双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第77部分

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Mr。　Cruncher　knuckled　his　forehead；　as　Sydney　Carton　and　the　spy　returned　from　the　dark　room。　‘Adieu；　Mr。　Barsad；'　said　the　former；　‘our　arrangement　thus　made；　you　have　nothing　to　fear　from　me。'
He　sat　down　in　a　chair　on　the　hearth；　over　against　Mr。　Lorry。　When　they　were　alone；　Mr。　Lorry　asked　him　what　he　had　done？
‘Not　much。　If　it　should　go　ill　with　the　prisone　I　have　ensured　access　to　him；　Once。'
Mr。　Lorry's　countenance　fell。
‘It　is　all　I　could　do；'　said　Carton。　‘To　propose　too　much；　would　be　to　put　this　man's　head　under　the　axe；　and；　as　he　himself　said；　nothing　worse　could　happen　to　him　if　he　were　denounced。　It　was　obviously　the　weakness　of　the　position。　There　is　no　help　for　it。'
‘But　access　to　him；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　‘if　it　should　go　ill　before　the　Tribunal；　will　not　save　him。'
‘I　never　said　it　would。'
Mr。　Lorry's　eyes　gradually　sought　the　fire；　his　sympathy　with　his　darling；　and　the　heavy　disappointment　of　this　second　arrest；　gradually　weakened　them；　he　was　an　old　man　now；　overborne　with　anxiety　of　late；　and　his　tears　fell。
‘You　are　a　good　man　and　a　true　friend；'　said　Carton；　in　an　altered　voice。　‘Forgive　me　if　I　notice　that　you　are　affected。　I　could　not　see　my　father　weep；　and　sit　by；　careless。　And　I　could　not　respect　your　sorrow　more；　if　you；　were　my　father。　You　are　free　from　that　misfortune；　however。
Though　he　said　the　last　words；　with　a　slip　into　his　usual　manner；　there　was　a　true　feeling　and　respect　both　in　his　tone　and　in　his　touch；　that　Mr。　Lorry；　who　had　never　seen　the　better　side　of　him；　was　wholly　unprepared　for。　He　gave　him　his　hand；　and　Carton　gently　pressed　it。
‘To　return　to　poor　Darnay；'　said　Carton。　‘Don't　tell　Her　of　this　interview；　or　this　arrangement。　It　would　not　enable　Her　to　go　to　see　him。　She　might　think　it　was　contrived；　in　case　of　the　worst；　to　convey　to　him　the　means　of　anticipating　the　sentence。'
Mr。　Lorry　had　not　thought　of　that；　and　he　looked　quickly　at　Carton　to　see　if　it　were　in　his　mind。　It　seemed　to　be；　he　returned　the　look；　and　evidently　understood　it。
‘She　might　think　a　thousand　things；'　Carton　said；　‘and　any　of　them　would　only　add　to　her　trouble。　Don't　speak　of　me　to　her。　As　I　said　to　you　when　I　first　came；　I　had　better　not　see　her。　I　can　put　my　hand　out；　to　do　any　little　helpful　work　for　her　that　my　hand　can　find　to　do；　without　that。　You　are　going　to　her；　I　hope？　She　must　be　very　desolate　to…night。
‘I　am　going　now；　directly。'
‘I　am　glad　of　that。　She　has　such　a　strong　attachment　to　you　and　reliance　on　you。　How　does　she　look？'
‘Anxious　and　unhappy；　but　very　beautiful。'　‘Ah！'
It　was　a　long；　grieving　sound；　like　a　sigh……almost　like　a　sob。　It　attracted　Mr。　Lorry's　eyes　to　Cartons　face；　which　was　turned　to　the　fire。　A　light；　or　a　shade　（the　old　gentleman　could　not　have　said　which）；　passed　from　it　as　swiftly　as　a　change　will　sweep　over　a　hill…side　on　a　wild　bright　day；　and　he　lifted　his　foot　to　put　back　one　of　the　little　flaming　logs；　which　was　tumbling　forward。　He　wore　the　white　riding…coat　and　topboots；　then　in　vogue；　and　the　light　of　the　fire　touching　their　light　surfaces　made　him　look　very　pale；　with　his　long　brown　hair；　all　untrimmed；　hanging　loose　about　him。　His　indifference　to　fire　was　sufficiently　remarkable　to　elicit　a　word　of　remonstrance　from　Mr。　Lorry；　his　boot　was　still　upon　the　hot　embers　of　the　flaming　log；　when　it　had　broken　under　the　weight　of　his　foot。
‘I　forgot　it；'　he　said。
Mr。　Lorry's　eyes　were　again　attracted　to　his　face。　Taking　note　of　the　wasted　air　which　clouded　the　naturally　handsome　features；　and　having　the　expression　of　prisoners'　faces　fresh　in　his　mind；　he　was　strongly　reminded　of　that　expression。
‘And　your　duties　here　have　drawn　to　an　end；　sir？'　said　Carton；　turning　to　him。
‘Yes。　As　I　was　telling　you　last　night　when　Lucie　came　in　so　unexpectedly；　I　have　at　length　done　all　that　I　can　do　here。　I　hoped　to　have　left　them　in　perfect　safety；　and　then　to　have　quitted　Pass。　I　have　my　Leave　to　Pass。　I　was　ready　to　go。'
They　were　both　silent。　
‘Yours　is　a　long　life　to　look　back　upon；　sir？'　said　Carton；　wistfully。
‘I　am　in　my　seventy…eighth　year。'
‘You　have　been　useful　all　your　life；　steadily　and　constantly　occupied；　trusted；　respected；　and　looked　up　to？'
‘I　have　been　a　man　of　business；　ever　since　I　have　been　a　man。　Indeed；　I　may　say　that　I　was　a　man　of　business　when　a　boy。'
‘See　what　a　place　you　fill　at　seventy…eight。　How　many　people　will　miss　you　when　you　leave　it　empty！'
‘A　solitary　old　bachelor；'　answered　Mr。　Lorry；　shaking　his　head。　‘There　is　nobody　to　weep　for　me。'
‘How　can　you　say　that？　Wouldn't　She　weep　for　you？　Wouldn't　her　chi！d？'
‘Yes；　yes；　thank　God。　I　didn't　quite　mean　what　I　said。'　
‘It　is　a　thing　to　thank　God　for；　is　it　not？'　
‘Surely；　surely。'
‘If　you　could　say；　with　truth；　to　your　own　solitary　heart；　to…night；　〃I　have　secured　to　myself　the　love　and　attachment；　the　gratitude　or　respect；　of　no　human　creature；　I　have　won　myself　a　tender　place　in　no　regard；　I　have　done　nothing　good　or　serviceable　to　be　remembered　by！〃　your　seventy…eight　years　would　be　seventy…eight　heavy　curses；　would　they　not？'
‘You　say　truly；　Mr。　Carton；　I　think　they　would　he。
Sydney　turned　his　eyes　again　upon　the　fire；　and；　after　a　silence　of　a　few　moments；　said：
‘I　should　like　to　ask　you：……Does　your　childhood　seem　far　off？　Do　the　days　when　you　sat　at　your　mother's　knee；　seem　days　of　very　long　ago？'
Responding　to　his　softened　manner；　Mr。　Lorry　answered：　‘Twenty　years　back；　yes；　at　this　time　of　my　life；　no。　For；　as　I　draw　closer　and　closer　to　the　end；　I　travel　in　the　circle；　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　beginning。　It　seems　to　be　one　of　the　kind　smoothings　and　preparings　of　the　way。　My　heart　is　touched　now；　by　many　remembrances　that　had　long　fallen　asleep；　of　my　pretty　young　mother　（and　I　so　old！）；　and　by　many　associations　of　the　days　when　what　we　call　the　World　was　not　so　real　with　me；　and　my　faults　were　not　confirmed　in　me。'
‘I　understand　the　feeling！'　exclaimed　Carton；　with　a　bright　flush。　‘And　you　are　the　better　for　it？'
‘I　hope　so。
Carton　terminated　the　conversation　here；　by　rising　to　help　him　on　with　his　outer　coat；　‘but　you；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　reverting　to　the　theme；　‘you　are　young。'
‘Yes；'　said　Carton。　‘I　am　not　old；　but　my　young　way　was　never　the　way　to　age。　Enough　of　me。
‘And　of　me；　I　am　sure；'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　‘Are　you　going　out？'
‘I'll　walk　with　you　to　her　gate。　You　know　my　vagabond　and　restless　habits。　If　I　should　prowl　about　the　streets　a　long　time；　don't　be　uneasy；　I　shall　reappear　in　the　morning。　You　go　to　the　Court　to…morrow？'
Yes；　unhappily。'
‘I　shall　be　there；　but　only　as　one　of　the　crowd。　My　Spy　will　find　a　place　for　me。　Take　my　arm；　sir。'
Mr。　Lorry　did　so；　and　they　went　down…stairs　and　out　in　the　streets。　A　few　minutes　brought　them　to　Mr。　Lorry's　destination。　Carton　left　him　there；　but　lingered　at　a　little　distance；　and　turned　back　to　the　gate　again　when　it　was　shut；　and　touched　it。　He　had　heard　of　her　going　to　the　prison　every　day。　‘She　came　out　here；'　he　said；　looking　about　him；　‘turned　this　way；　must　have　trod　on　these　stones　often。　Let　me　follow　in　her　steps。
It　was　ten　o'clock　at　night　when　he　stood　before　the　prison　of　La　Force；　where　she　had　stood　hundreds　of　times。　A　little　wood…sawyer；　having　closed　his　shop；　was　smoking　his　pipe　at　his　shop…door。
‘Good　night；　citizen；'　said　Sydney　Carton；　pausing　in　going　by；　for；　the　man　eyed　him　inquisitively。
‘Good　night；　citizen。'
‘How　goes　the　Republic？'
‘You　mean　the　Guillotine。　Not　ill。　Sixty…three　to…day。　We　shall　mount　to　a　hundred　soon。　Samson　and　his　men　plain　sometimes；　of　being　exhausted。　Ha；　ha；　ha！　He　is　so　droll；　that　Samson。　Such　a　Barber！'
‘Do　you　often　go　to　see　him………'
‘Shave？　Always。　Every　day。　What　a　barber！　You　have　seen　him　at　work？'
‘Never。'
‘Go　and　see　him　when　he　has　a　good　batch。　Figure　this　to　yourself　citizen；　he　shaved　the　sixty…three　to…day；　in　less　than　two　pipes！　Less　than　two　pipes。　Word　of　honour！'
As　the　grinning　little　man　held　out　the　pipe　he　was　smoking；　to　explain　how　he　timed　the　executioner；　Carton　was　so　sensible　of　a　rising　desire　to　strike　the　life　out　of　him；　that　he　turned　away。
‘But　you　are　not　English；'　said　the　wood…sawyer；　‘though　you　wear　English　dress？'
‘Yes；'　said　Carton；　pausing　again；　and　answering　over　his　shoulder。
‘You　speak　like