双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第5部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


The　obscurity　was　so　difficult　to　penetrate　that　Mr　Lorry；　picking　his　way　over　the　well…worn　Turkey　carpet；　supposed　Miss　Manette　to　be；　for　the　moment；　in　some　adjacent　room；　until；　having　got　past　the　two　tall　candles；　he　saw　to　receive　him　by　the　table　between　them　and　the　young　lady　of　not　more　than　seventeen；　in　a　riding…cloak；　and　still　holding　her　straw　travelling…hat　by　its　ribbon　in　her　hand。　As　his　eyes　rested　on　a　short；　slight；　pretty　figure；　a　quantity　of　golden　hair；　a　pair　of　blue　eyes　that　met　his　own　with　an　inquiring　look；　and　a　forehead　with　a　singular　capacity　（remembering　how　young　and　smooth　it　was　of　lifting　and　knitting　itself　into　an　expression　that　was　not　quite　one　of　perplexity；　or　wonder；　or　alarm　or　merely　of　a　bright　fixed　attention；　though　is　included　all　the　four　expressions……as　his　eyes　rested　on　these　things；　a　sudden　vivid　likeness　passed　before　him；　of　a　child　whom　he　had　held　in　his　arms　on　the　passage　across　that　very　Channel；　one　cold　time；　when　the　hail　drifted　heavily　and　the　sea　ran　high。　The　likeness　passed　away；　like　a　breath　along　the　surface　of　the　gaunt　pier…glass　behind　her；　on　the　frame　of　which；　a　hospital　procession　of　negro　cupids；　several　head…less　and　all　cripples；　were　offering　black　baskets　of　Dead　Sea　fruit　to　black　divinities　of　the　feminine　gender……and　he　made　his　formal　bow　to　Miss　Manette。
‘Pray　take　a　seat；　sir。'　In　a　very　clear　and　pleasant　young　voice；　a　little　foreign　in　its　accent；　but　a　very　little　indeed。
‘I　kiss　your　hand；　miss；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　with　the　manners　of　an　earlier　date；　as　he　made　his　formal　bow　again；　and　took　his　seat。
‘I　received　a　letter　from　the　Bank；　sir；　yesterday；　informing　me　that　some　intelligence……or　discovery………
‘The　word　is　not　material；　miss；　either　word　will　do。'
‘……respecting　the　small　property　of　my　poor　father；　whom　I　never　saw……so　long　dead………'
Mr。　Lorry　moved　in　his　chair；　and　cast　a　troubled　look　towards　the　hospital　procession　of　negro　cupids。　As　if　they　had　any　help　for　anybody　in　their　absurd　baskets！
‘……rendered　it　necessary　that　I　should　go　to　Paris；　there　to　municate　with　a　gentleman　of　the　Bank；　so　good　as　to　be　despatched　to　Paris　for　the　purpose。'
‘Myself'
‘As　I　was　prepared　to　hear；　sir。'
She　curtseyed　to　him　（young　ladies　made　curtseys　in　those　days）；　with　a　pretty　desire　to　convey　to　him　that　she　felt　how　much　older　and　wiser　he　was　than　she。　He　made　her　another　bow。
‘I　replied　to　the　Bank；　sir；　that　as　it　was　considered　necessary；　by　those　who　know；　and　who　are　so　kind　as　to　advise　me；　that　I　should　go　to　France；　and　that　as　I　am　an　orphan　and　have　no　friend　who　could　go　with　me；　I　should　esteem　it　highly　if　I　might　be　permitted　to　place　myself；　during　the　journey；　under　that　worthy　gentleman's　protection。　The　gentleman　had　left　London；　but　I　think　a　messenger　was　sent　after　him　to　beg　the　favour　of　his　waiting　for　me　here。'
‘I　was　happy；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　‘to　be　entrusted　with　the　charge。　I　shall　be　more　happy　to　execute　it。'
‘Sir；　I　thank　you　indeed。　I　thank　you　very　gratefully。　It　was　told　me　by　the　Bank　that　the　gentleman　would　explain　to　me　the　details　of　the　business；　and　that　I　must　prepare　myself　to　find　them　of　a　surprising　nature。　I　have　done　my　best　to　prepare　myself；　and　I　naturally　have　a　strong　and　eager　interest　to　know　what　they　are。
‘Naturally；'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　‘Yes……I………'
Alter　a　pause；　he　added；　again　settling　the　crisp　flaxen　wig　at　the　ears：
‘It　is　very　difficult　to　begin。'
He　did　not　begin；　but；　in　his　indecision；　met　her　glance。
The　young　forehead　lifted　itself　into　that　singular　expression……but　it　was　pretty　and　characteristic；　besides　being　singular……and　she　raised　her　hand；　as　if　with　an　involuntary　action　she　caught　at；　or　stayed　some　passing　shadow。
‘Are　you　quite　a　stranger　to　me；　sir？'
‘Am　I　not？'　Mr。　Lorry　opened　his　hands；　and　extended　them　outwards　with　an　argumentative　smile。
Between　the　eyebrows　and　just　over　the　little　feminine　nose；　the　line　of　which　was　as　delicate　and　fine　as　it　was　possible　to　be；　the　expression　deepened　itself　as　she　took　her　seat　thoughtfully　in　the　chair　by　which　she　had　hitherto　remained　standing。　He　watched　her　as　she　mused；　and　the　moment　she　raised　her　eyes　again；　went　on：
‘In　your　adopted　country；　I　presume；　I　cannot　do　better　than　address　you　as　a　young　English　lady；　Miss　Manette？'
‘If　you　please；　sir。'
‘Miss　Manette；　I　am　a　man　of　business。　I　have　a　business　charge　to　acquit　myself　of。　In　your　reception　of　it；　don't　heed　me　any　more　than　if　I　was　a　speaking　machine……truly；　I　am　not　much　else。　I　will；　with　your　leave；　relate　to　you；　miss；　the　story　of　one　of　our　customers。'
‘Story！'
He　seemed　wilfully　to　mistake　the　word　she　had　repeated；　when　he　added；　in　a　hurry；　‘Yes；　customers；　in　the　banking　business　we　usually　call　our　connexion　our　customers。　He　was　a　French　gentleman；　a　scientific　gentleman；　a　man　of　great　acquirements……a　Doctor。'
‘Not　of　Beauvais？'
‘Why；　yes；　of　Beauvais。　Like　Monsieur　Manette；　your　father；　the　gentleman　was　of　Beauvais。　Like　Monsieur　Manette；　your　father；　the　gentleman　was　of　repute　in　Paris。　I　had　the　honour　of　knowing　him　there。　Our　relations　were　business　relations；　but　confidential。　I　was　at　that　time　in　our　French……House；　and　had　been……oh！　twenty　years。'
‘At　that　time……I　may　ask；　at　what　time；　sir？'
‘I　speak；　miss；　of　twenty　years　ago。　He　married……an　English　lady……and　I　was　one　of　the　trustees。　His　affairs；　like　the　affairs　of　many　other　French　gentlemen　and　French　families；　were　entirely　in　Tellson's　hands。　In　a　similar　way　I　am；　or　I　have　been；　trustee　of　one　kind　or　other　for　scores　of　our　customers。　These　are　mere　business　relations；　miss；　there　is　no　friendship　in　them；　no　particular　interest；　nothing　like　sentiment。　I　have　passed　from　one　to　another；　iii　the　course　of　my　business　life；　just　as　I　pass　from　one　of　our　customers　to　another　in　the　course　of　my　business　day；　in　short；　I　have　no　feelings；　I　am　a　mere　machine。　To　go　on………
‘But　this　is　my　father's　story；　sir；　and　I　begin　to　think'……the　curiously　roughened　forehead　was　very　intent　upon　him……'that　when　I　was　left　an　orphan　through　my　mother's　surviving　my　father　only　two　years；　it　was　you　who　brought　me　to　England。　I　am　almost　sure　it　was　you。
Mr。　Lorry　took　the　hesitating　little　hand　that　confidingly　advanced　to　take　his；　and　he　put　it　with　some　ceremony　to　his　lips。　He　then　conducted　the　young　lady　straightaway　to　her　chair　again；　and；　holding　the　chair…back　with　his　left　hand；　and　using　his　right　by　turns　to　rub　his　chin；　pull　his　wig　at　the　ears；　or　point　what　lie　said；　stood　looking　down　into　her　face　while　she　sat　looking　up　into　his。
‘Miss　Manette；　it　was　I。　And　you　will　see　how　truly　I　spoke　of　myself　just　now；　in　saying　I　had　no　feelings；　and　that　all　the　relations　I　hold　with　my　fellow…creatures　are　mere　business　relations；　when　you　reflect　that　I　have　never　seen　you　since。　No；　you　have　been　the　ward　of　Tellsons　House　since；　and　I　have　been　busy　with　the　other　business　of　Tellsons　House　since。　Feelings　I　have　no　time　for　them；　no　chance　of　them。　I　pass　my　whole　life；　miss；　in　turning　an　immense　pecuniary　Mangle。'
After　this　odd　description　of　his　daily　routine　of　employment；　Mr。　Lorry　flattened　his　flaxen　wig　upon　his　head　with　both　hands　（which　was　most　unnecessary；　for　nothing　could　be　flatter　than　its　shining　surface　was　before）；　and　resumed　his　former　attitude。
‘So　far；　miss　（as　you　have　remarked）；　this　is　the　story　of　your　regretted　father。　Now　es　the　difference。　If　your　father　had　not　died　when　he　did………Don't　be　frightened！　How　you　start！'
She　did；　indeed；　start。　And　she　caught　his　wrist　with　both　her　hands。
‘Pray；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　in　a　soothing　tone；　bringing　hi'　left　hand　from　the　back　of　the　chair　to　lay　it　on　the　supplicatory　fingers　that　clasped　him　in　so　violent　a　tremble；　‘pray　control　your　agitation……a　matter　of　business。　As　I　was　saying………'
Her　look　so　disposed　him　that　he　stopped；　wandered　and　began　anew：
‘As　I　was　saying；　if　Monsieur　Manette　had　not　died；　if　he　had　suddenly　and　silently　disappeared；　if　he　had　been　spirited　away；　if　it　had　not　been　difficult　to　guess　to　what　dreadful　place；　though　no　art　could　trace　him；　if　he　had　an　enemy　in　some　patriot　who　could　exercise　a　privilege　that　I　in　my　own　time　have　known　the　boldest　people　afraid　to　speak　of　in　a　whisper；　across　the　water　there；　for　instance　the　privilege　of　filling　up　blank　forms　for　the　consignment　of　any　one　to　the　oblivion　of　a　prison　for　any　length　of　time　if　his　wife　had　implored　the　king；　the　queen；　the　court；　the　clergy；　for　any　tidings　of　him；　and　all　quite　in　vain　；……then　the　history　of　your　father　would　have　been　the　history　of　this　unfortunate　gentleman；　the　Doctor　of　Beauvais。
‘I　entreat　you　to　tell　me　more；　sir。'
‘I　will。　I　am　going　to。　You　can　bear　it？'
‘I　can　bear　anything　but　the　uncertainty　you　leave　me　in　at　this　moment。
‘You　speak　collectedly；　and　you……are　collected。　‘That　good！'　（Though　his　manner　was　less　satisfied　than　hi　words。）　‘A　matter　of　business。　Regard　it　as　a　matter　o…business…business　that　must　be　done。　Now　if　this　doctor's　wife；　though　a　lady　of　great　courage　and　spirit；　had　suffered　so　intensely　from　this　cause　before　her　little　child　was　born………'
‘The　little　child　was　a　daughter；　sir？'
‘A　daughter。　A……a……matter　of　business……don't　be　distressed。　Miss；　if　the　poor　lady　had　suffered　so　intensely　before　her　little　child　was　born；　that　she　came　to　the　determination　of　sparing　the　poor　child　the　inheritance　of　any　part　of　the　agony　she　had　known　the　pains　of；　by　rearing　her　in　the　belief　that　her　father　was　dead………No；　don't　kneel！　In　Heaven's　name　why　should　you　kneel　to　me？'
‘For　the　truth。　O　dear；　good；　passionate　sir；　for　the　truth！'
‘A……a　matter　of　business。　You　confuse　me；　and　how　can　I　transact　business　if　I　am　confused？　Let　us　be　clear…headed。　If　you　could　kindly　mention　now；　for　instance；　what　nine　times　ninepence　are；　or　how　many　shillings　in　twenty　guineas；　it　would　be　so　encouraging。　I　should　be　so　much　more　at　my　ease　about　your　state　of　mind。'
Without　directly　answering　to　this　appeal；　she　sat　so　still　when　he　had　very　gently　raised　her；　and　the　hands　that　had　not　ceased　to　clasp　his　wrists　were　so　much　more　steady　than　they　had　been；　that　she　municated　some　reassurance　to　Mr。　Jarvis　Lorry。