a tale of two cities(双城记)-第69部分

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　Mr。　Lorry　did　so；　and　they　went　down…stairs　and　out　in　the　streets。　A　few　minutes　brought　them　to　Mr。　Lorry's　destination。　Carton　left　him　there；　but　lingered　at　a　little　distance；　and　turned　back　to　the　gate　again　when　it　was　shut；　and　touched　it。　He　had　heard　of　her　going　to　the　prison　every　day。　‘She　came　out　here；'　he　said；　looking　about　him；　‘turned　this　way；　must　have　trod　on　these　stones　often。　Let　me　follow　in　her　steps。　
　It　was　ten　o'clock　at　night　when　he　stood　before　the　prison　of　La　Force；　where　she　had　stood　hundreds　of　times。　A　little　wood…sawyer；　having　closed　his　shop；　was　smoking　his　pipe　at　his　shop…door。　
　‘Good　night；　citizen；'　said　Sydney　Carton；　pausing　in　going　by；　for；　the　man　eyed　him　inquisitively。　
　‘Good　night；　citizen。'　
　‘How　goes　the　Republic？'　
　‘You　mean　the　Guillotine。　Not　ill。　Sixty…three　to…day。　We　shall　mount　to　a　hundred　soon。　Samson　and　his　men　complain　sometimes；　of　being　exhausted。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　He　is　so　droll；　that　Samson。　Such　a　Barber！'　
　‘Do　you　often　go　to　see　him…'　
　‘Shave？　Always。　Every　day。　What　a　barber！　You　have　seen　him　at　work？'　
　‘Never。'　
　‘Go　and　see　him　when　he　has　a　good　batch。　Figure　this　to　yourself　citizen；　he　shaved　the　sixty…three　to…day；　in　less　than　two　pipes！　Less　than　two　pipes。　Word　of　honour！'　
　As　the　grinning　little　man　held　out　the　pipe　he　was　smoking；　to　explain　how　he　timed　the　executioner；　Carton　was　so　sensible　of　a　rising　desire　to　strike　the　life　out　of　him；　that　he　turned　away。　
　‘But　you　are　not　English；'　said　the　wood…sawyer；　‘though　you　wear　English　dress？'　
　‘Yes；'　said　Carton；　pausing　again；　and　answering　over　his　shoulder。　
　‘You　speak　like　a　Frenchman。'　
　‘I　am　an　old　student　here。'　
　‘Aha；　a　perfect　Frenchman！　Good　night；　Englishman。'　
　‘Good　night；　citizen。'　
　‘But　go　and　see　that　droll　dog；'　the　little　man　persisted；　calling　after　him。　‘And　take　a　pipe　with　you！'　
　Sydney　had　not　gone　far　out　of　sight；　when　he　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　street　under　a　glimmering　lamp；　and　wrote　with　his　pencil　on　a　scrap　of　paper。　Then；　traversing　with　the　decided　step　of　one　who　remembered　the　way　well；　several　dark　and　dirty　streetsmuch　dirtier　than　usual；　for　the　best　public　thoroughfares　remained　uncleansed　in　those　times　of　terrorhe　stopped　at　a　chemist's　shop；　which　the　owner　was　closing　with　his　own　hands。　A　small；　dim；　crooked　shop；　kept　in　a　tortuous；　up…hill　thoroughfares；　by　a　small；　dim；　crooked　man。　
　Giving　this　citizen；　too；　good　night；　as　he　confronted　him　at　his　counter；　he　laid　the　scrap　of　paper　before　him。　‘Whew！'　the　chemist　whistled　softly；　as　he　read　it。　‘Hi！　hi！　hi！'　
　Sydney　Carton　took　no　heed；　and　the　chemist　said：　
‘For　you；　citizen？'　
‘For　me。　
　‘You　will　be　careful　to　keep　them　separate；　citizen？　You　know　the　consequences　of　mixing　them？'　
　‘Perfectly。'　
　Certain　small　packets　were　made　and　given　to　him。　He　put　them；　one　by　one；　in　the　breast　of　his　inner　coat；　counted　out　the　money　for　them；　and　deliberately　left　the　shop。　‘There　is　nothing　more　to　do；'　said　he；　glancing　upward　at　the　moon；　‘until　to…morrow。　I　can't　sleep。　
　It　was　not　a　reckless　manner；　the　manner　in　which　he　said　these　words　aloud　under　the　fast…sailing　clouds；　nor　was　it　more　expressive　of　negligence　than　defiance。　It　was　the　settled　manner　of　a　tired　man；　who　had　wandered　and　struggled　and　got　lost；　but　who　at　length　struck　into　his　road　and　saw　its　end。　
　Long　ago；　when　he　had　been　famous　among　his　earliest　competitors　as　a　youth　of　great　promise；　he　had　followed　his　father　to　the　grave。　His　mother　had　died；　years　before。　These　solemn　words；　which　had　been　read　at　his　father's　grave；　arose　in　his　mind　as　he　went　down　the　dark　streets；　among　the　heavy　shadows；　with　the　moon　and　the　clouds　sailing　on　high　above　him。　‘I　am　the　resurrection　and　the　life；　saith　the　Lord：　he　that　believeth　in　me；　though　he　were　dead；　yet　shall　he　live：　and　whosoever　liveth　and　believeth　in　me；　shall　never　die。'　
　In　a　city　dominated　by　the　axe；　alone　at　night；　with　natural　sorrow　rising　in　him　for　the　sixty…three　who　had　been　that　day　put　to　death；　and　for　to…morrow's　victims　then　awaiting　their　doom　in　the　prisons；　and　still　of　to…morrow's　and　tomorrow's；　the　chain　of　association　that　brought　the　words　home；　like　a　rusty　old　ship's　anchor　from　the　deep；　might　have　been　easily　found。　He　did　not　seek　it；　but　repeated　them　and　went　on。　
　With　a　solemn　interest　in　the　lighted　windows　where　the　people　were　going　to　rest；　forgetful　through　a　few　calm　hours　of　the　horrors　surrounding　them；　in　the　towers　of　the　churches；　where　no　prayers　were　said；　for　the　popular　revulsion　had　even　travelled　that　length　of　self…destruction　from　years　of　priestly　impostors；　plunderers；　and　profligates；　in　the　distant　burial…places；　reserved；　as　they　wrote　upon　the　gates；　for　Eternal　Sleep；　in　the　abounding　gaols；　and　in　the　streets　along　which　the　sixties　rolled　to　a　death　which　had　become　so　common　and　material；　that　no　sorrowful　story　of　a　haunting　Spirit　ever　arose　among　the　people　out　of　all　the　working　of　the　Guillotine；　with　a　solemn　interest　in　the　whole　life　and　death　of　the　city　settling　down　to　its　short　nightly　pause　in　fury；　Sydney　Carton　crossed　the　Seine　again　for　the　lighter　streets。　
Few　coaches　were　abroad；　for　riders　in　coaches　were　liable　to　lie　suspected；　and　gentility　hid　its　head　in　red　nightcaps；　and　put　on　heavy　shoes；　and　trudged。　But；　the　theatres　were　all　well　filled；　and　the　people　poured　cheerfully　out　as　he　passed；　and　went　chatting　home。　At　one　of　the　theatre　doors；　there　was　a　little　girl　with　a　mother；　looking　for　a　way　across　the　street　through　the　mud。　He　carried　the　child　over；　and　before　the　timid　arm　was　loosed　from　his　neck　asked　her　for　a　kiss。　
　‘I　am　the　resurrection　and　the　life；　saith　the　Lord：　he　that　believeth　in　me；　though　he　were　dead；　yet　shall　he　live：　and　whosoever　liveth　and　believeth　in　me；　shall　never　die。'　
Now；　that　the　streets　were　quiet；　and　the　night　wore　on；　the　words　were　in　the　echoes　of　his　feet；　and　were　in　the　air。　Perfectly　calm　and　steady；　he　sometimes　repeated　them　to　himself　as　he　walked；　but；　he　heard　them　always。　
　The　night　wore　out；　and；　as　he　stood　upon　the　bridge　listening　to　the　water　as　it　splashed　the　river…walls　of　the　Island　of　Paris；　where　the　picturesque　confusion　of　houses　and　cathedral　shone　bright　in　the　light　of　the　moon；　the　day　came　coldly；　looking　like　a　dead　face　out　of　the　sky。　Then；　the　night；　with　the　moon　and　the　stars；　turned　pale　and　died；　and　for　a　little　while　it　seemed　as　if　Creation　were　delivered　over　to　Death's　dominion。　
　But；　the　glorious　sun；　rising；　seemed　to　strike　those　words；　that　burden　of　the　night；　straight　and　warm　to　his　heart　in　its　long　bright　rays。　And　looking　along　them；　with　reverently　shaded　eyes；　a　bridge　of　light　appeared　to　span　the　air　between　him　and　the　sun；　while　the　river　sparkled　under　it。　
　The　strong　tide；　so　swift；　so　deep；　and　certain；　was　like　a　congenial　friend；　in　the　morning　stillness。　He　walked　by　the　stream；　far　from　the　houses；　and　in　the　light　arid　warmth　of　the　sun　fell　asleep　on　the　bank。　When　he　awoke　and　was　afoot　again；　he　lingered　there　yet　a　little　longer；　watching　an　eddy　that　turned　and　turned　purposeless；　until　the　stream　absorbed　it；　and　carried　it　on　to　the　sea。‘Like　me！'　
　A　trading…boat；　with　a　sail　of　the　softened　colour　of　a　dead　leaf；　then　glided　into　his　view；　floated　by　him；　and　died　away。　As　its　silent　track　in　the　water　disappeared；　the　prayer　that　had　broken　up　out　of　his　heart　for　a　merciful　consideration　of　all　his　poor　blindnesses　and　errors；　ended　in　the　words；　‘I　am　the　resurrection　and　the　life。'　
　Mr。　Lorry　was　already　out　when　he　got　back；　and　it　was　easy　to　surmise　where　the　good　old　man　was　gone。　Sydney　Carton　drank　nothing　but　a　little　coffee；　ate　some　bread；　and；　having　washed　and　changed　to　refresh　himself；　went　out　to　the　place　of　trial。　
　The　court　was　all　astir　and　a…buzz；　when　the　black　sheepwhom　many　fell　away　from　in　dreadpressed　him　into　an　obscure　corner　among　the　crowd。　Mr。　Lorry　was　there；　and　Doctor　Manette　was　there。　She　was　there；　sitting　beside　her　father。　
　When　her　husband　was　brought　in；　she　turned　a　look　upon　him；　so　sustaining；　so　encouraging；　so　full　of　admiring　love　and　pitying　tenderness；　yet　so　courageous　for　his　sake；　that　it　called　the　healthy　blood　into　his　face；　brightened　his　glance；　and　animated　his　heart。　If　there　had　been　any　eyes　to　notice　the　influence　of　her　look；　on　Sydney　Carton；　it　would　have　been　seen　to　be　the　same　influence　exactly。　
　Before　that　unjust　Tribunal；　there　was　little　or　no　order　of　procedure；　ensuring　to　any　accused　person　any　reasonable　hearing。　There　could　have　been　no　such　Revolution；　if　all　laws；　forms；　and　ceremonies；　had　not　first　been　so　monstrously　abused；　that　the　suicidal　vengeance　of　the　Revolution　was　to　scatter　them　all　to　the　winds。　
　Every　eye　was　turned　to　the　jury。　The　same　determined　patriots　and　good　republicans　as　yesterday　and　the　day　before；　and　to…morrow　and　the　day　after。　Eager　and　prominent　among　them；　one　man　with　a　craving　face；　and　his　fingers　perpetually　hovering　about　his　lips；　whose　appearance　gave　great　satisfaction　to　the　spectators。　A　life…thirsting；　cannibal　looking；　bloody…minded　juryman；　the　Jacques　Three　of