaking to me he twice broke off with a fallen colour;
turned his face towards the little bell when it did NOT ring; opened
the door of the hut (which was kept shut to exclude the unhealthy
damp); and looked out towards the red light near the mouth of the
tunnel。 On both of those occasions; he came back to the fire with
the inexplicable air upon him which I had remarked; without being
able to define; when we were so far asunder。
Said I; when I rose to leave him; 〃You almost make me think that I
have met with a contented man。〃
(I am afraid I must acknowledge that I said it to lead him on。)
〃I believe I used to be so;〃 he rejoined; in the low voice in which
he had first spoken; 〃but I am troubled; sir; I am troubled。〃
He would have recalled the words if he could。 He had said them;
however; and I took them up quickly。
〃With what? What is your trouble?〃
〃It is very difficult to impart; sir。 It is very; very difficult to
speak of。 If ever you make me another visit; I will try to tell
you。〃
〃But I expressly intend to make you another visit。 Say; when shall
it be?〃
〃I go off early in the morning; and I shall be on again at ten to…
morrow night; sir。〃
〃I will come at eleven。〃
He thanked me; and went out at the door with me。 〃I'll show my
white light; sir;〃 he said; in his peculiar low voice; 〃till you
have found the way up。 When you have found it; don't call out! And
when you are at the top; don't call out!〃
His manner seemed to make the place strike colder to me; but I said
no more than; 〃Very well。〃
〃And when you come down to…morrow night; don't call out! Let me ask
you a parting question。 What made you cry; 'Halloa! Below there!'
to…night?〃
〃Heaven knows;〃 said I。 〃I cried something to that effect〃
〃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; a