双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第43部分

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Headlong；　mad；　and　dangerous　footsteps　to　force　their　way　into　anybody's　life；　footsteps　not　easily　made　clean　again　if　once　stained　red；　the　footsteps　raging　in　Saint　Antoine　afar　off；　as　the　little　circle　sat　in　the　dark　London　window。
Saint　Antoine　had　been；　that　morning；　a　vast　dusky　mass　of　scarecrows　heaving　to　and　fro；　with　frequent　gleams　of　light　above　the　billowy　heads；　where　steel　blades　and　bayonets　shone　in　the　sun。　A　tremendous　roar　arose　from　the　throat　of　Saint　Antoine；　and　a　forest　of　naked　arms　struggled　in　the　air　like　shrivelled　branches　of　trees　in　a　winter　wind：　all　the　fingers　convulsively　clutching　at　every　weapon　or　semblance　of　a　weapon　that　was　thrown　up　from　the　depths　below；　no　matter　how　far　off。
Who　gave　them　out；　whence　they　last　came；　where　they　began；　through　what　agency　they　crookedly　quivered　and　jerked；　scores　at　a　time；　over　the　heads　of　the　crowd；　like　a　kind　of　lightning；　no　eye　in　the　throng　could　have　told；　but；　muskets　were　being　distributed……so　were　cartridges；　powder；　and　ball；　bars　of　iron　and　wood；　knives；　axes；　pikes；　every　weapon　that　distracted　ingenuity　could　discover　or　devise。　People　who　could　lay　hold　of　nothing　else；　set　themselves　with　bleeding　hands　to　force　stones　and　bricks　out　of　their　places　in　walls。　Every　pulse　and　heart　in　Saint　Antoine　was　on　high…fever　strain　and　at　high…fever　heat。　Every　living　creature　there　held　life　as　of　no　account；　and　was　demented　with　a　passionate　readiness　to　sacrifice　it。
As　a　whirlpool　of　boiling　waters　has　a　centre　point；　so；　all　this　raging　circled　round　Defarge's　wine…shop；　and　every　human　drop　in　the　caldron　had　a　tendency　to　be　sucked　towards　the　vortex　where　Defarge　himself；　already　begrimed　with　gunpowder　and　sweat；　issued　orders；　issued　arms；　thrust　this　man　back；　dragged　this　man　forward；　disarmed　one　to　arm　another；　laboured　and　strove　in　the　thickest　of　the　uproar。
‘Keep　near　to　me；　Jacques　Three；'　cried　Defarge；　‘and　do　you；　Jacques　One　and　Two；　separate　and　put　yourselves　at　the　head　of　as　many　of　these　patriots　as　you　can。　Where　is　my　wife？'
‘Eh；　well！　Here　you　see　me！'　said　madame；　posed　as　ever；　but　not　knitting　to…day。　Madame's　resolute　right　hand　was　occupied　with　an　axe；　in　place　of　the　usual　softer　implements；　and　in　her　girdle　were　a　pistol　and　a　cruel　knife。
‘Where　do　you　go；　my　wife？'
‘I　go；'　said　madame；　‘with　you　at　present。　You　shall　see　me　at　the　head　of　women；　by…and…by。'
‘e；　then！'　cried　Defarge；　in　a　resounding　voice。　‘Patriots　and　friends；　we　are　ready！　The　Bastille！'
With　a　roar　that　sounded　as　if　all　the　breath　in　France　had　been　shaped　into　the　detested　word；　the　living　sea　rose；　wave　on　wave；　depth　on　depth；　and　overflowed　the　city　to　that　point。　Alarm…bells　ringing；　drums　beating；　the　sea　raging　and　thundering　on　its　new　beach；　the　attack　‘begun。
Deep　ditches；　double　drawbridge；　massive　stone　walls；　eight　great　towers；　cannon；　muskets；　fire　and　smoke。　Through　the　fire　and　through　the　smoke……in　the　fire　and　in　the　smoke；　for　the　sea　cast　him　up　against　a　cannon；　and　on　the　instant　he　became　a　cannonier……Defarge　of　the　wine…shop　worked　like　a　manful　soldier；　Two　fierce　hours。
Deep　ditch；　single　drawbridge；　massive　stone　walls；　eight　at　towers；　cannon；　muskets；　fire　and　smoke。　One　drawbridge　down！　‘Work；　rades　all；　work！　Work；　Jacques　；　Jacques　Two；　Jacques　One　Thousand；　Jacques　Two　Thousand；　Jacques　Five…and…Twenty　Thousand；　in　the　name　of　all　the　Angels　or　the　Devils……which　you　prefer……work！'　Thus　Defarge　of　the　wine…shop；　still　at　his　gun；　which　had　long　grown　hot。
‘To　me；　women！'　cried　madame　his　wife。　‘What！　We　can　kill　as　well　as　the　men　when　the　place　is　taken！'　And　to　her；　with　a　shrill　thirsty　cry；　trooping　women　variously　armed；　but　all　armed　alike　in　hunger　and　revenge。
Cannon；　muskets；　fire　and　smoke；　but；　still　the　deep　ditch；　the　single　drawbridge；　the　massive　stone　walls；　and　the　eight　great　towers。　Slight　displacements　of　the　raging　sea；　made　by　the　falling　wounded。　Flashing　weapons；　blazing　torches；　smoking　waggon…loads　of　wet　straw；　hard　work　at　neighbouring　barricades　in　all　directions；　shrieks；　volleys；　execrations；　bravery　without　stint；　boom；　smash　and　rattle；　and　the　furious　sounding　of　the　living　sea；　but；　still　the　deep　ditch；　and　the　single　drawbridge；　and　the　massive　stone　walls；　and　the　eight　great　towers；　and　still　Defarge　of　the　wine…shop　at　his　gun；　grown　doubly　hot　by　the　service　of　Four　fierce　hours。
A　white　flag　from　within　the　fortress；　and　a　parley……this　dimly　perceptible　through　the　raging　storm；　nothing　audible　in　it……suddenly　the　sea　rose　immeasurably　wider　and　higher；　and　swept　Defarge　of　the　wine…shop　over　the　lowered　draw…bridge；　past　the　massive　stone　outer　walls；　in　among　the　eight　great　towers　surrendered！
So　resistless　was　the　force　of　the　ocean　bearing　him　on；　that　even　to　draw　his　breath　or　turn　his　head　was　as　impracticable　as　if　he　had　been　struggling　in　the　surf　at　the　South　Sea；　until　he　was　landed　in　the　outer　court…yard　of　the　Bastille。　There；　against　an　angle　of　a　wall；　he　made　a　struggle　to　look　about　him。　Jacques　Three　was　nearly　at　his　side；　Madame　Defarge；　still…heading　some　of　her　women；　was　visible　in　the　inner　distance；　and　her　knife　was　in　her　hand。　Everywhere　was　tumult；　exultation；　deafening　and　maniacal　bewilderment；　astounding　noise；　yet　furious　dumb…show。
‘The　Prisoners！'
‘The　Records！'
‘The　secret　cells！'
‘The　instruments　of　torture！'
‘The　Prisoners！'
Of　all　these　cries；　and　ten　thousand　incoherencies；　‘The　Prisoners！'　was　the　Cry　most　taken　up　by　the　sea　that　rushed　in；　as　if　there　were　an　eternity　of　people；　as　well　as　of　time　and　space。　When　the　foremost　billows　rolled　past；　bearing　the　prison　officers　with　them；　and　threatening　them　all　with　instant　death　if　any　secret　nook　remained　undisclosed；　Defarge　laid　his　strong　hand　on　the　breast　of　one　of　these　men……a　man　with　a　grey　head；　who　had　a　lighted　torch　in　his　hand……separated　him　from　the　rest；　and　got　him　between　himself　and　the　wall。
‘Show　me　the　North　Tower！'　said　Defarge。　‘Quick！'　
‘I　will　faithfully；'　replied　the　man；　‘if　you　will　e　with　me。
But　there　is　no　one　there。'
‘What　is　the　meaning　of　One　Hundred　and　Five；　North　Tower？'　asked　Defarge。　‘Quick！'
‘The　meaning；　monsieur？'
‘Does　it　mean　a　captive；　or　a　place　of　captivity？　Or　do　you　mean　that　I　shall　strike　you　dead？'
‘Kill　him！'　croaked　Jacques　Three；　who　had　e　close　up。
‘Monsieur；　it　is　a　cell。'
‘Show　it　me！'
‘Pass　this　way；　then。'
Jacques　Three；　with　his　usual　craving　on　him；　and　evidently　disappointed　by　the　dialogue　taking　a　turn　that　did　not　seem　to　promise　bloodshed；　held　by　Defarge's　arm　as　he　held　by　the　turnkey's。　Their　three　heads　had　been　close　together　during　this　brief　discourse；　and　it　had　been　as　much　as　they　could　do　to　hear　one　another；　even　then：　so　tremendous　was　the　noise　of　the　living　ocean；　in　its　irruption　into　the　Fortress；　and　its　inundation　of　the　courts　and　passages　and　staircases。　All　around　outside；　too；　it　beat　the　walls　with　a　deep；　hoarse　roar；　from　which；　occasionally；　some　partial　shouts　of　tumult　broke　and　leaped　into　the　air　like　spray。
Through　gloomy　vaults　where　the　light　of　day　had　never　shone；　past　hideous　doors　of　dark　dens　and　cages；　down　cavernous　flights　of　steps；　and　again　up　steep　rugged　ascents　of　stone　and　brick；　more　like　dry　waterfalls　than　staircases；　Defarge；　the　turnkey；　and　Jacques　Three；　linked　hand　and　arm；　went　with　all　the　speed　they　could　make。　Here　and　there；　especially　at　first；　the　inundation　started　on　them　and　swept　by；　but　when　they　had　done　descending；　and　were　winding　and　climbing　up　a　tower；　they　were　alone。　Hemmed　in　here　by　the　massive　thickness　of　walls　and　arches；　the　storm　within　the　fortress　and　without　was　only　audible　to　them　in　a　dull；　subdued　way；　as　if　the　noise　out　of　which　they　had　e　had　almost　destroyed　their　sense　of　hearing。
The　turnkey　stopped　at　a　low　door；　put　a　key　in　a　clashing　lock；　swung　the　door　slowly　open；　and　said；　as　they　all　bent　their　heads　and　passed　in：
‘One　hundred　and　five；　North　Tower！'
There　was　a　small；　heavily…grated；　unglazed　window　high　in　the　wall；　with　a　stone　screen　before　it；　so　that　the　sky　could　be　only　seen　by　stooping　low　and　looking　up。　There　was　a　small　chimney；　heavily　barred　across；　a　few　feet　within。　There　was　a　heap　of　old　feathery　wood…ashes　on　the　hearth。　There　was　a　stool；　and　table；　and　a　straw　bed。　There　were　the　four　blackened　walls；　and　a　rusted　iron　ring　in　one　of　them。
‘Pass　that　torch　slowly　along　these　walls；　that　I　may　see　them；'　said　Defarge　to　the　turnkey。
The　man　obeyed；　and　Defarge　followed　the　light　closely　with　his　eyes。
‘Stop……Look　here；　Jacques！'
‘A。　M。！'　croaked　Jacques　Three；　as　he　read　greedily。
‘Alexandre　Manette；'　said　Defarge　in　his　ear；　following　the　letters　with　his　swart　forefinger；　deeply　engrained　with　gunpowder。　‘And　here　he　wrote　‘‘a　poor　physician。''　And　it　was　he；　without　doubt；　who　scratched　a　calendar　on　this　stone。　What　is　that　in　your　hand？　A　crowbar？　Give　it　me！'
He　had　still　the　linstock　of　his　gun　in　his　own　hand。　He　made　a　sudden　exchange　of　the　two　instruments；　and　turning　on　the　worm…eaten　stool　and　table；　beat　them　to　pieces　in　a　few　blows。
‘Hold　the　light　higher！'　he　said；　wrathfully；　to　the　turnkey。　‘Look　among　those　fragments　with　care；　Jacques。　And　see！　Here　is　my　knife；'　throwing　it　to　him；　‘rip　open　that　bed；　and　search　the　straw。　Hold　the　light　higher；　you！'
With　a　menacing　look　at　the　turnkey　he　crawled　upon　the　hearth；　and；　peering　up　the　chimney；　struck　and　prised　at　its　sides　with　the　crowbar；　and　worked　at　the　iron　grating　across　it。　In　a　few　minutes；　some　mortar　and　dust　came　dropping　down；　which　he　averted　his　face　to　avoid；　and　in　it；　and　in　the　old　wood…ashes；　and　in　a　crevice　in　the　chimney　into　which　his　weapon　had　slipped　or　wrought　itself；　he　groped　with　a　cautious　touch。
‘Nothing　in　the　wood；　and　nothing　in　the　straw；　Jacques？'　
‘Nothing。'
‘Let　us　collect　them　together；　in　the　middle　of　the　cell。　So！　Light　them；　you！'
The　turnkey　fired　the　little　pile；　which　blazed　high　and　hot。　Stooping　again　to　e　out　at　the　low…arched　door；　they　left　it　burning；　and　retraced　their　way　to　the　court…yard；　seeming　to　recover　their　sense　of　hearing　as　they　came　down；　until　they　were　in　the　raging　flood　once　more。
They　fou