双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第18部分

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s　bulk　and　stature　to　render　it　unlikely　that　he　was　one　of　them？'
‘No。'
‘You　will　not　swear；　Mr。　Lorry；　that　he　was　not　one　of　them？'
‘No。'
‘So　at　least　you　say　he　may　have　been　one　of　them？'
‘Yes。　Except　that　I　remember　them　both　to　have　been……like　myself……timorous　of　highwaymen；　and　the　prisoner　has　not　a　timorous　air。'
‘Did　you　ever　see　a　counterfeit　of　timidity；　Mr。　Lorry？'
‘I　certainly　have　seen　that。'
‘Mr。　Lorry；　look　once　more　upon　the　prisoner。　Have　you　seen　him；　to　your　certain　Knowledge；　before？'
‘I　have。'
‘When？'
‘I　was　returning　from　France　a　few　days　afterwards；　and；　at　Calais；　the　prisoner　came　on　board　the　packet…ship　in　which　I　returned；　and　made　the　voyage　with　me。'
‘At　what　hour　did　he　e　on　board？'
‘At　a　little　after　midnight。'
‘In　the　dead　of　the　night。　Was　he　the　only　passenger　who　came　on　board　at　that　untimely　hour？'
‘He　happened　to　be　the　only　one。'
‘Never　mind　about　〃happening；〃　Mr。　Lorry。　He　was　the　only　passenger　who　came　on　board　in　the　dead　of　the　night？'
‘He　was。'
‘Were　you　travelling　alone；　Mr。　Lorry；　or　with　any　panion？'
‘With　two　panions。　A　gentleman　and　lady。　They　are　here。'
‘They'　are　here。　Had　you　any　conversation　with　the　prisoner？'
‘Hardly　any。　The　weather　was　stormy；　and　the　passage　long　and　rough；　and　I　lay　on　a　sofa；　almost　from　shore　to　shore。'
‘Miss　Manette！'
The　young　lady；　to　whom　all　eyes　had　been　turned　before；　and　were　now　turned　again；　stood　up　where　she　had　sat。　Her　father　rose　with　her；　and　kept　her　hand　drawn　through　his　arm。
‘Miss　Manette；　look　upon　the　prisoner。'
To　be　confronted　with　such　pity；　and　such　earnest　youth　and　beauty；　was　far　more　trying　to　the　accused　than　to　be　confronted　with　all　the　crowd。　Standing；　as　it　were；　apart　with　her　on　the　edge　of　his　grave；　not　all　the　staring　curiosity　that　looked　on；　could；　for　the　moment；　nerve　him　to　remain　quite　still。　His　hurried　right　hand　parcelled　out　the　herbs　before　him　into　imaginary　beds　of　flowers　in　a　garden：　and　his　efforts　to　control　and　steady　his　breathing　shook　the　lips　from　which　the　colour　rushed　to　his　heart。　The　buzz　of　the　great　flies　was　loud　again。
‘Miss　Manette；　have　you　seen　the　prisoner　before？'
‘Yes；　sir。'
‘Where？'
‘On　board　of　the　packet…ship　just　now　referred　to；　sir；　and　on　the　same　occasion。'
‘You　are　the　young　lady　just　now　referred　to？'
‘O！　most　unhappily；　I　am。'
The　plaintive　tone　of　her　passion　merged　into　the　less　musical　voice　of　the　Judge；　as　he　said　something　fiercely：　‘Answer　the　questions　put　to　you；　and　make　no　remark　upon　them。'
‘Miss　Manette；　had　you　any　conversation　with　the　prisoner　on　that　passage　across　the　Channel？'
‘Yes；　sir。'
‘Recall　it。'
In　the　midst　of　a　profound　stillness；　she　faintly　began：　‘When　the　gentleman　came　on　board'
‘Do　you　mean　the　prisoner？'　inquired　the　Judge；　knitting　his　brows。
‘Yes；　my　Lord。'
‘Then　say　the　prisoner。'
‘When　the　prisoner　came　on　board；　he　noticed　that　my　father；'　turning　her　eyes　lovingly　to　him　as　he　stood　beside　her；　was　much　fatigued　and　in　a　very　weak　state　of　health。　My　father　was　so　reduced　that　I　was　afraid　to　take　him　out　of　the　air；　and　I　had　made　a　bed　for　him　on　the　deck　near　the　cabin　steps；　and　I　sat　on　the　deck　at　his　side　to　take　care　of　him。　There　were　no　other　passengers　that　night；　but　we　four。　The　prisoner　was　so　good　as　to　beg　permission　to　advise　me　how　I　could　shelter　my　father　from　the　wind　and　weather；　better　than　I　had　done。　I　had　not　known　how　to　do　it　well；　not　understanding　how　the　wind　would　set　when　we　were　out　of　the　harbour。　He　did　it　for　me。　He　expressed　great　gentleness　and　kindness　for　my　father's　state；　and　I　am　sure　he　felt　it。　That　was　the　manner　of　our　beginning　to　speak　together。'
‘Let　me　interrupt　you　for　a　moment。　Had　he　e　on　board　alone？'
‘No。'
‘How　many　were　with　him？'
‘Two　French　gentlemen。'
‘Had　they　conferred　together？'
‘They　had　conferred　together　until　the　last　moment；　when　it　was　necessary　for　the　French　gentlemen　to　be　landed　in　their　boat。'
‘Had　any　papers　been　handed　about　among　them；　similar　to　these　lists？'
‘Some　papers　had　been　handed　about　among　them；　but　I　don't　know　what　papers。'
‘Like　these　in　shape　and　size？'
‘Possibly；　but　indeed　I　don't　know；　although　they　stood　whispering　very　near　to　me：　because　they　stood　at　the　top　of　the　cabin　steps　to　have　the　light　of　the　lamp　that　was　hanging　there；　it　was　a　dull　lamp；　and　they　spoke　very　low；　and　I　did　not　hear　what　they　said；　and　saw　only　that　they　looked　at　papers。'
‘Now；　to　the　prisoner's　conversation；　Miss　Manette。'
‘The　prisoner　was　as　open　in　his　confidence　with　me…which　arose　out　of　my　helpless　situation…as　he　was　kind；　and　good；　and　useful　to　my　father。　I　hope；'　bursting　into　tears；　‘I　may　not　repay　him　by　doing　him　harm　to…day。'
Buzzing　from　the　blue…flies。
‘Miss　Manette；　if　the　prisoner　does　not　perfectly　understand　that　you　give　the　evidence　which　it　is　your　duty　to　give……which　you　must　give……and　which　you　cannot　escape　from　giving……with　great　unwillingness；　he　is　the　only　person　present　in　that　condition。　Please　to　go　on。
‘He　told　me　that　he　was　travelling　on　business　of　a　delicate　and　difficult　nature；　which　might　get　people　into　trouble；　and　that　he　was　therefore　travelling　under　an　assumed　name。　He　said　that　this　business　had；　within　a　few　days；　taken　him　to　France；　and　might；　at　intervals；　take　him　backwards　and　forwards　between　France　and　England　for　a　long　time　to　e。'
‘Did　he　say　anything　about　America；　Miss　Manette？　Be　particular。'
‘He　tried　to　explain　to　me　how　that　quarrel　had　arisen；　and　he　said　that；　so　far　as　he　could　judge；　it　was　a　wrong　and　foolish　one　on　England's　part。　He　added；　in　a　jesting　way；　that　perhaps　George　Washington　might　gain　almost　as　great　a　name　in　history　as　George　the　Third。　But　there　was　no　harm　in　his　way　of　saying　this：　it　was　said　laughingly；　and　to　beguile　the　time。'
Any　strongly　marked　expression　of　face　on　the　part　of　a　chief　actor　in　a　scene　of　great　interest　to　whom　many　eyes　are　directed；　will　be　unconsciously　imitated　by　the　spectators。　Her　forehead　was　painfully　anxious　and　intent　as　she　gave　this　evidence；　and；　in　the　pauses　when　she　stopped　for　the　Judge　to　write　it　down；　watched　its　effect　upon　the　counsel　for　and　against。　Among　the　lookers…on　there　was　the　same　expression　in　all　quarters　of　the　court；　insomuch；　that　a　great　majority　of　the　foreheads　there；　might　have　been　mirrors　reflecting　the　witness；　when　the　Judge　looked　up　from　his　notes　to　glare　at　that　tremendous　heresy　about　George　Washington。
Mr。　Attorney…General　now　signified　to　my　Lord；　that　he　deemed　it　necessary；　as　a　matter　of　precaution　and　form；　to　call　the　young　lady's　father；　Doctor　Manette。　Who　was　called　accordingly。
‘Doctor　Manette；　look　upon　the　prisoner。　Have　you　ever　seen　him　before？'
‘Once。　When　he　called　at　my　lodgings　in　London。　Some　three　years；　or　three　years　and　a　half　ago。'
‘Can　you　identify　him　as　your　fellow…passenger　on　board　the　packet；　or　speak　to　his　conversation　with　your　daughter？'
‘Sir；　I　can　do　neither。'
‘Is　there　any　particular　and　special　reason　for　your　being　unable　to　do　either？'
He　answered；　in　a　low　voice；　‘There　is。'
‘Has　it　been　your　misfortune　to　undergo　a　long　imprisonment；　without　trial；　or　even　accusation；　in　your　native　country；　Doctor　Manette？'
He　answered；　in　a　tone　that　went　to　every　heart；　‘A　long　imprisonment。'
‘Were　you　newly；　released　on　the　occasion　in　question？'
‘They　tell　me　so。　‘Have　you　no　remembrance　of　the　occasion？'
‘None。　My　mind　is　a　blank；　from　some　time……I　cannot　even　say　what　time……when　I　employed　myself；　in　my　captivity；　in　making　shoes；　to　the　time　when　I　found　myself　living　in　London　with　my　dear　daughter　here。　She　had　bee　familiar　to　me；　when　a　gracious　God　restored　my　faculties；　but；　I　am　quite　unable　even　to　say　how　she　had　bee　familiar。　I　have　no　remembrance　of　the　process。'
Mr。　Attorney…General　sat　down；　and　the　father　and　daughter　sat　down　together。
A　singular　circumstance　then　arose　in　the　case。　The　object　in　hand　being　to　show　that　the　prisoner　went　down；　with　some　fellow…plotter　untracked；　in　the　Dover　mail　on　that　Friday　night　in　November　five　years　ago；　and　got　out　of　the　mail　in　the　night；　as　a　blind；　at　a　place　where　he　did　not　remain；　but　from　which　he　travelled　back　some　doze