Page 35 - The English Carnival 7
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“Heaven knows,” said I. “I cried something to that effect—”
“Not to that effect, sir. Those were the very words. I know them well.”
“Admit those were the very words. I said them, no doubt, because I saw you below.”
“For no other reason?”
“What other reason could I possibly have?”
“You had no feeling that they were conveyed to you in any supernatural way?”
“No.”
He wished me good-night, and held up his light. I walked by the side of the down Line
of rails (with a very disagreeable sensation of a train coming behind me) until I found
the path. It was easier to mount than to descend, and I got back to my inn without any
adventure.
Punctual to my appointment, I placed my foot on the first notch of the zigzag next night,
as the distant clocks were striking eleven. He was waiting for me at the bottom, with
his white light on. “I have not called out,” I said, when we came close together; “may I
speak now?” “By all means, sir.” “Good-night, then, and here’s my hand.” “Good-night,
sir, and here’s mine.” With that we walked side by side to his box, entered it, closed
the door, and sat down by the fire.
“I have made up my mind, sir,” he began, bending forward as soon as we were seated,
and speaking in a tone but a little above a whisper, “that you shall not have to ask me
twice what troubles me. I took you for some one else yesterday evening. That troubles
me.”
“That mistake?”
“No. That some one else.”
“Who is it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Like me?”
“I don’t know. I never saw the face. The left arm is across the face, and the right arm
is waved, violently waved. This way.”
I followed his action with my eyes, and it was the action of an arm gesticulating, with
the utmost passion and vehemence, “For God’s sake, clear the way!”
“One moonlight night,” said the man, “I was sitting here, when I heard a voice cry,
‘Halloa! Below there!’ I started up, looked from that door, and saw this Some one else
standing by the red light near the tunnel, waving as I just now showed you. The voice
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The Englsih Carnival-8
