双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第68部分

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‘I　have　observed　his　face！'　repeated　madame；　contemptuously　and　angrily。　‘Yes。　I　have　observed　his　face。　I　have　observed　his　face　to　be　not　the　face　of　a　true　friend　of　the　Republic。　Let　him　take　care　of　his　face！'
‘And　you　have　observed；　my　wife；'　said　Defarge；　in　a　deprecatory　manner；　‘the　anguish　of　his　daughter；　which　must　be　a　dreadful　anguish　to　him！'
‘I　have　observed　his　daughter；'　repeated　madame；　‘yes；　I　have　observed　his　daughter；　more　times　than　one。　I　have　observed　her　to…day；　and　I　have　observed　her　other　days。　I　have　observed　her　in　the　court；　and　I　have　observed　her　in　the　street　by　the　prison。　Let　me　but　lift　my　finger………！'　She　seemed　to　raise　it　（the　listener's　eyes　were　always　on　his　paper）；　and　to　let　it　fall　with　a　rattle　on　the　ledge　before　her；　as　if　the　axe　had　dropped。
‘The　citizeness　is　superb！'　croaked　the　Juryman。
‘She　is　an　Angel！'　said　The　Vengeance；　and　embraced　her。
‘As　to　thee；'　pursued　madame；　implacably；　addressing　her　husband；　‘if　it　depended　on　thee……which；　happily；　it　does　not……thou　wouldst　rescue　this　man　even　now。
‘No！'　protested　Defarge。　‘Not　if　to　lift　this　glass　would　do　it！　But　I　would　leave　the　matter　there。　I　say；　stop　there。'
‘See　you　then；　Jacques；'　said　Madame　Defarge；　wrathfully；　‘and　see　you；　too；　my　little　Vengeance；　see　you　both！　Listen！　For　other　crimes　as　tyrants　and　oppressors；　I　have　this　race　a　long　time　on　my　register；　doomed　to　destruction　and　extermination。　Ask　my　husband；　is　that　so。'
‘It　is　so；'　assented　Defarge；　without　being　asked。
‘In　the　beginning　of　the　great　days；　when　the　Bastille　falls；　he　finds　this　paper　of　to…day；　and　he　brings　it　home；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　night　when　this　place　is　clear　and　shut；　we　read　it；　here　on　this　spot；　by　the　light　of　this　lamp。　Ask　him；　is　that　so。'
‘It　is　so；'　assented　Defarge。
‘That　night；　I　tell　him；　when　the　paper　is　read　through；　and　the　lamp　is　burnt　out；　and　the　day　is　gleaming　in　above　those　shutters　and　between　those　iron　bars；　that　I　have　now　a　secret　to　municate。　Ask　him；　is　that　so。'
‘It　is　so；'　assented　Defarge　again。
‘I　municate　to　him　that　secret。　I　smite　this　bosom　with　these　two　hands　as　I　smite　it　now；　and　I　tell　him；　〃Defarge；　I　was　brought　up　among　the　fishermen　of　the　sea…shore；　and　that　peasant　family　so　injured　by　the　two　Evrémonde　brothers；　as　that　Bastille　paper　describes；　is　my　family。　Defarge；　that　sister　of　the　mortally　wounded　boy　upon　the　ground　was　my　sister；　that　husband　was　my　sister's　husband；　that　unborn　child　was　their　child；　that　brother　was　my　brother；　that　father　was　my　father；　those　dead　are　my　dead；　and　that　summons　to　answer　for　those　things　descends　to　me！〃　Ask　him；　is　that　so。'
‘It　is　so；'　assented　Defarge　once　more。
‘Then　tell　Wind　and　Fire　where　to　stop；'　returned　madame；　‘but　don't　tell　me。'
Both　her　hearers　derived　a　horrible　enjoyment　from　the　deadly　nature　of　her　wrath……the　listener　could　feel　how　white　she　was；　without　seeing　her……and　both　highly　mended　it。　Defarge；　a　weak　minority；　interposed　a　few　words　for　the　memory　of　the　passionate　wife　of　the　Marquis；　but　only　elicited　from　his　own　wife　a　repetition　of　her　last　reply。　‘Tell　the　Wind　and　the　Fire　where　to　stop；　not　me！'
Customers　entered；　and　the　group　was　broken　up。　The　English　customer　paid　for　what　he　had　had；　perplexedly　counted　his　change；　and　asked；　as　a　stranger；　to　be　directed　towards　the　National　Palace。　Madame　Defarge　took　him　to　the　door；　and　put　her　arm　on　his；　in　pointing　out　the　road。　The　English　customer　was　not　without　his　reflections　then；　that　it　might　be　a　good　deed　to　seize　that　arm；　lilt　it；　and　strike　under　it　sharp　and　deep。
But；　he　went　his　way；　and　was　soon　swallowed　up　in　the　shadow　of　the　prison　wall。　At　the　appointed　hour；　he　emerged　from　it　to　present　himself　in　Mr。　Lorry's　room　again；　where　he　found　the　old　gentleman　walking　to　and　fro　in　restless　anxiety。　He　said　he　had　been　with　Lucie　until　just　now；　and　had　only　left　her　for　a　few　minutes；　to　e　and　keep　his　appointment。　Her　father　had　not　been　seen；　since　he　quitted　the　banking　house　towards　four　o'clock。　She　had　some　faint　hopes　that　his　mediation　might　save　Charles；　but　they　were　very　slight。　He　had　been　more　than　five　hours　gone：　where　could　he　be？
Mr。　Lorry　waited　until　ten；　but；　Doctor　Manette　not　returning；　and　he　being　unwilling　to　leave　Lucie　any　longer；　it　was　arranged　that　he　should　go　back　to　her；　and　e　to　the　banking…house　again　at　midnight。　In　the　meanwhile；　Carton　would　wait　alone　by　the　fire　for　the　Doctor。　He　waited　and　waited；　and　the　clock　struck　twelve；　but　Doctor　Manette　did　not　e　back。　Mr。　Lorry　returned；　and　found　no　tidings　of　him；　and　brought　none。　Where　could　he　be？
They　were　discussing　this　question；　and　were　almost　building　up　some　weak　structure　of　hope　on　his　prolonged　absence；　when　they　heard　him　on　the　stairs。　The　instant　he　entered　the　room；　it　was　plain　that　all　was　lost。
Whether　he　had　really　been　to　any　one；　or　whether　he　had　been　all　that　time　traversing　the　streets；　was　never　known。　As　he　stood　staring　at　them；　they　asked　him　no　question；　for　his　face　told　them　everything。
‘I　cannot　find　it；'　said　he；　‘and　I　must　have　it。　Where　is　it？'
His　head　and　throat　were　bare；　and；　as　he　spoke　with　a　helpless　look　straying　all　around；　he　took　his　coat　off；　and　let　it　drop　on　the　floor。
‘Where　is　my　bench？　I　have　been　looking　everywhere　for　my　bench；　and　I　can't　find　it。　What　have　they；　done　with　my　work？　Time　presses：　I　must　finish　those　shoes。
They　looked　at　one　another；　and　their　hearts　died　within　them。
‘e；　e！'　said　he；　in　a　whimpering　miserable　way；　‘let　me　get　to　work。　Give　me　my　work。'
Receiving　no　answer；　he　tore　his　hair；　and　beat　his　feet　upon　the　ground；　like　a　distracted　child。
‘Don't　torture　a　poor　forlorn　wretch；'　he　implored　them；　with　a　dreadful　cry；　‘but　give　me　my　work！　What　is　to　bee　of　us；　if　those　shoes　are　not　done　to…night？'
Lost；　utterly　lost！
It　was　so　clearly　beyond　hope　to　reason　with　him；　or　try　to　restore　him；……that……as　if　by　agreement……they　each　put　a　hand　upon　his　shoulder；　and　soothed　him　to　sit　down　before　the　fire；　with　a　promise　that　he　should　have　his　work　presently。　He　sank　into　the　chair；　and　brooded　over　the　embers；　and　shed　tears。　As　if　all　that　had　happened　since　the　garret　time　were　a　momentary　fancy；　or　a　dream；　Mr。　Lorry　saw　him　shrink　into　the　exact　figure　that　Defarge　had　had　in　keeping。
Affected；　and　impressed　with　terror　as　they　both　were；　by　this　spectacle　of　ruin；　it　was　not　a　time　to　yield　to　such　emotions。　His　lonely　daughter；　bereft　of　her　final　hope　and　reliance；　appealed　to　them　both　too　strongly。　Again；　as　if　by　agreement；　they　looked　at　one　another　with　one　meaning　in　their　faces。　Carton　was　the　first　to　speak：
‘The　last　chance　is　gone：　It　was　not　much。　Yes；　he　had　better　be　taken　to　her。　But；　before　you　go；　will　you；　for　a　moment；　steadily　attend　to　me？　Don't　ask　me　why　I　make　the　stipulations　I　am　going　to　make；　and　exact　the　promise　I　am　going　to　exact；　I　have　a　reason……a　good　one。'
‘I　do　not　doubt　it；'　answered　Mr。　Lorry。　‘Say　on。'
The　figure　in　the　chair　between　them；　was　all　the　time　monotonously　rocking　itself　to　and　fro；　and　moaning。　They　spoke　in　such　a　tone　as　they　would　have　used　if　they　had　been　watching　by　a　sick…bed　in　tile　night。
Carton　stooped　to　pick　up　the　coat；　which　lay　almost　entangling　his　feet。　As　he　did　so；　a　small　case　in　which　the　Doctor　was　accustomed　to　carry　the　list　of　his　day's　duties；　fell　lightly　on　the　floor。　Carton　took　it　up；　and　there　was　a　folded　paper　in　it。　‘We　should　look　at　this！'　he　said。　Mr。　Lorry　nodded　his　consent。　He　opened　it；　and　exclaimed；
‘Thank　GOD'
‘What　is　it？'　asked　Mr。　Lorry；　eagerly。
‘A　moment！　Let　me　speak　of　it　in　its　place。　First；'　he　put　his　hand　in　his　coat；　and　took　another　paper　from　it；　‘that　is　the　certificate　which　enables　me　to　pass　out　of　this　city。　Look　at　it。　You　see……Sydney　Carton；　an　Englishman？'
Mr。　Lorry　held　it　open　in　his　hand；　gazing　in　his　earnest　face。
‘Keep　it　for　me　until　to…morrow。　I　shall　see　him　to…morrow；　you　remember；　and　I　had　better　not　take　it　into　the　prison。'
‘Why　not？'
‘I　don't　know；　I　prefer　not　to　do　so。　Now；　take　this　paper　that　Doctor　Manette　has　carried　about　him。　It　is　a　similar　certificate；　enabling　him　and　his　daughter　and　her　child　at　any　time；　to　pass　the　barrier　and　the　frontier？　You　see？〃
‘Yes！'
‘Perhaps　he　obtained　it　as　his　last　and　utmost　precaution　against　evil；　yesterday。　When　is　it　dated？　But　no　matter；　don't　stay　to　look；　put　it　up　carefully　wit！；　mine　and　your　own。　Now；　observe！　I　never　doubted　until　within　this　hour　or　two；　tat　he　had；　or　could　have　such　a　paper。　It　is　good；　until　recalled。　But　it　may　be　soon　recalled；　and；　I　have　reason　to　think；　will　be。'
‘They　are　not　in　danger？'
‘They　are　in　great　danger。　They　are　in　danger　of　denunciation　by　Madame　Defarge。　I　know　it　from　her　own　lips。　I　have　overheard　words　of　that　woman's；　to…night；　which　have　presented　their　danger　to　me　in　strong　colours。　I　have　lost　no　time；　and　since　then；　I　have　seen　the　spy。　He　confirms　me。　He　knows　that　a　wood…sawyer；　living　by　the　prison…wall；　is　under　the　control　of　the　Defarges；　and　has　been　rehearsed　by　Madame　Defarge　as　to　his　having　seen　Her'……he　never　mentioned　Lucie's　name……'making　signs　and　signals　to　prisoners。　It　is　easy　to　foresee　that　the　pretence　will　be　the　mon　one；　a　prison　plot；　and　that　it　will　involve　her　life……and　perhaps　her　child's……and　perhaps　her　father's……for　both　have　been　seen　with　her　at　that　place。　Don't　look　so　horrified。　You　will　save　them　all。'
‘Heaven　grant　I　may；　Carton！　But　how？'
‘I　am　going　to　tell　you　how。　It　will　depend　on　you；　and　it　could　depend　on　no　better　man。　This　new　denunciation　will　certainly　not　take　place　until　after　to…morrow；　probably　not　until　two　or　three　days　afterwards；　more　probably　a　week　afterwards。　You　know　it　is　a　capital　crime；　to　mourn　for；　or　sympathise　with；　a　victim　of　the　Guillotine。　She　and　her　father　would　unquestionably　be　guilty　of　this　crime；　and　this　woman　（the　inveteracy　of　whose　pursuit　cannot　be　described）　would　wait　to　add　that　strength　to　her　case；　and　make　herself　doubly　sure。　You　follow　me？'
‘So　attentively；　and　with　so　much　confidence　in　what　you　say；　that　for　the　moment　I　lose　sight；'　touching　the　back　of　the　Doctor's　chair；　‘even　of　this　distress。'