双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第50部分

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‘What　is　this　decree　that　the　smith　spoke　of？'　Darnay　asked　the　postmaster；　when　he　had　thanked　him；　and　stood　beside　him　in　the　yard。
‘Truly；　a　decree　for　selling　the　property　of　emigrants。'
‘When　passed？'
‘On　the　fourteenth。'
‘The　day　I　left　England！'
‘Everybody　says　it　is　but　one　of　several；　and　that　there　will　be　others……if　there　are　not　already……banishing　all　emigrants；　and　condemning　all　to　death　who　return。　That　is　what　he　meant　when　he　said　your　life　was　not　your　own。'
‘But　there　are　no　such　decrees　yet？'
‘What　do　I　know！'　said　the　postmaster；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　‘there　may　be；　or　there　will　be。　It　is　all　the　same。　What　would　you　have？'
They　rested　on　some　straw　in　a　loft　until　the　middle　of　the　night；　and　then　rode　forward　again　when　all　the　town　was　asleep。　Among　the　many　wild　changes　observable　on　familiar　things　which　made　this　wild　ride　unreal；　not　the　least　was　the　seeming　rarity　of　sleep。　After　long　and　lonely　spurring　over　dreary　roads；　they　would　e　to　a　cluster　of　poor　cottages；　not　steeped　in　darkness；　but　all　glittering　with　lights；　and　would　find　the　people；　in　a　ghostly　manner　in　the　dead　of　the　night；　circling　hand　in　hand　round　a　shrivelled　tree　of　Liberty；　or　all　drawn　up　together　singing　a　Liberty　song。　Happily；　however；　there　was　sleep　in　Beauvais　that　night　to　help　them　out　of　it；　and　they　passed　on　once　more　into　solitude　and　loneliness：　jingling　through　the　untimely　cold　and　wet；　among　impoverished　fields　that　had　yielded　no　fruits　of　the　earth　that　year；　diversified　by　the　blackened　remains　of　burnt　houses；　and　by　the　sudden　emergence　from　ambuscade；　and　sharp　reining　up　across　their　way；　of　patriot　patrols　on　the　watch　on　all　the　roads。
Daylight　at　last　found　them　before　the　wall　of　Paris。　The　barrier　was　closed　and　strongly　guarded　when　they　rode　up　to　it。
‘Where　are　the　papers　of　this　prisoner？'　demanded　a　resolute…looking　man　in　authority；　who　was　summoned　out　by　the　guard。
Naturally　struck　by　the　disagreeable　word；　Charles　Darnay　requested　the　speaker　to　take　notice　that　he　was　a　free　traveller　and　French　citizen；　in　charge　of　an　escort　which　the　disturbed　state　of　the　country　had　imposed　upon　him；　and　which　he　had　paid　for。
‘Where；'　repeated　the　same　personage；　without　taking　any　heed　of　him　whatever；　‘are　the　papers　of　this　prisoner？'
The　drunken　patriot　had　them　in　his　cap；　and　produced　them。　Casting　his　eyes　over　Gabelle's　letter；　the　same　personage　in　authority　showed　some　disorder　and　surprise；　and　looked　at　Darnay　with　a　close　attention。
He　left　escort　and　escorted　without　saying　a　word；　however；　and　went　into　the　guard…room；　meanwhile；　they　sat　upon　their　horses　outside　the　gate。　Looking　about　him　while　in　this　state　of　suspense；　Charles　Darnay　observed　that　the　gate　was　held　by　a　mixed　guard　of　soldiers　and　patriots；　the　latter　far　outnumbering　the　former；　and　that　while　ingress　into　the　city　for　peasants　carts　bringing　in　supplies；　and　for　similar　traffic　and　traffickers；　was　easy　enough；　egress；　even　for　the　homeliest　people；　was　very　difficult。　A　numerous　medley　of　men　and　women；　not　to　mention　beasts　and　vehicles　of　various　sorts；　was　waiting　to　issue　forth；　but；　the　previous　identification　was　so　strict；　that　they　filtered　through　the　barrier　very　slowly。　Some　of　these　people　knew　their　turn　for　examination　to　be　so　far　off；　that　they　lay　down　on　the　ground　to　sleep　or　smoke；　while　others　talked　together；　or　loitered　about。　The　red　cap　and　tricolour　cockade　were　universal；　both　among　men　and　women。
When　he　had　sat　in　his　saddle　some　half…hour；　taking　note　of　these　things；　Darnay　found　himself　confronted　by　the　same　man　in　authority；　who　directed　the　guard　to　open　the　barrier。　Then　he　delivered　to　the　escort；　drunk　and　sober；　a　receipt　for　the　escorted；　and　requested　him　to　dismount。　He　did　so；　and　the　two　patriots；　leading　his　tired　horse；　turned　and　rode　away　without　entering　the　city。
He　acpanied　his　conductor　into　a　guard…room；　smelling　of　mon　wine　and　tobacco；　where　certain　soldiers　and　patriots；　asleep　and　awake；　drunk　and　sober；　and　in　various　neutral　states　between　sleeping　and　waking；　drunkenness　and　sobriety；　were　standing　and　lying　about。　The　light　in　the　guard…house；　half　derived　from　the　waning　oil…lamps　of　the　night；　and　half　from　the　overcast　day；　was　in　a　correspondingly　uncertain　condition。　Some　registers　were　lying　open　on　a　desk；　and　an　officer　of　a　coarse；　dark　aspect；　presided　over　these。
‘Citizen　Defarge；'　said　he　to　Darnay's　conductor；　as　he　took　a　slip　of　paper　to　write　on。　‘Is　this　the　emigrant　Evrémonde？'
‘This　is　the　man。'
‘Your　age；　Evrémonde？'
‘Thirty…seven。'
‘Married；　Evrémonde？'
‘Yes。'
‘Where　married？'
‘In　England。'
‘Without　doubt。　Where　is　your　wife；　Evrémonde？'
‘In　England。'
‘Without　doubt。　You　are　consigned；　Evrémonde；　to　the　prison　of　La　Force。'
‘Just　Heaven！'　exclaimed　Darnay。　‘Under　what　law；　and　for　what　offence？'
The　officer　looked　up　from　his　slip　of　paper　for　a　moment。
‘We　have　new　laws；　Evrémonde；　and　new　offences；　since　you　were　here。'　He　said　it　with　a　hard　smile；　and　went　on　writing。
‘I　entreat　you　to　observe　that　I　have　e　here　voluntarily；　in　response　to　that　written　appeal　of　a　fellow…countryman　which　lies　before　you。　I　demand　no　more　than　the　opportunity　to　do　so　without　delay。　Is　not　that　my　right？'
‘Emigrants　have　no　rights；　Evrémonde；'　was　the　stolid　reply。　The　officer　wrote　until　he　had　finished；　read　over　to　himself　what　he　had　written；　sanded　it；　and　handed　it　to　Defarge；　with　the　words　‘In　secret。'
Defarge　motioned　with　the　paper　to　the　prisoner　that　he　must　acpany　him。　The　prisoner　obeyed；　and　a　guard　of　two　armed　patriots　attended　them。
‘Is　it　you；'　said　Defarge；　in　a　low　voice；　as　they　went　down　the　guard…house　steps　and　turned　into　Paris；　‘who　married　the　daughter　of　Doctor　Manette；　once　a　prisoner　in　the　Bastille　that　is　no　more？'
‘Yes；'　replied　Darnay；　looking　at　him　with　surprise。
‘My　name　is　Defarge；　and　I　keep　a　wine…shop　in　the　Quarter　Saint　Antoine。　Possibly　you　have　heard　of　me。'
‘My　wife　came　to　your　house　to　reclaim　her　father？　Yes！'
The　word　‘wife'　seemed　to　serve　as　a　gloomy　reminder　to　Defarge；　to　say　with　sudden　impatience；　‘In　the　name　of　that　sharp　female　newly…born；　and　called　La　Guillotine；　why　did　you　e　to　France？'
‘You　heard　me　say　why；　a　minute　ago。　Do　you　not　believe　it　is　the　truth？'
‘A　bad　truth　for　you；'　said　Defarge；　speaking　with　knitted　brows；　and　looking　straight　before　him。
‘Indeed　I　am　lost　here。　All　here　is　so　unprecedented；　so　changed；　so　sudden　and　unfair；　that　I　am　absolutely　lost。　Will　you　render　me　a　little　help？'
‘None。'　Defarge　spoke；　always　looking　straight　before　him。
‘Will　you　answer　me　a　single　question？'
‘Perhaps。　According　to　its　nature。　You　can　say　what　it　is。'
‘In　this　prison　that　I　am　going　to　so　unjustly；　shall　I　have　some　free　munication　with　the　world　outside？'
‘You　will　see。'
‘I　am　not　to　be　buried　there；　prejudged；　and　without　any　means　of　presenting　my　case？'
‘You　will　see。　But；　what　then？　Other　people　have　been　similarly　buried　in　worse　prisons；　before　now。
‘But　never　by　me；　Citizen　Defarge。'
Defarge　glanced　darkly　at　him　for　answer；　and　walked　on　in　a　steady　and　set　silence。　The　deeper　he　sank　into　this　silence；　the　fainter　hope　there　was……or　so　Darnay　thought……of　his　softening　in　any　slight　degree。　He；　therefore；　made　haste　to　say：
‘It　is　of　the　utmost　importance　to　me　（you　know；　Citizen；　even　better　than　I；　of　how　much　importance）；　that　I　should　be　able　to　municate　to　Mr。　Lorry　of　Tellson's　Bank；　an　English　gentleman　who　is　now　in　Paris；　the　simple　fact；　without　ment；　that　I　have　been　thrown　into　the　prison　of　La　Force。　Will　you　cause　that　to　be　done　for　me？'
‘I　will　do；'　Defarge　doggedly　rejoined；　‘nothing　for　you。　My　duty　is　to　my　country　and　the　People。　I　am　the　sworn　servant　of　both；　against　you。　I　will　do　nothing　for　you。'
Charles　Darnay　felt　it　hopeless　to　entreat　him　further；　and　his　pride　was　touched　besides。　As　they　walked　on　in　silence；　he　could　not　but　see　how　used　the　people　were　to　the　spectacle　of　prisoners　passing　along　the　streets。　The　very　children　scarcely　noticed　him。　A　few　passers　turned　their　heads；　and　a　few　shook　their　fingers　at　him　as　an　aristocrat；　otherwise；　that　a　man　in　good　clothes　should　be　going　to　prison；　was　no　more　remarkable　than　that　a　labourer　in　working　clothes　should　be　going　to　work。　In　one　narrow；　dark；　and　dirty　street　through　which　they　passed；　an　excited　orator；　mounted　on　a　stool；　was　addressing　an　excited　audience　on　the　crimes　against　the　people；　of　the　king　and　the　royal　family。　The　few　words　that　he　caught　from　this　man's　lips；　first　made　it　known　to　Charles　Darnay　that　the　king　was　in　prison；　and　that　the　foreign　ambassadors　had　one　and　all　left　Paris。　On　the　road　（except　at　Beauvais）　he　had　heard　absolutely　nothing。　The　escort　and　the　universal　watchfulness　had　pletely　isolated　him。
That　he　had　fallen　among　far　greater　dangers　than　those　which　had　developed　themselves　when　he　left　England；　he　of　course　knew　now。　That　perils　had　thickened　about　him　fast；　and　might　thicken　faster　and　faster　yet；　he　of　course　knew　now。　He　could　not　but　admit　to　himself　that　he　might　not　have　made　this　journey；　if　he　could　have　foreseen　the　events　of　a　few　days。　And　yet　his　misgivings　were　not　so　dark　as；　imagined　by　the　light　of　this　later　time；　they　would　appear。　Troubled　as　the　future　was；　it　was　the　unknown　future；　and　in　its　obscurity　there　was　ignorant　hope。　The　horrible　massacre；　days　and　nights　long；　which；　within　a　few　rounds　of　the　clock；　was　to　set　a　great　mark　of　blood　upon　the　blessed　garnering　time　of　harvest；　was　as　far　out　of　his　knowledge　as　if　it　had　been　a　hundred　thousand　years　away。　The　‘sharp　female　newly…born；　and　called　La　Guillotine；'　was　hardly　known　to　him；　or　to　the　generality　of　people；　by　name。　The　frightful　deeds　that　were　to　be　soon　done；　were　probably　unimagined　at　that　time　in　the　brains　of　the　doers。　How　could　they　have　a　place　in　the　shadowy　conceptions　of　a　gentle　mind？
Of　unjust　treatment　in　detention　and　hardship；　and　in　cruel　separation　from　his　wife　and　child；　he　foreshadowed　the　likelihood；　or　the　certainty；　but；　beyond　this；　he　dreaded　nothing　distinctly。　With　this　on　his　mind；　which　was　enough　to　carry　into　a　dreary　prison　court…yard；　he　arr