a tale of two cities(双城记)-第37节

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my　knees；　and　blessed　her。'　
　‘I　am　that　child；　I　hope；　my　father。　O　my　dear；　my　dear；　will　you　bless　me　as　fervently　to…morrow？'　
　‘Lucie；　I　recall　these　old　troubles　in　the　reason　that　I　have　to…night　for　loving　you　better　than　words　can　tell；　and　thanking　God　for　my　great　happiness。　My　thoughts；　when　they　were　wildest；　never　rose　near　the　happiness　that　I　have　known　with　you；　and　that　we　have　before　us。　
　He　embraced　her；　solemnly　commended　her　to　Heaven；　and　humbly　thanked　Heaven　for　having　bestowed　her　on　him。　By…and…by；　they　went　into　the　house。　
　There　was　no　one　hidden　to　the　marriage　but　Mr。　Lorry；　there　was　even　to　be　no　bridesmaid　but　the　gaunt　Miss　Pross。　The　marriage　was　to　make　no　change　in　their　place　of　residence；　they　had　been　able　to　extend　it；　by　taking　to　themselves　the　upper　rooms　formerly　belonging　to　the　apocryphal　invisible　lodger；　and　they　desired　nothing　more。　
　Doctor　Manette　was　very　cheerful　at　the　little　supper。　They　were　only　three　at　table；　and　Miss　Pross　made　the　third。　He　regretted　that　Charles　was　not　there；　was　more　than　half　disposed　to　object　to　the　loving　little　plot　that　kept　him　away；　and　drank　to　him　affectionately。　
So；　the　time　came　for　him　to　bid　Lucie　good　night；　and　they　separated。　But；　in　the　stillness　of　the　third　hour　of　the　morning；　Lucie　came　down　stairs　again；　and　stole　into　his　room；　not　free　from　unshaped　fears；　beforehand。　
　All　things；　however；　were　in　their　places；　all　was　quiet；　and　he　lay　asleep；　his　white　hair　picturesque　on　the　untroubled　pillow；　and　his　hands　lying　quiet　on　the　coverlet。　She　put　her　needless　candle　in　the　shadow　at　a　distance；　crept　up　to　his　bed；　and　put　her　lips　to　his；　then；　leaned　over　him；　and　looked　at　him。　
　Into　his　handsome　face；　the　bitter　waters　of　captivity　had　worn；　but；　he　covered　up　their　tracks　with　a　determination　so　strong；　that　he　held　the　mastery　of　them　even　in　his　sleep。　A　more　remarkable　face　in　its　quiet；　resolute；　and　guarded　struggle　with　an　unseen　assailant；　was　not　to　be　beheld　in　all　the　wide　dominions　of　sleep；　that　night。　
　She　timidly　laid　her　hand　on　his　dear　breast；　and　put　up　a　prayer　that　she　might　ever　be　as　true　to　him　as　her　love　aspired　to　be；　and　as　his　sorrows　deserved。　Then；　she　withdrew　her　hand；　and　kissed　his　lips　once　more；　and　went　away。　So；　the　sunrise　came；　and　the　shadows　of　the　leaves　of　the　plane…tree　moved　upon　his　face；　as　softly　as　her　lips　had　moved　in　praying　for　him。　


CHAPTER　XV
Knitting
THERE　had　been　earlier　drinking　than　usual　in　the　wine　shop　of　Monsieur　Defarge。　As　early　as　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　sallow　faces　peeping　through　its　barred　windows　had　descried　other　faces　within；　bending　over　measures　of　wine。　Monsieur　Defarge　sold　a　very　thin　wine　at　the　best　of　times；　but　it　would　seem　to　have　been　an　unusually　thin　wine　that　he　sold　at　this　time。　A　sour　wine；　moreover；　or　a　souring；　for　its　influence　on　the　mood　of　those　who　drank　it　was　to　make　them　gloomy。　No　vivacious　Bacchanalian　flame　leaped　out　of　the　pressed　grape　of　monsieur　Defarge：　but；　a　smouldering　fire　that　burnt　in　the　dark；　lay　hidden　in　the　dregs　of　it。　
　This　had　been　the　third　morning　in　succession；　on　which　there　had　been　early　drinking　at　the　wine…shop　of　Monsieur　Defarge。　It　had　begun　on　Monday；　and　here　was　Wednesday　come。　There　had　been　more　of　early　brooding　than　drinking；　for；　many　men　had　listened　and　whispered　and　slunk　about　there　from　the　time　of　the　opening　of　the　door；　who　could　not　ave　laid　a　Piece　of　money　on　the　counter　to　save　their　souls。　These　were　to　the　full　as　interested　in　the　place；　however；　as　if　they　could　have　commanded　whole　barrels　of　wine；　and　they　glided　from　seat　to　seat；　and　from　corner　to　corner；　swallowing　talk　in　lieu　of　drink；　with　greedy　looks。　
　Notwithstanding　an　unusual　flow　of　company；　the　master　of　the　wine…shop　was　not　visible。　He　was　not　missed；　for；　nobody　who　crossed　the　threshold　looked　for　him；　nobody　asked　for　him；　nobody　wondered　to　see　only　Madame　Defarge　in　her　seat；　presiding　over　the　distribution　of　wine；　with　a　bowl　of　battered　small　coins　before　her；　as　much　defaced　and　beaten　out　of　their　original　impress　as　the　small　coinage　of　humanity　from　whose　ragged　pockets　they　had　come。　
　A　suspended　interest　and　a　prevalent　absence　of　mind；　were　perhaps　observed　by　the　spies　who　looked　in　at　the　wine…shop；　as　they　looked　in　at　every　place；　high　and　low；　from　the　king's　palace　to　the　criminal's　gaol。　Games　at　cards　languished；　players　at　dominoes　musingly　built　towers　with　them；　drinkers　drew　figures　on　the　tables　with　spilt　drops　of　wine；　Madame　Defarge　herself　picked　out　the　pattern　on　her　sleeve　with　her　toothpick；　and　saw　and　heard　something　inaudible　and　invisible　a　long　way　off。　
　Thus；　Saint　Antoine　in　this　vinous　feature　of　his；　until　midday。　It　was　high　noontide；　when　two　dusty　men　passed　through　his　streets　and　under　his　swinging　lamps：　of　whom；　one　was　Monsieur　Defarge：　the　other　a　mender　of　roads　in　a　blue　cap。　All　adust　and　athirst；　the　two　entered　the　wine…shop。　Their　arrival　had　lighted　a　kind　of　fire　in　the　breast　of　Saint　Antoine；　fast　spreading　as　they　came　along；　which　stirred　and　flickered　in　flames　of　faces　at　most　doors　and　windows。　Yet；　no　one　had　followed　them；　and　no　man　spoke　when　they　entered　the　wine…shop；　though　the　eyes　of　every　man　there　were　turned　upon　them。　
　‘Good…day；　gentlemen！'　said　Monsieur　Defarge。　
　It　may　have　been　a　signal　for　loosening　the　general　tongue。　It　elicited　an　answering　chorus　of　‘Good…day！'　
　‘It　is　bad　weather；　gentlemen；'　said　Defarge；　shaking　his　head。　Upon　which；　every　man　looked　at　his　neighbour；　and　then　all　cast　down　their　eyes　and　sat　silent。　Except　one　man；　who　got　up　and　went　out。　
　‘My　wife；'　said　Defarge　aloud；　addressing　Madame　Defarge：　‘I　have　travelled　certain　leagues　with　this　good　mender　of　roads；　called　Jacques。　I　met　himby　accidenta　day　an　half's　journey　Out　of　Paris。　He　is　a　good　child；　this　mender　of　roads；　called　Jacques。　Give　him　to　drink；　my　wife！'　
　A　second　man　got　up　and　went　out。　Madame　Defarge　set　wine　before　the　mender　of　roads　called　Jacques；　who　doffed　his　blue　cap　to　the　company；　and　drank。　In　the　breast　of　his　blouse　he　carried　some　coarse　dark　bread；　he　ate　of　this　between　whiles；　and　sat　munching　and　drinking　near　Madame　Defarge's　counter。　A　third　man　got　up　and　went　out。　
　Defarge　refreshed　himself　with　a　draught　of　winebut；　he　took　less　than　was　given　to　the　stranger；　as　being　himself　a　man　to　whom　it　was　no　rarityand　stood　waiting　until　the　countryman　had　made　his　breakfast。　He　looked　at　no　one　present；　and　no　one　now　looked　at　him；　not　even　Madame　Defarge；　who　had　taken　up　her　knitting；　and　was　at　work。　
　‘Have　you　finished　your　repast；　friend？'　he　asked；　in　due　season。　
　‘Yes；　thank　you。'　
　‘Come；　then！　You　shall　see　the　apartment　that　I　told　you　you　could　occupy。　It　will　suit　you　to　a　marvel。'　
　Out　of　the　wine…shop　into　the　street；　out　of　the　street　into　a　courtyard；　out　of　the　courtyard　up　a　steep　staircase；　out　of　the　staircase　into　a　garretformerly　the　garret　where　a　white…haired　man　sat　on　a　low　bench；　stooping　forward　and　very　busy；　making　shoes。　
　No　white…haired　man　was　there　now；　but；　the　three　men　were　there　who　had　gone　out　of　the　wine…shop　singly。　And　between　them　and　the　white…haired　man　afar　off；　was　the　one　small　link；　that　they　had　once　looked　in　at　him　through　the　chinks　in　the　wail。　
　Defarge　closed　the　door　carefully；　and　spoke　in　a　subdued　voice：　
　‘Jacques　One；　Jacques　Two；　Jacques　Three！　This　is　the　witness　encountered　by　appointment；　by　me；　Jacques　Four。　
　He　will　tell　you　all。　Speak；　Jacques　Five！　
　The　mender　of　roads；　blue　cap　in　hand；　wiped　his　swarthy　forehead　with　it；　and　said；　‘Where　shall　I　commence；　monsieur？'　
　‘Commence；'　was　Monsieur　Defarge's　not　unreasonable　reply；　‘at　the　commencement。'　
　‘I　saw　him　then；　messieurs；'　began　the　mender　of　roads；　a　year　ago　this　running　summer；　underneath　the　carriage　of　the　Marquis；　hanging　by　the　chain。　Behold　the　manner　of　it。　I　leaving　my　work　on　the　road；　the　sun　going　to　bed；　the　carriage　of　the　Marquis　slowly　ascending　the　hill；　he　hanging　by　the　chainlike　this。'　
　Again　the　mender　of　roads　went　through　the　whole　performance；　in　which　he　ought　to　have　been　perfect　by　that　time；　seeing　that　it　had　been　the　infallible　resource　and　indispensable　entertainment　of　his　village　during　a　whole　year。　
　Jacques　One　struck　in；　and　asked　if　he　had　ever　seen　the　man　before？　
　‘Never；'　answered　the　mender　of　roads；　recovering　his　perpendicular。　
　Jacques　Three　demanded　how　he　afterwards　recognised　him　then？　
　‘By　his　tall　figure；'　said　the　mender　of　roads；　softly；　and　with　his　finger　at　his　nose。　‘When　Monsieur　the　Marquis　demands　that　evening；；　‘‘Say；　what　is　he　like？''　I　make　response；　‘‘Tall　as　a　spectre。'''　
　‘You　should　have　said；　short　as　a　dwarf；'　returned　Jacques　Two。　
　‘But　what　did　I　know？　The　deed　was　not　then　accomplished；　neither　did　he　confide　in　me。　Observe！　Under　those　circumstances　even；　I　do　not　offer　my　testimony。　Monsieur　the　Marquis　indicates　me　with　his　finger；　standing　near　our　little　fountain；　and　says；　‘‘To　me！　Bring　that　rascal！''　My　faith；　messieurs；　I　offer　nothing。'　
　‘He　is　right　there；　Jacques；'　murmured　Defarge；　to　him　who　had　interrupted。　‘Go　on