a tale of two cities(双城记)-第27节

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owledge；　was　poniarded　on　the　spot　for　professing　some　insolent　delicacy　respecting　his　daughterhis　daughter？　We　have　lost　many　privileges；　a　new　philosophy　has　become　the　mode；　and　the　assertion　of　our　station；　in　these　days；　might　（I　do　not　go　so　far　as　to　say　would；　but　might）　cause　us　real　inconvenience。　All　very　bad；　very　bad！'　
　The　Marquis　took　a　gentle　little　pinch　of　snuff；　and　shook　his　head；　as　elegantly　despondent　as　he　could　becomingly　be　of　a　country　still　containing　himself；　that　great　means　of　regeneration。　
　‘We　have　so　asserted　our　station；　both　in　the　old　time　and　in　the　modern　time　also；'　said　the　nephew；　gloomily；　‘that　I　believe　our　name　to　be　more　detested　than　any　name　in　France。'　
　‘Let　us　hope　so；'　said　the　uncle。　‘Detestation　of　the　high　is　the　involuntary　homage　of　the　low。'　
　‘There　is　not；'　pursued　the　nephew；　in　his　former　tone；　‘a　face　I　can　look　at；　in　all　this　country　round　about　us；　which　looks　at　me　with　any　deference　on　it　but　the　dark　deference　of　fear　and　slavery。'　
　‘A　compliment；'　said　the　Marquis；　‘to　the　grandeur　of　the　family；　merited　by　the　manner　in　which　the　family　has　sustained　its　grandeur。　Hah！'　And　he　took　another　gentle　little　pinch　of　snuff；　and　lightly　crossed　his　legs。　
　But；　when　his　nephew；　leaning　an　elbow　on　the　table；　covered　his　eyes　thoughtfully　and　dejectedly　with　his　hand；　the　fine　mask　looked　at　him　sideways　with　a　stronger　concentration　of　keenness；　closeness；　and　dislike；　than　was　comportable　with　its　wearer's　assumption　of　indifference。　
　‘Repression　is　the　only　lasting　philosophy。　The　dark　deference　of　fear　and　slavery；　my　friend；'　observed　the　Marquis；　‘will　keep　tee　dogs　obedient　to　the　whip；　as　long　as　this　roof；'　looking　up　to　it；　‘shuts　out　the　sky。'　
　That　might　not　be　so　long　as　the　Marquis　supposed。　If　a　picture　of　the　chaateau　as　it　was　to　be　a　very　few　years　hence；　and　of　fifty　like　it　as　they　too　were　to　be　a　very　few　years　hence；　could　have　been　shown　to　him　that　night；　he　might　have　been　at　a　loss　to　claim　his　own　from　the　ghastly；　fire…charred；　plunder…wrecked　ruins。　As　for　the　roof　he　vaunted；　he　might　have　found　that　shutting　out　the　sky　in　a　new　wayto　wit；　for　ever；　from　the　eyes　of　the　bodies　into　which　its　lead　was　fired；　out　of　the　barrels　of　a　hundred　thousand　muskets。　
‘Meanwhile；'　said　the　Marquis；　‘I　will　preserve　the　honour　and　repose　of　the　family；　if　you　will　not。　But　you　must　be　fatigued。　Shall　we　terminate　our　Conference　for　the　night？'　
　‘A　moment　more。'　
　‘An　hour；　if　you　please。'　
　‘Sir；'　said　the　nephew；　‘we　have　done　wrong；　and　are　reaping　the　fruits　of　wrong。'　
　‘We　have　done　wrong？'　repeated　the　Marquis；　with　an　inquiring　smile；　and　delicately　pointing；　first　to　his　nephew；　then　to　himself。　
　‘Our　family；　our　honourable　family；　whose　honour　is　of　so　much　account　to　both　of　us；　in　such　different　ways。　Even　in　my　father's　time；　we　did　a　world　of　wrong；　injuring　every　human　creature　who　came　between　us　and　our　pleasure；　whatever　it　was。　Why　need　I　speak　of　my　father's　time；　when　it　is　equally　yours？　Can　I　separate　my　father's　twin…brother；　joint　inheritor；　and　next　successor；　from　himself？'　
　‘Death　has　done　that！'　said　the　Marquis。　
　‘And　has　left　me；'　answered　the　nephew；　‘bound　to　a　system　that　is　frightful　to　me；　responsible　for　it；　but　powerless　in　it；　seeking　to　execute　the　last　request　of　my　dear　mother's　lips；　and　obey　the　last　look　of　my　dear　mother's　eyes；　which　implored　file　to　have　mercy　and　to　redress；　and　tortured　by　seeking　assistance　and　power　in　vain？　
　‘Seeking　them　from　me；　my　nephew；'　said　the　Marquis；　touching　him　on　the　breast　with　his　forefingerthey　were　now　standing　by　the　hearthyou　will　for　ever　seek　them　in　vain；　be　assured。　
　Every　fine　straight　line　in　the　clear　whiteness　of　his　face；　was　cruelly；　craftily；　and　closely　compressed；　while　he　stood　looking　quietly　at　his　nephew；　with　his　snuff…box　in　his　hand。　
　Once　again　he　touched　him　on　the　breast；　as　though　his　finger　were　the　fine　point　of　a　small　sword；　with　which；　in　delicate　finesse；　he　ran　him　through　the　body；　and　said；　
　‘My　friend；　I　will　die；　perpetuating　the　system　under　which　I　have　lived。'　
　When　he　had　said　it；　he　took　a　culminating　pinch　of　Snuff；　and　put　his　box　in　his　pocket。　
　‘Better　to　be　a　rational　creature；'　he　added　then；　after　ringing　a　small　bell　on　the　table；　‘and　accept　your　natural　destiny。　But　you　are　lost；　Monsieur　Charles；　I　see。'　
‘This　property　and　France　are　lost　to　me；'　said　the　nephew；　sadly；　‘I　renounce　them。'　
　‘Are　they　both　yours　to　renounce？　France　may　be；　but　is　the　property？　It　is　scarcely　worth　mentioning；　but；　is　it　yet？'　
　‘I　had　no　intention；　in　the　words　I　used；　to　claim　it　yet。　If　it　passed　to　me　from　you；　to…morrow…　
　‘Which　I　have　the　vanity　to　hope　is　not　probable。'　
‘or　twenty　years　hence…'　
　‘You　do　me　too　much　honour；'　said　the　Marquis；　‘still；　I　prefer　that　supposition。'　
　‘I　would　abandon　it；　and　live　otherwise　and　elsewhere。　It　is　little　to　relinquish。　What　is　it　but　a　wilderness　of　misery　and　ruin？'　
　‘Hah！'　said　the　Marquis；　glancing　round　the　luxurious　room。　‘To　the　eye　it　is　fair　enough；　here；　but　seen　in　its　integrity；　under　the　sky；　and　by　the　daylight；　it　is　a　crumbling　tower　of　waste；　mismanagement；　extortion；　debt；　mortgage；　oppression；　hunger；　nakedness；　and　suffering。'　
　‘Hah！'　said　the　Marquis　again；　in　a　well…satisfied　manner。　
　‘If　it　ever　becomes　mine；　it　shall　be　put　into　some　hands　better　qualified　to　free　it　slowly　（if　such　a　thing　is　possible）　from　the　weight　that　drags　it　down；　so　that　the　miserable　people　Who　cannot　leave　it　and　who　have　been　long　wrung　to　the　last　point　of　endurance；　may；　in　another　generation；　suffer　less；　bat　it　is　not　for　me。　There　is　a　curse　on　it；　and　on　all　this　land。'　
　‘And　you？'　said　the　uncle。　‘Forgive　my　curiosity；　do　you；　under　your　new　philosophy；　graciously　intend　to　live？'　
　‘I　must　do；　to　live；　what　others　of　my　countrymen；　even　with　nobility　at　their　backs；　may　have　to　do　some　daywork。'　
　‘In　England；　for　example？'　
　‘Yes。　The　family　honour；　sir；　is　safe　from　me　in　this　country。　The　family　name　can　suffer　from　me　in　no　other；　for　I　bear　it　in　no　other。'　
　The　ringing　of　the　bell　had　caused　the　adjoining　bedchamber　to　be　lighted。　It　now　shone　brightly；　through　the　door　of　communication。　The　Marquis　looked　that　way；　and　listened　for　the　retreating　step　of　his　valet。　
　‘England　is　very　attractive　to　you；　seeing　how　indifferently　you　have　prospered　there；'　he　observed　then；　turning　his　calm　face　to　his　nephew　with　a　smile。　
‘I　have　already　said；　that　for　my　prospering　there；　I　am　sensible　I　may　be　indebted　to　you；　sir。　For　the　rest；　it　is　my　Refuge。'　
　‘They　say；　those　boastful　English；　that　it　is　the　Refuge　of　many。　You　know　a　compatriot　who　has　found　a　Refuge　there？　A　Doctor？'　
　‘Yes。'　
　‘With；　a　daughter？'　
　‘Yes；'　said　the　Marquis。　‘You　are　fatigued。　Good…night！'　
　As　he　bent　his　head　in　his　most　courtly　manner；　there　was　a　secrecy　in　his　smiling　face；　and　he　conveyed　an　air　of　mystery　to　those　words；　which　struck　the　eyes　and　ears　of　his　nephew　forcibly。　At　the　same　time；　the　thin　straight　lines　of　the　setting　of　the　eyes；　and　the　thin　straight　lips；　and　the　markings　in　the　nose；　curved　with　a　sarcasm　that　looked　handsomely　diabolic。　
　‘Yes；'　repeated　the　Marquis。　‘A　Doctor　with　a　daughter。　Yes。　So　commences　the　new　philosophy！　You　are　fatigued。　Good…night！'　
　It　would　have　been　of　as　much　avail　to　interrogate　any　stone　face　outside　the　chaateau　as　to　interrogate　that　face　of　his。　The　nephew　looked　at　him　in　vain；　in　passing　on　to　the　door。　
　‘Good…night！'　said　the　uncle。　‘I　look　to　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　again　in　the　morning。　Good　repose！　Light　Monsieur　my　nephew　to　his　chamber　there！And　burn　Monsieur　my　nephew　in　his　bed；　if　you　will；'　he　added　to　himself；　before　he　rang　his　little　bell　again；　and　summoned　his　valet　to　his　own　bedroom。　
　The　valet　come　and　gone；　Monsieur　the　Marquis　walked　to　and　fro　in　his　loose　chamber…robe；　to　prepare　himself　gently　for　sleep；　that　hot　still　night。　Rustling　about　the　room；　his　softly…slippered　feet　making　no　noise　on　the　floor；　he　moved　like　a　refined　tigerlooked　like　some　enchanted　marquis　of　the　impenitently　wicked　sort；　in　story；　whose　periodical　change　into　tiger　form　was　either　just　going　off；　or　just　coming　on。　
　He　moved　from　end　to　end　of　his　voluptuous　bedroom；　looking　again　at　the　scraps　of　the　day's　journey　that　came　unbidden　into　his　mind；　the　slow　toil　up　the　hill　at　sunset；　the　setting　sun；　the　descent；　the　mill；　the　prison　on　the　crag；　the　little　village　in　the　hollow；　the　peasants　at　the　fountain；　and　the　mender　of　roads　with　his　blue　cap　pointing　out　the　chain　under　the　carriage。　That　fountain　suggested　the　Paris　fountain；　the　little　bundle　lying　on　the　step；　the　women　bending　over　it；　and　the　tall　man　with　his　arms　up；　crying；　‘Dead！'　
　‘I　am　cool　now；'　said　Monsieur　the　Marquis；　‘and　may　go　to　bed。'　
　So；　leaving　only　one　light　burning　on　the　large　hearth；　he　let　his　thin　gauze　curtains　fall　around　him；　and　heard　the　night　break　its　silence　with　a　long　sigh　as　he　composed　himself　to　sleep。　
　The　stone　faces　on　the　outer　walls　stared　blindly　at　the　black　night　for　three　heavy　hours；　for　three　heavy　hours　tile　horses　in　the　stables　rattl