a tale of two cities(双城记)-第70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！

the　Jacques　Three　of　St。　Antoine。　The　whole　jury；　as　a　jury　of　dogs　empannelled　to　try　the　deer。　
　Every　eye　then　turned　to　the　five　judges　and　the　public　prosecutor。　No　favourable　leaning　in　that　quarter　to…day。　A　fell；　uncompromising；　murderous　business…meaning　there。　Every　eye　then　sought　some　other　eye　in　the　crowd；　and　gleamed　at　it　approvingly；　and　heads　nodded　at　one　another；　before　bending　forward　with　a　strained　attention。　
　Charles　Evrémonde；　called　Darnay。　Released　yesterday。　Re…accused　and　retaken　yesterday。　Indictment　delivered　to　him　last　night。　Suspected　and　Denounced　enemy　of　the　Republic；　Aristocrat；　one　of　a　family　of　tyrants；　one　of　a　race　proscribed；　for　that　they　had　used　their　abolished　privileges　to　the　infamous　oppression　of　the　people。　Charles　Evrémonde；　called　Darnay；　in　right　of　such　proscription；　absolutely　Dead　in　Law。　
　To　this　effect；　in　as　few　or　fewer　words；　the　Public　Prosecutor。　
The　President　asked；　was　the　Accused　openly　denounced　or　secretly？　
　‘Openly；　President。'　
　‘By　whom？'　
　‘Three　voices。　Ernest　Defarge；　wine…vendor　of　St。　Antoine。'　
　‘Good。'　
　‘Thérèse　Defarge；　his　wife。'　
‘Good。'　
　‘Alexandre　Manette；　physician。'　
　A　great　uproar　took　place　in　the　court；　and　in　the　midst　of　it；　Doctor　Manette　was　seen；　pale　and　trembling；　standing　where　he　had　been　seated。　
　‘President；　I　indignantly　protest　to　you　that　this　is　a　forgery　and　a　fraud。　You　know　the　accused　to　be　the　husband　of　my　daughter。　My　daughter；　and　those　dear　to　her；　are　far　dearer　to　me　than　my　life。　Who　and　where　is　the　false　conspirator　who　says　that　I　denounce　the　husband　of　my　child！　
　‘Citizen　Manette；　be　tranquil。　To　fail　in　submission　to　the　authority　of　the　Tribunal　would　be　to　put　yourself　out　of　Law。　As　to　what　is　dearer　to　you　than　life；　nothing　can　be　so　dear　to　a　good　citizen　as　the　Republic。'　
　Loud　acclamations　hailed　this　rebuke。　The　President　rang　his　bell；　and　with　warmth　resumed。　
　‘If　the　Republic　should　demand　of　you　the　sacrifice　of　your　child　herself　you　would　have　no　duty　but　to　sacrifice　her　Listen　to　what　is　to　follow。　In　the　meanwhile；　be　silent！'　
　Frantic　acclamations　were　again　raised。　Doctor　Manette　sat　down；　with　his　eyes　looking　around；　and　his　lips　trembling；　his　daughter　drew　closer　to　him。　The　craving　man　on　the　jury　rubbed　his　hands　together；　and　restored　the　usual　hand　to　his　mouth。　
　Defarge　was　produced；　when　the　court　was　quiet　enough　to　admit　of　his　being　heard；　and　rapidly　expounded　the　story　of　the　imprisonment；　and　of　his　having　been　a　mere　boy　in　the　Doctor's　service；　and　of　the　release；　and　of　the　state　of　the　prisoner　when　released　and　delivered　to　him。　This　short　examination　followed；　for　the　court　was　quick　with　its　work。　
‘You　did　good　service　at　the　taking　of　the　Bastille；　citizen？'　
‘I　believe　so。'　
　Here；　an　excited　woman　screeched　from　the　crowd：　‘You　were　one　of　the　best　patriots　there。　Why　not　say　so？　You　were　a　cannonier　that　day　there；　and　you　were　among　the　first　to　enter　the　accursed　fortress　when　it　fell。　Patriots；　I　speak　the　truth！'　
　It　was　The　Vengeance　who；　amidst　the　warm　commendations　of　the　audience；　thus　assisted　the　proceedings。　The　President　rang　his　bell；　but；　The　Vengeance；　warming　with　encouragement；　shrieked；　‘I　defy　that　bell！'　wherein　she　was　likewise　much　commended。　
‘Inform　the　Tribunal　of　what　you　did　that　day　within　the　Bastille；　citizen。'　
　‘I　knew；'　said　Defarge；　looking　down　at　his　wife；　who　stood　at　the　bottom　of　the　steps　on　which　he　was　raised；　looking　steadily　up　at　him；　‘I　knew　that　this　prisoner；　of　whom　I　speak；　had　been　confined　in　a　cell　known　as　One　Hundred　and　Five；　North　Tower。　I　knew　it　from　himself。　He　knew　himself　by　no　other　name　than　One　Hundred　and　Five；　North　Tower；　when　he　made　shoes　under　my　care。　As　I　serve　my　gun　that　day；　I　resolve；　when　the　place　shall　fall；　to　examine　that　cell。　It　falls。　I　mount　to　the　cell；　with　a　fellow…citizen　who　is　one　of　the　Jury；　directed　by　a　gaoler。　I　examine　it；　very　closely。　In　a　hole　in　the　chimney；　where　a　stone　has　been　worked　out　and　replaced；　I　find　a　written　paper。　This　is　that　written　paper。　I　have　made　it　my　business　to　examine　some　specimens　of　the　writing　of　Doctor　Manette。　This　is　the　writing　of　Doctor　Manette。　I　confide　this　paper；　in　the　writing　of　Doctor　Manette；　to　the　hands　of　the　President。　
　‘Let　it　be　read。'　
　In　a　dead　silence　and　stillnessthe　prisoner　under　trial　looking　lovingly　at　his　wife；　his　wife　only　looking　from　him　to　look　with　solicitude　at　her　father；　Doctor　Manette　keeping　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　reader；　Madame　Defarge　never　taking　hers　from　the　prisoner；　Defarge　never　taking　his　from　his　feasting　wile；　and　all　the　other　eyes　there　intent　upon　the　Doctor；　who　saw　none　of　themthe　paper　was　read；　as　follows。　

CHAPTER　X
The　Substance　of　the　Shadow
　
‘I；　ALEXANDRE　MANETTE；　unfortunate　physician；　native　of　Beauvais；　and　afterwards　resident　in　Paris；　write　this　melancholy　paper　in　my　doleful　cell　in　the　Bastille；　during　the　last　month　of　the　year　1767。　I　write　it　at　stolen　intervals；　under　every　difficulty。　I　design　to　secrete　it　in　the　wall　of　the　chimney；　where　I　have　slowly　and　laboriously　made　a　place　of　concealment　for　it。　Some　pitying　hand　may　find　it　there；　when　I　and　my　sorrows　are　dust。　
　‘These　words　are　formed　by　the　rusty　iron　point　with　which　I　write　with　difficulty　in　scrapings　of　soot　and　charcoal　from　the　chimney；　mixed　with　blood；　in　the　last　month　of　the　tenth　year　of　my　captivity。　Hope　has　quite　departed　from　my　breast。　I　know　from　terrible　warnings　I　have　noted　in　myself　that　my　reason　will　not　long　remain　unimpaired；　but　I　solemnly　declare　that　I　am　at　this　time　in　the　possession　of　my　right　mindthat　my　memory　is　exact　and　circumstantialand　that　I　write　the　truth　as　I　shall　answer　for　these　my　last　recorded　words；　whether　they　be　ever　read　by　men　or　not；　at　the　Eternal　Judgment…seat。　
　‘One　cloudy　moonlight　night；　in　the　third　week　of　December　（I　think　the　twenty…second　of　the　month）　in　the　year　1757；　I　was　walking　on　a　retired　part　of　the　quay　by　the　Seine　for　the　refreshment　of　the　frosty　air；　at　an　hour's　distance　from　my　place　of　residence　in　the　Street　of　the　School　of　Medicine；　when　a　carriage　came　along　behind　me；　driven　very　fast。　As　I　stood　aside　to　let　that　carriage　pass；　apprehensive　that　it　might　otherwise　run　me　down；　a　head　was　put　out　at　the　window；　and　a　voice　called　to　the　driver　to　stop。　
　‘The　carriage　stopped　as　soon　as　the　driver　could　rein　in　his　horses；　and　the　same　voice　called　to　me　by　my　name。　I　answered。　The　carriage　was　then　so　far　in　advance　of　me　that　two　gentlemen　had　time　to　open　the　door　and　alight　before　I　came　up　with　it。　I　observed　that　they　were　both　wrapped　in　cloaks　and　appeared　to　conceal　themselves。　As　they　stood　carriage　door；　I　also　observed　that　they　both　looked　of　about　my　own　age；　or　rather　younger；　and　that　they　were　greatly　alike；　in　stature；　manner；　voice；　and　（as　far　as　I　could　see）　face　too。　
　‘〃You　are　Doctor　Manette？〃　said　one。　
　‘〃I　am。〃　
　‘〃Doctor　Manette；　formerly　of　Beauvais；〃　said　the　other；　〃the　young　physician；　originally　an　expert　surgeon；　who　within　the　last　year　or　two　has　made　a　rising　reputation　in　Paris？〃　
　‘〃Gentlemen；〃　I　returned；　〃I　am　that　Doctor　Manette　of　whom　you　speak　so　graciously。〃　
　‘〃we　have　been　to　your　residence；〃　said　the　first；　〃and　not　being　so　fortunate　as　to　find　you　there；　and　being　informed　that　you　were　probably　walking　in　this　direction；　we　followed；　in　the　hope　of　overtaking　you。　Will　you　please　to　enter　the　carriage？〃　
　‘The　manner　of　both　was　imperious；　and　they　both　moved；　as　these　words　were　spoken；　so　as　to　place　me　between　themselves　and　the　carriage　door。　They　were　armed。　I　was　not。　
　‘〃Gentlemen；〃　said　I；　〃pardon　me；　but　I　usually　inquire　who　does　me　the　honour　to　seek　my　assistance；　and　what　is　the　nature　of　the　case　to　which　I　am　summoned。〃　
　‘The　reply　to　this　was　made　by　him　who　had　spoken　second。　〃Doctor；　your　clients　are　people　of　condition。　As　to　the　nature　of　the　case；　our　confidence　in　your　skill　assures　us　that　you　will　ascertain　it　for　yourself　better　than　we　can　describe　it。　Enough。　Will　you　please　to　enter　the　carriage？〃　
　‘I　could　do　nothing　but　comply；　and　I　entered　it　in　silence。　They　both　entered　after　methe　last　springing　in；　after　putting　up　the　steps。　The　carriage　turned　about；　and　drove　on　as　its　former　speed。　
　‘I　repeat　this　conversation　exactly　as　it　occurred。　I　have　no　doubt　that　it　is；　work　for　word；　the　same。　I　describe　everything　exactly　as　it　took　place；　constraining　my　mind　not　to　wander　from　the　task。　Where　I　make　the　broken　marks　that　follow　here；　I　leave　off　for　the　time；　and　put　my　paper　in　its　hiding…place。　*　*　*　*　
　‘The　carriage　left　the　streets　behind；　passed　the　North　Barrier；　and　emerged　upon　the　country　road。　At　two…thirds　of　a　league　from　the　BarrierI　did　not　estimate　the　distance　at　that　time；　but　afterwards　when　I　traversed　itit　struck　out　of　the　main　avenue；　and　presently　stopped　at　a　solitary　house。　We　all　three　alighted；　and　walked；　by　a　damp　soft　footpath　in　a　garden　where　a　neglected　fountain　had　overflowed；　to　the　door　of　the　house。　It　was　not　opened　immediately；　in　answer　to　the　ringing　of　the　bell；　and　one　of　my　two　conductors　struck　the　man　who　opened　it；　w