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！
‘I will go；' said Doctor Manette； ‘to the Prosecutor and the President straight； and I will go to others whom it is better not to name。 I will write too； and……But stay！ There is a celebration in the streets； and no one will be accessible until dark。'
‘That's true。 Well！ It is a forlorn hope at the best； and not much the forlorner for being delayed till dark。 I should like to know how you speed； though； mind！ I expect nothing！ When are you likely to have seen these dread powers； Doctor Manette？'
‘Immediately after dark； I should hope。 Within an hour or two from this。'
‘It will be dark soon after four。 Let us stretch the hour or two。 If I go to Mr。 Lorry's at nine； shall I hear what you have done； either from our friend or from yourself？'
‘Yes。' ‘May you prosper！'
Mr。 Lorry followed Sydney to the outer door； and； touching him on the shoulder as he was going away； caused him to turn。
‘I have no hope；' said Mr。 Lorry； in a low and sorrowful whisper。
‘Nor have I。'
‘If any one of these men； or all of these men； were disposed to spare him……which is a large supposition； for what is his life； or any man's to them！……I doubt if they durst spare him after the demonstration in the court。'
‘And so do I。 I heard the fall of the axe in that sound。'
Mr。 Lorry leaned his arm upon the door…post； and bowed his face upon it。
‘Don't despond；' said Carton； very gently； ‘don't grieve。 I encouraged Doctor Manette in this idea； because I felt that it might one day be consolatory to her。 Otherwise； she might think 〃his life was wantonly thrown away or wasted；〃 and that might trouble her。'
‘Yes； yes； yes；' returned Mr。 Lorry； drying his eyes； ‘you are right。 But he will perish； there is no real hope。
‘Yes。 He will perish： there is no real hope；' echoed Carton。 And walked with a settled step； down…stairs。
CHAPTER XII
Darkness
SYDNEY CARTON paused in the street； not quite decided where to go。 ‘At Tellson's banking…house at nine；' he said； with a musing face。 ‘Shall I do well； in the mean time； to show myself？ I think so。 It is best that these people should know there is such a man as I here； it is a sound precaution； and may be a necessary preparation。 But care； care； care！ Let me think it out！'
Checking his steps； which had begun to tend towards an object； he took a turn or two in the already darkening street； and traced the thought in his mind to its possible consequences。 His first impression was confirmed。 ‘It is best；' he said； finally resolved； ‘that these people should know there is such a man as I here。' And he turned his face towards Saint Antoine。
Defarge had described himself； that day； as the keeper of a wine…shop in the Saint Antoine suburb。 It was not difficult for one who knew the city well； to find his house without asking any question。 Having ascertained its situation； Carton came out of those closer streets again； and dined at a place of refreshment and fell sound asleep after dinner。 For the first time in many years； he had no strong drink。 Since last night he had taken nothing but a little light thin wine； and last night he had dropped the brandy slowly down on Mr。 Lorry's hearth like a man who had done with it。
It was as late as seven o'clock when he awoke refreshed； and went out into the streets again。 As he passed along towards Saint Antoine； he stopped at a shop…window where there was a mirror； and slightly altered the disordered arrangement of his loose cravat； and his coat…collar； and his wild hair。 This done； he went on direct to Defarge's； and went in。
There happened to be no customer in the shop but Jacques Three； of the restless fingers and the croaking voice。 This man； whom he had seen upon the Jury； stood drinking at the little counter； in conversation with the Defarges； man and wife。 The Vengeance assisted in the conversation； like a regular member of the establishment。
As Carton walked in； took his seat and asked （in very indifferent French） for a small measure of wine； Madame Defarge cast a careless glance at him； and then a keener； and then a keener； and then advanced to him herself； and asked him what it was he had ordered。
He repeated what he had already said。
‘English？' asked Madame Defarge； inquisitively raising her dark eyebrows。
After looking at her； as if the sound of even a single French word were slow to express itself to him； he answered； in his former strong foreign accent； ‘Yes； madame； yes。 I am English！'
Madame Defarge returned to her counter to get the wine； and； as he took up a Jacobin journal and feigned to pore over it puzzling out its meaning； he heard her say； ‘I swear to you； like Evrémonde！'
Defarge brought him the wine； and gave him Good Evening。
‘How？'
‘Good evening。'
‘Oh！ Good evening； citizen；' filling his glass。 ‘Ah！ and good wine。 I drink to the Republic。'
Defarge went back to the counter； and said； ‘Certainly； a little like。' Madame sternly retorted； ‘I tell you a good deal like。' Jacques Three pacifically remarked； ‘He is so much in your mind； see you； madame。' The amiable Vengeance added； with a laugh； ‘Yes； my faith！ And you are looking forward with so much pleasure to seeing him once more to…morrow！'
Carton followed the lines and words of his paper； with a slow forefinger； and with a studious and absorbed face。 They were all leaning their arms on the counter close together； speaking low。 After a silence of a few moments； during which they all looked towards him without disturbing his outward attention from the Jacobin editor； they resumed their conversation。
‘It is true what madame says；' observed Jacques Three。 ‘Why stop？ There is great force in that。 Why stop？'
‘Well； well；' reasoned Defarge； ‘but one must stop somewhere。 After all； the question is still where？'
‘At extermination；' said madame。
‘Magnificent！' croaked Jacques Three。 The Vengeance； also； highly approved。
‘Extermination is good doctrine； my wife；' said Defarge； rather troubled； ‘in general； I say nothing against it。 But this Doctor has suffered much； you have seen him to…day； you have observed his face when the paper was read。'
‘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 br