双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第81部分

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y　so。　She　was　a　good　girl。　She　was　betrothed　to　a　good　young　man；　too：　a　tenant　of　his。　We　are　all　tenants　of　his……that　man's　who　stands　there。　The　other　is　his　brother；　the　worst　of　a　bad　race。〃
‘It　was　with　the　greatest　difficulty　that　the　boy　gathered　bodily　force　to　speak；　but；　his　spirit　spoke　with　a　dreadful　emphasis。
‘We　were　so　robbed　by　that　man　who　stands　there；　as　all　we　mon　dogs　are　by　those　superior　Beings……taxed　by　him　without　mercy；　obliged　to　work　for　him　without　pay；　obliged　to　grind　our　corn　at　his　mill；　obliged　to　feed　scores　of　his　tame　birds　on　our　wretched　crops；　and　forbidden　for　our　lives　to　keep　a　single　tame　bird　of　our　own；　pillaged　and　plundered　to　that　degree　that　when　we　chanced　to　have　a　bit　of　meat；　we　ate　it　in　fear；　with　the　door　barred　and　the　shutters　closed；　that　his　people　should　not　see　it　and　take　it　from　us……I　say；　we　were　so　robbed；　and　hunted；　and　were　made　so　poor；　that　our　father　told　us　it　was　a　dreadful　thing　to　bring　a　child　into　the　world；　and　that　what　we　should　most　pray　for；　was；　that　our　women　might　be　barren　and　our　miserable　race　die　out！〃
‘I　had　never　before　seen　the　sense　of　being　oppressed；　bursting　forth　like　a　fire。　I　had　supposed　that　it　must　be　latent　in　the　people　somewhere；　but；　I　had　never　seen　it　break　out；　until　I　saw　it　in　the　dying　boy。
‘〃Nevertheless；　Doctor；　my　sister　married。　He　was　ailing　at　that　time；　poor　fellow；　and　she　married　her　lover；　that　she　might　tend　and　fort　him　in　our　cottage……our　dog…hut；　as　that　man　would　call　it。　She　had　not　been　married　many　weeks；　when　that　man's　brother　saw　her　and　admired　her；　and　asked　that　man　to　lend　her　to　him……for　what　are　husbands　among　us！　He　was　willing　enough；　but　my　sister　was　good　and　virtuous；　and　hated　his　brother　with　a　hatred　as　strong　as　mine。　What　did　the　two　then；　to　persuade　her　husband　to　use　his　influence　with　her；　to　make　her　willing？〃
‘The　boy's　eyes；　which　had　been　fixed　on　mine；　slowly　turned　to　the　looker…on；　and　I　saw　in　the　Mo　faces　that　all　he　said　was　true。　The　two　opposing　kinds　of　pride　confronting　one　another；　I　can　see；　even　in　this　Bastille；　the　gentleman's　all　negligent　indifference；　the　peasant's；　all　trodden…down　sentiment；　and　passionate　revenge。
‘〃You　know；　Doctor；　that　it　is　among　the　Rights　of　these　Nobles　to　harness　us　mon　dogs　to　carts；　and　drive　us。　They　so　harnessed　him　and　drove　him。　You　know　that　it　is　among　their　Rights　to　keep　us　in　their　grounds　all　night；　quieting　the　frogs；　in　order　that　their　noble　sleep　may　not　be　disturbed。　They　kept　him　out　in　the　unwholesome　mists　at　night；　and　ordered　him　back　into　his　harness　in　the　day。　But　he　was　not　persuaded。　No！　Taken　out　of　harness　one　day　at　noon；　to　feed……if　he　could　find　food……he　sobbed　twelve　times；　once　for　every　stroke　of　the　bell；　and　died　on　her　bosom。〃
‘Nothing　human　could　have　held　life　in　the　boy　but　his　determination　to　tell　all　his　wrong。　He　forced　back　the　gathering　shadows　of　death；　as　he　forced　his　clenched　right　hand　to　remain　clenched；　and　to　cover　his　wound。
‘〃Then；　with　that　man's　permission　and　even　with　his　aid；　his　brother　took　her　away；　in　spite　of　what　I　know　she　must　have　told　his　brother……and　what　that　is；　will　not　be　long　unknown　to　you；　Doctor；　if　it　is　now……his　brother　took　her　away……for　his　pleasure　and　diversion；　for　a　little　while。　I　saw　her　pass　me　on　the　road。　When　I　took　the　tidings　home；　our　father's　heart　burst；　he　never　spoke　one　of　the　words　that　filled　it。　I　took　my　young　sister　（for　I　have　another）　to　a　place　beyond　the　reach　of　this　man；　and　where；　at　least；　she　will　never　be　his　vassal。　Then；　I　tracked　the　brother　here；　and　last　night　climbed　in…a　mon　dog；　but　sword　in　hand。……Where　is　the　loft　window？　It　was　somewhere　here？〃
‘The　room　was　darkening　to　his　sight；　the　world　was　narrowing　around　him。　I　glanced　about　me；　and　saw　that　the　hay　and　straw　were　trampled　over　the　floor；　as　if　there　had　been　a　struggle。
‘〃She　heard　me；　and　ran　in。　I　told　her　not　to　e　near　us　till　he　was　dead。　He　came　in　and　first　tossed　me　some　pieces　of　money；　then　struck　at　me　with　a　whip。　But　I；　though　a　mon　dog；　so　struck　at　him　as　to　make　him　draw。　Let　him　break　into　as　many　pieces　as　he　will；　the　sword　that　he　stained　with　my　mon　blood；　he　drew　to　defend　himself……thrust　at　me　with　all　his　skill　for　his　life。〃
‘My　glance　had　fallen；　but　a　few　moments　before；　on　the　fragments　of　a　broken　sword；　lying　among　the　hay。　That　weapon　was　a　gentleman's。　In　another　place；　lay　an　old　sword　that　seemed　to　have　been　a　soldier's。
‘〃Now；　lift　me　up；　Doctor；　lift　me　up。　Where　is　he？〃
‘〃He　is　not　here；〃　I　said；　supporting　the　boy；　and　thinking　that　he　referred　to　the　brother。
‘〃He！　Proud　as　these　nobles　are；　he　is　afraid　to　see　me。　Where　is　the　man　who　was　here？　Turn　my　face　to　him。〃
‘I　did　so；　raising　the　boy's　head　against　my　knee。　But；　invested　for　the　moment　with　extraordinary　power；　he　raised　himself　pletely：　obliging　me　to　rise　too；　or　I　could　not　have　still　supported　him。
‘〃Marquis；〃　said　the　boy；　turned　to　him　with　his　eyes　opened　wide；　and　his　right　hand　raised；　〃in　the　days　when　all　these　things　are　to　be　answered　for；　I　summon　you　and　yours；　to　the　last　of　your　bad　race；　to　answer　for　them。　I　mark　this　cross　of　blood　upon　you；　as　a　sign　that　I　do　it。　In　the　days　when　all　these　things　are　to　be　answered　for；　I　summon　your　brother；　the　worst　of　the　bad　race；　to　answer　for　them　separately。　I　mark　this　cross　of　blood　upon　him；　as　a　sign　that　I　do　it。
‘Twice；　he　put　his　hand　to　the　wound　in　his　breast；　and　with　forefinger　drew　a　cross　in　the　air。　He　stood　for　an　instant　with　the　finger　yet　raised；　and；　as　it　with　it；　and　I　laid　him　down　dead。　*　*　*　*
‘When　I　returned　to　the　bedside　of　the　young　woman；　I　found　her　raving　in　precisely　the　same　order　and　continuity。　I　knew　that　this　might　last　for　many　hours；　and　that　it　would　probably　end　in　the　silence　of　the　grave。
‘I　repeated　the　medicines　I　had　given　her；　and　I　sat　at　the　side　of　the　bed　until　the　night　was　far　advanced。　She　never　abated　the　piercing　quality　of　her　shrieks；　never　stumbled　in　the　distinctness　or　the　order　of　her　words。　They　were　always　〃My　husband；　my　father；　and　my　brother！　One；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six；　seven；　eight；　nine；　ten；　eleven；　twelve。　Hush！〃
‘This　lasted　twenty…six　hours　from　the　time　when　I　first　saw　her。　I　had　e　and　gone　twice；　and　was　again　sitting　by　her；　when　she　began　to　falter。　I　did　what　little　could　be　done　to　assist　that　opportunity；　and　by…and…by　she　sank　into　a　lethargy；　and　lay　like　the　dead。
‘It　was　as　if　the　wind　and　rain　had　lulled　at　last；　after　a　long　and　fearful　storm。　I　released　her　arms；　and　called　the　woman　to　assist　me　to　pose　her　figure　and　the　dress　she　had　torn。　It　was　then　that　I　knew　her　condition　to　be　that　of　one　in　whom　the　first　expectations　of　being　a　mother　have　arisen；　and　it　was　then　that　I　lost　the　little　hope　I　had　had　of　her。
‘〃Is　she　dead？〃　asked　the　Marquis；　whom　I　will　still　describe　as　the　elder　brother；　ing　booted　into　the　room　from　his　horse。
‘〃Not　dead；〃　said　I；　〃but　like　to　die。〃
‘〃what　strength　there　is　in　these　mon　bodies！〃　he　said；　looking　down　at　her　with　some　curiosity。
‘〃There　is　prodigious　strength；〃　I　answered　him；　〃in　sorrow　and　despair。〃
‘He　first　laughed　at　my　words；　and　then　frowned　at　them。　He　moved　a　chair　with　his　foot　near　to　mine；　ordered　the　woman　away；　and　said　in　a　subdued　voice；
‘〃Doctor；　finding　my　brother　in　this　difficulty　with　these　hinds；　I　remended　that　your　aid　should　be　invited。　Your　reputation　is　high；　and；　as　a　young　man　with　your　fortune　to　make；　you　are　probably　mindful　of　your　interest。　The　things　that　you　see　here；　are　things　to　be　seen；　and　not　spoken　of。〃
‘I　listened　to　the　patient's　breathing；　and　avoided　answering。
‘　〃Do　you　honour　me　with　your　attention；　Doctor？
‘〃Monsieur；〃　said　I；　〃in　my　profession；　the　munications　of　patients　are　always　received　in　confidence。〃　I　was　guarded　in　my　answer；　for　I　was　troubled　in　my　mind　with　what　I　had　heard　and　seen。
‘Her　breathing　was　so　difficult　to　trace；　that　I　carefully　tried　the　pulse　and　the　heart。　There　was　life；　and　no　more。　Looking　round　as　I　resumed　my　seat；　I　found　the　brothers　intent　upon　me。　*　*　*　*
‘I　write　with　so　much　difficulty；　the　cold　is　so　severe；　I　am　so　fearful