双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第56部分
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he public way； and； with their heads low down and their hands high up； swooped screaming off。 No fight could have been half so terrible as this dance。 It was so emphatically a fallen sport……a something； once innocent； delivered over to all devilry……a healthy pastime changed into a means of angering the blood； bewildering the senses； and steeling the heart。 Such grace as was visible in it； made it the uglier； showing how warped and perverted all things good by nature were bee。 The maidenly bosom bared to this； the pretty almost…child's head thus distracted； the delicate foot mincing in this slough of blood and dirt； were types of the disjointed time。'
This was the Carmagnole。 As it passed； leaving Lucie frightened and bewildered in the doorway of the wood…sawyer's house； the feathery snow fell as quietly and lay as white and soft； as if it had never been。
‘O my father！' for he stood before her when she lifted up the eyes she had momentarily darkened with her hand； ‘such a cruel； bad sight。'
‘I know； my dear； I know。 I have seen it many times。 Don't be frightened！ Not one of them would harm you。'
‘I am not frightened for myself； my father。 But when I think of my husband； and the mercies of these people………'
‘We will set him above their mercies very soon。 I left him climbing to the window； and I came to tell you。 There is no one here to see。 You may kiss your hand towards that highest shelving roof。'
‘I do so； father； and I send him my Soul with it！'
‘You cannot see him； my poor dear？'
‘No； father；' said； Lucie； yearning and weeping as she kissed her hand； ‘no。
A footstep in the snow。 Madame Defarge。 ‘I salute you； citizeness；' from the Doctor。 ‘I salute you； citizen。' This in passing。 Nothing more。 Madame Defarge gone； like a shadow over the white road。
‘Give me your arm； my love。 Pass from here with an air of cheerfulness and courage； for his sake。 That was well done；' they had left the spot； ‘it shall not be in vain。 Charles is summoned for to…morrow。'
‘For to…morrow！'
‘There is no time to lose。 I am well prepared； but there are precautions to be taken； that could not be taken until he was actually summoned before the Tribunal。 He has not received the notice yet； but I know that he will presently be summoned for to…morrow； and removed to the Conciergerie； I have timely information。 You are not afraid？'
She could scarcely answer； ‘I trust in you。'
‘Do so； implicitly。 Your suspense is nearly ended； my darling； he shall be restored to you within a few hours； I have enpassed him with every protection。 I must see Lorry。'
He stopped。 There was a heavy lumbering of wheels within hearing。 They both knew too well what it meant。 One。 Two。 Three。 Three tumbrils faring away with their dread loads over the hushing snow。
‘I must see Lorry；' the Doctor repeated； turning her another way。
The staunch old gentleman was still in his trust； had never left it。 He and his books were in frequent requisition as to property confiscated and made national。 What he could save for the owners； he saved。 No better man living to hold fast by what Tellson's had in keeping； and to hold his peace。
A murky red and yellow sky； and a rising mist from the Seine； denoted the approach of darkness。 It was almost dark when they arrived at the Bank。 The stately residence of Monseigneur was altogether blighted and deserted。 Above a heap of dust and ashes in the court； ran the letters： National Property。 Republic One and Indivisible。 Liberty； Equality； Fraternity； or Death！
Who could that be with Mr。 Lorry……the Owner of the riding…coat upon the chair……who must not be seen？ From whom newly arrived； did he e out； agitated and surprised； to take his favourite in his arms？ To whom did he appear to repeat her faltering words； when； raising his voice and turning his head towards the door of the room from which he had issued； he said： ‘Removed to the Conciergerie； and summoned for to…morrow？'
CHAPTER VI
Triumph
THE dread Tribunal of five Judges； Public Prosecutor； and determined Jury； sat every day。 Their lists went forth every evening； and were read out by the gaolers of the various prisons to their prisoners。 The standard gaoler…joke was； ‘e out and listen to the Evening Paper； you inside there！'
‘Charles Evrémonde； called Darnay！' So at last began the Evening Paper at La Force。
When a name was called； its owner stepped apart into a spot reserved for those who were announced as being thus fatally recorded。 Charles Evrémonde； called Darnay； had reason to know the usage； he had seen hundreds pass away so。
His bloated gaoler； who wore spectacles to read with； glanced over them to assure himself that he had taken his place； and went through the list； making a similar short pause at each name。 There were twenty…three names； but only twenty here responded to； for one of the prisoners so summoned had died in gaol and been forgotten； and two had already been guillotined and forgotten。 The list was read； in the vaulted chamber where Darnay had seen the associated prisoners on the night of his arrival。 Every one of those had perished in the massacre； every human creature he had since cared for and parted with； had died on the scaffold。
There were hurried words of farewell and kindness； but the parting was soon over。 It was the incident of every day； and the society of La Force were engaged in the preparation of some games of forfeits and a little concert； for that evening。 They crowded to the grates and shed tears there； but； twenty places in the projected entertainments had to be refilled； and the time was； at best； short to the lock…up hour； when the mon rooms and corridors would be delivered over to the great dogs who kept watch there through the night。 The prisoners were far from insensible or unfeeling； their ways arose out of the condition of the time。 Similarly； though with a subtle difference； a species of fervour or intoxication； known； without doubt； to have led some persons to brave the guillotine unnecessarily； and to die by it； was not mere boastfulness； but a wild infection of the wildly shaken public mind。 In seasons of pestilence； some of us will have a secret attraction to the disease……a terrible passing inclination to die of it。 And all of us have like wonders hidden in our breasts； only needing circumstances to evoke them。
The passage to the Conciergerie was short and dark； the night in its vermin…haunted cells was long and cold。 Next day； fifteen prisoners were put to the bar before Charles Darnay's name was called。 All the fifteen were condemned； and the trials of the whole occupied an hour and a half。
‘Charles Evrémonde； called Darnay；' was at length arraigned。
His judges sat upon the Bench in feathered hats； but the rough red cap and tricoloured cockade was the head…dress otherwise prevailing。 Looking at the Jury and the turbulent audience； he might have thought that the usual order of things was reversed； and that the felons were trying the honest men。 The lowest； cruelest； and worst populace of a city； never without its quantity of low； cruel； and bad； were the directing spirits of the scene： noisily menting； applauding； disapproving； anticipating； and precipitating the result； without a check。 Of the men； the greater part were armed in various ways； of the women； some wore knives； some daggers； some ate and drank as they looked on； many knitted。 Among these last； was one； with a spare piece of knitting under her arm as she worked。 She was in a front row； by the side of a man whom he had never seen since his arrival at the Barrier； but whom he directly remembered as Defarge。 He noticed that she once or twice whispered in his ear； and that she seemed to be his wife； but； what he most noticed in the two figures was； that although they were posted as close to himself as they could be； they never looked towards him。 They seemed to be waiting for something with a dogged determination； and they looked at the Jury； but at nothing else。 Under the President sat Doctor Manette； in his usual quiet dress。 As well as the prisoner could see； he and Mr。 Lorry were the only men there； unconnected with the Tribunal； who wore their usual clothes； and had not assumed the coarse garb of the Carmagnole。
Charles Evrémonde； called Darnay； was accused by the public prosecutor as an emigrant； whose life was forfeit to the Republic； under the decree which banished all emigrants on pain of Death。 It was nothing that the decree bore date since his return to France。 There he was； and there was the decree； he had been taken in France； and his head was demanded。
‘Take off his head！' cried the audience。 ‘An enemy to the Republic！'
The President rang his bell to silence those cries； and asked the prisoner whether it was not true that he had lived many years in England？
Undoubtedly it was。
Was he not an emigrant then？ What did he call himself？
Not an emigrant； he hoped； within the sense and spirit of the law。
Why not？ the President desired to know。
Because he had voluntarily relinquished a title that was distasteful to him； and a station that was distasteful to him； and had left his country……he submitted before the word emigrant in the present acceptation by the Tribunal was in use……to live by his own industry in England； rather than on the industry of the overladen people of France。
What proof had he of this？
He handed in the names of two witnesses： Théophile Gabelle； and Alexandre Manette。
But he had married in England？ the President reminded him。
True； but not an English woman。
A citizeness of France？
Yes。 By birth。
Her name and family？
‘Lucie Manette； only daughter of Doctor Manette； the good physician who sits there。'
This answer had a happy effect upon the audience。 Cries in exaltation of the well…known good physician rent the hall。 So capriciously were the people moved； that tears immediately rolled down several ferocious countenances which had been glaring at the prisoner a moment before； as if with impatience to pluck him out into the streets and kill him。
On these few steps of his dangerous way； Charles Darnay had set his foot according to Doctor Manette's reiterated instructions。 The same cautious counsel directed every step that lay before him； and had prepared every inch of his road。
The President asked； why had he returned to France when he d
