the notch on the ax and on being found out-第6章

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〃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　times　turning　them　on　me。　　〃What　is　the
danger？　　Where　is　the　danger？　　There　is　danger　overhanging
somewhere　on　the　Line。　　Some　dreadful　calamity　will　happen。　　It　is
not　to　be　doubted　this　third　time；　after　what　has　gone　before。　　But
surely　this　is　a　cruel　haunting　of　ME。　　What　can　I　do？〃

He　pulled　out　his　handkerchief；　and　wiped　the　drops　from　his　heated
forehead。

〃If　I　telegraph　Danger；　on　either　side　of　me；　or　on　both；　I　can
give　no　reason　for　it；〃　he　went　on；　wiping　the　palms　of　his　hands。
〃I　should　get　into　trouble；　and　do　no　good。　　They　would　think　I　was
mad。　　This　is　the　way　it　would　work；Message：　　'Danger！　　Take
care！'　　Answer：　　'What　Danger？　　Where？'　　Message：　　'Don't　know。
But；　for　God's　sake；　take　care！'　　They　would　displace　me。　　What
else　could　they　do？〃

His　pain　of　mind　was　most　pitiable　to　see。　　It　was　the　mental
torture　of　a　conscientious　man；　oppressed　beyond　endurance　by　an
unintelligible　responsibility　involving　life。

〃When　it　first　stood　under　the　Danger…light；〃　he　went　on；　putting
his　dark　hair　back　from　his　head；　and　drawing　his　hands　outward
across　and　across　his　temples　in　an　extremity　of　feverish　distress；
〃why　not　tell　me　where　that　accident　was　to　happen；if　it　must
happen？　　Why　not　tell　me　how　it　could　be　averted；if　it　could　have
been　averted？　　When　on　its　second　coming　it　hid　its　face；　why　not
tell　me；　instead；　'She　is　going　to　die。　　Let　them　keep　her　at
home'？　　If　it　came；　on　those　two　occasions；　only　to　show　me　that
its　warnings　were　true；　and　so　to　prepare　me　for　the　third；　why　not
warn　me　plainly　now？　　And　I；　Lord　help　me！　　A　mere　poor　signal…man
on　this　solitary　station！　　Why　not　go　to　somebody　with　credit　to　be
believed；　and　power　to　act？〃

When　I　saw　him　in　this　state；　I　saw　that　for　the　poor　man's　sake；
as　well　as　for　the　public　safety；　what　I　had　to　do　for　the　time　was
to　compose　his　mind。　　Therefore；　setting　aside　all　question　of
reality　or　unreality　between　us；　I　represented　to　him　that　whoever
thoroughly　discharged　his　duty　must　do　well；　and　that　at　least　it
was　his　comfort　that　he　understood　his　duty；　though　he　did　not
understand　these　confounding　Appearances。　　In　this　effort　I
succeeded　far　better　than　in　the　attempt　to　reason　him　out　of　his
conviction。　　He　became　calm；　the　occupations　incidental　to　his　post
as　the　night　advanced　began　to　make　larger　demands　on　his
attention：　and　I　left　him　at　two　in　the　morning。　　I　had　offered　to
stay　through　the　night；　but　he　would　not　hear　of　it。

That　I　more　than　once　looked　back　at　the　red　light　as　I　ascended
the　pathway；　that　I　did　not　like　the　red　light；　and　that　I　should
have　slept　but　poorly　if　my　bed　had　been　under　it；　I　see　no　reason
to　conceal。　　Nor　did　I　like　the　two　sequences　of　the　accident　and
the　dead　girl。　　I　see　no　reason　to　conceal　that　either。

But　what　ran　most　in　my　thoughts　was　the　consideration　how　ought　I
to　act；　having　become　the　recipient　of　this　disclosure？　　I　had
proved　the　man　to　be　intelligent；　vigilant；　painstaking；　and　exact；
but　how　long　might　he　remain　so；　in　his　state　of　mind？　　Though　in　a
subordinate　position；　still　he　held　a　most　important　trust；　and
would　I　（for　instance）　like　to　stake　my　own　life　on　the　chances　of
his　continuing　to　execute　it　with　precision？

Unable　to　overcome　a　feeling　that　there　would　be　something
treacherous　in　my　communicating　what　he　had　told　me　to　his
superiors　in　the　Company；　without　first　being　plain　with　himself
and　proposing　a　middle　course　to　him；　I　ultimately　resolved　to
offer　to　accompany　him　（otherwise　keeping　his　secret　for　the
present）　to　the　wisest　medical　practitioner　we　could　hear　of　in
those　parts；　and　to　take　his　opinion。　　A　change　in　his　time　of　duty
would　come　round　next　night；　he　had　apprised　me；　and　he　would　be
off　an　hour　or　two　after　sunrise；　and　on　again　soon　after　sunset。
I　had　appointed　to　return　accordingly。

Next　evening　was　a　lovely　evening；　and　I　walked　out　early　to　enjoy
it。　　The　sun　was　not　yet　quite　down　when　I　traversed　the　field…path
near　the　top　of　the　deep　cutting。　　I　would　extend　my　walk　for　an
hour；　I　said　to　myself；　half　an　hour　on　and　half　an　hour　back；　and
it　would　then　be　time　to　go　to　my　signal…man's　box。

Before　pursuing　my　stroll；　I　stepped　to　the　brink；　and　mechanically
looked　down；　from　the　point　from　which　I　had　first　seen　him。　　I
cannot　describe　the　thrill　that　seized　upon　me；　when；　close　at　the
mouth　of　the　tunnel；　I　saw　the　appearance　of　a　man；　with　his　left
sleeve　across　his　eyes；　passionately　waving　his　right　arm。

The　nameless　horror　that　oppressed　me　passed　in　a　moment；　for　in　a
moment　I　saw　that　this　appearance　of　a　man　was　a　man　indeed；　and
that　there　was　a　little　group　of　other　men；　standing　at　a　short
distance；　to　whom　he　seemed　to　be　rehearsing　the　gesture　he　made。
The　Danger…light　was　not　yet　lighted。　　Against　its　shaft；　a　little
low　hut；　entirely　new　to　me；　had　been　made　of　some　wooden　supports
and　tarpaulin。　　It　looked　no　bigger　than　a　bed。

With　an　irresistible　sense　that　something　was　wrong；with　a
flashing　self…reproachful　fear　that　fatal　mischief　had　come　of　my
leaving　the　man　there；　and　causing　no　one　to　be　sent　to　overlook　or
correct　what　he　did；I　descended　the　notched　path　with　all　the
speed　I　could　make。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　I　asked　the　men。

〃Signal…man　killed　this　morning；　sir。〃

〃Not　the　man　belonging　to　that　box？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Not　the　man　I　know？〃

〃You　will　recognise　him；　sir；　if　you　knew　him；〃　said　the　man　who
spoke　for　the　others；　solemnly　uncovering　his　own　head；　and　raising
an　end　of　the　tarpaulin；　〃for　his　face　is　quite　composed。〃

〃Oh；　how　did　this　happen；　how　did　this　happen？〃　I　asked；　turning
from　one　to　another　as