a tale of two cities(双城记)-第58部分

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er　their　limbs　and　bodies；　men　in　all　sorts　of　rags；　with　the　stain　upon　those　rags；　men　devilishly　set　off　with　spoils　of　women's　lace　and　silk　and　ribbon；　with　the　stain　dyeing　those　trifles　through　and　through。　Hatchets；　knives；　bayonets；　swords；　all　brought　to　be　sharpened；　were　all　red　with　it。　Some　of　the　hacked　swords　were　tied　to　the　wrists　of　those　who　carried　them；　with　strips　of　linen　and　fragments　of　dress：　ligatures　various　in　kind；　but　all　deep　of　the　one　colour。　And　as　the　frantic　wielders　of　these　weapons　snatched　them　from　the　stream　of　sparks　and　tore　away　into　the　streets；　the　same　red　hue　was　red　in　their　frenzied　eyes；eyes　which　any　unbrutalised　beholder　would　have　given　twenty　years　of　life；　to　petrify　with　a　well…directed　gun。　
　All　this　was　seen　in　a　moment；　as　the　vision　of　a　drowning　man；　or　of　any　human　creature　at　any　very　great　pass；　could　see　a　world　if　it　were　there。　They　drew　back　from　the　window；　and　the　Doctor　looked　for　explanation　in　his　friend's　ashy　face。　
　‘They　are；'　Mr。　Lorry　whispered　the　words；　glancing　fearfully　round　at　the　locked　room；　‘murdering　the　prisoners。　If　you　are　sure　of　what　you　say；　if　you　really　have　the　power　you　think　you　haveas　I　believe　you　havemake　yourself　known　to　these　devils；　and　get　taken　to　La　Force。　It　may　be　too　late；　I　don't　know；　but　let　it　not　be　a　minute　later！'　
　Doctor　Manette　pressed　his　hand；　hastened　bareheaded　out　of　the　room；　and　was　in　the　court…yard　when　Mr。　Lorry　regained　the　blind。　
　His　streaming　white　hair；　his　remarkable　face；　and　the　impetuous　confidence　of　his　manner；　as　he　put　the　weapons　aside　like　water；　carried　him　in　an　instant　to　the　heart　of　the　concourse　at　the　stone。　For　a　few　moments　there　was　a　pause；　and　a　hurry；　and　a　murmur；　and　the　unintelligible　sound　of　his　voice；　and　then　Mr。　Lorry　saw　him；　surrounded　by　all；　and　in　the　midst　of　a　line　of　twenty　men　long；　all　linked　shoulder　to　shoulder；　and　hand　to　shoulder；　hurried　out　with　cries　of'Live　the　Bastille　prisoner！　Help　for　the　Bastille　prisoner's　kindred　in　La　Force！　Room　for　the　Bastille　prisoner　in　front　there！　Save　the　prisoner　Evrémonde　at　La　Force！'　and　a　thousand　answering　shouts。　
　He　closed　the　lattice　again　with　a　fluttering　heart；　closed　the　window　and　the　curtain；　hastened　to　Lucie；　and　told　her　that　her　father　was　assisted　by　the　people；　and　gone　in　search　of　her　husband。　He　found　her　child　and　Miss　Pross　with　her；　but；　it　never　occurred　to　him　to　be　surprised　by　their　appearance　until　a　long　time　afterwards；　when　he　sat　watching　them　in　such　quiet　as　the　night　knew。　
　Lucie　had；　by　that　time；　fallen　into　a　stupor　on　the　floor　at　his　feet；　clinging　to　his　hand。　Miss　Pross　had　laid　the　child　down　on　his　own　bed；　and　her　had　had　gradually　fallen　on　the　pillow　beside　her　pretty　charge。　O　the　long；　long　night；　with　the　moans　of　the　poor　wife！　And　O　the　long；　long　night；　with　no　return　of　her　father　and　no　tidings！　
　Twice　more　in　the　darkness　the　bell　at　the　great　gate　sounded；　and　the　irruption　was　repeated；　and　the　grindstone　whirled　and　spluttered。　‘What　is　it？'　cried　Lucie；　affrighted。　‘Hush！　The　soldiers'　swords　are　sharpened　there；'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　‘The　place　is　national　property　now；　and　used　as　a　kind　of　armoury；　my　love。'　
　Twice　more　in　all；　but；　the　last　spell　of　work　was　feeble　and　fitful。　Soon　afterwards　the　day　began　to　dawn；　and　he　softly　detached　himself　from　the　clasping　hand；　and　cautiously　looked　out　again。　A　man；　so　besmeared　that　he　might　have　been　a　sorely　wounded　soldier　creeping　back　to　consciousness　on　a　field　of　slain；　was　rising　from　the　pavement　by　the　side　of　the　grindstone；　and　looking　about　him　with　a　vacant　air。　Shortly；　this　worn…out　murderer　descried　in　the　imperfect　light　one　of　the　carriages　of　Monseigneur；　and；　staggering　to　that　gorgeous　vehicle；　climbed　in　at　the　door；　and　shut　himself　up　to　take　his　rest　on　its　dainty　cushions。　
　The　great　grindstone；　Earth；　had　turned　when　Mr。　Lorry　looked　out　again；　and　the　sun　was　red　on　the　court…yard。　But；　the　lesser　grindstone　stood　alone　there　in　the　calm　morning　air；　with　a　red　upon　it　that　the　sun　had　never　given；　and　would　never　take　away。　


CHAPTER　III
The　Shadow
ONE　of　the　first　considerations　which　arose　in　the　business　mind　of　Mr。　Lorry　when　business　hours　came　round；　was　this：that　he　had　no　right　to　imperil　Tellson's　by　sheltering　the　wife　of　an　emigrant　prisoner　under　the　Bank　roof。　His　own　possessions；　safety；　life；　he　would　have　hazarded　for　Lucie　and　her　child；　without　a　moment's　demur；　but　the　great　trust　he　held　was　not　his　own；　and　as　to　that　business　charge　he　was　a　strict　man　of　business。　
　At　first；　his　mind　reverted　to　Defarge；　and　he　thought　of　finding　out　the　wine…shop　again　and　taking　counsel　with　its　master　in　reference　to　the　safest　dwelling…place　in　the　distracted　state　of　the　city。　But；　the　same　consideration　that　suggested　him；　repudiated　him；　he　lived　in　the　most　violent　Quarter；　and　doubtless　was　influential　there；　and　deep　in　its　dangerous　workings。　
　Noon　coming；　and　the　Doctor　not　returning；　and　every　minute's　delay　tending　to　compromise；　Tellson's；　Mr。　Lorry　advised　with　Lucie。　She　said　that　her　father　had　spoken　of　hiring　a　lodging　for　a　short　term；　in　that　Quarter；　near　the　Banking…house。　As　there　was　no　business　objection　to　this；　and　as　he　foresaw　that　even　if　it　were　all　well　with　Charles；　and　he　were　to　be　released；　he　could　not　hope　to　leave　the　city；　Mr。　Lorry　went　out　in　quest　of　such　a　lodging；　and　found　a　suitable　one；　high　up　in　a　removed　by…street　where　the　closed　blinds　in　all　the　other　windows　of　a　high　melancholy　square　of　buildings　marked　deserted　homes。　
　To　this　lodging　he　at　once　removed　Lucie　and　her　child；　and　Miss　Pross：　giving　them　what　comfort　he　could；　and　much　more　than　he　had　himself。　He　left　Jerry　with　them；　as　a　figure　to　fill　a　doorway　that　would　bear　considerable　knocking　on　the　head；　and　returned　to　his　own　occupations。　A　disturbed　and　doleful　mind　he　brought　to　bear　upon　them；　and　slowly　and　heavily　the　day　lagged　on　with　him。　
　It　wore　itself　out；　and　wore　him　out　with　it；　until　the　Bank　closed。　He　was　again　alone　in　his　room　of　the　previous　night；　considering　what　to　do　next；　when　he　heard　a　foot　upon　the　stair。　In　a　few　moments；　a　man　stood　in　his　presence；　who；　with　a　keenly　observant　look　at　him；　addressed　him　by　his　name。　
　‘Your　servant；'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　‘Do　you　know　me？'　
　He　was　a　strongly　made　man　with　dark　curling　hair；　from　forty…five　to　fifty　years　of　a　e。　For　answer　he　repeated；　without　any　change　of　emphasis；　the　words：　
　‘Do　you　know　me？'　
　‘I　have　seen　you　somewhere。'　
　‘Perhaps　at　my　wine…shop？'　
　Much　interested　and　agitated；　Mr。　Lorry　said：　‘You　come　from　Doctor　Manette？'　
　‘Yes。　I　come　from　Doctor　Manette。'　
　‘And　what　says　he？　What　does　he　send　me？'　
　Defarge　gave　into　his　anxious　hand；　an　open　scrap　of　paper。　It　bore　the　words　in　the　Doctor's　writing：　
　　
‘Charles　is　safe；　but　I　cannot　safely　leave　this　place　yet。　I　have　obtained　the　favour　that　the　bearer　has　a　short　note　from　Charles　to　his　wife。　Let　the　bearer　see　his　wife。'
It　was　dated　from　La　Force；　within　an　hour。　
　‘Will　you　accompany　me；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　joyfully　relieved　after　reading　this　note　aloud；　‘to　where　his　wife　resides？'　
　‘Yes；'　returned　Defarge。　
　Scarcely　noticing　as　yet；　in　what　a　curiously　reserved　and　mechanical　way　Defarge　spoke；　Mr。　Lorry　put　on　his　hat　and　they　went　down　into　the　court…yard。　There；　they　found　two　women；　one；　knitting。　
　‘Madame　Defarge；　surely！'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　who　had　left　her　in　exactly　the　same　attitude　some　seventeen　years　ago。　
　‘It　is　she；'　observed　her　husband。　
　‘Does　madame　go　with　us？'　inquired　Mr。　Lorry；　seeing　that　she　moved　as　they　moved。　
　‘Yes。　That　she　may　be　able　to　recognise　the　faces　and　know　the　persons。　It　is　for　their　safety。'　
　Beginning　to　be　struck　by　Defarge's　manner；　Mr。　Lorry　looked　dubiously　at　him；　and　led　the　way。　Both　the　women　followed；　the　second　woman　being　The　Vengeance。　
　They　passed　through　the　intervening　streets　as　quickly　as　they　might；　ascended　the　staircase　of　the　new　domicile；　were　admitted　by　Jerry；　and　found　Lucie　weeping；　alone。　She　was　thrown　into　a　transport　by　the　tidings　Mr。　Lorry　gave　her　of　her　husband；　and　clasped　the　hand　that　delivered　his　note…little　thinking　what　it　had　been　doing　near　him　in　the　night；　and　might；　but　for　a　chance；　have　done　to　him。　
　　
‘DEAREST；Take　courage。　I　am　well；　and　your　father　has　influence　around　me。　You　cannot　answer　this。　Kiss　our　child　for　me。'
That　was　all　the　writing。　It　was　so　much；　however；　to　her　who　received　it；　that　she　turned　from　Defarge　to　his　wife；　and　kissed　one　of　the　hands　that　knitted。　It　was　a　passionate；　loving；　thankful；　womanly　action；　but　the　hand　made　no　responsedropped　cold　and　heavy；　and　took　to　its　knitting　again。　
　There　was　something　in　its　touch　that　gave　Lucie　a　check。　She　stopped　in　the　act　of　putting　the　note　in　her　bosom；　and；　with　her　hands　yet　at　her　neck；　looked　terrified　at　Madame　Defarge。　Madame　Defarge　met　the　lifted　eyebrows　and　forehead　with　a　cold；　impassive　stare。　
　‘My　dear；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　striking　in　to　explain；　‘there　are　frequent　risings　in　the　streets；　and；　although　it　is　not　likely　they　will　ever　trouble　you；　Madame　Defarge　wishes　to