a tale of two cities(双城记)-第81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！

ract　no　special　notice　in　the　streets；　was　another　relief　She　looked　at　her　watch；　and　it　was　twenty　minutes　past　two。　She　had　no　time　to　lose；　but　must　get　ready　at　once。　
　Afraid；　in　her　extreme　perturbation；　of　the　loneliness　of　the　deserted　rooms；　and　of　half…imagined　faces　peeping　from　behind　every　open　door　in　them；　Miss　Pross　got　a　basin　of　cold　water　and　began　laving　her　eyes；　which　were　swollen　and　red。　Haunted　by　her　feverish　apprehensions；　she　could　not　bear　to　have　her　sight　obscured　for　a　minute　at　a　time　by　the　dripping　water；　but　constantly　paused　and　looked　round　to　see　that　there　was　no　one　watching　her。　In　one　of　those　pauses　she　recoiled　and　cried　out；　for　she　saw　a　figure　standing　in　the　room。　
　The　basin　fell　to　the　ground　broken；　and　the　water　flowed　to　the　feet　of　Madame　Defarge。　By　strange　stern　ways；　and　through　much　staining　blood；　those　feet　had　come　to　meet　that　water。　
　Madame　Defarge　looked　coldly　at　her；　and　said；　‘The　wife　of　Evrémonde；　where　is　she？'　
　It　flashed　upon　Miss　Pross's　mind　that　the　doors　were　all　standing　open；　and　would　suggest　the　flight。　Her　first　act　was　to　shut　them。　There　were　four　in　the　room；　and　she　shut　them　all。　She　then　placed　herself　before　the　door　of　the　chamber　which　Lucie　had　occupied。　
　Madame　Defarge's　dark　eyes　followed　her　through　this　rapid　movement；　and　rested　on　her　when　it　was　finished。　Miss　Pross　had　nothing　beautiful　about　her；　years　had　not　tamed　the　wildness；　or　softened　the　grimness；　of　her　appearance；　but；　she　too　was　a　determined　woman　in　her　different　way；　and　she　measured　Madame　Defarge　with　her　eyes；　every　inch。　
　‘You　might；　from　your　appearance；　be　the　wife　of　Lucifer；'　said　Miss　Pross；　in　her　breathing。　‘Nevertheless；　you　shall　not　get　the　better　of　me。　I　am　an　Englishwoman。　
　Madame　Defarge　looked　at　her　scornfully；　but　still　with　something　of　Miss　Pross's　own　perception　that　they　two　were　at　bay。　She　saw　a　tight；　hard；　wiry　woman　before　her；　as　Mr。　Lorry　had　seen　in　the　same　figure　a　woman　with　a　strong　hand；　in　the　years　gone　by。　She　knew　full　well　that　Miss　Pross　was　the　family's　devoted　friend；　Miss　Pross　knew　full　well　that　Madame　Defarge　was　the　family's　malevolent　enemy。　
　‘On　my　way　yonder；'　said　Madame　Defarge；　with　a　slight　movement　of　her　hand　towards　the　fatal　spot；　‘where　they　reserve　my　chair　and　my　knitting　for　me；　I　am　come；　to　make　my　compliments　to　her　in　passing。　I　wish　to　see　her。　
　‘I　know　that　your　intentions　are　evil；'　said　Miss　Pross；　‘and　you　may　depend　upon　it；　I'll　hold　my　own　against　them。'　
　Each　spoke　in　her　own　language；　neither　understood　the　other's　words；　both　were　very　watchful；　and　intent　to　deduce　from　look　and　manner；　what　the　unintelligible　words　meant。　
　‘It　will　do　her　no　good　to　keep　herself　concealed　from　me　at　this　moment；'　said　Madame　Defarge。　‘Good　patriots　will　know　what　that　means。　Let　me　see　her。　Go　tell　her　that　I　wish　to　see　her。　Do　you　hear？'　
　‘If　those　eyes　of　yours　were　bed…winches；'　returned　Miss　Pross；　‘and　I　was　an　English　four…poster；　they　shouldn't　loose　a　splinter　of　me。　No；　you　wicked　foreign　woman；　I　am　your　match。'　
　Madame　Defarge　was　not　likely　to　follow　these　idiomatic　remarks　in　detail；　but；　she　so　far　understood　them　as　to　perceive　that　she　was　set　at　naught。　
　‘Woman　imbecile　and　pig…like！'　said　Madame　Defarge；　frowning。　‘I　take　no　answer　from　you。　I　demand　to　see　her。　Either　tell　her　that　I　demand　to　see　her；　or　stand　out　of　the　way　of　the　door　and　let　me　go　to　her！'　This；　with　an　angry　explanatory　wave　of　her　right　arm。　
　‘I　little　thought；'　said　bliss　Pross；　‘that　I　should　ever　want　to　understand　your　nonsensical　language；　but　I　would　give　all　I　have；　except　the　clothes　I　wear；　to　know　whether　you　suspect　the　truth；　or　any　part　of　it。'　
　Neither　of　them　for　a　single　moment　released　the　other's　eyes。　Madame　Defarge　had　not　moved　from　the　spot　where　she　stood　when　Miss　Pross　first　became　aware　of　her；　but　she　now　advanced　one　step。　
　‘I　am　a　Briton；'　said　Miss　Pross；　‘I　am　desperate。　I　don't　care　an　English　Two…pence　for　myself。　I　know　that　the　longer　I　keep　you　here；　the　greater　hope　there　is　for　my　Ladybird。　I'll　not　leave　a　handful　of　that　dark　hair　upon　your　head；　if　you　lay　a　finger　on　me！'　
　Thus　Miss　Pross；　with　a　shake　of　her　head　and　a　flash　of　her　eyes　between　every　rapid　sentence；　and　every　rapid　sentence　a　whole　breath。　Thus　Miss　Pross；　who　had　never　struck　a　blow　in　her　life。　
　But；　her　courage　was　of　that　emotional　nature　that　it　brought　the　irrepressible　tears　into　her　eyes。　This　was　a　courage　that　Madame　Defarge　so　little　comprehended　as　to　mistake　for　weakness。　‘Ha；　ha！'　she　laughed；　‘you　poor　wretch！　What　are　you　worth！　I　address　myself　to　that　Doctor。'　Then　she　raised　her　voice　and　called　out；　‘Citizen　Doctor！　Wife　of　Evrémonde！　Child　of　Evrémonde！　Any　person　but　this　miserable　fool；　answer　the　Citizeness　Defarge！'　
　Perhaps　the　following　silence；　perhaps　some　latent　disclosure　in　the　expression　of　Miss　Pross's　face；　perhaps　a　sudden　misgiving　apart　from　either　suggestion；　whispered　to　Madame　Defarge　that　they　were　gone。　Three　of　the　doors　she　opened　swiftly；　and　looked　in。　
　‘Those　rooms　are　all　in　disorder；　there　has　been　hurried　packing；　there　are　odds　and　ends　upon　the　ground。　There　is　no　one　in　that　room　behind　you！　Let　me　look。'　
　‘Never！'　said　Miss　Pross；　who　understood　the　request　as　perfectly　as　Madame　Defarge　understood　the　answer。　
　‘If　they　are　not　in　that　room；　they　are　gone；　and　can　be　pursued　and　brought　back；'　said　Madame　Defarge　to　herself。　
　‘As　long　as　you　don't　know　whether　they　are　in　that　room　or　not；　you　are　uncertain　what　to　do；'　said　Miss　Pross　to　herself；　‘and　you　shall　not　know　that；　if　I　can　prevent　your　knowing　it；　and　know　that；　or　not　know　that；　you　shall　not　leave　here　while　I　can　hold　you。'　
　‘I　have　been　in　the　streets　from　the　first；　nothing　has　stopped　me；　I　will　tear　you　to　pieces；　but　I　will　have　you　from　that　door；'　said　Madame　Defarge。　
　‘We　are　alone　at　the　top　of　a　high　house　in　a　solitary　courtyard；　we　are　not　likely　to　be　heard；　and　I　pray　for　bodily　strength　to　keep　you　here；　while　every　minute　you　are　here　is　worth　a　hundred　thousand　guineas　to　my　darling；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　Madame　Defarge　made　at　the　door。　Miss　Pross；　on　the　instinct　of　the　moment；　seized　her　round　tile　waist　in　both　her　arms；　and　held　her　tight。　It　was　in　vain　for　Madame　Defarge　to　struggle　and　to　strike；　Miss　Pross；　with　the　vigorous　tenacity　of　love；　always　so　much　stronger　than　hate；　clasped　her　tight；　and　even　lifted　her　from　the　floor　in　the　struggle　that　they　had。　The　two　hands　of　Madame　Defarge　buffeted　and　tore　her　face；　but；　Miss　Pross；　with　her　head　down；　held　her　round　the　waist；　and　clung　to　her　with　more　than　the　hold　of　a　drowning　woman。　
Soon；　Madame　Defarge's　hands　ceased　to　strike；　and　felt　at　her　encircled　waist。　‘It　is　under　my　arm；'　said　Miss　Pross；　in　smothered　tones；　‘you　shall　not　draw　it。　I　am　stronger　than　you；　I　bless　Heaven　for　it。　I'll　hold　you　till　one　or　other　of　us　faints　or　dies！'　
　Madame　Defarge's　hands　were　at　her　bosom。　Miss　Pross　looked　up；　saw　what　it　was；　struck　at　it；　struck　out　a　flash　and　a　crash；　and　stood　aloneblinded　with　smoke。　
　All　this　was　in　a　second。　As　the　smoke　cleared；　leaving　an　awful　stillness；　it　passed　out　on　the　air；　like　the　soul　of　the　furious　woman　whose　body　lay　lifeless　on　the　ground。　
　In　the　first　fright　and　horror　of　her　situation；　Miss　Pross　passed　the　body　as　far　from　it　as　she　could；　and　ran　down　the　stairs　to　call　for　fruitless　help。　Happily；　she　bethought　herself　of　the　consequences　of　what　she　did；　in　time　to　check　herself　and　go　back。　It　was　dreadful　to　go　in　at　the　door　again；　but；　she　did　go　in；　and　even　went　near　it；　to　get　the　bonnet　and　other　things　that　she　must　wear。　These　she　put　on；　out　on　the　staircase；　first　shutting　and　locking　the　door　and　taking　away　the　key。　She　then　sat　down　on　the　stairs　a　few　moments　to　breathe　and　to　cry；　and　then　got　up　and　hurried　away。　
　By　good　fortune　she　had　a　veil　on　her　bonnet；　or　she　could　hardly　have　gone　along　the　streets　without　being　stopped。　By　good　fortune；　too；　she　was　naturally　so　peculiar　in　appearance　as　not　to　show　disfigurement　like　any　other　woman。　She　needed　both　advantages；　for　the　marks　of　griping　fingers　were　deep　in　her　face；　and　her　hair　was　torn；　and　her　dress　（hastily　composed　with　unsteady　hands）　was　clutched　and　dragged　a　hundred　ways　
　In　crossing　the　bridge；　she　dropped　the　door　key　in　the　river。　Arriving　at　the　cathedral　some　few　minutes　before　her　escort；　and　waiting　there；　she　thought；　what　if　the　key　were　already　taken　in　a　net；　what　if　it　were　identified；　what　if　the　door　were　opened　and　the　remains　discovered；　what　if　she　were　stopped　at　the　gate；　sent　to　prison；　and　charged　with　murder！　In　the　midst　of　these　fluttering　thoughts；　the　escort　appeared；　took　her　in；　and　took　her　away。　
　‘Is　there　any　noise　in　the　streets？'　she　asked　him。　
　‘The　usual　noises；'　Mr。　Cruncher　replied；　and　looked　surprised　by　the　question　and　by　her　aspect。　
　‘I　don't　hear　you；'　said　Miss　Pross。　‘What　do　you　say？'　
　It　was　in　vain　for　Mr。　Cruncher　to　repeat　what　he　said；　Miss　Pross　could　not　hear　him。　‘So　I'll　nod　my　head；'　thought　Mr。　Cruncher；　amazed；　‘at　all　events　she'll　see　that。'　And