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第7节

classic mystery and detective stories-第7节

小说: classic mystery and detective stories 字数: 每页4000字

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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 Someone 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; and judge how my mind is

troubled。  The spectre came back a week ago。  Ever since; it has

been there; now and again; by fits and starts。〃



〃At the light?〃



〃At the Danger…light。〃



〃What does it seem to do?〃



He repeated; if possible with increased passion and vehemence; that

former gesticulation of; 〃For God's sake; clear the way!〃



Then he went on。  〃I have no peace or rest for it。  It calls to me;

for many minutes together; in an agonised manner; 'Below there!

Look out!  Look out!'  It stands waving to me。  It rings my little

bell〃



I caught at that。  〃Did it ring your bell yesterday evening when I

was here; and you went to the door?〃



〃Twice。〃



〃Why; see;〃 said I; 〃how your imagination misleads you。  My eyes

were on the bell; and my ears were open to the bell; and if I am a

living man; it did NOT ring at those times。  No; nor at any other

time; except when it was rung in the natural course of physical

things by the station communicating with you。〃



He shook his head。  〃I have never made a mistake as to that yet;

sir。  I have never confused the spectre's ring with the man's。  The

ghost's ring is a strange vibration in the bell that it derives

from nothing else; and I have not asserted that the bell stirs to

the eye。  I don't wonder that you failed to hear it。  But I heard

it。〃



〃And did the spectre seem to be there; when you looked out?〃



〃It WAS there。〃



〃Both times?〃



He repeated firmly:  〃Both times。〃



〃Will you come to the door with me; and look for it now?〃



He bit his under lip as though he were somewhat unwilling; but

arose。  I opened the door; and stood on the step; while he stood in

the doorway。  There was the Danger…light。  There was the dismal

mouth of the tunnel。  There were the high; wet stone walls of the

cutting。  There were the stars above them。



〃Do you see it?〃 I asked him; taking particular note of his face。

His eyes were prominent and strained; but not very much more so;

perhaps; than my own had been when I had directed them earnestly

towards the same spot。



〃No;〃 he answered。  〃It is not there。〃



〃Agreed;〃 said I。



We went in again; shut the door; and resumed our seats。  I was

thinking how best to improve this advantage; if it might be called

one; when he took up the conversation in such a matter…of…course

way; so assuming that there could be no serious question of fact

between us; that I felt myself placed in the weakest of positions。



〃By this time you will fully understand; sir;〃 he said; 〃that what

troubles me so dreadfully is the question; What does the spectre

mean?〃



I was not sure; I told him; that I did fully understand。



〃What is its warning against?〃 he said; ruminating; with his eyes

on the fire; and only by 

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