«The Track-Walker»

"The Track-Walker" is a short story written by Hendrik Conscience, a Belgian author. The story centers around a track-walker, who is responsible for the safety of a stretch of railroad track in rural Belgium. The track-walker is a solitary figure, who spends his days and nights walking the track, looking for signs of damage or sabotage. Over time, the track-walker becomes increasingly isolated from the rest of society, until he becomes almost like a ghost haunting the track. The story was first published in 1852 and is considered one of Conscience's most powerful works.