双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第35部分

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eeable。　But；　madame　sat　all　day　at　her　counter；　so　expressly　unconscious　of　him；　and　so　particularly　determined　not　to　perceive　that　his　being　there　had　any　connexion　with　anything　below　the　surface；　that　he　shook　in　his　wooden　shoes　whenever　his　eye　lighted　on　her。　For；　he　contended　with　himself　that　it　was　impossible　to　foresee　what　that　lady　might　pretend　next；　and　he　felt　assured　that　if　she　should　take　it　into　her　brightly　ornamented　head　to　pretend　that　she　had　seen　him　do　a　murder　and　afterwards　Ray　the　victim；　she　would　infallibly　go　through　with　it　until　the　play　was　played　out。
Therefore；　when　Sunday　came；　the　mender　of　roads　was　not　enchanted　（though　he　said　he　was）　to　find　that　madame　was　to　acpany　monsieur　and　himself　to　Versailles。　It　was　additionally　disconcerting　to　have　madame　knitting　all　the　way　there；　in　a　public　conveyance；　it　was　additionally　disconcerting　yet；　to　have　madame　in　the　crowd　in　the　afternoon；　still　with　her　knitting　in　her　hands　as　the　crowd　waited　to　see　the　carriage　of　the　King　and　Queen。
‘You　work　hard；　madame；'　said　a　man　near　her。
‘Yes；'　answered　Madame　Defarge；　‘I　have　a　good　deal　to　do。'
‘What　do　you　make；　madame？'
‘Many　things。'
‘For　instance……'
‘For　instance；'　returned　Madame　Defarge；　posedly；　‘shrouds。'
The　man　moved　a　little　further　away；　as　soon　as　he　could；　and　the　mender　of　roads　fanned　himself　with　his　blue　cap：　feeling　it　mightily　close　and　oppressive。　If　he　needed　a　King　and　Queen　to　restore　him；　he　was　fortunate　in　having　his　remedy　at　hand；　for；　soon　the　large…faced　King　and　the　fair…faced　Queen　came　in　their　golden　coach；　attended　by　the　shining　Bull's　Eye　of　their　Court；　a　glittering　multitude　of　laughing　ladies　and　fine　lords；　and　in　jewels　and　silks　and　powder　and　splendour　and　elegantly　spurning　figures　and　handsomely　disdainful　faces　of　both　sexes；　the　mender　of　roads　bathed　himself；　so　much　to　his　temporary　intoxication；　that　he　cried　Long　live　the　King；　Long　live　the　Queen；　Long　live　everybody　and　everything！　as　if　he　had　never　heard　of　ubiquitous　Jacques　in　his　time。　Then；　there　were　gardens；　courtyards；　terraces；　fountains；　green　banks；　more　King　and　Queen；　more　Bull's　Eye；　more　lords　and　ladies；　more　Long　live　they　all！　until　he　absolutely　wept　with　sentiment。　During　the　whole　of　this　scene；　which　lasted　some　three　hours；　he　had　plenty　of　shouting　and　weeping　and　sentimental　pany；　and　I　throughout　Defarge　held　him　by　the　collar；　as　if　to　restrain　him　from　flying　at　the　objects　of　his　brief　devotion　and　tearing　them　pieces。
‘Bravo'　said　Defarge；　clapping　him　on　the　back　when　it　was　Over；　like　a　patron；　‘you　are　a　good　boy！'
The　mender　of　roads　was　now　ing　to　himself；　and　was　mistrustful　of　having　made　a　mistake　in　his　late　demonstrations；　but　no。
‘You　are　the　fellow　we　want；'　said　Defarge；　in　his　ear；　‘you　make　these　fools　believe　that　it　will　last　for　ever。　Then；　they　are　the　more　insolent；　and　it　is　the　nearer　ended。'
‘Hey！'　cried　the　mender　of　roads；　reflectively；　‘that's　true。'　‘These　fools　know　nothing。　While　they　despise　your　breath；　and　would　stop　it　for　ever　and　ever；　in　you　or　in　a　hundred　like　you　rather　than　in　one　of　their　own　horses　or　dogs；　they　only　know　what　your　breath　tells　them。　Let　it　deceive　them；　then；　a　little　longer；　it　cannot　deceive　them　too　much。'
Madame　Defarge　looked　superciliously　at　the　client；　and　nodded　in　confirmation。
‘As　to　you；'　said　she；　‘you　would　shout　and　shed　tears　for　anything；　if　it　made　a　show　and　a　noise。　Say！　Would　you　not？'
‘Truly；　madame；　I　think　so。　For　the　moment。'
‘If　you　were　shown　a　great　heap　of　dolls；　and　were　set　upon　them　to　pluck　them　to　pieces　and　despoil　them　for　your　own　advantage；　you　would　pick　out　the　richest　and　gayest。　Say！　Would　you　not？'
‘Truly　yes；　madame。'
‘Yes。　And　if　you　were　shown　a　flock　of　birds；　unable　to　fly；　and　were　set　upon　them　to　strip　them　of　their　feathers　for　your　own　advantage；　you　would　set　upon　the　birds　of　the　finest　feathers；　would　you　not？'
‘It　is　true；　madame。'
‘You　have　seen　both　dolls　and　birds　today；'　said　Madame　Defarge；　with　a　wave　of　her　hand　towards　the　place　where　they　had　last　been　apparent；　‘now；　go　home！'　
CHAPTER　XVI
Still　knitting
MADAME　DEFARGE　and　monsieur　her　husband　returned　amicably　to　the　bosom　of　Saint　Antoine；　while　a　speck　in　a　blue　cap　toiled　through　the　darkness；　and　through　the　dust；　and　down　the　weary　miles　of　avenue　by　the　wayside；　slowly　tending　towards　that　point　of　the　pass　where　the　chateau　of　Monsieur　the　Marquis；　now　in　his　grave；　listened　to　the　whispering　trees。　Such　ample　leisure　had　the　stone　faces；　now；　for　listening　to　the　trees　and　to　the　fountain；　that　the　few　village　scarecrows　who；　in　their　quest　for　herbs　to　eat　and　fragments　of　dead　stick　to　burn；　strayed　within　sight　of　the　great　stone　courtyard　and　terrace　staircase；　had　it　borne　in　upon　their　starved　fancy　that　the　expression　of　the　faces　was　altered。　A　rumour　just　lived　in　the　village……had　a　faint　and　bare　existence　there；　as　its　people　had　that　when　the　knife　struck　home；　the　faces　changed；　from　faces　of　pride　to　faces　of　anger　and　pain　also；　that　when　that　dangling　figure　was　hauled　up　forty　fee　above　the　fountain；　they　changed　again；　and　bore　a　cruel　look　of　being　avenged；　which　they　would　henceforth　bear　for　ever。　In　the　stone　face　over　the　great　window　of　the　bed…chamber　where　the　murder　was　done；　two　fine　dints　were　pointed　out　in　the　sculptured　nose；　which　everybody　recognised；　and　which　nobody　had　seen　of　old；　and　on　the　scarce　occasions　when　two　or　three　ragged　peasants　emerged　from　the　crowd　to　take　a　hurried　peep　at　Monsieur　the　Marquis　petrified；　a　skinny　finger　would　not　have　pointed　to　it　for　a　minute；　before　they　all　started　away　among　the　moss　and　leaves；　like　the　more　fortunate　hares　who　could　find　a　living　there。
Chateau　and　hut；　stone　face　and　dangling　figure；　the　red　stain　on　the　stone　floor；　and　the　pure　water　in　the　village　well……thousands　of　acres　of　land……a　whole　province　of　France……all　France　itself……lay　under　the　night　sky；　concentrated　into　a　faint　hairbreadth　line。　So　does　a　whole　world；　with　all　its　greatnesses　and　littlenesses；　lie　in　a　twinkling　star。　And　as　mere　human　knowledge　can　split　a　ray　of　light　and　analyse　the　manner　of　its　position；　so；　sublimer　intelligences　may　read　in　the　feeble　shining　of　this　earth　of　ours；　every　thought　and　act；　every　vice　and　virtue；　of　every　responsible　creature　on　it。
The　Defarges；　husband　and　wife；　came　lumbering　under　the　starlight；　in　their　public　vehicle；　to　that　gate　of　Paris　whereunto　their　journey　naturally　tended。　There　was　the　usual　stoppage　at　the　barrier　guardhouse；　and　the　usual　lanterns　came　glancing　forth　for　the　usual　examination　and　inquiry。　Monsieur　Defarge　alighted；　knowing　one　or　two　of　the　soldiery　there；　and　one　of　the　police。　The　latter　he　was　intimate　with；　and　affectionately　embraced。
When　Saint　Antoine　had　again　enfolded　the　Defarges　in　his　dusky　wings；　and　they；　having　finally　alighted　near　the　Saint's　boundaries；　were　picking　their　way　on　foot　through　the　black　mud　and　offal　of　his　streets；　Madame　Defarge　spoke　to　her　husband：
‘Say　then；　my　friend；　what　did　Jacques　of　the　police　tell　thee？'　
‘Very　little　tonight；　but　all　he　knows。　There　is　another　spy　missioned　for　our　quarter。　There　may　be　many　more；　for　all　that　he　can　say；　but　he　knows　of　one。'
‘Eh　well！'　said　Madame　Defarge；　raising　her　eyebrows　with　a　cool　business　air。　‘It　is　necessary　to　register　him。　How　do　they　call　that　man？'
‘He　is　English。'
‘So　much　the　better。　His　name？'
‘Barsad；'　said　Defarge；　making　it　French　by　pronunciation。　But；　he　had　been　so　careful　to　get　it　accurately；　that　he　then　spelt　it　with　perfect　correctness。
‘Barsad；；'　repeated　madame。　‘Good。　Christian　name？'
‘John。'
‘John　Barsad；'　repeated　madame；　after　murmuring　it　once　to　herself。　‘Good。　His　appearance；　is　it　known？'
‘Age；　about　forty　years；　height；　about　five　feet　nine；　black　hair；　plexion　dark；　generally；　rather　handsome　visage；　eyes　dark；　face　thin；　long；　and　sallow；　nose　aquiline；　but　not　straight；　having　a　peculiar　inclination　towards　the　left　cheek；　expression；　therefore；　sinister。'
‘Eh　my　faith。　It　is　a　portrait！'　said　madame；　laughing。　‘He　shall　be　registered　tomorrow。'
They　turned　into　the　wine…shop；　which　was　closed　（for　it　was　midnight）　and　where　Madame　Defarge　immediately　took　her　post　at　her　desk；　counted　the　small　moneys　that　had　been　taken　during　her　absence；　examined　the　stock；　went　through　the　entries　in　the　book；　made　other　entries　of　her　own；　checked　the　serving　man　in　every　possible　way；　and　finally　dismissed　him　to　bed。　Then　she　turned　out　the　contents　of　the　bowl　of　money　for　the　second　time；　and　began　knotting　them　up　in　her　handkerchief；　in　a　chain　of　separate　knots；　for　safe　keeping　through　the　night。　All　this　while；　Defarge；　with　his　pipe　in　his　mouth；　walked　up　and　down；　placently　admiring；　but　never　interfering；　in　which　condition；　indeed；　as　to　the　business　and　his　domestic　affairs；　he　walked　up　and　down　through　life。
The　night　was　hot；　and　the　shop；　close　shut　and　surrounded　by　so　foul　a　neighbourhood；　was　ill…smelling。　Monsieur　Defarge's　olfactory　sense　was　by　no　means　delicate；　but　the　stock　of　wine　smelt　much　stronger　than　it　ever　tasted；　and　so　did　the　stock　of　rum　and　brandy　and　aniseed。　He　whiffed　the　pound　of　scents　away；　as　he　put　down　his　smoked…out　pipe。
‘You　are　fatigued；'　said　madame；　raising　her　glance　as　she　knotted　the　money。　‘There　are　only　the　usual　odours。'
‘I　am　a　little　tired；'　her　husband　acknowledged。
‘You　are　a　little　depressed；　too；'　said　madame；　whose　quick　eyes　had　never　been　so　intent　on　the　accounts；　but　they　had　had　a　ray　or　two　for　him。　‘Oh；　the　men；　the　men！'
‘But　my　dear！'　began　Defarge。
‘But　my　dear！'　repeated　madame；　nodding　firmly；　‘but　my　dear！　You　are　faint　of　heart　tonight；　my　dear！'
‘Well；　then；'　said　Defarge；　as　if　a　thought　were　wrung　Out　of　his　breast；　‘it　is　a　long　time。'
‘It　is　a　long　time；'　repeated　his　wife；　‘and　when　is　it　not　a　long　time？　Vengeance　and　retribution　require　a　long　time；　it　is　the　rule。'
‘It　does　not　take　a　long　time　to　strike　a　man　with　Lightning；'　said　Defarge。
‘How　long；'　demanded　madame；　posedly；　‘does　it　take　to　make　and　store　the　lightning？　Tell　me。'
Defarge　raised　his　head　thoughtfully；　as　if　there　were　something　in　tha