双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第80部分

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‘The　carriage　left　the　streets　behind；　passed　the　North　Barrier；　and　emerged　upon　the　country　road。　At　two…thirds　of　a　league　from　the　Barrier……I　did　not　estimate　the　distance　at　that　time；　but　afterwards　when　I　traversed　it……it　struck　out　of　the　main　avenue；　and　presently　stopped　at　a　solitary　house。　We　all　three　alighted；　and　walked；　by　a　damp　soft　footpath　in　a　garden　where　a　neglected　fountain　had　overflowed；　to　the　door　of　the　house。　It　was　not　opened　immediately；　in　answer　to　the　ringing　of　the　bell；　and　one　of　my　two　conductors　struck　the　man　who　opened　it；　with　his　heavy　riding…glove；　across　the　face。
‘There　was　nothing　in　this　action　to　attract　my　particular　attention；　for　I　had　seen　mon　people　struck　more　monly　than　dogs。　But；　the　other　of　the　two；　being　angry　like…wise；　struck　the　man　in　like　manner　with　his　arm；　the　look　and　bearing　of　the　brothers　were　then　so　exactly　alike；　that　I　then　first　perceived　them　to　be　twin　brothers。
‘From　the　time　of　our　alighting　at　the　outer　gate　（which　we　found　locked；　and　which　one　of　the　brothers　had　opened　to　admit　us；　and　had　re…locked）；　I　had　heard　cries　proceeding　from　an　upper　chamber。　I　was　conducted　to　this　chamber　straight；　the　cries　growing　louder　as　we　ascended　the　stairs；　and　I　found　a　patient　in　a　high　fever　of　the　brain；　lying　on　a　bed。
‘The　patient　was　a　woman　of　great　beauty；　and　young；　assuredly　not　much　past　twenty。　Her　hair　was　torn　and　ragged；　and　her　arms　were　bound　to　her　sides　with　sashes　and　handkerchiefs。　I　noticed　that　these　bonds　were　all　portions　of　a　gentleman's　dress。　On　one　of　them；　which　was　a　fringed　Scarf　for　a　dress　of　ceremony；　I　saw　the　armorial　bearings　of　a　Noble；　and　the　letter　E。
‘I　saw　this；　within　the　first　minute　of　my　contemplation　of　the　patient；　for；　in　her　restless　strivings　she　had　turned　over　on　her　face　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　had　drawn　the　end　of　the　scarf　into　her　mouth；　and　was　in　danger　of　suffocation。　My　first　act　was　to　put　out　my　hand　to　relieve　her　breathing；　and　in　moving　the　scarf　aside；　the　embroidery　in　the　corner　caught　my　sight。
‘I　turned　her　gently　over；　placed　my　hands　upon　her　breast　to　calm　her　and　keep　her　down；　and　looked　into　her　face。　Her　eyes　were　dilated　and　wild；　and　she　constantly　uttered　piercing　shrieks；　and　repeated　the　words；　〃My　husband；　my　father；　and　my　brother！〃　and　then　counted　up　to　twelve；　and　said；　〃Hush！〃　For　an　instant；　and　no　more；　she　would　pause　to　listen；　and　then　the　piercing　shrieks　would　begin　again；　and　she　would　repeat　the　cry；　〃My　husband；　my　father；　and　my　brother！〃　and　would　count　up　to　twelve；　and　say　〃Hush！〃　There　was　no　variation　in　the　order；　or　the　manner。　There　was　no　cessation；　but　the　regular　moment's　pause；　in　the　utterance　of　these　sounds。
‘〃How　long；〃　I　asked；　〃has　this　lasted？〃
‘To　distinguish　the　brothers；　I　will　call　them　the　elder　and　the　younger；　by　the　elder；　I　mean　him　who　exercised　the　most　authority。　It　was　the　elder　who　replied；　〃Since　about　this　hour　last　night。〃
‘〃She　has　a　Husband；　a　father；　and　a　brother？〃
‘〃A　brother。〃
‘〃I　do　not　address　her　brother？〃
‘He　answered　with　great　contempt；　〃No。〃
‘〃She　has　some　recent　association　with　the　number　twelve？〃
‘The　younger　brother　impatiently　rejoined；　〃With　twelve　o'clock？〃
‘〃See；　gentlemen；〃　said　I；　still　keeping　my　hands　upon　her　breast；　〃how　useless　I　am；　as　you　have　brought　me！　If　I　had　known　what　I　was　ing　to　see；　I　could　have　e　provided。　As　it　is；　time　must　be　lost。　There　are　no　medicines　to　be　obtained　in　this　lonely　place。〃
‘The　elder　brother　looked　to　the　younger；　who　said　haughtily；　〃There　is　a　case　of　medicines　here；〃　and　brought　it　from　a　closet；　and　put　it　on　the　table。　*　*　*
‘I　opened　some　of　the　bottles；　smelt　them；　and　put　the　stoppers　to　my　lips。　If　I　had　wanted　to　use　anything　save　narcotic　medicines　that　were　poisons　in　themselves；　I　would　not　have　administered　any　of　those。
‘〃Do　you　doubt　them？〃　asked　the　younger　brother。
‘〃You　see；　monsieur；　I　am　going　to　use　them；〃　I　replied；　and　said　no　more。
‘I　made　the　patient　swallow；　with　great　difficulty；　and　after　many　efforts；　the　dose　that　I　desired　to　give。　As　I　intended　to　repeat　it　after　a　while；　and　as　it　was　necessary　to　watch　its　influence；　I　then　sat　down　by　the　side　of　the　bed。　There　was　a　timid　and　suppressed　woman　in　attendance　（wife　of　the　man　down…stairs）；　who　had　retreated　into　a　corner。　The　house　was　damp　and　decayed；　indifferently　furnished……evidently；　recently　occupied　and　temporarily　used。　Some　thick　old　hangings　had　been　nailed　up　before　the　windows；　to　deaden　the　sound　of　the　shrieks。　They　continued　to　be　uttered　in　their　regular　succession；　with　the　cry；　〃My　husband；　my　father；　and　my　brother！〃　the　counting　up　to　twelve；　and　〃Hush！〃　The　frenzy　was　so　violent；　that　I　had　not　unfastened　the　bandages　restraining　the　arms；　but；　I　had　looked　to　them；　to　see　that　they　were　not　painful。　The　only　spark　of　encouragement　in　the　case；　was；　that　my　hand　upon　the　sufferer's　breast　had　this　much　soothing　influence；　that　for　minutes　at　a　time　it　tranquillised　the　figure。　It　had　no　effect　upon　the　cries：　no　pendulum　could　be　more　regular。
‘For　the　reason　that　my　hand　had　this　effect　（I　assume）；　I　had　sat　by　the　side　of　the　bed　for　half　an　hour；　with　the　two　brothers　looking　on；　before　the　elder　said：
‘〃There　is　another　patient。〃
‘I　was　startled　and　asked；　〃Is　it　a　pressing　case？〃
‘〃You　had　better　see；〃　he　carelessly　answered；　and　took　up　a　light。　*　*　*
‘The　other　patient　lay　in　a　back　room　across　a　second　staircase；　which　was　a　species　of　loft　over　a　stable。　There　was　a　low　plastered　ceiling　to　a　part　of　it；　the　rest　was　open；　to　the　ridge　of　the　tiled　roof；　and　there　were　beams　across。　Hay　and　straw　were　stored　in　that　portion　of　the　place；　fagots　for　firing；　and　a　heap　of　apples　in　sand。　I　had　to　pass　through　that　part；　to　get　at　the　other。　My　memory　is　circumstantial　and　unshaken。　I　try　it　with　these　details；　and　I　see　them　all；　in　this　my　cell　in　the　Bastille；　near　the　close　of　the　tenth　year　of　my　captivity；　as　I　saw　them　all　that　night。
‘On　some　hay　on　the　ground；　with　a　cushion　thrown　under　his　head；　lay　a　handsome　peasant…boy…a　boy　of　not　more　than　seventeen　at　the　most。　He　lay　on　his　back；　with　his　teeth　set；　his　right　hand　clenched　on　his　breast；　and　his　glaring　eyes　looking　straight　upward。　I　could　not　see　where　his　wound　was；　as　I　kneeled　on　one　knee　over　him；　but；　I　could　see　that　he　was　dying　of　a　wound　from　a　sharp　point。
‘〃I　am　a　doctor；　my　poor　fellow；〃　said　I。　〃Let　me　examine　it。〃
‘〃I　do　not　want　it　examined；〃　he　answered；　〃let　it　be。〃
‘It　was　under　his　hand；　and　I　soothed　him　to　let　me　move　his　hand　away。　The　wound　was　a　sword…thrust；　received　from　twenty　to　twenty…four　hours　before；　but　no　skill　could　have　saved　him　if　it　had　been　looked　to　without　delay。　He　was　then　dying　fast。　As　I　turned　my　eyes　to　the　elder　brother；　I　saw　him　looking　down　at　this　handsome　boy　whose　life　was　ebbing　out；　as　if　he　were　a　wounded　bird；　or　hare；　or　rabbit；　not　at　all　as　if　he　were　a　fellow…creature。
‘〃How　has　this　been　done；　monsieur？〃　said　I。
‘〃A　crazed　young　mon　dog！　A　serf！　Forced　my　brother　to　draw　upon　him；　and　has　fallen　by　my　brother's　Sword……like　a　gentleman。〃
‘There　was　no　touch　of　pity；　sorrow；　or　kindred　humanity；　in　this　answer。　The　speaker　seemed　to　acknowledge　that　it　was　inconvenient　to　have　that　different　order　of　creature　dying　there；　and　that　it　would'　have　been　better　if　he　had　died　in　the　usual　obscure　routine　of　his　vermin　kind。　He　was　quite　incapable　of　any　passionate　feeling　about　the　boy；　or　about　his　fate。
‘The　boy's　eyes　had　slowly　moved　to　him　as　he　had　spoken；　and　they　now　slowly　moved　to　me。
‘〃Doctor；　they　are　very　proud；　these　Nobles；　but　we　mon　dogs　are　proud　too；　sometimes。　They　plunder　us；　outrage　us；　beat　us；　kill　us；　but　we　have　a　little　pride　left；　sometimes。　She……have　you　seen　her；　Doctor？〃
‘The　shrieks　and　the　cries　were　audible　there；　though　subdued　by　the　distance。　He　referred　to　them；　as　if　she　were　lying　in　our　presence。
‘I　said；　〃I　have　seen　her。〃
‘〃She　is　my　sister；　Doctor。　They　have　had　their　shameful　rights；　these　Nobles；　in　the　modesty　and　virtue　of　our　sisters；　many　years；　but　M　have　had　good　girls　among　us。　I　know　it；　and　have　heard　my　father　say　so。　She　was　a　good　girl。