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