Three Ghost Stories, Charles Dickens [grave mercy TXT] 📗

life had shaped itself into that form, and he hadgrown used to it. He had taught himself a language down here,--ifonly to know it by sight, and to have formed his own crude ideas ofits pronunciation, could be called learning it. He had also workedat fractions and decimals, and tried a little algebra; but he was,and had been as a boy, a poor hand at figures. Was it necessary forhim when on duty always to remain in that channel of damp air, andcould he never rise into the sunshine from between those high stonewalls? Why, that depended upon times and circumstances. Under someconditions there would be less upon the Line than under others, andthe same held good as to certain hours of the day and night. Inbright weather, he did choose occasions for getting a little abovethese lower shadows; but, being at all times liable to be called byhis electric bell, and at such times listening for it with redoubledanxiety, the relief was less than I would suppose.

He took me into his box, where there was