a tale of two cities(双城记)-第83节

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　the　south　country。　Poverty　parted　us；　and　she　knows　nothing　of　my　fatefor　I　cannot　writand　if　I　could；　how　should　I　tell　her！　It　is　better　as　it　is。'　
　‘Yes；　yes；　better　as　it　is。'　
　‘What　I　have　been　thinking　as　we　came　along；　and　what　I　am　still　thinking　now；　as　I　look　into　your　kind　strong　face　which　gives　me　so　much　support；　is　this：if　the　Republic　really　does　good　to　the　poor；　and　they　come　to　be　less　hungry；　and　in　all　ways　to　suffer　less；　she　may　live　a　long　time：　she　may　even　live　to　be　old。'　
　‘What　then；　my　gentle　sister？'　
　‘Do　you　think：'　the　uncomplaining　eyes　in　which　there　is　so　much　endurance；　fill　with　tears；　and　the　lips　part　a　little　more　and　tremble：　‘that　it　will　seem　long　to　me；　while　I　wait　for　her　in　the　better　land　where　I　trust　both　you　and　I　will　be　mercifully　sheltered？'　
　‘It　cannot　be；　my　child；　there　is　no　Time　there；　and　no　trouble　there。'　
　‘You　comfort　me　so　much！　I　am　so　ignorant。　Am　I　to　kiss　you　now？　Is　the　moment　come？'　
　‘Yes。'　
　She　kisses　his　lips；　he　kisses　hers；　they　solemnly　bless　each　other。　The　spare　hand　does　not　tremble　as　he　releases　it；　nothing　worse　than　a　sweet；　bright　constancy　is　in　the　patient　face。　She　goes　next　before　him…is　gone；　the　knitting…women　count　Twenty…Two。　
　‘I　am　the　Resurrection　and　the　Life；　saith　the　Lord：　he　that　believeth　in　me；　though　he　were　dead；　yet　shall　he　live：　and　whosoever　liveth　and　believeth　in　me　shall　never　die。'　
　The　murmuring　of　many　voices；　the　upturning　of　many　faces；　the　pressing　on　of　many　footsteps　in　the　outskirts　of　the　crowd；　so　that　it　swells　forward　in　a　mass；　like　one　great　heave　of　water；　all　flashes　away。　Twenty…Three。　
　　
They　said　of　him；　about　the　city　that　night；　that　it　was　the　peacefullest　man's　face　ever　beheld　there。　Many　added　that　he　looked　sublime　and　prophetic。　
　One　of　the　most　remarkable　sufferers　by　the　same　axea　womanHad　asked　at　the　foot　of　the　same　scaffold；　not　long　before；　to　be　allowed　to　write　down　the　thoughts　that　were　inspiring　her。　If　he　had　given　an　utterance　to　his；　and　they　were　prophetic；　they　would　have　been　these：　
　‘I　see　Barsad；　and　Cly；　Defarge；　The　Vengeance；　the　Juryman；　the　Judge；　long　ranks　of　the　new　oppressors　who　have　risen　on　the　destruction　of　the　old；　perishing　by　this　retributive　instrument；　before　it　shall　cease　out　of　its　present　use。　I　see　a　beautiful　city　and　a　brilliant　people'　rising　from　this　abyss；　and；　in　their　struggles　to　be　truly　free；　in　their　triumphs　and　defeats；　through　long　long　years　to　come；　I　see　the　evil　of　this　time　and　of　the　previous　time　of　which　this　is　the　natural　birth；　gradually　making　expiation　for　itself　and　wearing　out。　
　‘I　see　the　lives　for　which　I　lay　down　my　life；　peaceful；　useful；　prosperous　and　happy；　in　that　England　which　I　shall　see　no　more。　I　see　Her　with　a　child　upon　her　bosom；　who　bears　my　name。　I　see　her　father；　aged　and　bent；　but　otherwise　restored；　and　faithful　to　all　men　in　his　healing　office；　and　at　peace。　I　see　the　good　old　man；　so　long　their　friend；　in　ten　years'　time　enriching　them　with　all　he　has；　and　passing　tranquilly　to　his　reward。　
　‘I　see　that　I　hold　a　sanctuary　in　their　hearts；　and　in　the　hearts　of　their　descendants；　generations　hence。　I　see　her；　an　old　woman；　weeping　for　me　on　the　anniversary　of　this　day。　I　see　her　and　her　husband；　their　course　done；　lying　side　by　side　in　their　last　earthly　bed；　and　I　know　that　each　was　not　more　honoured　and　held　sacred　in　the　other's　soul；　than　I　was　in　the　souls　of　both。　
　‘I　see　that　child　who　lay　upon　her　bosom　and　who　bore　my　name；　a　man　winning　his　way　up　in　that　path　of　life　which　once　was　mine。　I　see　him　winning　it　so　well；　that　my　name　is　made　illustrious　there　by　the　light　of　his。　I　see　the　blots　I　threw　upon　it；　faded　away。　I　see　him；　foremost　of　just　judges　and　honoured　men；　bringing　a　boy　of　my　name；　with　a　forehead　that　I　know　and　golden　hair；　to　this　placethen　fair　to　look　upon；　with　not　a　trace　of　this　day's　disfigurementand　I　hear　him　tell　the　child　my　story；　with　a　tender　and　a　faltering　voice。　
　‘It　is　a　far；　far　better　thing　that　I　do；　than　I　have　ever　done；　it　is　a　far；　far　better　rest　that　I　go　to　than　I　have　ever　known。'　


THE　END