classic mystery and detective stories-第6节

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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　laborhe　had　next　to　none。　　To　change　that

signal；　to　trim　those　lights；　and　to　turn　this　iron　handle　now　and

then；　was　all　he　had　to　do　under　that　head。　　Regarding　those　many

long　and　lonely　hours　of　which　I　seemed　to　make　so　much；　he　could

only　say　that　the　routine　of　his　life　had　shaped　itself　into　that

form；　and　he　had　grown　used　to　it。　　He　had　taught　himself　a

language　down　here；if　only　to　know　it　by　sight；　and　to　have

formed　his　own　crude　ideas　of　its　pronunciation；　could　be　called

learning　it。　　He　had　also　worked　at　fractions　and　decimals；　and

tried　a　little　algebra；　but　he　was；　and　had　been　as　a　boy；　a　poor

hand　at　figures。　　Was　it　necessary　for　him　when　on　duty　always　to

remain　in　that　channel　of　damp　air；　and　could　he　never　rise　into

the　sunshine　from　between　those　high　stone　walls？　　Why；　that

depended　upon　times　and　circumstances。　　Under　some　conditions　there

would　be　less　upon　the　Line　than　under　others；　and　the　same　held

good　as　to　certain　hours　of　the　day　and　night。　　In　bright　weather；

he　did　choose　occasions　for　getting　a　little　above　these　lower

shadows；　but；　being　at　all　times　liable　to　be　called　by　his

electric　bell；　and　at　such　times　listening　for　it　with　redoubled

anxiety；　the　relief　was　less　than　I　would　suppose。



He　took　me　into　his　box；　where　there　was　a　fire；　a　desk　for　an

official　book　in　which　he　had　to　make　certain　entries；　a

telegraphic　instrument　with　its　dial；　face；　and　needles；　and　the

little　bell　of　which　he　had　spoken。　　On　my　trusting　that　he　would

excuse　the　remark　that　he　had　been　well　educated；　and　（I　hoped　I

might　say　without　offence）　perhaps　educated　above　that　station；　he

observed　that　instances　of　slight　incongruity　in　such　wise　would

rarely　be　found　wanting　among　large　bodies　of　men；　that　he　had

heard　it　was　so　in　workhouses；　in　the　police　force；　even　in　that

last　desperate　resource；　the　army；　and　that　he　knew　it　was　so；　more

or　less；　in　any　great　railway　staff。　　He　had　been；　when　young　（if　I

could　believe　it；　sitting　in　that　hut；he　scarcely　could）；　a

student　of　natural　philosophy；　and　had　attended　lectures；　but　he

had　run　wild；　misused　his　opportunities；　gone　down；　and　never　risen

again。　　He　had　no　complaint　to　offer　about　that。　　He　had　made　his

bed；　and　he　lay　upon　it。　　It　was　far　too　late　to　make　another。



All　that　I　have　here　condensed　he　said　in　a　quiet　manner；　with　his

grave　dark　regards　divided　between　me　and　the　fire。　　He　threw　in

the　word；　〃Sir；〃　from　time　to　time；　and　especially　when　he　referred

to　his　youth；as　though　to　request　me　to　understand　that　he

claimed　to　be　nothing　but　what　I　found　him。　　He　was　several　times

interrupted　by　the　little　bell；　and　had　to　read　off　messages；　and

send　replies。　　Once　he　had　to　stand　without　the　door；　and　display　a

flag　as　a　train　passed；　and　make　some　verbal　communication　to　the

driver。　　In　the　discharge　of　his　duties；　I　observed　him　to　be

remarkably　exact　and　vigilant；　breaking　off　his　discourse　at　a

syllable；　and　remaining　silent　until　what　he　had　to　do　was　done。



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　color；

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