双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第18部分

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e　hob；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　wreck　of　papers　a　table　shone；　with　plenty　of　wine　upon　it；　and　brandy；　and　rum；　and　sugar；　and　lemons。
‘You　have　had　your　bottle；　I　perceive；　Sydney。'
‘Two　to…night；　I　think。　I　have　been　dining　with　the　day's　client；　or　seeing　him　dine……it's　all　one！'
‘That　was　a　rare　point；　Sydney；　that　you　brought　to　bear　upon　the　identification。　How　did　you　e　by　it？　When　did　it　strike　you？'
‘I　thought　he　was　rather　a　handsome　fellow；　and　I　thought　I　should　have　been　much　the　same　sort　of　fellow；　if　I　had　had　any　luck。'
Mr。　Stryver　laughed　till　he　shook　his　precocious　paunch。
‘You　and　your　luck；　Sydney！　Get　to　work；　get　to　work。'　Sullenly　enough；　the　jackal　loosened　his　dress；　went　into　an　adjoining　room；　and　came　back　with　a　large　jug　of　cold　water；　a　basin；　and　a　towel　or　two。　Steeping　the　towels　in　the　water；　and　partially　wringing　them　out；　he　folded　them　on　his　head　in　a　manner　hideous　to　behold；　sat　down　at　the　table；　and　said；　‘Now　I　am　ready！'
‘Not　much　boiling　down　to　be　done　to…night；　Memory；'　said　Mr。　Stryver；　gaily；　as　he　looked　among　his　papers。
‘How　much？'
‘Only　two　sets　of　them。'
‘Give　me　the　worst　first。'
‘There　they　are；　Sydney。　Fire　away！'
The　lion　then　posed　himself　on　his　back　on　a　sofa　on　one　side　of　the　drinking…table；　while　the　jackal　sat　at　his　own　Paper　bestrewn　table　proper；　on　the　other　side　of　it；　with　the　bottles　and　glasses　ready　to　his　hand。　Both　resorted　to　the　drinking…table　without　stint；　but　each　in　a　different　way；　the　lion　for　the　most　part　reclining　with　his　hands　in　his　waistband；　looking　at　the　fire；　or　occasionally　flirting　with　some　lighter　document；　the　jackal；　with　knitted　brows　and　intent　face；　so　deep　in　his　task；　that　his　eyes　did　not　even　follow　the　hand　he　stretched　out　for　his　glass……which　often　groped　about；　for　a　minute　or　more；　before　it　found　the　glass　for　his　lips。　Two　or　three　times；　the　matter　in　hand　became　so　knotty；　that　the　jackal　found　it　imperative　on　him　to　get　up；　and　steep　his　towels　anew。　From　these　pilgrimages　to　the　jug　and　basin；　he　returned　with　such　eccentricities　of　damp　headgear　as　no　words　can　describe；　which　were　made　the　more　ludicrous　by　his　anxious　gravity。
At　length　the　jackal　had　got　together　a　pact　repast　for　the　lion；　and　proceeded　to　offer　it　to　him。　The　lion　took　it　with　care　and　caution；　made　his　selections　from　it；　and　his　remarks　upon　it；　and　the　jackal　assisted　both。　When　the　repast　was　fully　discussed；　the　lion　put　his　hands　in　his　waistband　again；　and　lay　down　to　meditate。　The　jackal　then　invigorated　himself　with　a　bumper　for　his　throttle；　and　a　fresh　application　to　his　head；　and　applied　himself　to　the　collection　of　a　second　meal；　this　was　administered　to　the　lion　in　the　same　manner；　and　was　not　disposed　of　until　the　clocks　struck　three　in　the　morning。
‘And　now　we　have　done；　Sydney；　fill　a　bumper　of　punch；'　said　Mr。　Stryver。
The　jackal　removed　the　towels　from　his　head；　which　had　been　steaming　again；　shook　himself；　yawned；　shivered；　and　plied。
‘You　were　very　sound；　Sydney；　in　the　matter　of　those　crown　witnesses　to…day。　Every　question　told。'
‘I　always　am　sound；　am　I　not？'
‘I　don't　gainsay　it。　What　has　roughen'ed　your　temper？　Put　some　punch　to　it　and　smooth　it　again。
With　a　deprecatory　grunt；　the　jackal　again　plied。
‘The　old　Sydney　Carton　of　old　Shrewsbury　School；'　said　Stryver；　nodding　his　head　over　him　as　he　reviewed　him　in　the　present　and　the　past；　‘the　old　seesaw　Sydney。　Up　one　minute　and　down　the　next；　now　in　spirits　and　now　in　despondency！'
‘Ah！'　returned　the　other；　sighing：　‘yes！　The　same　Sydney；　with　the　same　luck。　Even　then；　I　did　exercises　for　other　boys；　and　seldom　did　my　own。'
‘And　why　not？'　‘God　knows。　It　was　my　way；　I　suppose。'
He　sat；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　his　legs　stretched　out　before　him；　looking　at　the　fire。
‘Carton；'　said　his　friend；　squaring　himself　at　him　with　a　bullying　air；　as　if　the　fire…grate　had　been　the　furnace　in　which　sustained　endeavour　was　forged；　and　the　one　delicate　thing　to　be　done　for　the　old　Sydney　Carton　of　old　Shrewsbury　School　was　to　shoulder　him　into　it；　‘your　way　is；　and　always　was；　a　lame　way。　You　summon　no　energy　and　purpose。　Look　at　me。
‘Oh；　botheration！'　returned　Sydney；　with　a　lighter　and　more　good…humoured　laugh；　‘don't　*you　be　moral！'
‘How　have　I　done　what　I　have　done？'　said　Stryver；　‘how　do　I　do　what　I　do？'
‘Partly　through　paying　me　to　help　you；　I　suppose。　But　it's　not　worth　your　while　to　apostrophise　me；　or　the　air；　about　it；　what　you　want　to　do；　you　do。　You　were　always　in　the　front　rank；　and　I　was　always　behind。'
‘I　had　to　get　into　the　front　rank；　I　was　not　born　there；　was　I？'
‘I　was　not　present　at　the　ceremony；　but　my　opinion　is　you　were；'　said　Carton。　At　this；　he　laughed　again；　and　they　both　laughed。
‘Before　Shrewsbury；　and　at　Shrewsbury；　and　ever　since　Shrewsbury；'　pursued　Carton；　‘you　have　fallen　into　your　rank；　and　I　have　fallen　into　mine。　Even　when　we　were　fellow　students　in　the　Student…Quarter　of　Paris；　picking　up　French；　and　French　law；　and　other　French　crumbs　that　we　didn't　get　much　good　of；　you　were　always　somewhere；　and　I　was　always……nowhere。'
‘And　whose　fault　was　that？'
‘Upon　my　soul；　I　am　not　sure　that　it　was　not　yours。　You　were　always　driving　and　riving　and　shouldering　and　pressing；　to　that　restless　degree　that　I　had　no　chance　for　my　life　but　in　rust　and　repose。　It's　a　gloomy　thing；　however；　to　talk　about　one's　Own　past；　with　the　day　breaking。　Turn　me　in　some　other　direction　before　I　go。'
‘Well　then！　Pledge　me　to　the　pretty　witness；'　said　Stryver；　holding　up　his　glass。　‘Are　you　turned　in　a　pleasant　direction？'
Apparently　not；　for　he　became　gloomy　again。
‘Pretty　witness；'　he　muttered；　looking　down　into　his　glass。　‘I　have　had　enough　of　witnesses　to…day　and　to…night；　who's　your　pretty　witness？'
‘The　picturesque　doctor's　daughter；　Miss　Manette。'
‘She　pretty？'
‘Is　she　not？'
‘No。'
‘Why；　man　alive；　she　was　the　admiration　of　the　whole　Court！'
‘Rot　the　admiration　of　the　whole　Court！　Who　made　the　Old　Bailey　a　judge　of　beauty？　She　was　a　golden…haired　doll！'
‘Do　you　know；　Sydney；'　said　Mr。　Stryver；　looking　at　him　with　sharp　eyes；　and　slowly　drawing　a　hand　across　his　florid　face：　‘do　you　know；　I　rather　thought；　at　the　time；　that　you　sympathised　with　the　golden…haired　doll；　and　were　quick　to　see　what=　happened　to　the　golden…haired　doll？'
‘Quick　to　see　what　happened！　If　a　girl；　doll　or　no　doll；　swoons　within　a　yard　or　two　of　a　man's　nose；　he　can　see　it　without　a　perspective…glass。　I　pledge　you；　but　I　deny　the　beauty。　And　now　I'll　have　no　more　drink；　I'll　get　to　bed。'
When　his　host　followed　him　out　on　the　staircase　with　a　candle；　to　light　him　down　the　stairs；　the　day　was　coldly　looking　in　through　its　grimy　windows。　When　he　got　out　of　the　house；　the　air　was　cold　and　sad；　the　dull　sky　overcast；　the　river　dark　and　dim；　the　whole　scene　like　a　lifeless　desert。　And　wreaths　of　dust　were　spinning　round　and　round　before　the　morning　blast；　as　if　the　desert…sand　had　risen　far　away；　and　the　first　spray　of　it　in　its　advance　had　begun　to　overwhelm　the　city。
Waste　forces　within　him；　and　a　desert'　all　around；　this　man　stood　still　on　his　way　across　a　silent　terrace；　and　saw　for　a　moment；　lying　in　the　wilderness　before　him；　a　mirage　of　honourable　ambition；　self…denial；　and　perseverance。　In　the　fair　city　of　this　vision；　there　were　airy　galleries　from　which　the　loves　and　graces　looked　upon　him；　gardens　in　which　the　fruits　of　life　hung　ripening；　waters　of　Hope　that　sparkled　in　his　sight。　A　moment；　and　it　was　gone。　Climbing　to　a　high　chamber　in　a　well　of　houses；　he　threw　himself　down　in　his　clothes　on　a　neglected　bed；　and　its　pillow　was　wet　with　wasted　tears。
Sadly；　sadly；　the　sun　rose；　it　rose　upon　no　sadder　sight　than　the　man　of　good　abilities　and　good　emotions；　incapable　of　their　directed　exercise；　incapable　of　his　own　help　and　his　own　happiness；　sensible　of　the　blight　on　him；　and　resigning　him…self　to　let　it　cat　him　away。
CHAPTER　VI
Hundreds　of　People
THE　quiet　lodgings　of　Doctor　Manette　were　in　a　quiet　street…corner　not　far　from　Soho…square。　On　the　afternoon　of　a　certain　fine　Sunday　when　the　waves　of　four　months　had　rolled　over　the　trial　for　treason；　and　carried　it；　as　to　the　public　interest　and　memory；　far　out　to　sea；　Mr。　Jarvis　Lorry　walked　along　the　sunny　streets　from　Clerkenwell　where　he　lived；　on　his　way　to　dine　with　the　Doctor。　After　several　relapses　into　business…absorption；　Mr。　Lorry　had　bee　the　Doctor's　friend；　and　the　quiet　street…corner　was　the　sunny　part　of　his　life。
On　this　certain　fine　Sunday；　Mr。　Lorry　walked　towards　Soho；　early　in　the　afternoon；　for　three　reasons　of　habit。　Firstly；　because；　on　fine　Sundays；　he　often　walked　out；　before　dinner；　with　the　Doctor　and　Lucie；　secondly；　because；　on　unfavourable　Sundays；　he　was　accustomed　to　be　with　them　as　the　family　friend；　talking；　reading；　looking　out　of　window；　and　generally　getting　through　the　day；　thirdly；　because　he　happened　to　have　his　own　little　shrewd　doubts　to　solve；　and　knew　how　the　ways　of　the　Doctor's　household　pointed　to　that　time　as　a　likely　time　for　solving　them。
A　quainter　corner　than　the　corner　where　the　Doctor　lived；　was　not　to　be　found　in　London。　There　was　no　way　through　it；　and　the　front　windows　of　the　Doctor's　lodgings　manded　a　pleasant　little　vista　of　street　that　had　a　congenial　air　of　retirement　on　it。　There　were　few　buildings　then；　north　of　the　Oxford…road；　and　forest…trees　flourished；　and　wild　flowers　grew；　and　the　hawthorn　blossomed；　in　the　now　vanished　fields。　As　a　consequence；　country　airs　circulated　in　Soho　with　vigorous　freedom；　instead　of　languishing　into　the　parish　like　stray　paupers　without　a　settlement；　and　there　was　many　a　good　south　wall；　not　far　off；　on　which　the　peaches　ripened　in　their　season。
The　summer　light　struck　into　the　corner　brilliantly　in　the　earlier　part　of　the　day；　but；　when　the　streets　grew　hot；　the　corner　was　in　shadow；　though　not　in　shadow　so　remote　but　that　you　could　see　beyond　it　into　a　glare　of　brightness。　It　was　a　cool　spot；　staid　but　cheerful；　a　wonderful　place　for　echoes；　and　a　very　harbour　from　the　raging　streets。
There　ought　to　have　been　a　tranquil　bark　in　such　an　anchorage；　and　there　was。　The　Doctor　occupied　two　floors　of　a　large　still　house；　where　several　callings　purported　to　be　pursued　by　day；　but　whereof　little　was　audi