That light was part of his charge? Was it not?
He answered in a low voice, "Don't you know it is?"
The monstrous thought came into my mind, as I perused the fixed eyes
and the saturnine face, that this was a spirit, not a man. I have
speculated since whether there may have been infection in his mind.
In my turn, I stepped back. But in making the action, I detected in
his eyes some latent fear of me. This put the monstrous thought to
flight.
"You look at me," I said, forcing a smile, "as if you had a dread of
me."
"I was doubtful," he returned, "whether I had seen you before."
"Where?"
He pointed to the red light he had looked at.
"There?" I said.
Intently watchful of me, he replied (but without sound), "Yes."
"My good fellow, what should I do there? However, be that as it may,
I never was there, you may swear."
"I think I may," he rejoined. "Yes, I am sure I may."
His manner cleared, like my own. He replied to my remarks with readiness,
and in well-chosen words. Had he much to do there? Yes; that was to
say, he had enough responsibility to bear; but exactness and
watchfulness were what was required of him, and of actual work--manual
labor--he had next to none.
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