a tale of two cities(双城记)-第31节

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u　would；　and　are　less　mercenary　on　my　behalf　than　I　thought　you　would　be；　though；　to　be　sure；　you　know　well　enough　by　this　time　that　your　ancient　chum　is　a　man　of　a　pretty　strong　will。　Yes；　Sydney；　I　have　had　enough　of　this　style　of　life；　with　no　other　as　a　change　iron'　it；　I　feel　that　it　is　a　pleasant　thing　for　a　man　to　have　a　home　when　he　feels　inclined　to　go　to　it　（when　he　doesn't；　he　can　stay　away）；　and　I　feel　that　Miss　Manette　will　tell　well　in　any　station；　and　will　always　do　me　credit。　So　I　have　made　up　my　mind。　And　now；　Sydney；　old　boy；　I　want　to　say　a　word　to　you　about　your　prospects。　You　are　in　a　bad　way；　you　know；　you　really　are　in　a　bad　way。　You　don't　know　the　value　of　money；　you　live　hard；　you'll　knock　up　one　of　these　days；　and　be　ill　and　poor；　you　really　ought　to　think　about　a　nurse。　
　The　prosperous　patronage　with　which　he　said　it；　made　him　look　twice　as　big　as　he　was；　and　four　times　as　offensive。　
　‘Now；　let　me　recommend　you；'　pursued　Stryver；　‘to　look　it　in　the　face。　I　have　looked　it　in　the　face；　in　my　different　way；　look　it　in　the　face；　you；　in　your　different　way。　Marry。　Provide　somebody　to　take　care　of　you。　Never　mind　your　having　no　enjoyment　of　women's　society；　nor　understanding　of　it；　nor　tact　for　it。　Find　out　somebody。　Find　out　some　respectable　woman　with　a　little　propertysomebody　in　the　landlady　way；　or　lodging…letting　wayand　marry　her；　against　a　rainy　day。　That's　the　kind　of　thing　for　you。　Now　think　of　it；　Sydney。'　
　‘I'll　think　of　it；'　said　Sydney。　
　　
CHAPTER　XII
The　Fellow　of　Delicacy
　
MR。　STRYVER　having　made　up　his　mind　to　that　magnanimous　bestowal　of　good　fortune　on　the　Doctor's　daughter；　resolved　to　make　her　happiness　known　to　her　before　he　left　town　for　the　Long　Vacation。　After　some　mental　debating　of　the　point；　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　would　be　as　well　to　get　all　the　preliminaries　done　with；　and　they　could　then　arrange　at　their　leisure　whether　he　should　give　her　his　hand　a　week　or　two　before　Michaelmas　Term；　or　in　the　little　Christmas　vacation　between　it　and　Hilary。　
　As　to　the　strength　of　his　case；　he　had　not　a　doubt　about　it；　but　clearly　saw　his　way　to'　the　verdict。　Argued　with　the　jury　on　substantial　worldly　groundsthe　only　grounds　ever　worth　taking　into　accountit　was　a　plain　case；　and　had　not　a　weak　spot　in　it。　He　called　himself　for　the　plaintiff；　there　was　no　getting　over　his　evidence；　the　counsel　for　the　defendant　threw　up　his　brief；　and　the　jury　did　not　even　turn　to　consider。　After　trying　it；　Stryver；　C。　J。；　was　satisfied　that　no　plainer　case　could　be。　
　Accordingly；　Mr。　Stryver　inaugurated　the　Long　Vacation　with　a　formal　proposal　to　take　Miss　Manette　to　Vauxhall　Gardens；　that　failing；　to　Ranelagh；　that　unaccountably　failing　too；　it　behoved　him　to　present　himself　in　Soho；　and　there　declare　his　noble　mind。　
　Towards　Soho；　therefore；　Mr。　Steer　shouldered　his　way　from　the　Temple；　while　the　bloom　of　the　Long　Vacation's　infancy　was　still　upon　it。　Anybody　who　had　seen　him　projecting　himself　into　Soho　while　he　was　yet　on　Saint　Dunstan's　side　of　Temple　Bar；　bursting　in　his　full…blown　way　along　the　pavement；　to　the　jostlement　of　all　weaker　people；　might　have　seen　how　safe　and　strong　he　was。　
　His　way　taking　him　past　Tellson's；　and　he　both　banking　at　Tellson's　and　knowing　Mr。　Lorry　as　the　intimate　friend　of　the　Manettes；　it　entered　Mr。　Stryver's　mind　to　enter　the　bank；　and　reveal　to　Mr。　Lorry　the　brightness　of　the　Soho　horizon。　So；　he　pushed　open　the　door　with　the　weak　rattle　in　its　throat；　stumbled　down　the　two　steps；　got　past　the　two　ancient　cashiers；　and　shouldered　himself　into　the　musty　back　closet　where　Mr。　Lorry　sat　at　great　books　ruled　for　figures；　with　perpendicular　iron　bars　to　his　window　as　if　that　were　ruled　for　figures　too；　and　everything　under　the　clouds　were　a　sum。　
　‘Halloa！'　said　Mr。　Stryver。　‘How　do　you　do？　I　hope　you　are　well！'　
　It　was　Stryver's　grand　peculiarity　that　he　always　seemed　too　big　for　any　place；　or　space。　He　was　so　much　too　big　for　Tellson's；　that　old　clerks　in　distant　corners　looked　up　with　looks　of　remonstrance；　as　though　he　squeezed　them　against　the　wall。　The　House　itself；　magnificently　reading　the　paper　quite　in　the　far…off　perspective；　lowered　displeased；　as　if　the　Stryver　head　had　been　butted　into　its　responsible　waistcoat。　
　The　discreet　Mr。　Lorry　said；　in　a　sample　tone　of　the　voice　he　would　recommend　under　the　circumstances；　‘How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Stryver？　How　do　you　do；　sir？'　and　shook　hands。　There　was　a　peculiarity　in　his　manner　of　shaking　hands；　always　to　be　seen　in　any　clerk　at　Tellson's　who　shook　hands　with　a　customer　when　the　House　pervaded　the　air。　He　shook　in　a　self…abnegating　way；　as　one　who　shook　for　Tellson　and　Co。　
　‘Can　I　do　anything　for　you；　Mr。　Stryver？'　asked　Mr。　Lorry；　in　his　business　character。　
　‘Why；　no；　thank　you；　this　is　a　private　visit　to　yourself；　Mr。　Lorry；　I　have　come　for　a　private　word。'　
　‘Oh　indeed！'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　bending　down　his　ear；　while　his　eye　strayed　to　the　House　afar　off。　
　‘I　am　going；'　said　Mr。　Stryver；　leaning　his　arms　confidentially　on　the　desk：　whereupon；　although　it　was　a　large　double　one；　there　appeared　to　be　not　half　desk　enough　for　him：　‘I　am　going　to　make　an　offer　of　myself　in　marriage　to　your　agreeable　little　friend；　Miss　Manette；　Mr。　Lorry。'　
　Oh　dear　me！'　cried　Mr。　Lorry；　rubbing　his　chin；　and　looking　at　his　visitor　dubiously。　
　‘Oh　dear　me；　sir？'　repeated　Stryver；　drawing　back。　
‘Oh　dear　you；　sir？　What　may　your　meaning　be；　Mr。　Lorry？'　
　‘My　meaning；'　answered　the　man　of　business；　‘is；　of　course；　friendly　and　appreciative；　and　that　it　does　you　the　greatest　credit；　andin　short；　my　meaning　is　everything　you　could　desire。　Butreally；　you　know；　Mr。　Stryver　…'　Mr。　Lorry　paused；　and　shook　his　head　at　him　in　the　oddest　manner；　as　if　he　were　compelled　against　his　will　to　add；　internally；　‘you　know　there　really　is　so　much　too　much　of　you！'　
‘Well！'　said　Stryver；　slapping　the　desk　with　his　contentious　hand；　opening　his　eyes　wider；　and　taking　a　long　breath；　‘if　I　understand　you；　Mr。　Lorry；　I'll　be　hanged！'　
　Mr。　Lorry　adjusted　his　little　wig　at　both　ears　as　a　means　towards　that　end；　and　bit　the　feather　of　a　pen。　
　‘Dn　it　all；　sir！'　said　Stryver；　staring　at　him；　‘am　I　not　eligible？'　
　‘Oh　dear　yes！　Yes。　Oh　yes；　you're　eligible！'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　‘If　you　say　eligible；　you　are　eligible。'　
　‘Am　I　not　prosperous？'　asked　Stryver。　
　‘Oh！　if　you　come　to　prosperous；　you　are　prosperous；'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　
　‘And　advancing？'　
　‘If　you　come　to　advancing；　you　know；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　delighted　to　be　able　to　make　another　admission；　‘nobody　can　doubt　that。'　
　‘Then　what　on　earth　is　your　meaning；　Mr。　Lorry？'　demanded　Stryver；　perceptibly　crestfallen。　
　‘Well！　I　Were　you　going　there　now？'　asked　Mr。　Lorry。　‘Straight！'　said　Stryver；　with　a　plump　of　his　fist　on　the　desk。　‘Then　I　think　I　wouldn't；　if　I　was　you。'　
　‘Why？'　said　Stryver。　‘Now；　I'll　put　you　in　a　corner；'　forensically　shaking　a　forefinger　at　him。　‘You　are　a　man　of　business　and　bound　to　have　a　reason。　State　your　reason。　
Why　wouldn't　you　go？'　
　‘Because；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　‘I　wouldn't　go　on　such　an　object　without　having　some　cause　to　believe　that　I　should　succeed。'　
　‘Dn　ME！'　cried　Stryver；　‘but　this　beats　everything。'　
　Mr。　Lorry　glanced　at　the　distant　House；　and　glanced　at　the　angry　Stryver。　
　‘Here's　a　man　of　businessa　man　of　yearsa　man　of　experiencein　a　Bank；'　said　Stryver；　‘and　having　summed　up　three　leading　reasons　for　complete　success；　he　says　there's　no　reason　at　all！　Says　it　with　his　head　on！'　Mr。　Stryver　remarked　upon　tile　peculiarity　as　if　it　would　have　been　infinitely　less　remarkable　if　he　had　said　it　with　his　head　off。　
　‘When　I　speak　of　success；　I　speak　of　success　with　the　young　lady；　and　when　I　speak　of　causes　and　reasons　to　make　success　probable；　I　speak　of　causes　and　reasons　that　will　tell　as　such　with　the　young　lady。　The　young　lady；　my　good　sir；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　mildly　tapping　the　Stryver　arm；　‘the　young　lady。　The　young　lady　goes　before　all。'　
‘Then　you　mean　to　tell　me；　Mr。　Lorry；'　said　Stryver；　squaring　his　elbows；　‘that　it　is　your　deliberate　opinion　that　the　young　lady　at　present　in　question　is　a　mincing　Fool？'　
　‘Not　exactly　so。　I　mean　to　tell　you；　Mr。　Stryver；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　reddening；　‘that　I　will　hear　no　disrespectful　word　Of　that　young　lady　from　any　lips；　and　that　if　I　knew　any　manwhich　I　hope　I　do　notwhose　taste　was　so　coarse；　and　whose　temper　was　so　overbearing；　that　he　could　not　restrain　himself　from　speaking　disrespectfully　of　that　young　lady　at　this　desk；　not　even　Tellson's　should　prevent　my　giving　him　a　piece　of　my　mind。'　
　The　necessity　of　being　angry　in　a　suppressed　tone　had　put　Mr。　Stryver's　blood…vessels　into　a　dangerous　state　when　it　was　his　turn　to　be　angry；　Mr。　Lorry's　veins；　methodical　as　their　courses　could　usually　be；　were　in　no　better　state　now　it　was　his　turn。　
　‘That　is　what　I　mean　to　tell　you；　sir；'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　‘Pray　let　there　be　no　mistake　about　it。'　
　Mr。　Stryver　sucked　tile　end　of　a　ruler　for　a　little　while　and　then　stood　hitting　a　tune　out　of　his　teeth　with　it；　which'　probably　gave　him　the　toothache。　He　broke　the　awkward　silence　by　saying：　
　‘This　is　something　new　to　me；　Mr。　Lorry。　You　deliberately　advise　me　not　to　go　up　to　Soho　and　offer　myselfmyself；　Stryver　of　the　King's　Bench　bar？'　
　‘Do　y