"Very interesting," he said, "but it must be tedious as a career."
"Yes. At first my neck cramped from watching the signals constantly, but after a year I got used to it. And we do get time off, and holidays."
"Holidays?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"When there's fog."
"Ah, of course."
"Those are real holidays for me! I spend all day in the garden, planting, pruning, trimming, killing insects."
"How long have you been here?"
"Ten years as an operator, five as an apprentice. Fifteen total."
"You're..."
"Fifty-five years old."
"How long must you serve to claim a pension?"
"Twenty-five years, sir."
"And how much is the pension?"
"A hundred crowns."
"Poor humanity," Monte Cristo murmured.
"What was that, sir?"
"I said it's very interesting."
"What is?"
"Everything you've shown me. You really don't understand any of these signals?"
"Not at all."
"Have you ever tried to learn them?"
"Never. Why would I?"
"But surely some signals are meant specifically for you?"
