双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第74部分

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d　have　shown　if　their　relative　merits　and　positions　had　been　reversed　（which　is　invariably　the　case；　all　the　world　over）；　when　Mr。　Cruncher；　touching　him　on　the　shoulder；　hoarsely　and　unexpectedly　interposed　with　the　following　singular　question：　
‘I　say！　Might　I　ask　the　favour？　As　to　whether　your　name　is　John　Solomon；　or　Solomon　John？'
The　official　turned　towards　him　with　sudden　distrust。　He　had　not　previously　uttered　a　word。
‘e！'　said　Mr。　Cruncher。　‘Speak　out；　you　know。'　（Which；　by　the　way；　was　more　than　he　could　do　himself。）　‘John　Solomon；　or　Solomon　John？　She　calls　you　Solomon；　and　she　must　know；　being　your　sister。　And　I　know　you're　John；　you　know。　Which　of　the　two　goes　first？　And　regarding　that　name　of　Pross；　likewise。　That　warn't　your　name　over　the　water。
‘What　do　you　mean？'
‘Well；　I　don't　know　all　I　mean；；　for　I　can't　call　to　mind　Mat　your　name　was；　over　the　water。
‘No。　But　I'll　swear　it　was　a　name　of　two　syllables。'　
‘Indeed？'
‘Yes。　T'other　one's　was　one　syllable。　I　know　you。　You　wa；　a　spy…witness　at　the　Bailey。　What；　in　the　name　of　the　Father　of　Lies；　own　father　to　yourself　was　you　called　at　that　time？'
‘Barsad；'　said　another　voice；　striking　in。
‘That's　the　name　for　a　thousand　pound！'　cried　Jerry。
The　speaker　who　struck　in；　was　Sydney　Carton。　He　had　his　hands　behind　him　under　the　skirts　of　his　riding…coat；　and　he　stood　at　Mr。　Cruncher's　elbow　as　negligently　as　he　might　have　stood　at　the　Old　Bailey　itself。
‘Don't　be　alarmed；　my　dear　Miss　Pross。　I　arrived　at　Mr。　Lorry's；　to　his　surprise；　yesterday　evening；　we　agreed　that　I　would　not　present　myself　elsewhere　until　all　was　well；　or　unless　I　could　be　useful；　I　present　myself　here；　to　beg　a　little　talk　with　your　brother。　I　wish　you　had　a　better　employed　brother　than　Mr。　Barsad。　I　wish　for　your　sake　Mr。　Barsad　was　not　a　Sheep　of　the　Prisons。
Sheep　was　a　cant　word　of　the　time　for　a　spy；　under　the　gaolers。　The　spy；　who　was　pale；　turned　paler；　and　asked　him　how　he　dared………
‘I'll　tell　you；'　said　Sydney。　‘I　lighted　on　you；　Mr。　Barsad；　ing　out　of　the　prison　of　the　Conciergerie　while　I　was　contemplating　the　walls；　an　hour　or　more　ago。　You　have　a　face　to　be　remembered；　and　I　remember　faces　well。　Made　curious　by　seeing　you　in　that　connection；　and　having　a　reason；　to　which　you　are　no　stranger；　for　associating　you　with　the　misfortunes　of　a　friend　now　very　unfortunate；　I　walked　in　your　direction。　I　walked　into　the　wine…shop　here；　close　after　you；　and　sat　near　you。　I　had　no　difficulty　in　deducing　from　your　unreserved　conversation；　and　the　rumour　openly　going　about　among　your　admirers；　the　nature　of　your　calling。　And　gradually；　what　I　had　done　at　random；　seemed　to　shape　itself　into　a　purpose；　Mr。　Barsad。'
‘What　purpose？'　the　spy　asked。
‘It　would　be　troublesome；　and　might　be　dangerous；　to　explain　in　the　street。　Could　you　favour　me；　in　confidence；　with　some　minutes　of　your　pany……at　the　office　of　Tellson's　Bank；　for　instance？'
‘Under　a　threat？'
‘Oh！　Did　I　say　that？'
‘Then；　why　should　I　go　there？'
‘Really；　Mr。　Barsad；　I　can't　say；　if　you　can't。'
‘Do　you　mean　that　you　won't　say；　sir？'　the　spy　irresolutely　asked。
‘You　apprehend　me　very　clearly；　Mr。　Barsad。　I　won't。'
Carton's　negligent　recklessness　of　manner　came　powerfully　in　aid　of　his　quickness　and　skill；　in　such　a　business　as　he　had　in　his　secret　mind；　and　with　such　a　man　as　he　had　to　do　with。　His　practised　eye　saw　it；　and　made　the　most　of　it。
‘Now；　I　told　you　so；'　said　the　spy；　casting　a　reproachful　look　at　his　sister；　‘if　any　trouble　es　of　this；　it's　your　doing。'
‘e；　e；　Mr。　Barsad！'　exclaimed　Sydney。　‘Don't　be　ungrateful。　But　for　my　great　respect　for　your　sister；　I　might　not　have　led　up　so　pleasantly　to　a　little　proposal　that　I　wish　to　make　for　our　mutual　satisfaction。　Do　you　go　with　me　to　the　Bank？'
‘I'll　hear　what　you　have　got　to　say。　Yes；　I‘ll　go　with　you。'　
‘I　propose　that　we　first　conduct　your　sister　safely　to　the　corner　of　her　own　street。　Let　me　take　your　arm；　Miss　Pross。　This　is　not　a　good　city；　at　this　time；　for　you　to　be　out　in；　unprotected；　and　as　your　escort　knows　Mr。　Barsad；　I　will　invite　him　to　Mr。　Lorry's　with　us。　Are　we　ready？　e　then！'
Miss　Pross　recalled　soon　afterwards；　and　to　the　end　of　her　life　remembered；　that　as　she　pressed　her　hands　on　Sydney's　arm　and　looked　up　in　his　face；　imploring　him　to　do　no　hurt　to　Solomon；　there　was　a　braced　purpose　in　the　arm　and　a　kind　of　inspiration　in　the　eyes；　which　not　only　contradicted　his　light　manner；　but　changed　and　raised　the　man。　She　was　too　much　occupied　then　with　fears　for　the　brother　who　so　little　deserved　her　affection；　and　with　Sydney's　friendly　reassurances；　adequately　to　heed　what　she　observed。
They　left　her　at　the　corner　of　the　street；　and　Carton　led　the　way　to　Mr。　Lorry's；　which　was　within　a　few　minutes'　walk。　John　Barsad；　or　Solomon　Pross；　walked　at　his　side。
Mr。　Lorry　had　just　finished　his　dinner；　and　was　sitting　before　a　cheery　little　log　or　two　of　fire……perhaps　looking　into　their　blaze　for　the　picture　of　that　younger　elderly　gentleman　from　Tellson's；　who　had　looked　into　the　red　coals　at　the　Royal　George　at　Dover；　now　a　good　many　years　ago。　He　turned　his　head　as　they　entered；　and　showed　the　surprise　with　which　he　saw　a　stranger。
‘Miss　Pross's　brother；　sir；'　said　Sydney。　‘Mr。　Barsad。'
‘Barsad？'　repeated　the　old　gentleman；　‘Barsad？　I　have　an　association　with　the　name…and　with　the　face。'
‘I　told　you　you　had　a　remarkable　face；　Mr。　Barsad；'　observed　Carton；　coolly　‘Pray　sit　down。'
As　he　took　a　chair　himself　he　supplied　the　link　that　Mr。　Lorry　wanted；　by　saying　to　him　with　a　frown；　‘Witness　at　that　trial。'　Mr。　Lorry　immediately　remembered；　and　regarded　his　new　visitor　with　an　undisguised　look　of　abhorrence。
‘Mr。　Barsad　has　been　recognised　by　Miss　Pross　as　the　affectionate　brother　you　have　heard　of'　said　Sydney；　‘and　has　acknowledged　the　relationship。　I　pass　to　worse　news。　Darnay　has　been　arrested　again。'
Struck　with　consternation；　the　old　gentleman　exclaimed；　‘What　do　you　tell　me　I　left　him　safe　and　free　within　these　two　hours；　and　am　about　to　return　to　him！'
‘Arrested　for　all　that。　When　was　it　done；　Mr。　Barsad？'　
‘Just　now；　if　at　all。'
‘Mr。　Barsad　is　the　best　authority　possible；　sir；'　said　Sydney；　‘and　I　have　it　from　Mr。　Barsad's　munication　to　a　friend　and　brother　Sheep　over　a　bottle　of　wine；　that　the　arrest　has　taken　place。　He　left　the　messengers　at　the　gate；　and　saw　them　admitted　by　the　porter。　There　is　no　earthly　doubt　that　he　is　retaken。'
Mr。　Lorry's　business　eye　read　in　the　speaker's　face　that　it　was　loss　of　time　to　dwell　upon　the　point。　Confused；　but　sensible　that　something　might　depend　on　his　presence　of　mind；　he　manded　himself　and　was　silently　attentive。
‘Now；　I　trust；'　said　Sydney　to　him；　‘that　the　name　and　influence　of　Doctor　Manette　may　stand　him　in　as　good　stead　to…morrow　you　said　he　would　be　before　the　Tribunal　again　to…morrow；　Mr。　Barsad？………'
‘Yes；　I　believe　so。'
‘……In　as　good　stead　to…morrow　as　to…day。　But　it　may　not　be　so。　I　own　to　you；　I　am　shaken；　Mr。　Lorry；　by　Doctor　Manette's　not　having　had　the　power　to　prevent　this　arrest。
‘He　may　not　have　known　of　it　beforehand；'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　‘But　that　very　circumstance　would　be　alarming；　when　we　remember　how　identified　he　is　with　his　son…in…law。'
‘That's　true；'　Mr。　Lorry　acknowledged；　with　his　troubled　hand　at　his　chin；　and　his　troubled　eyes　on　Carton。
‘In　short；'　said　Sydney；　‘this　is　a　desperate　time；　when　desperate　games　are　played　for　desperate　stakes。　Let　the　Doctor　play　the　winning　game；　I　will　play　the　losing　one。　No　man's　life　here　is　worth　purchase。　Any　one　carried　home　by　the　people　to…day；　may　be　condemned　to…morrow。　Now；　the　stake　I　have　resolved　to　play　for；　in　case　of　the　worst；　is　a　friend　in　the　Conciergerie。　And　the　friend　I　purpose　to　myself　to　win；　is　Mr。　Barsad。'
‘You　need　have　good　cards；　sir；'　said　the　spy。
‘I'll　run　them　over。　I'll　see　what　I　hold。……Mr。　Lorry；　you　know　what　a　brute　I　am；　I　wish　you'd　give　me　a　little　brandy。'
It　was　put　before　him；　and　he　drank　off　a　glassful……rank　off　another　glassful……pushed　the　bottle　thoughtfully　away。
‘Mr。　Barsad；'　he　went　one　‘in　the　tone　of　one　who　really　was　looking　over　a　hand　at　cards：　‘Sheep　of　the　prisons；　emissary　of　Republican　mittees；　now　turnkey；　now　prisoner；　always　spy　and　secret　informer；　so　much　the