a tale of two cities(双城记)-第40部分

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　Chateau　and　hut；　stone　face　and　dangling　figure；　the　red　stain　on　the　stone　floor；　and　the　pure　water　in　the　village　wellthousands　of　acres　of　landa　whole　province　of　Franceall　France　itselflay　under　the　night　sky；　concentrated　into　a　faint　hairbreadth　line。　So　does　a　whole　world；　with　all　its　greatnesses　and　littlenesses；　lie　in　a　twinkling　star。　And　as　mere　human　knowledge　can　split　a　ray　of　light　and　analyse　the　manner　of　its　composition；　so；　sublimer　intelligences　may　read　in　the　feeble　shining　of　this　earth　of　ours；　every　thought　and　act；　every　vice　and　virtue；　of　every　responsible　creature　on　it。　
　The　Defarges；　husband　and　wife；　came　lumbering　under　the　starlight；　in　their　public　vehicle；　to　that　gate　of　Paris　whereunto　their　journey　naturally　tended。　There　was　the　usual　stoppage　at　the　barrier　guardhouse；　and　the　usual　lanterns　came　glancing　forth　for　the　usual　examination　and　inquiry。　Monsieur　Defarge　alighted；　knowing　one　or　two　of　the　soldiery　there；　and　one　of　the　police。　The　latter　he　was　intimate　with；　and　affectionately　embraced。　
　When　Saint　Antoine　had　again　enfolded　the　Defarges　in　his　dusky　wings；　and　they；　having　finally　alighted　near　the　Saint's　boundaries；　were　picking　their　way　on　foot　through　the　black　mud　and　offal　of　his　streets；　Madame　Defarge　spoke　to　her　husband：　
　‘Say　then；　my　friend；　what　did　Jacques　of　the　police　tell　thee？'　
‘Very　little　tonight；　but　all　he　knows。　There　is　another　spy　commissioned　for　our　quarter。　There　may　be　many　more；　for　all　that　he　can　say；　but　he　knows　of　one。'　
　‘Eh　well！'　said　Madame　Defarge；　raising　her　eyebrows　with　a　cool　business　air。　‘It　is　necessary　to　register　him。　How　do　they　call　that　man？'　
　‘He　is　English。'　
　‘So　much　the　better。　His　name？'　
　‘Barsad；'　said　Defarge；　making　it　French　by　pronunciation。　But；　he　had　been　so　careful　to　get　it　accurately；　that　he　then　spelt　it　with　perfect　correctness。　
　‘Barsad；；'　repeated　madame。　‘Good。　Christian　name？'　
　‘John。'　
　‘John　Barsad；'　repeated　madame；　after　murmuring　it　once　to　herself。　‘Good。　His　appearance；　is　it　known？'　
　‘Age；　about　forty　years；　height；　about　five　feet　nine；　black　hair；　complexion　dark；　generally；　rather　handsome　visage；　eyes　dark；　face　thin；　long；　and　sallow；　nose　aquiline；　but　not　straight；　having　a　peculiar　inclination　towards　the　left　cheek；　expression；　therefore；　sinister。'　
　‘Eh　my　faith。　It　is　a　portrait！'　said　madame；　laughing。　‘He　shall　be　registered　tomorrow。'　
　They　turned　into　the　wine…shop；　which　was　closed　（for　it　was　midnight）　and　where　Madame　Defarge　immediately　took　her　post　at　her　desk；　counted　the　small　moneys　that　had　been　taken　during　her　absence；　examined　the　stock；　went　through　the　entries　in　the　book；　made　other　entries　of　her　own；　checked　the　serving　man　in　every　possible　way；　and　finally　dismissed　him　to　bed。　Then　she　turned　out　the　contents　of　the　bowl　of　money　for　the　second　time；　and　began　knotting　them　up　in　her　handkerchief；　in　a　chain　of　separate　knots；　for　safe　keeping　through　the　night。　All　this　while；　Defarge；　with　his　pipe　in　his　mouth；　walked　up　and　down；　complacently　admiring；　but　never　interfering；　in　which　condition；　indeed；　as　to　the　business　and　his　domestic　affairs；　he　walked　up　and　down　through　life。　
　The　night　was　hot；　and　the　shop；　close　shut　and　surrounded　by　so　foul　a　neighbourhood；　was　ill…smelling。　Monsieur　Defarge's　olfactory　sense　was　by　no　means　delicate；　but　the　stock　of　wine　smelt　much　stronger　than　it　ever　tasted；　and　so　did　the　stock　of　rum　and　brandy　and　aniseed。　He　whiffed　the　compound　of　scents　away；　as　he　put　down　his　smoked…out　pipe。　
　‘You　are　fatigued；'　said　madame；　raising　her　glance　as　she　knotted　the　money。　‘There　are　only　the　usual　odours。'　
　‘I　am　a　little　tired；'　her　husband　acknowledged。　
　‘You　are　a　little　depressed；　too；'　said　madame；　whose　quick　eyes　had　never　been　so　intent　on　the　accounts；　but　they　had　had　a　ray　or　two　for　him。　‘Oh；　the　men；　the　men！'　
　‘But　my　dear！'　began　Defarge。　
　‘But　my　dear！'　repeated　madame；　nodding　firmly；　‘but　my　dear！　You　are　faint　of　heart　tonight；　my　dear！'　
　‘Well；　then；'　said　Defarge；　as　if　a　thought　were　wrung　Out　of　his　breast；　‘it　is　a　long　time。'　
　‘It　is　a　long　time；'　repeated　his　wife；　‘and　when　is　it　not　a　long　time？　Vengeance　and　retribution　require　a　long　time；　it　is　the　rule。'　
　‘It　does　not　take　a　long　time　to　strike　a　man　with　Lightning；'　said　Defarge。　
　‘How　long；'　demanded　madame；　composedly；　‘does　it　take　to　make　and　store　the　lightning？　Tell　me。'　
　Defarge　raised　his　head　thoughtfully；　as　if　there　were　something　in　that　too。　
　‘It　does　not　take　a　long　time；'　said　madame；　‘for　an　earthquake　to　swallow　a　town。　Eh　well！　Tell　me　how　long　it　takes　to　prepare　the　earthquake？'　
　‘A　long　time；　I　suppose；'　said　Defarge。　
　‘But　when　it　is　ready；　it　takes　place；　and　grinds　to　pieces　everything　before　it。　In　the　meantime；　it　is　always　preparing；　though　it　is　not　seen　or　heard。　That　is　your　consolation。　Keep　it。'　
　She　tied　a　knot　with　flashing　eyes；　as　if　it　throttled　a　foe。　
　‘I　tell　thee；'　said　madame；　extending　her　right　hand；　for　emphasis；　‘that　although　it　is　a　long　time　on　the　road；　it　is　on　the　road　and　coming。　I　tell　thee　it　never　retreats；　and　never　stops。　I　tell　thee　it　is　always　advancing。　Look　around　and　consider　the　lives　of　all　the　world　that　we　know；　consider　the　faces　of　all　the　world　that　we　know；　consider　the　rage　and　discontent　to　which　the　Jacquerie　addresses　itself　with　more　and　more　of　certainty　every　hour。　Can　such　things　last？　Bah！　I　mock　you。'　
　‘My　brave　wife；'　returned　Defarge；　standing　before　her　with　his　head　a　little　bent；　and　his　hands　clasped　at　his　back；　like　a　docile　and　attentive　pupil　before　his　catechist；　‘I　do　not　question　all　this。　But　it　has　lasted　a　long　time；　and　it　is　possibleyou　know　well；　my　wife；　it　is　possiblethat　it　may　not　come；　during　our　lives。'　
　‘Eh　well！　How　then？'　demanded　madame；　tying　another　knot；　as　if　there　were　another　enemy　strangled。　
　‘Well！'　said　Defarge；　with　a　half…complaining　and　half　apologetic　shrug。　‘We　shall　not　see　the　triumph。'　
　We　shall　have　helped　it；'　returned　madame；　with　her　extended　hand　in　strong　action。　‘Nothing　that　we　do；　is　done　in　vain。　I　believe；　with　all　my　soul；　that　we　shall　see　the　triumph。　But　even　if　not；　even　if　I　knew　certainly　not；　show　me　the　neck　of　an　aristocrat　and　tyrant；　and　still　I　would'　
　Then　madame；　with　her　teeth　set；　tied　a　very　terrible　knot　indeed。　
　‘Hold！'　cried　Defarge；　reddening　a　little　as　if　he　felt　charged　with　cowardice；　‘I　too；　my　dear；　will　stop　at　nothing。'　
　‘Yes！　But　it　is　your　weakness　that　you　sometimes　need　to　see　your　victim　and　your　opportunity；　to　sustain　you。　Sustain　yourself　without　that。　When　the　time　comes；　let　loose　a　tiger　and　a　devil；　but　wait　for　the　time　with　the　tiger　and　the　devil　chainednot　shownyet　always　ready。'　
　Madame　enforced　the　conclusion　of　this　piece　of　advice　by　striking　her　little　counter　with　her　chain　of　money　as　if　she　knocked　its　brains　out；　and　then　gathering　the　heavy　handkerchief　under　her　arm　in　a　serene　manner；　and　observing　that　it　was　time　to　go　to　bed。　
　Next　noontide　saw　the　admirable　woman　in　her　usual　place　in　the　wine…shop；　knitting　away　assiduously。　A　rose　lay　beside　her；　and　if　she　now　and　then　glanced　at　the　flower；　it　was　with　no　infraction　of　her　usual　preoccupied　air。　There　were　a　few　customers；　drinking　or　not　drinking；　standing　or　seated；　sprinkled　about。　The　day　was　very　hot；　and　heaps　of　flies；　who　were　extending　their　inquisitive　and　adventurous　perquisitions　into　all　the　glutinous　little　glasses　near　madame；　fell　dead　at　the　bottom。　Their　decease　made　no　impression　on　the　other　flies　out　promenading；　who　looked　at　them　in　the　coolest　manner　（as　if　they　themselves　were　elephants；　or　something　as　far　removed）；　until　they　met　the　same　fate。　Curious　to　consider　how　heedless　flies　are！perhaps　they　thought　as　much　at　Court　that　sunny　summer　day。　
　A　figure　entering　at　the　door　threw　a　shadow　on　Madame　Defarge　which　she　felt　to　be　a　new　one。　She　laid　down　her　knitting；　and　began　to　pin　her　rose　in　her　head…dress；　before　she　looked　at　the　figure。　
　It　was　curious。　The　moment　Madame　Defarge　took　up　the　rose；　the　customers　ceased　talking；　and　began　gradually　to　drop　out　of　the　wine…shop。　
　‘Good　day；　madame；'　said　the　new　comer。　
‘Good　day；　monsieur。'　
　She　said　it　aloud；　but　added　to　herself　as　she　resumed　her　knitting：　‘Hah！　Good　day；　age　about　forty；　height　about　five　feet　nine；　black　hair；　generally　rather　handsome　visage；　complexion　dark；　eyes　dark；　thin　long　and　sallow　face；　aquiline　nose　but　not　straight；　having　a　peculiar　inclination　towards　the　left　cheek　which　imparts　a　sinister　expression！　Good　day；　one　and　all！'　
　‘Have　the　goodness　to　give　me　a　little　glass　of　old　cognac；　and　a　mouthful　of　cool　fresh　water；　madame。'　
　Madame　complied　with　a　polite　air。　
　‘Marvellous　cognac　this；　madame！'　
　It　was　the　first　time　it　had　ever　been　so　complimented；　and　Madame　Defarge　knew　enough　of　its　antecedents　to　know　better。　She　said；　however；　that　the　cognac　was　flattered；　and　took　up　her　knitting。　The　visitor　watched　her　fingers　for　a　few　moments；　and　took　the　opportunity　of　observing　the　place　in　general。　
　‘You　knit　with　great　skill；　madame。'　
　‘I　am　accustomed　to　it。'　
　‘A　p