双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第12部分

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an　met　with！　Young　Jerry；　dress　yourself；　my　boy；　and　while　I　clean　my　boots　keep　a　eye　upon　your　mother　now　and　then；　and　if　you　see　any　signs　of　more　flopping；　give　me　a　call。　For；　I　tell　you；'　here　he　addressed　his　wife　once　more；　‘I　won't　be　gone　agin；　in　this　manner。　I　am　as　rickety　as　a　hackneycoach；　I'm　as　sleepy　as　laudanum；　my　lines　is　strained　to　that　degree　that　I　shouldn't　know；　if　it　wasn't　for　the　pain　in　'em；　which　was　me　and　which　somebody　else；　yet　I'm　none　the　better　for　it　in　pocket；　and　it's　my　suspicion　that　you've　been　at　it　from　morning　to　night　to　prevent　me　from　being　the　better　for　it　in　pocket；　and　I　won't　put　up　with　it；　Aggerawayter；　and　what　do　you　say　now！'
Growling；　in　addition；　such　phrases　as　‘Ah！　yes！　You're　religious；　too。　You　wouldn't　put　yourself　in　opposition　to　the　interests　of　your　husband　and　child；　would　you？　Not　you！'　and　throwing　off　other　sarcastic　sparks　from　the　whirling　grindstone　of　his　indignation；　Mr。　Cruncher　betook　himself　to　his　boot…cleaning　and　his　general　preparation　for　business。　In　the　meantime；　his　son；　whose　head　was　garnished　with　tenderer　spikes；　and　whose　young　eyes　stood　close　by　one　another；　as　his　father's　did；　kept　the　required　watch　upon　his　mother。　He　greatly　disturbed　that　poor　woman　at　intervals；　by　darting　out　of　his　sleeping　closet；　where　he　made　his　toilet；　with　a　suppressed　cry　of　‘You　are　going　to　flop；　mother。……Halloa；　father！'　and；　after　raising　this　fictitious　alarm；　darting　in　again　with　an　undutiful　grin。
Mr。　Cruncher's　temper　was　not　at　all　improved　when　he　came　to　his　breakfast。　He　resented　Mrs。　Cruncher's　saying　grace　with　particular　animosity。
‘Now；　Aggerawayter！　What　are　you　up　to？　At　it　agin？'
His　wife　explained　that　she　had　merely　‘asked　a　blessing。'
‘Don't　do　it！'　said　Mr。　Cruncher；　looking　about；　as　if　he　rather　expected　to　see　the　loaf　disappear　under　the　efficacy　of　his　wife's　petitions。　‘I　ain't　a　going　to　be　blest　out　of　house　and　home。　I　won't　have　my　wittles　blest　off　my　table。　Keep　still！'
Exceedingly　red…eyed　and　grim；　as　if　he　had　been　up　all　night　at　a　party　which　had　taken　anything　but　a　convivial　turn；　Jerry　Cruncher　worried　his　breakfast　rather　than　ate　it；　growling　over　it　like　any　four…footed　inmate　of　a　menagerie。　Towards　nine　o'clock　he　smoothed　his　ruffled　aspect；　and；　presenting　as　respectful　and　business…like　an　exterior　as　he　could　overlay　his　natural　self　with；　issued　forth　to　the　occupation　of　the　day。
It　could　scarcely　be　called　a　trade；　in　spite　of　his　favourite　description　of　himself　as　‘a　honest　tradesman。'　His　stock　consisted　of　a　wooden　stool；　made　out　of　a　broken…backed　chair　cut　down；　which　stool；　young　Jerry；　walking　at　his　father's　side；　carried　every　morning　to　beneath　the　banking…house　window　that　was　nearest　Temple　Bar：　where；　with　the　addition　of　the　first　handful　of　straw　that　could　be　gleaned　from　any　passing　vehicle　to　keep　the　cold　and　wet　from　the　odd…job…man's　feet；　it　formed　the　encampment　for　the　day。　On　this　post　of　his；　Mr。　Cruncher　was　as　well　known　to　Fleet…street　and　the　Temple；　as　the　Bar　itself；……and　was　almost　as　ill…looking。
Encamped　at　a　quarter　before　nine；　in　good　time　to　touch　his　three…cornered　hat　to　the　oldest　of　men　as　they　passed　in　to　Tellson's；　Jerry　took　up　his　station　on　this　windy　March　morning；　with　young　Jerry　standing　by　him；　when　not　engaged　in　making　forays　through　the　Bar；　to　inflict　bodily　and　mental　injuries　of　an　acute　description　on　passing　boys　who　were　small　enough　for　his　amiable　purpose。　Father　and　son；　extremely　like　each　other；　looking　silently　on　at　the　morning　traffic　in　Fleet…street；　with　their　two　heads　as　near　to　one　another　as　the　two　eyes　of　each　were；　bore　a　considerable　resemblance　to　a　pair　of　monkeys。　The　resemblance　was　not　lessened　by　the　accidental　circumstance；　that　the　mature　Jerry　bit　and　spat　out　straw；　while　the　twinkling　eyes　of　the　youthful　Jerry　were　as　restlessly　watchful　of　him　as　of　everything　else　in　Fleet…street。
The　head　of　one　of　the　regular　indoor　messengers　attached　to　Tellson's　establishment　was　put　through　the　door；　and　the　word　was　given。
‘Porter　wanted！'
‘Hooray；　father！　Here's　an　early　job　to　begin　with！'
Having　thus　given　his　parent　God　speed；　young　Jerry　seated　himself　on　the　stool；　entered　on　his　reversionary　interest　in　the　straw　his　father　had　been　chewing；　and　cogitated。
‘Always　rusty！　His　fingers　is　al…ways　rusty！'　muttered　young　Jerry。　‘Where　does　my　father　get　all　that　iron　rust　from？　He　don't　get　no　iron　rust　here！'
CHAPTER　II
A　Sight
‘YOU　know　the　Old　Bailey　well；　no　doubt？'　said　one　of　the　oldest　of　clerks　to　Jerry　the　messenger。
‘Ye…es；　sir；'　returned　Jerry；　in　something　of　a　dogged　manner。　‘I　do　know　the　Bailey。'
‘Just　so。　And　you　know　Mr。　Lorry。'
‘I　know　Mr。　Lorry；　sir；　much　better　than　I　know　the　Bailey。　Much　better；'　said　Jerry；　not　unlike　a　reluctant　witness　at　the　establishment　in　question；　‘than　I；　as　a　honest　tradesman；　wish　to　know　the　Bailey。'
‘Very　well。　Find　the　door　where　the　witnesses　go　in；　and　show　the　door…keeper　this　note　for　Mr。　Lorry。　He　will　then　let　you　in。'
‘Into　the　court；　sir？'
‘Into　the　court。'
Mr。　Cruncher's　eyes　seemed　to　get　a　little　closer　to　one　another；　and　to　interchange　the　inquiry；　‘What　do　you　think　of　this？'
‘Am　I　to　wait　in　the　court；　sir？'　he　asked；　as　the　result　of　that　conference。
‘I　am　going　to　tell　you。　The　door…keeper　will　pass　the　note　to　Mr。　Lorry；　and　do　you　make　any　gesture　that　will　attract　Mr。　Lorry's　attention；　and　show　him　where　you　stand。　Then　what　you　have　to　do；　is；　to　remain　there　until　he　wants　you。'
‘Is　that　all；　sir？'
‘That's　all。　He　wishes　to　have　a　messenger　at　hand。　This　is　to　tell　him　you　are　there。'
As　the　ancient　clerk　deliberately　folded　and　superscribed　the　note；　Mr。　Cruncher；　after　surveying　him　in　silence　until　he　came　to　the　blotting…paper　stage；　remarked：
‘I　suppose　they'll　be　trying　Forgeries　this　morning？'
‘Treason！'
‘That's　quartering；'　said　Jerry。　‘Barbarous！'
‘It　is　the　law；'　remarked　the　ancient　clerk；　turning　his　surprised　spectacles　upon　him。　‘It　is　the　law。
‘It　‘shard　in　the　law　to　spile　a　man；　I　think。　It　‘shard　enough　to　kill　him；　but　it's　wery　hard　to　spile　him；　sir。'
‘Not　at　all；'　returned　the　ancient　clerk。　‘Speak　well　of　the　law。　Take　care　of　your　chest　and　voice；　my　good　friend；　and　leave　the　law　to　take　care　of　itself。　I　give　you　that　advice。'
‘It's　the　damp；　sir；　what　settles　on　my　chest　and　voice；'　said　Jerry。　‘I　leave　you　to　judge　what　a　damp　way　of　earning　a　living　mine　is。'
‘Well；　well；'　said　the　old　clerk；　‘we　all　have　our　various　ways　of　gaining　a　livelihood。　Some　of　us　have　damp　ways；　and　some　of　us　have　dry　ways。　Here　is　the　letter。　Go　along。'
Jerry　took　the　letter；　and；　remarking　to　himself　with　less　internal　deference　than　he　made　an　outward　show　of；　‘You　are　a　lean　old　one；　too；'　made　his　bow；　informed　his　son；　in　passing；　of　＇‘is　destination；　and　went　his　way。
They　hanged　at　Tyburn；　in　those　days；　so　the　street　outside　Newgate　had　not　obtained　one　infamous　notoriety　that　has　since　attached　to　it。　But；　the　gaol　was　a　vile　place；　in　which　most　kinds　of　debauchery　and　villainy　were　practised；　and　where　dire　diseases　were　bred；　that　came　into　court　with　the　prisoners；　and　sometimes　rushed　straight　from　the　dock　at　my　Lord　Chief　Justice　himself；　and　pulled　him　off　the　bench。　It　had　more　than　once　happened；　that　the　Judge　in　the　black　cap　pronounced　his　own　doom　as　certainly　as　the　prisoner's；　and　even　died　before　him。　For　the　rest；　the　Old　Bailey　was　famous　as　a　kind　of　deadly　inn…yard；　from　which　pale　travellers　set　out　continually；　in　carts　and　coaches；　on　a　violent　passage　into　the　other　world：　traversing　some　two　miles　and　a　half　of　public　street　and　road；　and　shaming　few　good　citizens；　if　any。　So　powerful　is　use；　and　so　desirable　to　be　good　use　in　the　beginning。　It　was　famous；　too；　for　the　pillory；　a　wise　old　institution；　that　inflicted　a　punishment　of　which　no　one　could　foresee　the　extent；　also；　for　the　whipping…post；　another　dear　old　institution；　very　humanising　and　softening　to　behold　in　action；　also；　for　extensive　transactions　in　blood…money；　another　fragment　of　ancestral　wisdom；　systematically　leading　to　the　most　frightful　mercenary　crimes　that　could　be　mitted　under　Heaven。　Altogether；　the　Old　Bailey；　at　that　date；　was　a　choice　illustration　of　the　precept；　that　‘Whatever　is　is　right；'　an　aphorism　that　would　be　as　final　as　it　is　lazy；　did　it　not　include　the　troublesome　consequence；　that　nothing　that　ever　was；　was　wrong。
Making　his　way　through　the　tainted　crowd；　dispersed　up　and　down　this　hideous　scene　of　action；　with　the　skill　of　a　man　accustomed　to　make　his　way　quietly；　the　messenger　found　out　the　door　he　sought；　and　handed　in　his　letter　through　a　trap　in　it。　For　people　then　paid　to　see　the　play　at　the　Old　Bailey；　just　as　they　paid　to　see　the　play　in　Bedlam……only　the　former　entertainment　was　much　the　dearer。　Therefore；　all　the　Old　Bailey　doors　were　well　guarded……except；　indeed；　the　social　doors　by　which　the　criminals　got　there；　and　those　were　always　left　wide　open。
After　some　delay　and　demur；　the　door　grudgingly　turned　on　its　hinges　a　very　little　way；　and　allowed　Mr。　Jerry　Cruncher　to　squeeze　himself　into　court。
‘What's　on？'　he　asked；　in　a　whisper；　of　the　man　he　found　himself　next　to。
‘Nothing　yet。'
‘What's　ing　on；？'
‘The　Treason　case。
‘The　quartering　one；　eh？'
‘Ah！'　returned　the　man；　with　a　relish；　‘he'll　be　drawn　on　a　hurdle　to　be　half　hanged；　and　then　he'll　be　taken　down　and　sliced　before　his　own　face；　and　then　his　inside　will　be　taken　out　and　burnt　while　he　looks　on；　and　then　his　head　will　be　chopped　off；　and　he'll　be　cut　into　quarters。　That　the　sentence。'
‘If　he's　found　Guilty；　you　mean　to　say？'　Jerry　added；　by　way　of　proviso。
‘Oh！　they'll　find　him　guilty；'　said　the　other。　‘Don't　you　be　afraid　of　that。'
Mr。　Cruncher's　attention　was　here　diverted　to　the　doorkeeper；　whom　he　saw　making　his　way　to　Mr。　Lorry；　with　the　note　in　his　hand。　Mr。　Lorry　sat　at　a　table；　among　the　gentlemen　in　wigs：　not　far　from　a　wigged　gentleman；　the　prisoner's　counsel；　who　had　a　great　bundle　of　papers　before　him：　and　nearly　opposite　another　wigged　gentleman　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　whose　whole　attention；　when　Mr。　Cruncher　looked　at　him　then　or　afterwards；　seemed　to　be　concentrated　on　the