a tale of two cities(双城记)-第20部分

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　ripening；　waters　of　Hope　that　sparkled　in　his　sight。　A　moment；　and　it　was　gone。　Climbing　to　a　high　chamber　in　a　well　of　houses；　he　threw　himself　down　in　his　clothes　on　a　neglected　bed；　and　its　pillow　was　wet　with　wasted　tears。　
　Sadly；　sadly；　the　sun　rose；　it　rose　upon　no　sadder　sight　than　the　man　of　good　abilities　and　good　emotions；　incapable　of　their　directed　exercise；　incapable　of　his　own　help　and　his　own　happiness；　sensible　of　the　blight　on　him；　and　resigning　him…self　to　let　it　cat　him　away。　


CHAPTER　VI
Hundreds　of　People
THE　quiet　lodgings　of　Doctor　Manette　were　in　a　quiet　street…corner　not　far　from　Soho…square。　On　the　afternoon　of　a　certain　fine　Sunday　when　the　waves　of　four　months　had　rolled　over　the　trial　for　treason；　and　carried　it；　as　to　the　public　interest　and　memory；　far　out　to　sea；　Mr。　Jarvis　Lorry　walked　along　the　sunny　streets　from　Clerkenwell　where　he　lived；　on　his　way　to　dine　with　the　Doctor。　After　several　relapses　into　business…absorption；　Mr。　Lorry　had　become　the　Doctor's　friend；　and　the　quiet　street…corner　was　the　sunny　part　of　his　life。　
　On　this　certain　fine　Sunday；　Mr。　Lorry　walked　towards　Soho；　early　in　the　afternoon；　for　three　reasons　of　habit。　Firstly；　because；　on　fine　Sundays；　he　often　walked　out；　before　dinner；　with　the　Doctor　and　Lucie；　secondly；　because；　on　unfavourable　Sundays；　he　was　accustomed　to　be　with　them　as　the　family　friend；　talking；　reading；　looking　out　of　window；　and　generally　getting　through　the　day；　thirdly；　because　he　happened　to　have　his　own　little　shrewd　doubts　to　solve；　and　knew　how　the　ways　of　the　Doctor's　household　pointed　to　that　time　as　a　likely　time　for　solving　them。　
　A　quainter　corner　than　the　corner　where　the　Doctor　lived；　was　not　to　be　found　in　London。　There　was　no　way　through　it；　and　the　front　windows　of　the　Doctor's　lodgings　commanded　a　pleasant　little　vista　of　street　that　had　a　congenial　air　of　retirement　on　it。　There　were　few　buildings　then；　north　of　the　Oxford…road；　and　forest…trees　flourished；　and　wild　flowers　grew；　and　the　hawthorn　blossomed；　in　the　now　vanished　fields。　As　a　consequence；　country　airs　circulated　in　Soho　with　vigorous　freedom；　instead　of　languishing　into　the　parish　like　stray　paupers　without　a　settlement；　and　there　was　many　a　good　south　wall；　not　far　off；　on　which　the　peaches　ripened　in　their　season。　
　The　summer　light　struck　into　the　corner　brilliantly　in　the　earlier　part　of　the　day；　but；　when　the　streets　grew　hot；　the　corner　was　in　shadow；　though　not　in　shadow　so　remote　but　that　you　could　see　beyond　it　into　a　glare　of　brightness。　It　was　a　cool　spot；　staid　but　cheerful；　a　wonderful　place　for　echoes；　and　a　very　harbour　from　the　raging　streets。　
　There　ought　to　have　been　a　tranquil　bark　in　such　an　anchorage；　and　there　was。　The　Doctor　occupied　two　floors　of　a　large　still　house；　where　several　callings　purported　to　be　pursued　by　day；　but　whereof　little　was　audible　any　day；　and　which　was　shunned　by　all　of　them　at　night。　In　a　building　at　the　back；　attainable　by　a　court…yard'　where　a　plane…tree　rustled　its　green　leaves；　church…organs　claimed　to　be　made；　and　silver　to　be　chased；　and　likewise　gold　to　be　beaten　by　some　mysterious　giant　who　had　a　golden　arm　starting　out　of　the　wall　of　the　front　hallas　if　he　had　beaten　himself　precious；　and　menaced　a　similar　conversion　of　all　visitors。　Very　little　of　these　trades；　or　of　a　lonely　lodger　rumoured　to　live　up…stairs；　or　of　a　dim　coach…trimming　maker　asserted　to　have　a　counting…house　below；　was　ever　heard　or　seen。　Occasionally；　a　stray　workman　putting　his　coat　on；　traversed　the　hall；　or　a　stranger　peered　about　there；　or　a　distant　clink　was　heard　across　the　court…yard；　or　a　thump　from　the　golden　giant。　These；　how…ever；　were　only　the　exceptions　required　to　prove　the　rule　that　the　sparrows　in　the　plane…tree　behind　the　house；　and　the　echoes　in　the　corner　before　it；　had　their　own　way　from　Sunday　morning　unto　Saturday　night。　
　Doctor　Manette　received　such　patients　here　as　his　old　reputation；　and　its　revival　in　the　floating　whispers　of　his　story；　brought　him。　His　scientific　knowledge；　and　his　vigilance　and　skill　in　conducting　ingenious　experiments；　brought　him　other…wise　into　moderate　request；　and　he　earned　a；　much　as　he　wanted。　
　These　things　were　within　Mr。　Jarvis　Lorry's　knowledge；　thoughts；　and　notice；　when　he　rang　the　door…bell　of　the　tranquil　house　in　the　corner；　on　the　fine　Sunday　afternoon。　
　‘Doctor　Manette　at　home？'　
　Expected　home。　
　‘Miss　Lucie　at　home？'　
　Expected　home。　
　‘Miss　Pross　at　home？'　
　Possibly　at　home；　but　of　a　certainty　impossible　for　hand…maid　to　anticipate　intentions　of　Miss　Pross；　as　to　admission　or　denial　of　the　fact。　
　‘As　I　am　at　home　myself；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　‘I'll　go　up…stairs。'　
　Although　the　Doctor's　daughter　had　known　nothing　of　the　country　of　her　birth；　she　appeared　to　have　innately　derived　from　it　that　ability　to　make　much　of　little　means；　which　is　one　of　its　most　useful　and　most　agreeable　characteristics。　Simple　as　the　furniture　was；　it　was　set　off　by　so　many　little　adornments；　of　no　value　but　for　their　taste　and　fancy；　that　its　effect　was　delightful。　The　disposition　of　everything　in　the　rooms；　from　the　largest　object　to　the　least；　the　arrangement　of　colours；　the　elegant　variety　and　contrast　obtained　by　thrift　in　trifles；　by　delicate　hands；　clear　eyes；　and　good　sense；　were　at　once　so　pleasant　in　themselves；　and　so　expressive　of　their　originator；　that；　as　Mr。　Lorry　stood　looking　about　him；　the　very　chairs　and　tables　seemed　to　ask　him；　with　something　of　that　peculiar　expression　which　he　knew　so　well　by　this　time；　whether　he　approved？　
　There　were　three　rooms　on　a　floor；　and；　the　doors　by　which　they　communicated　being　put　open　that　the　air　might　pass　freely　through　them　all；　Mr。　Lorry；　smilingly　observant　of　that　fanciful　resemblance　which　he　detected　all　around　him；　walked　from　one　to　another。　The　first　was　the　best　room；　and　in　it　were　Lucie's　birds；　and　flowers；　and　books；　and　desk；　and　work…table；　and　box　of　water…colours；　the　second　was　the　Doctor's　consulting…room；　used　also　as　the　dining…room；　the　third；　changingly　speckled　by　the　rustle　of　the　plane…tree　in　the　yard；　was　the　Doctor's　bedroom；　and　there；　in　a　corner；　stood　the　disused　shoemaker's　bench　and　tray　of　tools；　much　as　it　had　stood　on　the　fifth　floor　of　the　dismal　house　by　the　wine…shop；　in　the　suburb　of　Saint　Antoine　in　Paris。　
　‘I　wonder；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　pausing　in　his　looking　about；　‘that　he　keeps　that　reminder　of　his　sufferings　about　him！'　
　‘And　why　wonder　at　that？'　was　the　abrupt　inquiry　that　made　him　start。　
　It　proceeded　from　Miss　Pross；　the　wild　red　woman；　strong　of　hand；　whose　acquaintance　he　had　first　made　at　the　Royal　George　Hotel　at　Dover；　and　had　since　improved。　
　‘I　should　have　thought…‘Mr。　Lorry　began。　
　‘Pooh！　You'd　have　thought！'　said　Miss　Pross；　and　Mr。　Lorry　left　off。　
　‘How　do　you　do？'　inquired　that　lady　thensharply；　and　yet　as　if　to　express　that　she　bore　him　no　malice。　
　‘I　am　pretty　well；　I　thank　you；'　answered　Mr。　Lorry；　with　meekness；　‘how　are　you？'　
　‘Nothing　to　boast　of；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　‘Indeed？'　
　‘Ah！　indeed！'　said　Miss　Pross。　‘I　am　very　much　put　out　about　my　Ladybird。'　
　‘Indeed？'　
　‘For　gracious　sake　say　something　else　besides　‘‘indeed；''　or　you'll　fidget　me　to　death；'　said　Miss　Pross：　whose　character　（dissociated　from　stature）　was　shortness。'　
　‘Really；　then？'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　as　an　amendment。　
　‘Really；　is　bad　enough；'　returned　Miss　Pross；　‘but　better。　Yes；　I　am　very　much　put　out。'　
　‘May　I　ask　the　cause？'　
　‘I　don't　want　dozens　of　people　who　are　not　at　all　worthy　of　Ladybird；　to　come　here　looking　after　her；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　‘Do　dozens　come　for　that　purpose？'　
　‘Hundreds；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　It　was　characteristic　of　this　lady　（as　of　some　other　people　before　her　time　and　since）　that　whenever　her　original　pro…position　was　questioned；　she　exaggerated　it。　
　‘Dear　me！'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　as　the　safest　remark　he　could　think　of。　
　‘I　have　lived　with　the　darlingor　the　darling　has　lived　with　me；　and　paid　me　for　it；　which　she　certainly　should　never　have　done；　you　may　take　your　affidavit；　if　I　could　have　afforded　to　keep　either　myself　or　her　for　nothingsince　she　was　ten　years　old。　And　it's　really　very　hard；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　Not　seeing　with　precision　what　was　very　hard；　Mr。　Lorry　shook　his　head；　using　that　important　part　of　himself　as　a　sort　of　fairy　cloak　that　would　fit　anything。　
　‘All　sorts　of　people　who　are　not　in　the　least　degree　worthy　of　the　pet；　are　always　turning　up；'　said　Miss　Pross。　‘When　you　began　it…'　
　‘I　began　it；　Miss　Pross？'　
　‘Didn't　you？　Who　brought　her　father　to　life？'　
　‘Oh！　If　that　was　beginning　it…'said　Mr。　Lorry。　
　‘It　wasn't　ending　it；　I　suppose？　I　say；　when　you　began　it；　it　was　hard　enough；　not　that　I　have　any　fault　to　find　with　Doctor　Manette；　except　that　he　is　not　worthy　of　such　a　daughter；　which　is　no　imputation　on　him；　for　it　was　not　to　be　expected　that　anybody　should　be；　under　any　circumstances。　But　it　really　is　doubly　and　trebly　hard　to　have　crowds　and　multitudes　of　people　turning　up　after　him　（I　could　have　forgiven　him）；　to　take　Ladybird's　affections　away　from　me。'　
　Mr。　Lorry　knew　Miss　Pross　to　be　very　jealous；　but　he　also　knew　her　by　this　time　to　be；　beneath　the　surface　of　her　eccentricity；　one　of　those　unselfish　creature