a tale of two cities(双城记)-第4部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

s　of　men　came　out　of　it。　Consequently　another　drawer；　and　two　porters；　and　several　maids　and　the　landlady；　were　all　loitering　by　accident　at　various　points　of　the　road　between　the　Concord　and　the　coffee…room；　when　a　gentle…man　of　sixty；　formally　dressed　in　a　brown　suit　of　clothes；　pretty　well　worn；　but　very　well　kept；　with　large　square　cuffs　and　large　flaps　to　the　pockets；　passed　along　on　his　way　to　his　breakfast。　
　The　coffee…room　had　no　other　occupant；　that　forenoon；　than　the　gentleman　in　brown。　His　breakfast…table　was　drawn　before　the　fire；　and　as　he　sat；　with　its　light　shining　on　him；　waiting　for　the　meal；　he　sat　so　still；　that　he　might　have　been　sitting　for　his　portrait。　
　Very　orderly　and　methodical　he　looked；　with　a　hand　on　each　knee；　and　a　loud　watch　ticking　a　sonorous　sermon　under　his　flapped　waistcoat；　as　though　it　pitted　its　gravity　and　longevity　against　the　levity　and　evanescence　of　the　brisk　fire。　He　had　a　good　leg；　and　was　a　little　vain　of　it；　for　his　brown　stockings　fitted　sleek　and　close；　and　were　of　a　fine　texture；　his　shoes　and　buckles；　too；　though　plain；　were　trim。　He　wore　an　odd　little　sleek　crisp　flaxen　wig；　setting　very　close　to　his　head：　which　wig；　it　is　to　be　presumed；　was　made　of　hair；　but　which　looked　far　more　as　though　it　were　spun　from　filaments　of　silk　or　glass。　His　linen；　though　not　of　a　fineness　in　accordance　with　his　stockings；　was　as　white　as　the　tops　of　the　waves　that　broke　upon　the　neighbouring　beach；　or　the　specks　of　sail　that　glinted　in　the　sunlight　far　at　sea。　A　face　habitually　suppressed　and　quieted；　was　still　lighted　up　under　the　quaint　wig　by　a　pair　of　moist　bright　eyes　that　it　must　have　cost　their　owner；　in　years　gone　by；　some　pains　to　drill　to　the　composed　and　reserved　expression　of　Tellson's　Bank。　He　had　a　healthy　colour　in　his　cheeks；　and　his　face；　though　lined；　bore　few　traces　of　anxiety。　But；　perhaps　the　confidential　bachelor　clerks　in　Tellson's　Bank　were　principally　occupied　with　the　cares　of　other　people；　and　perhaps　second…hand　cares；　like　second…hand　clothes；　come　easily　off　and　on。　
　Completing　his　resemblance　to　a　man　who　was　sitting　for　his　portrait；　Mr。　Lorry　dropped　off　to　sleep。　The　arrival　of　his　breakfast　roused　him；　and　he　said　to　the　drawer；　as　he　moved　his　chair　to　it：　
　‘I　wish　accommodation　prepared　for　a　young　lady　who　may　come　here　at　any　time　to…day。　She　may　ask　for　Mr。　Jarvis　Lorry；　or　she　may　only　ask　for　a　gentleman　from　Tellson's　Bank。　Please　to　let　me　know。　
　‘Yes；　sir。　Tellson's　Bank　in　London；　sir？'　
　‘Yes。'　
　‘Yes；　sir。　We　have　often　times　the　honour　to　entertain　your　gentlemen　in　their　travelling　backwards　and　forwards　betwixt　London　and　Paris；　sir。　A　vast　deal　of　travelling；　sir；　in　Tellson　and　Company's　House。'　
　‘Yes。　We　are　quite　a　French　House；　as　well　as　an　English　one。'　
　‘Yes；　sir。　Not　much　in　the　habit　of　such　travelling　your…self；　I　think；　sir？'　
　‘Not　of　late　years。　It　is　fifteen　years　since　wesince　Icame　last　from　France。'　
　‘Indeed；　sir？　That　was　before　my　time　here；　sir。　Before　our　people's　time　here；　sir。　The　George　was　in　other　hands　at　that　time；　sir。'　
　‘I　believe　so。'　
　‘But　I　would　hold　a　pretty　wager；　sir；　that　a　House　like　Tellson　and　Company　was　flourishing；　a　matter　of　fifty；　not　to　speak　of　fifteen　years　ago？'　
　‘You　might　treble　that；　and　say　a　hundred　and　fifty；　yet　not　be　far　from　the　truth。'　
　‘Indeed；　sir！'　
　Rounding　his　mouth　and　both　his　eyes；　as　he　stepped　backward　from　the　table；　the　waiter　shifted　his　napkin　from　his…right　arm　to　his　left；　dropped　into　a　comfortable　attitude；　and　stood　surveying　the　guest　while　he　ate　and　drank；　as　from　an　observatory　or　watch…tower。　According　to　the　immemorial　usage　of　waiters　in　all　ages。　
　When　Mr。　Lorry　had　finished　his　breakfast；　he　went　out　for　a　stroll　on　the　beach。　The　little　narrow；　crooked　town　of　Dover　hid　itself　away　from　the　beach；　and　ran　its　head　into　the　chalk　cliffs；　like　a　marine　ostrich。　The　beach　was　a　desert　of　heaps　of　sea　and　stones　tumbling　wildly　about；　and　the　sea　did　what　it　liked；　and　what　it　liked　was　destruction。　It　thundered　at　the　town；　and　thundered　at　the　cliffs；　and　brought　the　coast　down；　madly。　The　air　among　the　houses　was　of　so　strong　a　piscatory　flavour　that　one　might　have　supposed　sick　fish　went　up　to　be　dipped　in　it；　as　sick　people　went　down　to　be　dipped　in　the　sea。　A　little　fishing　was　done　in　the　port；　and　a　quantity　of　strolling　about　by　night；　and　looking　seaward：　particularly　at　those　times　when　the　tide　made；　and　was　near　flood。　Small　tradesmen；　who　did　no　business　whatever；　sometimes　unaccountably　realised　large　fortunes；　and　it　was　remarkable　that　nobody　in　the　neighbourhood　could　endure　a　lamplighter。　
　As　the　day　declined　into　the　afternoon；　and　the　air；　which　had　been　at　intervals　clear　enough　to　allow　the　French　coast　to　be　seen；　became　again　charged　with　mist　and　vapour；　Mr。　Lorry's　thoughts　seemed　to　cloud　too。　When　dark；　and　he　sat　before　the　coffee…room　fire；　awaiting　his　dinner　as　he　had　awaited　his　breakfast；　his　mind　was　digging；　digging；　digging；　in　the　live　red　coals。　
　A　bottle　of　good　claret　after　dinner　does　a　digger　in　the　red　coals　no　harm；　otherwise　than　as　it　has　a　tendency　to　throw　him　out　of　work。　Mr。　Lorry　had　been　idle　a　lo　and　had　just　poured　out　his　last　glassful　of　wine　complete　an　appearance　of　satisfaction　as　is　ever　to　be　found　in　an　elderly　gentleman　of　a　fresh　complexion　who　has　got　to　the　end　of　a　bottle；　when　a　rattling　of　wheels　came　up　the　narrow　street；　and　rumbled　into　the　inn…yard。　
　He　set　down　his　glass　untouched。　‘This　is　Mam'selle！'　said　he。　
　In　a　very　few　minutes　the　waiter　came　in　to　announce　that　Miss　Manette　had　arrived　from　London；　and〃；　happy　to　see　the　gentleman　from　Tellson's。　
　‘So　soon？'　
　Miss　Manette　had　taken　some　refreshment　on　the　road；　and　required　none　then；　and　was　extremely　anxious　to　see　the　gentleman　from　Tellson's　immediately；　if　it　suited　his　pleasure　and　convenience。　
　The　gentleman　from　Tellson's　had　nothing　left　for　it　but　to　empty　his　glass　with　an　air　of　stolid　desperation；　settle　his　odd　little　flaxen　wig　at　the　ears；　and　follow　the　waiter　to　Miss　Manette's　apartment。　It　was　a　large；　dark　room；　furnished　in　a　funereal　manner　with　black　horsehair；　and　loaded　with　heavy　dark　tables。　These　had　been　oiled；　until　the　two　tall　candles　on　the　table　in　the　of　the　room　were　gloomily　reflected　on　every　leaf；　were　buried；　in　deep　graves　of　black　mahogany；　and　to　speak　of　could　be　expected　from　them　until　the　dug　out。　
　The　obscurity　was　so　difficult　to　penetrate　that　Mr　Lorry；　picking　his　way　over　the　well…worn　Turkey　carpet；　supposed　Miss　Manette　to　be；　for　the　moment；　in　some　adjacent　room；　until；　having　got　past　the　two　tall　candles；　he　saw　to　receive　him　by　the　table　between　them　and　the　young　lady　of　not　more　than　seventeen；　in　a　riding…cloak；　and　still　holding　her　straw　travelling…hat　by　its　ribbon　in　her　hand。　As　his　eyes　rested　on　a　short；　slight；　pretty　figure；　a　quantity　of　golden　hair；　a　pair　of　blue　eyes　that　met　his　own　with　an　inquiring　look；　and　a　forehead　with　a　singular　capacity　（remembering　how　young　and　smooth　it　was　of　lifting　and　knitting　itself　into　an　expression　that　was　not　quite　one　of　perplexity；　or　wonder；　or　alarm　or　merely　of　a　bright　fixed　attention；　though　is　included　all　the　four　expressionsas　his　eyes　rested　on　these　things；　a　sudden　vivid　likeness　passed　before　him；　of　a　child　whom　he　had　held　in　his　arms　on　the　passage　across　that　very　Channel；　one　cold　time；　when　the　hail　drifted　heavily　and　the　sea　ran　high。　The　likeness　passed　away；　like　a　breath　along　the　surface　of　the　gaunt　pier…glass　behind　her；　on　the　frame　of　which；　a　hospital　procession　of　negro　cupids；　several　head…less　and　all　cripples；　were　offering　black　baskets　of　Dead　Sea　fruit　to　black　divinities　of　the　feminine　genderand　he　made　his　formal　bow　to　Miss　Manette。　
　‘Pray　take　a　seat；　sir。'　In　a　very　clear　and　pleasant　young　voice；　a　little　foreign　in　its　accent；　but　a　very　little　indeed。　
　‘I　kiss　your　hand；　miss；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　with　the　manners　of　an　earlier　date；　as　he　made　his　formal　bow　again；　and　took　his　seat。　
　‘I　received　a　letter　from　the　Bank；　sir；　yesterday；　informing　me　that　some　intelligenceor　discovery…　
　‘The　word　is　not　material；　miss；　either　word　will　do。'　
　‘respecting　the　small　property　of　my　poor　father；　whom　I　never　sawso　long　dead…'　
　Mr。　Lorry　moved　in　his　chair；　and　cast　a　troubled　look　towards　the　hospital　procession　of　negro　cupids。　As　if　they　had　any　help　for　anybody　in　their　absurd　baskets！　
　‘rendered　it　necessary　that　I　should　go　to　Paris；　there　to　communicate　with　a　gentleman　of　the　Bank；　so　good　as　to　be　despatched　to　Paris　for　the　purpose。'　
　‘Myself'　
　‘As　I　was　prepared　to　hear；　sir。'　
　She　curtseyed　to　him　（young　ladies　made　curtseys　in　those　days）；　with　a　pretty　desire　to　convey　to　him　that　she　felt　how　much　older　and　wiser　he　was　than　she。　He　made　her　another　bow。　
　‘I　replied　to　the　Bank；　sir；　that　as　it　was　considered　necessary；　by　those　who　know；　and　who　are　so　kind　as　to　advise　me；　that　I　should　go　to　France；　and　that　as　I　am　an　orphan　and　have　no　friend　who　could　go　with　me；　I　should　esteem　it　highly　if　I　might　be　permitted　to　place　myself；　during　the　journey；　under　that　worthy　gentleman's　protection。　The　ge