the notch on the ax and on being found out-第4章

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do　at　such　a　time；　but　I　suppose　he　knew　his　own　business　best；　and
I　must　say　that　if　she　had　been　MY　wife；　I　never　could　have　left
her　endearing　and　bright　face　behind。　　They　drew　the　Clock　Room。
Alfred　Starling；　an　uncommonly　agreeable　young　fellow　of　eight…and…
twenty　for　whom　I　have　the　greatest　liking；　was　in　the　Double　Room；
mine；　usually；　and　designated　by　that　name　from　having　a　dressing…
room　within　it；　with　two　large　and　cumbersome　windows；　which　no
wedges　I　was　ever　able　to　make；　would　keep　from　shaking；　in　any
weather；　wind　or　no　wind。　　Alfred　is　a　young　fellow　who　pretends　to
be　〃fast〃　（another　word　for　loose；　as　I　understand　the　term）；　but
who　is　much　too　good　and　sensible　for　that　nonsense；　and　who　would
have　distinguished　himself　before　now；　if　his　father　had　not
unfortunately　left　him　a　small　independence　of　two　hundred　a　year；
on　the　strength　of　which　his　only　occupation　in　life　has　been　to
spend　six。　　I　am　in　hopes；　however；　that　his　Banker　may　break；　or
that　he　may　enter　into　some　speculation　guaranteed　to　pay　twenty
per　cent。；　for；　I　am　convinced　that　if　he　could　only　be　ruined；　his
fortune　is　made。　　Belinda　Bates；　bosom　friend　of　my　sister；　and　a
most　intellectual；　amiable；　and　delightful　girl；　got　the　Picture
Room。　　She　has　a　fine　genius　for　poetry；　combined　with　real
business　earnestness；　and　〃goes　in〃to　use　an　expression　of
Alfred'sfor　Woman's　mission；　Woman's　rights；　Woman's　wrongs；　and
everything　that　is　woman's　with　a　capital　W；　or　is　not　and　ought　to
be；　or　is　and　ought　not　to　be。　　〃Most　praiseworthy；　my　dear；　and
Heaven　prosper　you！〃　I　whispered　to　her　on　the　first　night　of　my
taking　leave　of　her　at　the　Picture…Room　door；　〃but　don't　overdo　it。
And　in　respect　of　the　great　necessity　there　is；　my　darling；　for
more　employments　being　within　the　reach　of　Woman　than　our
civilisation　has　as　yet　assigned　to　her；　don't　fly　at　the
unfortunate　men；　even　those　men　who　are　at　first　sight　in　your　way；
as　if　they　were　the　natural　oppressors　of　your　sex；　for；　trust　me；
Belinda；　they　do　sometimes　spend　their　wages　among　wives　and
daughters；　sisters；　mothers；　aunts；　and　grandmothers；　and　the　play
is；　really；　not　ALL　Wolf　and　Red　Riding…Hood；　but　has　other　parts
in　it。〃　　However；　I　digress。

Belinda；　as　I　have　mentioned；　occupied　the　Picture　Room。　　We　had
but　three　other　chambers：　the　Corner　Room；　the　Cupboard　Room；　and
the　Garden　Room。　　My　old　friend；　Jack　Governor；　〃slung　his
hammock；〃　as　he　called　it；　in　the　Corner　Room。　　I　have　always
regarded　Jack　as　the　finest…looking　sailor　that　ever　sailed。　　He　is
gray　now；　but　as　handsome　as　he　was　a　quarter　of　a　century　ago
nay；　handsomer。　　A　portly；　cheery；　well…built　figure　of　a　broad…
shouldered　man；　with　a　frank　smile；　a　brilliant　dark　eye；　and　a
rich　dark　eyebrow。　　I　remember　those　under　darker　hair；　and　they
look　all　the　better　for　their　silver　setting。　　He　has　been　wherever
his　Union　namesake　flies；　has　Jack；　and　I　have　met　old　shipmates　of
his；　away　in　the　Mediterranean　and　on　the　other　side　of　the
Atlantic；　who　have　beamed　and　brightened　at　the　casual　mention　of
his　name；　and　have　cried；　〃You　know　Jack　Governor？　　Then　you　know　a
prince　of　men！〃　　That　he　is！　　And　so　unmistakably　a　naval　officer；
that　if　you　were　to　meet　him　coming　out　of　an　Esquimaux　snow…hut　in
seal's　skin；　you　would　be　vaguely　persuaded　he　was　in　full　naval
uniform。

Jack　once　had　that　bright　clear　eye　of　his　on　my　sister；　but；　it
fell　out　that　he　married　another　lady　and　took　her　to　South
America；　where　she　died。　　This　was　a　dozen　years　ago　or　more。　　He
brought　down　with　him　to　our　haunted　house　a　little　cask　of　salt
beef；　for；　he　is　always　convinced　that　all　salt　beef　not　of　his　own
pickling；　is　mere　carrion；　and　invariably；　when　he　goes　to　London；
packs　a　piece　in　his　portmanteau。　　He　had　also　volunteered　to　bring
with　him　one　〃Nat　Beaver；〃　an　old　comrade　of　his；　captain　of　a
merchantman。　　Mr。　Beaver；　with　a　thick…set　wooden　face　and　figure；
and　apparently　as　hard　as　a　block　all　over；　proved　to　be　an
intelligent　man；　with　a　world　of　watery　experiences　in　him；　and
great　practical　knowledge。　　At　times；　there　was　a　curious
nervousness　about　him；　apparently　the　lingering　result　of　some　old
illness；　but；　it　seldom　lasted　many　minutes。　　He　got　the　Cupboard
Room；　and　lay　there　next　to　Mr。　Undery；　my　friend　and　solicitor：
who　came　down；　in　an　amateur　capacity；　〃to　go　through　with　it；〃　as
he　said；　and　who　plays　whist　better　than　the　whole　Law　List；　from
the　red　cover　at　the　beginning　to　the　red　cover　at　the　end。

I　never　was　happier　in　my　life；　and　I　believe　it　was　the　universal
feeling　among　us。　　Jack　Governor；　always　a　man　of　wonderful
resources；　was　Chief　Cook；　and　made　some　of　the　best　dishes　I　ever
ate；　including　unapproachable　curries。　　My　sister　was　pastry　cook
and　confectioner。　　Starling　and　I　were　Cook's　Mate；　turn　and　turn
about；　and　on　special　occasions　the　chief　cook　〃pressed〃　Mr。
Beaver。　　We　had　a　great　deal　of　outdoor　sport　and　exercise；　but
nothing　was　neglected　within；　and　there　was　no　ill…humor　or
misunderstanding　among　us；　and　our　evenings　were　so　delightful　that
we　had　at　least　one　good　reason　for　being　reluctant　to　go　to　bed。

We　had　a　few　night　alarms　in　the　beginning。　　On　the　first　night；　I
was　knocked　up　by　Jack　with　a　most　wonderful　ship's　lantern　in　his
hand；　like　the　gills　of　some　monster　of　the　deep；　who　informed　me
that　he　〃was　going　aloft　to　the　main　truck；〃　to　have　the
weathercock　down。　　It　was　a　stormy　night　and　I　remonstrated；　but
Jack　called　my　attention　to　its　making　a　sound　like　a　cry　of
despair；　and　said　somebody　would　be　〃hailing　a　ghost〃　presently；　if
it　wasn't　done。　　So；　up　to　the　top　of　the　house；　where　I　could
hardly　stand　for　the　wind；　we　went；　accompanied　by　Mr。　Beaver；　and
there　Jack；　lantern　and　all；　with　Mr。　Beaver　after　him；　swarmed　up
to　the　top　of　a　cupola；　some　two　dozen　feet　above　the　chimneys；　and
stood　upon　nothing　particular；　coolly　knocking　the　weathercock　off；
until　they　both　got　into　such　good　spirits　with　the　wind　and　the
height；　that　I　thought　they　would　never　come　down。　　Another　night；
they　turned　out　again；　and　had　a　chimney…cowl　off。　　Another　night；
they　cut　a　sobbing　and　gulping　water…pipe　away。　　Another　night；
they　found　out　something　else。　　On　several　occasions；　they　both；　in
the　coolest　manner；　simultaneously　dropped　out　of　their　respective
bedroom　windows；　hand　over　hand　by　their　counterpanes；　to
〃overhaul〃　something　mysterious　in　the　garden。

The　engagement　among　us　was　faithfully　kept；　and　nobody　revealed
anything。　　All　we　knew　was；　if　any　one's　room　were　haunted；　no　one
looked　the　worse　for　it。



The　foregoing　story　is　particularly　interesting　as　illustrating　the
leaning　of　Dickens's　mind　toward　the　spiritualistic　and　mystical
fancies　current　in　his　time；　and　the　counterbalance　of　his　common
sense　and　fun。

〃He　probably　never　made　up　his　own　mind；〃　Mr。　Andrew　Lang　declares
in　a　discussion　of　this　Haunted　House　story。　　Mr。　Lang　says　he　once
took　part　in　a　similar　quest；　and　〃can　recognize　the　accuracy　of
most　of　Dickens's　remarks。　　Indeed；　even　to　persons　not　on　the
level　of　the　Odd　Girl　in　education；　the　temptation　to　produce
'phenomena'　for　fun　is　all　but　overwhelming。　　That　people
communicate　hallucinations　to　each　other　'in　some　diseased　way
without　words；'　is　a　modern　theory　perhaps　first　formulated　here　by
Dickens。〃

〃The　Signal　Man's　Story；〃　which　follows；　is　likewise；　Mr。　Lang
believes；　〃probably　based　on　some　real　story　of　the　kind；　some
anecdote　of　premonitions。　　There　are　scores　in　the　records　of　the
Society　for　Psychical　Research。〃The　Editor。



NO。　1　BRANCH　LINE：　THE　SIGNAL…MAN


〃Halloa！　　Below　there！〃

When　he　heard　a　voice　thus　calling　to　him；　he　was　standing　at　the
door　of　his　box；　with　a　flag　in　his　hand；　furled　round　its　short
pole。　　One　would　have　thought；　considering　the　nature　of　the
ground；　that　he　could　not　have　doubted　from　what　quarter　the　voice
came；　but　instead　of　looking　up　to　where　I　stood　on　the　top　of　the
steep　cutting　nearly　over　his　head；　he　turned　himself　about；　and
looked　down　the　Line。　　There　was　something　remarkable　in　his　manner
of　doing　so；　though　I　could　not　have　said　for　my　life　what。　　But　I
know　it　was　remarkable　enough　to　attract　my　notice；　even　though　his
figure　was　foreshortened　and　shadowed；　down　in　the　deep　trench；　and
mine　was　high　above　him；　so　steeped　in　the　glow　of　an　angry　sunset；
that　I　had　shaded　my　eyes　with　my　hand　before　I　saw　him　at　all。

〃Halloa！　　Below！〃

From　looking　down　the　Line；　he　turned　himself　about　again；　and；
raising　his　eyes；　saw　my　figure　high　above　him。

〃Is　there　any　path　by　which　I　can　come　down　and　speak　to　you？〃

He　looked　up　at　me　without　replying；　and　I　looked　down　at　him
without　pressing　him　too　soon　with　a　repetition　of　my　idle
question。　　Just　then　there　came　a　vague　vibration　in　the　earth　and
air；　quickly　changing　into　a　violent　pulsation；　and　an　oncoming
rush　that　caused　me　to　start　back；　as　though　it　had　a　force　to　draw
me　down。　　When　such　vapor　as　rose　to　my　height　from　this　rapid
train　had　passed　me；　and　was　skimming　away　over　the　landscape；　I
looked　down　again；　and　saw　him　refurling　the　flag　he　had　shown
while　the　train　went　by。

I　repeated　my　inquiry。　　After　a　pause；　during　which　he　seemed　to
regard　me　with　fixed　attention；　he　motioned　with　his　rolled…up　flag
towards　a　point　on　my　level；　some　two　or　three　hundred　yards
distant。　　I　called　down　to　him；　〃All　right！〃　and　made　for　that
point。　　There；　by　dint　of　looking　closely　about　me；　I　found　a　rough
zigzag　descending　path　notched　out；　which　I　followed。

The　cutting　was　extremely　deep；　and　unusually　precipitate。　　It　was
made　through　a　clammy　stone；　that　became　oozier　and　wetter　as　I
went　down。　　For　these　reasons；　I　found　the　way　long　enough　to　give
me　time　to　recall　a　singular　air　of　reluctance　or　compulsion　with
which　he　had　pointed　out　the　path。

When　I　came　down　low　enough　upon　the　zigzag　descent　to　see　him
again；　I　saw　that　he　was　standing　between　the　rails　on　the　way　by
which　the　train　had　lately　passed；　in　an　attitude　as　if　he　were
waiting　for　me　to　appear。　　He　had　his　left　hand　at　his　chin；　and
that　left　elbow　rested　on　his　right　hand；　crossed　over　his　breast。
His　attitude　was　one　of　such　expectation　and　watchfulness　that　I
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