classic mystery and detective stories-第7章

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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　the　hut　closed　in　again。



〃He　was　cut　down　by　an　engine；　sir。　　No　man　in　England　knew　his

work　better。　　But　somehow　he　was　not　clear　of　the　outer　rail。　　It

was　just　at　broad　day。　　He　had　struck　the　light；　and　had　the　lamp

in　his　hand。　　As　the　engine　came　out　of　the　tunnel；　his　back　was

towards　her；　and　she　cut　him　down。　　That　man　drove　her；　and　was

showing　how　it　happened。　　Show　the　gentleman；　Tom。〃



The　man；　who　wore　a　rough　dark　dress；　stepped　back　to　his　former

place　at　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel。



〃Coming　round　the　curve　in　the　tunnel；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃I　saw　him　at

the　end；　like　as　if　I　saw　him　down　a　perspective…glass。　　There　was

no　time　to　check　speed；　and　I　knew　him　to　be　very　careful。　　As　he

didn't　seem　to　take　heed　of　the　whistle；　I　shut　it　off　when　we　were

running　down　upon　him；　and　called　to　him　as　loud　as　I　could　call。〃



〃What　did　you　say？〃



〃I　said；　'Below　there！　　Look　out！　　Look　out！　　For　God's　sake；　clear

the　way！'〃



I　started。



〃Ah！　it　was　a　dreadful　time；　sir。　　I　never　left　off　calling　to　him。

I　put　this　arm　before　my　eyes　not　to　see；　and　I　waved　this　arm　to

the　last；　but　it　was　no　use。〃





Without　prolonging　the　narrative　to　dwell　on　any　one　of　its　curious

circumstances　more　than　on　any　other；　I　may；　in　closing　it；　point

out　the　coincidence　that　the　warning　of　the　Engine…Driver　included；

not　only　the　words　which　the　unfortunate　Signal…man　had　repeated　to

me　as　haunting　him；　but　also　the　words　which　I　myselfnot　hehad

attached；　and　that　only　in　my　own　mind；　to　the　gesticulation　he　had

imitated。







Bulwer　Lytton





The　Haunted　and　the　Haunters；

Or；　The　House　and　the　Brain





A　friend　of　mine；　who　is　a　man　of　letters　and　a　philosopher；　said

to　me　one　day；　as　if　between　jest　and　earnest；　〃Fancy！　since　we

last　met　I　have　discovered　a　haunted　house　in　the　midst　of　London。〃



〃Really　haunted；and　by　what？ghosts？〃



〃Well；　I　can't　answer　that　question；　all　I　know　is　this：　six　weeks

ago　my　wife　and　I　were　in　search　of　a　furnished　apartment。　　Passing

a　quiet　street；　we　saw　on　the　window　of　one　of　the　houses　a　bill；

'Apartments；　Furnished。'　　The　situation　suited　us；　we　entered　the

house；　liked　the　rooms；　engaged　them　by　the　week；and　left　them

the　third　day。　　No　power　on　earth　could　have　reconciled　my　wife　to

stay　longer；　and　I　don't　wonder　at　it。〃



〃What　did　you　see？〃



〃Excuse　me；　I　have　no　desire　to　be　ridiculed　as　a　superstitious

dreamer；nor；　on　the　other　hand；　could　I　ask　you　to　accept　on　my

affirmation　what　you　would　hold　to　be　incredible　without　the

evidence　of　your　own　senses。　　Let　me　only　say　this；　it　was　not　so

much　what　we　saw　or　heard　（in　which　you　might　fairly　suppose　that

we　were　the　dupes　of　our　own　excited　fancy；　or　the　victims　of

imposture　in　others）　that　drove　us　away；　as　it　was　an　indefinable

terror　which　seized　both　of　us　whenever　we　passed　by　the　door　of　a

certain　unfurnished　room；　in　which　we　neither　saw　nor　heard

anything。　　And　the　strangest　marvel　of　all　was；　that　for　once　in　my

life　I　agreed　with　my　wife；　silly　woman　though　she　be；and

allowed；　after　the　third　night；　that　it　was　impossible　to　stay　a

fourth　in　that　house。　　Accordingly；　on　the　fourth　morning　I

summoned　the　woman　who　kept　the　house　and　attended　on　us；　and　told

her　that　the　rooms　did　not　quite　suit　us；　and　we　would　not　stay　out

our　week。　　She　said　dryly；　'I　know　why；　you　have　stayed　longer　than

any　other　lodger。　　Few　ever　stayed　a　second　night；　none　before　you

a　third。　　But　I　take　it　they　have　been　very　kind　to　you。'



〃'They；who？'　I　asked；　affecting　to　smile。



〃'Why；　they　who　haunt　the　house；　whoever　they　are。　　I　don't　mind

them。　　I　remember　them　many　years　ago；　when　I　lived　in　this　house；

not　as　a　servant；　but　I　know　they　will　be　the　death　of　me　some　day。

I　don't　care；I'm　old；　and　must　die　soon　anyhow；　and　then　I　shall

be　with　them；　and　in　this　house　still。'　　The　woman　spoke　with　so

dreary　a　calmness　that　really　it　was　a　sort　of　awe　that　prevented

my　conversing　with　her　further。　　I　paid　for　my　week；　and　too　happy

were　my　wife　and　I　to　get　off　so　cheaply。〃



〃You　excite　my　curiosity；〃　said　I；　〃nothing　I　should　like　better

than　to　sleep　in　a　haunted　house。　　Pray　give　me　the　address　of　the

one　which　you　left　so　ignominiously。〃



My　friend　gave　me　the　address；　and　when　we　parted；　I　walked

straight　toward　the　house　thus　indicated。



It　is　situated　on　the　north　side　of　Oxford　Street；　in　a　dull　but

respectable　thoroughfare。　　I　found　the　house　shut　up；no　bill　at

the　window；　and　no　response　to　my　knock。　　As　I　was　turning　away；　a

beer…boy；　collecting　pewter　pots　at　the　neighboring　areas；　said　to

me；　〃Do　you　want　any　one　at　that　house；　sir？〃



〃Yes；　I　heard　it　was　to　be　let。〃



〃Let！why；　the　woman　who　kept　it　is　dead；has　been　dead　these

three　weeks；　and　no　one　can　be　found　to　stay　there；　though　Mr。　J

offered　ever　so　much。　　He　offered　mother；　who　chars　for　him；　one

pound　a　week　just　to　open　and　shut　the　windows；　and　she　would　not。〃



〃Would　not！and　why？〃



〃The　house　is　haunted；　and　the　old　woman　who　kept　it　was　found　dead

in　her　bed；　with　her　eyes　wide　open。　　They　say　the　devil　strangled

her。〃



〃Pooh！　　You　speak　of　Mr。　J。　　Is　he　the　owner　of　the　house？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Where　does　he　live？〃



〃In　G　Street；　No。　。〃



〃What　is　he？　　In　any　business？〃



〃No；　sir；nothing　particular；　a　single　gentleman。〃



I　gave　the　potboy　the　gratuity　earned　by　his　liberal　information；

and　proceeded　to　Mr。　J　；　in　G　Street；　which　was　close　by

the　street　that　boasted　the　haunted　house。　　I　was　lucky　enough　to

find　Mr。　J　at　home；an　elderly　man　with　intelligent

countenance　and　prepossessing　manners。



I　communicated　my　name　and　my　business　frankly。　　I　said　I　heard　the

house　was　considered　to　be　haunted；　that　I　had　a　strong　desire　to

examine　a　house　with　so　equivocal　a　reputation；　that　I　should　be

greatly　obliged　if　he　would　allow　me　to　hire　it；　though　only　for　a

night。　　I　was　willing　to　pay　for　that　privilege　whatever　he　might

be　inclined　to　ask。　　〃Sir；〃　said　Mr。　J；　with　great　courtesy；

〃the　house　is　at　your　service；　for　as　short　or　as　long　a　time　as

you　please。　　Rent　is　out　of　the　question；the　obligation　will　be

on　my　side　should　you　be　able　to　discover　the　cause　of　the　strange

phenomena　which　at　present　deprive　it　of　all　value。　　I　cannot　let

it；　for　I　cannot　even　get　a　servant　to　keep　it　in　order　or　answer

the　door。　　Unluckily　the　house　is　haunted；　if　I　may　use　that

expression；　not　only　by　night；　but　by　day；　though　at　night　the

disturbances　are　of　a　more　unpleasant　and　sometimes　of　a　more

alarming　character。　　The　poor　old　woman　who　died　in　it　three　weeks

ago　was　a　pauper　whom　I　took　out　of　a　workhouse；　for　in　her

childhood　she　had　been　known　to　some　of　my　family；　and　had　once

been　in　such　good　circumstances　that　she　had　rented　that　house　of

my　uncle。　　She　was　a　woman　of　superior　education　and　strong　mind；

and　was　the　only　person　I　could　ever　induce　to　remain　in　the　house。

Indeed；　since　her　death；　which　was　sudden；　and　the　coroner's

inquest；　which　gave　it　a　notoriety　in　the　neighborhood；　I　have　so

despaired　of　finding　any　person　to　take　charge　of　the　house；　much

more　a　tenant；　that　I　would　willingly　let　it　rent　free　for　a　year

to　anyone　who　would　pay　its　rates　and　taxes。〃



〃How　long　is　it　since　the　house　acquired　this　sinister　character？〃



〃That　I　can　scarcely　tell　you；　but　very　many　years　since。　　The　old

woman　I　spoke　of；　said　it　was　haunted　when　she　rented　it　between

thirty　and　forty　years　ago。　　The　fact　is；　that　my　life　has　been

spent　in　the　East　Indies；　and　in　the　civil　service　of　the　Company。

I　returned　to　England　last　year；　on　inheriting　the　fortune　of　an

uncle；　among　whose　possessions　was　the　house　in　question。　　I　found

it　shut　up　and　uninhabited。　　I　was　told　that　it　was　haunted；　that

no　one　would　inhabit　it。　　I　smiled　at　what　seemed　to　me　so　idle　a

story。　　I　spent　some　money　in　repairing　it；　added　to　its　old…

fashioned　furniture　a　few　modern　articles；advertised　it；　and

obtained　a　lodger　fo