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〃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 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