按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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