双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第72部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　vague　suspicion　and　black　malice；　it　was　so　impossible　to　forget　that　many　as　blameless　as　her　husband　and　as　dear　to　others　as　he　was　to　her；　every　day　shared　the　fate　from　which　he　had　been　clutched；　that　her　heart　could　not　be　as　lightened　of　its　load　as　she　felt　it　ought　to　be。　The　shadows　of　the　wintry　afternoon　were　beginning　to　fall；　and　even　now　the　dreadful　carts　were　rolling　through　the　streets。　Her　mind　pursued　them；　looking　for　him　among　the　Condemned；　and　then　she　clung　closer　to　his　real　presence　and　trembled　more。
Her　father；　cheering　her；　showed　a　passionate　superiority　to　this　woman's　weakness；　which　was　wonderful　to　see。　No　garret；　no　shoemaking；　no　One　Hundred　and　Five；　North　Tower；　now！　He　had　acplished　the　task　he　had　set　himself；　his　promise　was　redeemed；　he　had　saved　Charles。　Let　them　all　lean　upon　him。
Their　housekeeping　was　of　a　very　frugal　kind：　not　only　because　that　was　the　safest　way　of　life；　involving　the　least　offence　to　the　people；　but　because　they　were　not　rich；　and　Charles；　throughout　his　imprisonment；　had　had　to　pay　heavily　for　his　bad　food；　and　for　his　guard；　and　towards　the　living　of　the　poorer　prisoners。　Partly　on　this　account；　and　partly　to　avoid　a　domestic　spy；　they　kept　no　servant；　the　citizen　and　citizeness　who　acted　as　porters　at　the　court…yard　gate；　rendered　them　occasional　service；　and　Jerry　（almost　wholly　transferred　to　them　by　Mr。　Lorry）　had　bee　their　daily　retainer；　and　had　his　bed　there　every　night。
It　was　an　ordinance　of　the　Republic　One　and　Indivisible　of　Liberty；　Equality；　Fraternity；　or　Death；　that　on　the　door　or　doorpost　of　every　house；　the　name　of　every　inmate　must　be　legibly　inscribed　in　letters　of　a　certain　size；　at　a　certain　convenient　height　from　the　ground。　Mr。　Jerry　Cruncher's　name；　therefore；　duly　embellished　the　doorpost　down　below；　and；　as　the　afternoon　shadows　deepened；　the　owner　of　that　name　himself　appeared；　from　overlooking　a　painter　whom　Doctor　Manette　had　employed　to　add　to　the　list　the　name　of　Charles　Evrémonde；　called　Darnay。
In　the　universal　fear　and　distrust　that　darkened　the　time；　all　the　usual　harmless　ways　of　life　were　changed。　In　the　Doctor's　little　household；　as　in　very　many　others；　the　articles　of　daily　consumption　that　were　wanted　were　purchased　every　evening；　in　small　quantities　and　at　various　small　shops。　To　avoid　attracting　notice；　and　to　give　as　little　occasion　as　possible　for　talk　and　envy；　was　the　general　desire。
For　some　months　past；　Miss　Pross　and　Mr。　Cruncher　had　discharged　the　office　of　purveyors；　the　former　carrying　the　money；　the　latter；　tile　basket。　Every　afternoon　at　about　the　time　when　the　public　lamps　were　lighted；　they　fared　forth　on　this　duty；　and　made　and　brought　home　such　purchases　as　were　needful。　Although　Miss　Pross；　through　her　long　association　with　a　French　family；　might　have　known　as　much　of　their　language　as　of　her　own；　if　she　had　had　a　mind；　she　had　no　mind　in　that　direction；　consequently　she　knew　no　more　of　that　‘nonsense'　（as　she　was　pleased　to　call　it）　than　Mr。　Cruncher　did。　So　her　manner　of　marketing　was　to　plump　a　noun…substantive　at　the　head　of　a　shopkeeper　without　any　introduction　in　the　nature　of　an　article；　and；　if　it　happened　not　to　be　the　name　of　the　thing　she　wanted；　to　look　round　for　that　thing；　lay　hold　of　it；　and　hold　on　by　it　until　the　bargain　was　concluded。　She　always　made　a　bargain　for　it；　by　holding　up；　as　a　statement　of　its　just　price；　one　finger　less　than　the　merchant　held　up；　whatever　his　number　might　be。
‘Now；　Mr。　Cruncher；'　said　Miss　Pross；　whose　eyes　were　red　with　felicity；　‘if　you　are　ready；　I　am。'
Jerry　hoarsely　professed　himself　at　Miss　Pross's　service。　He　had　worn　all　his　rust　off　long　ago；　but　nothing　would　file　his　spiky　head　down。
‘There's　all　manner　of　things　wanted；'　said　Miss　Pross；　‘and　we　shall　have　a　precious　time　of　it。　We　want　wine；　among　the　rest。　Nice　toasts　these　Redheads　will　be　drinking；　wherever　we　buy　it。'
‘It　will　be　much　the　same　to　your　knowledge；　miss；　I　should　think；'　retorted　Jerry；　‘whether　they　drink　your　health　or　the　Old　Un's。　
‘Who's　he？'　said　Miss　Pross。
Mr。　Cruncher；　with　some　diffidence；　explained　himself　as　meaning　‘Old　Nick's。'
‘Ha！'　said　Miss　Pross；　‘it　doesn't　need　an　interpreter　to　explain　the　meaning　of　these　creatures。　They　have　but　one；　and　it's　Midnight　Murder；　and　Mischief'
‘Hush；　dear！　Pray；　pray；　be　cautious！'　cried　Lucie。
‘Yes；　yes；　yes；　I'll　be　cautious；'　said　Miss　Pross；　‘but　I　may　say　among　ourselves；　that　I　do　hope　there　will　be　no　oniony　and　tobaccoey　smotherings　in　the　form　of　embracings　all　round；　going　on　in　the　streets。　Now；　Ladybird；　never　you　stir　from　that　fire　till　I　e　back！　Take　care　of　the　dear　husband　you　have　recovered；　and　don't　move　your　pretty　head　from　his　shoulder　as　you　have　it　now；　till　you　see　me　again！　May　I　ask　a　question；　Doctor　Manette；　before　I　go？'
‘I　think　you　may　take　that　liberty；'　the　Doctor　answered；　smiling。
‘For　gracious　sake；　don't　talk　about　Liberty；　we　have　quite　enough　of　that；'　said　Miss　Pross。
‘Hush；　dear！　Again？'　Lucie　remonstrated。
‘Well；　my　sweet；'　said　Miss　Pross；　nodding　her　head　emphatically；　‘the　short　and　the　long　of　it　is；　that　I　am　a　subject　of　His　Most　Gracious　Majesty　King　George　the　Third；'　Miss　Pross　curtseyed　at　the　name；　‘and　as　such；　my　maxim　is；　Confound　their　politics；　Frustrate　their　knavish　tricks；　On　him　our　hopes　we　fix；　God　save　the　King！'
Mr。　Cruncher；　in　an　access　of　loyalty；　growlingly　repeated　the　words　after　Miss　Pross；　like　somebody　at　church。
‘I　am　glad　you　have　so　much　of　the　Englishman　in　you；　though　I　wish　you　had　never　taken　that　cold　in　your　voice；'　said　Miss　Pross；　approvingly。　‘But　the　question；　Doctor　Manette。　Is　there'……it　was　the　good　creature's　way　to　affect　to　make　light　of　anything　that　was　a　great　anxiety　with　them　all；　and　to　e　at　it　in　this　chance　manner……'is　there　any　prospect　yet；　of　our　getting　out　of　this　place？'
‘I　fear　not　yet。　It　would　be　dangerous　for　Charles　yet。'
‘Heigh…ho…hum！'　said　Miss　Pross；　cheerfully　repressing　a　sigh　as　she　glanced　at　her　darling's　golden　hair　in　the　light　of　the　fire；　‘then　we　must　have　patience　and　wait：　that's　all。　We　must　hold　up　our　heads　and　fight　low；　as　my　brother　Solomon　used　to　say。　Now；　Mr。　Cruncher！……Don't　you　move；　Ladybird！'　
They　went　out；　leaving　Lucie；　and　her　husband；　her　father；　and　the　child；　by　a　bright　fire。　Mr。　Lorry　was　expected　back　presently　from　the　Banking　House。　Miss　Pross　had　lighted　the　lamp；　but　had　put　it　aside　in　a　corner；　that　they　might　enjoy　the　fire…light　undisturbed。　Little　Lucie　sat　by　her　grandfather　with　her　hands　clasped　through　his　arm：　and　he；　in　a　tone　not　rising　much　above　a　whisper；　began　to　tell　her　a　story　of　a　great　and　powerful　Fairy　who　had　opened　a　prison…wall　and　let　out　a　captive　who　had　once　done　the　Fairy　a　service。　All　was　subdued　and　quiet；　and　Lucie　was　more　at　ease　than　she　had　been。
‘What　is　that？'　she　cried；　all　at　once。
‘My　dear！'　said　her　father；　stopping　in　his　story；　and　laying　his　hand　on　hers；　‘mand　yourself。　What　a　disordered　state　you　are　in！　The　least　thing……nothing……startles　you！　You；　your　father's　daughter！'
‘I　thought；　my　father；'　said　Lucie；　excusing　herself；　with　a　pale　face　and　in　a　faltering　voice；　‘that　I　heard　strange　feet　upon　the　stairs。'
‘My　love；　the　staircase　is　as　still　as　Death。'　As　he　said　the　word；　a　blow　was　struck　upon　the　door。
‘Oh　father；　father。　What　can　this　be！　Hide　Charles。　Save　him！'
‘My　child；'　said　the　Doctor；　rising；　and　laying　his　hand　upon　her　shoulder；　‘I　have　saved　him。　What　weakness　is　this；　my　dear！　Let　me　go　to　the　door。'
He　took　the　lamp　in　his　hand；　crossed　the　two　intervening　outer　rooms；　and　opened　it。　A　rude　clattering　of　feet　over　the　floor；　and　four　rough　men　in　red　caps；　armed　with　sabres　and　pistols；　entered　the　room。
‘The　Citizen　Evrémonde；　called　Darnay；'　said　the　first。　‘Who　seeks　him？'　answered　Darnay。
‘I　seek　him。　We　seek　him。　I　know　you；　Evrémonde；　I　saw　you　before　the　Tribunal　to…day。　You　are　again　the　prisoner　of　the　Republic。'
The　four　surrounded　him；　where　he　stood　with　his　wife　and　child　clinging　to　him。
‘Tell　me　how　and　why　am　I　again　a　prisoner？'
‘It　is　enough　that　you　return　straight　to　the　Conciergerie；　and　will　know　to…morrow。　You　are　summoned　for　to…morrow。'
Dr。