双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第66部分

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‘The　brothers　were　waiting　in　a　room　down…stairs；　impatient　to　ride　away。　I　had　heard　them；　alone　at　the　bedside；　striking　their　boots　with　their　riding…whips；　and　loitering　up　and　down。
‘〃At　last　she　is　dead？〃　said　the　elder；　when　I　went　in。
‘〃She　is　dead；〃　said　I。
‘〃I　congratulate　you；　my　brother；〃　were　his　words　as　he　turned　round。
‘He　had　before　offered　me　money；　which　I　had　postponed　taking。　He　now　gave　me　a　rouleau　of　gold。　I　took　it　from　his　hand；　but　laid　it　on　the　table。　I　had　considered　the　question；　and　had　resolved　to　accept　nothing。
‘〃Pray　excuse　me；〃　said　I。　〃Under　the　circumstances；　no。〃　‘They　exchanged　looks；　but　bent　their　heads　to　me　as　I　bent　mine　to　them；　and　we　parted　without　another　word　on　either　side。　*　*　*　*
‘I　am　weary；　weary；　weary……worn　down　by　misery。　I　cannot　read　what　I　have　written　with　this　gaunt　hand。
‘Early　in　the　morning；　the　rouleau　of　gold　was　left　at　m'　door　in　a　little　box；　with　my　name　on　the　outside。　From　the　first；　I　had　anxiously　considered　what　I　ought　to　do。　I　decided；　that　day；　to　write　privately　to　the　Minister；　stating　the　nature　of　the　two　eases　to　which　I　had　been　summoned；　and　the　place　to　which　I　had　gone：　in　effect；　stating　all　the　circumstances。　I　knew　what　Court　influence　was；　and　what　the　immunities　of　the　Nobles　were；　and　I　expected　that　the　matter　would　never　be　heard　of；　but；　I　wished　to　relieve　my　own　mind。　I　had　kept　the　matter　a　profound　secret；　even　from　my　wife；　and　this；　too；　I　resolved　to　state　in　my　letter。　I　had　no　apprehension　whatever　of　my　real　danger；　but　I　was　conscious　that　there　might　be　danger　for　others；　if　others　were　promised　by　possessing　the　knowledge　that　I　possessed。
‘I　was　much　engaged　that　day；　and　could　not　plete　my　letter　that　night。　I　rose　long　before　my　usual　time　next　morning　to　finish　it。　It　was　the　last　day　of　the　year。　The　letter　was　lying　before　me　just　pleted；　when　I　was　told　that　a　lady　waited；　who　wished　to　see　me。　*　*　*　*
‘I　am　growing　more　and　more　unequal　to　the　task　I　have　set　myself。　It　is　so　cold；　so　dark；　my　senses　are　so　benumbed；　and　the　gloom　upon　me　is　so　dreadful。
‘The　lady　was　young；　engaging；　and　handsome；　but　not　marked　for　long　life。　She　was　in　great　agitation。　She　presented　herself　to　me　as　the　wife　of　the　Marquis　St。　Evrémonde。　I　connected　the　title　by　which　the　boy　had　addressed　the　elder　brother；　with　the　initial　letter　embroidered　on　the　scarf；　and　had　no　difficulty　in　arriving　at　the　conclusion　that　I　had　seen　that　nobleman　very　lately。
‘My　memory　is　still　accurate；　but　I　cannot　write　the　words　of　Our　conversation。　I　suspect　that　I　am　watched　more　closely　than　I　was；　and　I　know　not　at　what　times　I　may　be　watched。　She　had　in　part　suspected；　and　in　part　discovered；　the　main　facts　of　the　cruel　story；　of　her　husband's　share　in　it；　and　my　being　resorted　to。　She　did　not　know　that　the　girl　was　dead。　Her　hope　had　been；　she　said　in　great　distress；　to　show　her；　in　secret；　a　woman's　sympathy。　Her　hope　had　been　to　avert　the　wrath　of　Heaven　from　a　House　that　had　long　been　hateful　to　the　suffering　many。
‘She　had　reasons　for　believing　that　there　was　a　young　sister　living；　and　her　greatest　desire　was；　to　help　that　sister。　I　could　tell　her　nothing　but　that　there　was　such　a　sister；　beyond　that；　I　knew　nothing。　Her　inducement　to　e　to　me；　relying　on　my　confidence；　had　been　the　hope　that　I　could　tell　her　the　name　and　place　of　abode。　Whereas；　to　this　wretched　hour　I　am　ignorant　of　both。　*　*　*　*
‘These　scraps　of　paper　fail　me。　One　was　taken　from　me；　with　a　warning；　yesterday。　I　must　finish　my　record　to…day。
‘She　was　a　good；　passionate　lady；　and　not　happy　in　her　marriage。　How　could　she　be！　The　brother　distrusted　and　disliked　her；　and　his　influence　was　all　opposed　to　her；　she　stood　in　dread　of　him；　and　in　dead　of　her　husband　too。　When　I　handed　her　down　to　the　door；　there　was　a　child；　a　pretty　boy　from　two　to　three　years　old；　in　her　carriage。
‘〃For　his　sake；　Doctor；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　him　in　tears；　〃I　would　do　all　I　can　to　make　what　poor　amends　I　can。　He　will　never　prosper　in　his　inheritance　otherwise。　I　have　a　presentiment　that　if　no　other　innocent　atonement　is　made　for　this；　it　will　one　day　be　required　of　him。　What　I　have　left　to　call　my　own……it　is　little　beyond　the　worth　of　a　few　jewels……I　will　make　it　the　first　charge　of　his　life　to　bestow；　with　the　passion　and　lamenting　of　his　dead　mother；　on　this　injured　family；　if　the　sister　can　be　discovered。〃
‘She　kissed　the　boy；　and　said；　caressing　him；　〃It　is　for　thine　own　dear　sake。　Thou　wilt　be　faithful；　little　Charles？〃　The　child　answered　her　bravely；　〃Yes！〃　I　kissed　her　hand；　and　she　took　him　in　her　arms；　and　went　away　caressing　him。　I　never　saw　her　more。
‘As　she　had　mentioned　her　husband's　name　in　the　faith　that　I　knew　it；　I　added　no　mention　of　it　to　my　letter。　I　sealed　my　letter；　and；　not　trusting　it　out　of　my　own　hands；　delivered　it　myself　that　day。
‘That　night；　the　last　night　of　the　year；　towards　nine　o'clock；　a　man　in　a　black　dress　rang　at　my　gate；　demanded　to　see　me；　and　softly　followed　my　servant；　Ernest　Defarge；　a　youth；　upstairs。　When　my　servant　came　into　the　room　where　I　sat　with　my　wife……O　my　wife；　beloved　of　my　heart！　My　fair　young　English　wife！……we　saw　the　man；　who　was　supposed　to　be　at　the　gate；　standing　silent　behind　him。
‘An　urgent　case　in　the　Rue　St。　Honoré'；　he　said。　It　would　not　detain　me；　he　had　a　coach　in　waiting。
‘It　brought　me　here；　it　brought　me　to　my　grave。　When　I　was　clear　of　the　house；　a　black　muffler　was　drawn　tightly　over　my　mouth　from　behind；　and　my　arms　were　pinioned。　The　two　brothers　crossed　the　road　from　a　dark　corner；　and　identified　me　with　a　single　gesture。　The　Marquis　took　from　his　pocket　the　letter　I　had　written；　showed　it　me；　burnt　it　in　the　light　of　a　lantern　that　was　held；　and　extinguished　the　ashes　with　his　foot。　Not　a　word　was　spoken。　I　was　brought　here；　I　was　brought　to　my　living　grave。
‘If　it　had　pleased　GOD　to　put　it　in　the　hard　heart　of　either　of　the　brothers；　in　all　these　frightful　years；　to　grant　me　any　tidings　of　my　dearest　wife……so　much　as　to　let　me　know　by　a　word　whether　alive　or　dead……I　might　have　thought　that　He　had　not　quite　abandoned　them。　But；　now　I　believe　that　the　mark　of　the　red　cross　is　fatal　to　them；　and　that　they　have　no　part　in　His　mercies。　And　them　and　their　descendants；　to　the　last　of　their　race；　I；　Alexandre　Manette；　unhappy　prisoner；　do　this　last　night　of　the　year　1767；　in　my　unbearable　agony；　denounce　to　the　times　when　all　these　things　shall　be　answered　for。　I　denounce　them　to　Heaven　and　to　earth。'
A　terrible　sound　arose　when　the　reading　of　this　document　was　done。　A　sound　of　craving　and　eagerness　that　had　nothing　articulate　in　it　but　blood。　The　narrative　called　up　the　most　revengeful　passions　of　the　time；　and　there　was　not　a　head　in　the　nation　but　must　have　dropped　before　it。
Little　need；　in　presence　of　that　tribunal　and　that　auditory；　to　show　how　the　Defarges　had　not　made　the　paper　public；　with　the　other　captured　Bastille　memorials　borne　in　procession；　and　had　kept　it；　biding　their　time。　Little　need　to　show　that　this　detested　family　name　had　long　been　anathematised　by　Saint　Antoine；　and　was　wrought　into　the　fatal　register。　The　man　never　trod　ground　whose　virtues　and　Services　would　have　sustained　him　in　that　place　that　day；　against　such　denunciation。
And　all　the　worse　for　the　doomed　man；　that　the　denouncer　was　a　well…known　citizen；　his　own　attached　friend；　the　father　of　his　wife。　One　of　the　frenzied　aspirations　of　the　populace　was；　for　imitations　of　the　questionable　public　virtues　of　antiquity；　and　for　sacrifices　and　self…immolations　on　the　people's　altar。　Therefore　when　the　President　said　（else　had　his　own　head　quivered　on　his　shoulders）；　that　the　good　physician　of　the　Republic　would　deserve　better　still　of　the　Republic　by　rooting　out　an　obnoxious　family　of　Aristocrats；　and　would　doubtless　feel　a　sacred　glow　and　joy　in　making　his　daughter　a　widow　and　her　child　an　orphan；　there　was　wild　excitement；　patriotic　fervour；　not　a　touch　of　human　sympathy。
‘Much　influence　around　him；　has　that　Doctor？'　murmured　Madame　Defarge；　smiling　to　The　Vengeance。　‘Save　him　now；　my　Doctor；　save　him！'
At　every　juryman's　vote；　there　was　a　roar。　Another　and　another。　Roar　and　roar。
Unanimously　voted。　At　heart　and　by　descent　an　Aristocrat；　an　enemy　of　the　Republic；　a　notorious　oppressor　of　the　People。　Back　to　the　Conciergerie；　and　Death　within　four…and…twenty　hours！　
CHAPTER　XI
Dusk
THE　wretched　wife　of　the　innocent　man　thus　doomed　to　die；　under　the　sentence；　as　if　she　had　been　mortally　stricken。　But；　she　uttered　no　sound；　and　so　strong　was　the　voice　within　her；　representing　that　it　was　she　of　all　the　world　who　must　uphold　him　in　his　misery　and　not　augment　it；　that　it　quickly　raised　her；　even　from　that　shock。
The　judges　having　to　take　part　in　a　public　demonstration　out　of　doors；　the　tribunal　adjourned。　The　quick　noise　and　movement　of　the　court's　emptying　itself　by　many　passages　had　not　ceased；　when　Lucie　stood　stretching　out　her　arms　towards　her　husband；　with　nothing　in　her　face　but　love　and　consolation。
‘If　I　might　touch　him！　If　I　might　embrace　him　once！　O；　good　citizens；　if　you　would　have　so　much　passion　for　us！'
There　was　but　a　gaoler　left；　along　with　two　of　the　four　men　who　had　taken　him　last　night；　and　Barsad。　The　people　had　all　poured　out　to　the　show　in　the　streets。　Barsad　proposed　to　the　rest；　‘Let　her　embrace　him　then；　it　is　but　a　moment。'　It　was　silently　acquiesced　in；　and　they　passed　her　over　the　seats　in　the　hall　to　a　raised　place；　where　he；　by　leaning　over　the　dock；　could　fold　her　in　his　arms。
‘Farewell；　dear　darling　of　my　soul。　My　parting　blessing　on　my　love。　We　shall　meet　again；　where　the　weary　are　at　rest！'
They　were　her　husband's　words；　as　he　held　her　to　his　bosom。
‘I　can　bear　it；　dear　Charles。　I　am　supported　from　above：　don't　suffer　for　me。　A　parting　blessing　for　our　child。'
‘I　send　it　to　her　by　you。　I　kiss　her　by　you。　I　say　farewell　to　her　by　you。'
‘My　husband。　No！　A　moment！'　He　was　tearing　himself　apart　from　her。　‘We　shall　not　be　separated　long。　I　feel　that　this　will　break　my　heart　by…and…by；　but　I　will　do　my　duty　while　I　can；　and　when　I　leave　her；　God　will　raise　up　friends　for　her；　as　He　did　for　me。'
Her　father　had　followed　her；　and　would　have　fallen　on　his　knees　to　both　of　them；　but　that　Darnay　pu