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ThreeGhostStories1ThreeGhostStoriesCharlesDickensThreeGhostStories2THESIGNAL-MANHalloa!Belowthere!Whenheheardavoicethuscallingtohim,hewasstandingatthedoorofhisbox,withaflaginhishand,furledrounditsshortpole.Onewouldhavethought,consideringthenatureoftheground,thathecouldnothavedoubtedfromwhatquarterthevoicecame;butinsteadoflookinguptowhereIstoodonthetopofthesteepcuttingnearlyoverhishead,heturnedhimselfabout,andlookeddowntheLine.Therewassomethingremarkableinhismannerofdoingso,thoughIcouldnothavesaidformylifewhat.ButIknowitwasremarkableenoughtoattractmynotice,eventhoughhisfigurewasforeshortenedandshadowed,downinthedeeptrench,andminewashighabovehim,sosteepedintheglowofanangrysunset,thatIhadshadedmyeyeswithmyhandbeforeIsawhimatall.Halloa!Below!FromlookingdowntheLine,heturnedhimselfaboutagain,and,raisinghiseyes,sawmyfigurehighabovehim.IsthereanypathbywhichIcancomedownandspeaktoyou?Helookedupatmewithoutreplying,andIlookeddownathimwithoutpressinghimtoosoonwitharepetitionofmyidlequestion.Justthentherecameavaguevibrationintheearthandair,quicklychangingintoaviolentpulsation,andanoncomingrushthatcausedmetostartback,asthoughithadforcetodrawmedown.Whensuchvapourasrosetomyheightfromthisrapidtrainhadpassedme,andwasskimmingawayoverthelandscape,Ilookeddownagain,andsawhimrefurlingtheflaghehadshownwhilethetrainwentby.Irepeatedmyinquiry.Afterapause,duringwhichheseemedtoregardmewithfixedattention,hemotionedwithhisrolled-upflagtowardsapointonmylevel,sometwoorthreehundredyardsdistant.Icalleddowntohim,Allright!andmadeforthatpoint.There,bydintoflookingcloselyaboutme,Ifoundaroughzigzagdescendingpathnotchedout,whichIfollowed.Thecuttingwasextremelydeep,andunusuallyprecipitate.ItwasThreeGhostStories3madethroughaclammystone,thatbecameoozierandwetterasIwentdown.Forthesereasons,Ifoundthewaylongenoughtogivemetimetorecallasingularairofreluctanceorcompulsionwithwhichhehadpointedoutthepath.WhenIcamedownlowenoughuponthezigzagdescenttoseehimagain,Isawthathewasstandingbetweentherailsonthewaybywhichthetrainhadlatelypassed,inanattitudeasifhewerewaitingformetoappear.Hehadhislefthandathischin,andthatleftelbowrestedonhisrighthand,crossedoverhisbreast.HisattitudewasoneofsuchexpectationandwatchfulnessthatIstoppedamoment,wonderingatit.Iresumedmydownwardway,andsteppingoutupontheleveloftherailroad,anddrawingnearertohim,sawthathewasadarksallowman,withadarkbeardandratherheavyeyebrows.HispostwasinassolitaryanddismalaplaceaseverIsaw.Oneitherside,adripping-wetwallofjaggedstone,excludingallviewbutastripofsky;theperspectiveonewayonlyacrookedprolongationofthisgreatdungeon;theshorterperspectiveintheotherdirectionterminatinginagloomyredlight,andthegloomierentrancetoablacktunnel,inwhosemassivearchitecturetherewasabarbarous,depressing,andforbiddingair.Solittlesunlighteverfounditswaytothisspot,thatithadanearthy,deadlysmell;andsomuchcoldwindrushedthroughit,thatitstruckchilltome,asifIhadleftthenaturalworld.Beforehestirred,Iwasnearenoughtohimtohavetouchedhim.Noteventhenremovinghiseyesfrommine,hesteppedbackonestep,andliftedhishand.Thiswasalonesomeposttooccupy(Isaid),andithadrivetedmyattentionwhenIlookeddownfromupyonder.Avisitorwasararity,Ishouldsuppose;notanunwelcomerarity,Ihoped?Inme,hemerelysawamanwhohadbeenshutupwithinnarrowlimitsallhislife,andwho,beingatlastsetfree,hadanewly-awakenedinterestinthesegreatworks.TosuchpurposeIspoketohim;butIamfarfromsureofthetermsIused;for,besidesthatIamnothappyinopeninganyconversation,therewassomethinginthemanthatdauntedme.Hedirectedamostcuriouslooktowardstheredlightnearthetunnel'sThreeGhostStories4mouth,andlookedallaboutit,asifsomethingweremissingfromit,andthenlookeditme.Thatlightwaspartofhischarge?Wasitnot?Heansweredinalowvoice,--Don'tyouknowitis?Themonstrousthoughtcameintomymind,asIperusedthefixedeyesandthesaturnineface,thatthiswasaspirit,notaman.Ihavespeculatedsince,whethertheremayhavebeeninfectioninhismind.Inmyturn,Isteppedback.Butinmakingtheaction,Idetectedinhiseyessomelatentfearofme.Thisputthemonstrousthoughttoflight.Youlookatme,Isaid,forcingasmile,asifyouhadadreadofme.Iwasdoubtful,hereturned,whetherIhadseenyoubefore.Where?Hepointedtotheredlighthehadlookedat.There?Isaid.Intentlywatchfulofme,hereplied(butwithoutsound),Yes.Mygoodfellow,whatshouldIdothere?However,bethatasitmay,Ineverwasthere,youmayswear.IthinkImay,herejoined.Yes;IamsureImay.Hismannercleared,likemyown.Herepliedtomyremarkswithreadiness,andinwell-chosenwords.Hadhemuchtodothere?Yes;thatwastosay,hehadenoughresponsibilitytobear;butexactnessandwatchfulnesswerewhatwasrequiredofhim,andofactualwork--manuallabour--hehadnexttonone.Tochangethatsignal,totrimthoselights,andtoturnthisironhandlenowandthen,wasallhehadtodounderthathead.RegardingthosemanylongandlonelyhoursofwhichIseemedtomakesomuch,hecouldonlysaythattheroutineofhislifehadshapeditselfintothatform,andhehadgrownusedtoit.Hehadtaughthimselfalanguagedownhere,--ifonlytoknowitbysight,andtohaveformedhisowncrudeideasofitspronunciation,couldbecalledlearningit.Hehadalsoworkedatfractionsanddecimals,andtriedalittlealgebra;buthewas,andh