双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第91部分

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‘If　you　were　to　go　before；'　said　Miss　Pross；　‘and　stop　the　vehicle　and　horses　from　ing　here；　and　were　to　wait　somewhere　for　me；　wouldn't　that　be　best？'
Mr。　Cruncher　thought　it　might　be　best。
‘Where　could　you　wait　for　me？'　asked　Miss　Pross。
Mr。　Cruncher　was　so　bewildered　that　he　could　think　of　no　locality　but　Temple　Bar。　Alas！　Temple　Bar　was　hundreds　of　miles　away；　and　Madame　Defarge　was　drawing　very　near　indeed。
‘By　the　cathedral　door；'　said　Miss　Pross。　‘Would　it　be　much　out　of　the　way；　to　take　me　in；　near　the　great　cathedral　door　between　the　two　towers？'
‘No；　miss；'　answered　Mr。　Cruncher。
‘Then；　like　the　best　of　men；'　said　Miss　Pross；　‘go　to　the　posting…house　straight；　and　make　that　change。'
‘I　am　doubtful；'　said　Mr。　Cruncher；　hesitating　and　shaking　his　head；　‘about　leaving　of　you；　you　see。　We　don't　know　what　may　happen。'
‘Heaven　knows　we　don't；'　returned　Miss　Pross；　‘but　have　no　fear　for　me。　Take　me　in　at　the　cathedral；　at　Three　o'clock；　or　as　near　it　as　you　can；　and　I　am　sure　it　will　be　better　than　our　going　from　here。　I　feel　certain　of　it。　There！　Bless　you；　Mr。　Cruncher！　Think……not　of　me；　but　of　the　lives　that　may　depend　on　both　of　us　！'
This　exordium；　and　Miss　Pross's　two　hands　in　quite　agonised　entreaty　clasping　his；　decided　Mr。　Cruncher。　With　an　encouraging　nod　or　two；　he　immediately　went　out　to　alter　the　arrangements；　and　left　her　by　herself　to　follow　as　she　had　proposed。
The　having　originated　a　precaution　which　was　already　in　course　of　execution；　was　a　great　relief　to　Miss　Pross。　The　necessity　of　posing　her　appearance　so　that　it　should　attract　no　special　notice　in　the　streets；　was　another　relief　She　looked　at　her　watch；　and　it　was　twenty　minutes　past　two。　She　had　no　time　to　lose；　but　must　get　ready　at　once。
Afraid；　in　her　extreme　perturbation；　of　the　loneliness　of　the　deserted　rooms；　and　of　half…imagined　faces　peeping　from　behind　every　open　door　in　them；　Miss　Pross　got　a　basin　of　cold　water　and　began　laving　her　eyes；　which　were　swollen　and　red。　Haunted　by　her　feverish　apprehensions；　she　could　not　bear　to　have　her　sight　obscured　for　a　minute　at　a　time　by　the　dripping　water；　but　constantly　paused　and　looked　round　to　see　that　there　was　no　one　watching　her。　In　one　of　those　pauses　she　recoiled　and　cried　out；　for　she　saw　a　figure　standing　in　the　room。
The　basin　fell　to　the　ground　broken；　and　the　water　flowed　to　the　feet　of　Madame　Defarge。　By　strange　stern　ways；　and　through　much　staining　blood；　those　feet　had　e　to　meet　that　water。
Madame　Defarge　looked　coldly　at　her；　and　said；　‘The　wife　of　Evrémonde；　where　is　she？'
It　flashed　upon　Miss　Pross's　mind　that　the　doors　were　all　standing　open；　and　would　suggest　the　flight。　Her　first　act　was　to　shut　them。　There　were　four　in　the　room；　and　she　shut　them　all。　She　then　placed　herself　before　the　door　of　the　chamber　which　Lucie　had　occupied。
Madame　Defarge's　dark　eyes　followed　her　through　this　rapid　movement；　and　rested　on　her　when　it　was　finished。　Miss　Pross　had　nothing　beautiful　about　her；　years　had　not　tamed　the　wildness；　or　softened　the　grimness；　of　her　appearance；　but；　she　too　was　a　determined　woman　in　her　different　way；　and　she　measured　Madame　Defarge　with　her　eyes；　every　inch。
‘You　might；　from　your　appearance；　be　the　wife　of　Lucifer；'　said　Miss　Pross；　in　her　breathing。　‘Nevertheless；　you　shall　not　get　the　better　of　me。　I　am　an　Englishwoman。
Madame　Defarge　looked　at　her　scornfully；　but　still　with　something　of　Miss　Pross's　own　perception　that　they　two　were　at　bay。　She　saw　a　tight；　hard；　wiry　woman　before　her；　as　Mr。　Lorry　had　seen　in　the　same　figure　a　woman　with　a　strong　hand；　in　the　years　gone　by。　She　knew　full　well　that　Miss　Pross　was　the　family's　devoted　friend；　Miss　Pross　knew　full　well　that　Madame　Defarge　was　the　family's　malevolent　enemy。
‘On　my　way　yonder；'　said　Madame　Defarge；　with　a　slight　movement　of　her　hand　towards　the　fatal　spot；　‘where　they　reserve　my　chair　and　my　knitting　for　me；　I　am　e；　to　make　my　pliments　to　her　in　passing。　I　wish　to　see　her。
‘I　know　that　your　intentions　are　evil；'　said　Miss　Pross；　‘and　you　may　depend　upon　it；　I'll　hold　my　own　against　them。'
Each　spoke　in　her　own　language；　neither　understood　the　other's　words；　both　were　very　watchful；　and　intent　to　deduce　from　look　and　manner；　what　the　unintelligible　words　meant。
‘It　will　do　her　no　good　to　keep　herself　concealed　from　me　at　this　moment；'　said　Madame　Defarge。　‘Good　patriots　will　know　what　that　means。　Let　me　see　her。　Go　tell　her　that　I　wish　to　see　her。　Do　you　hear？'
‘If　those　eyes　of　yours　were　bed…winches；'　returned　Miss　Pross；　‘and　I　was　an　English　four…poster；　they　shouldn't　loose　a　splinter　of　me。　No；　you　wicked　foreign　woman；　I　am　your　match。'
Madame　Defarge　was　not　likely　to　follow　these　idiomatic　remarks　in　detail；　but；　she　so　far　understood　them　as　to　perceive　that　she　was　set　at　naught。
‘Woman　imbecile　and　pig…like！'　said　Madame　Defarge；　frowning。　‘I　take　no　answer　from　you。　I　demand　to　see　her。　Either　tell　her　that　I　demand　to　see　her；　or　stand　out　of　the　way　of　the　door　and　let　me　go　to　her！'　This；　with　an　angry　explanatory　wave　of　her　right　arm。
‘I　little　thought；'　said　bliss　Pross；　‘that　I　should　ever　want　to　understand　your　nonsensical　language；　but　I　would　give　all　I　have；　except　the　clothes　I　wear；　to　know　whether　you　suspect　the　truth；　or　any　part　of　it。'
Neither　of　them　for　a　single　moment　released　the　other's　eyes。　Madame　Defarge　had　not　moved　from　the　spot　where　she　stood　when　Miss　Pross　first　became　aware　of　her；　but　she　now　advanced　one　step。
‘I　am　a　Briton；'　said　Miss　Pross；　‘I　am　desperate。　I　don't　care　an　English　Two…pence　for　myself。　I　know　that　the　longer　I　keep　you　here；　the　greater　hope　there　is　for　my　Ladybird。　I'll　not　leave　a　handful　of　that　dark　hair　upon　your　head；　if　you　lay　a　finger　on　me！'
Thus　Miss　Pross；　with　a　shake　of　her　head　and　a　flash　of　her　eyes　between　every　rapid　sentence；　and　every　rapid　sentence　a　whole　breath。　Thus　Miss　Pross；　who　had　never　struck　a　blow　in　her　life。
But；　her　courage　was　of　that　emotional　nature　that　it　brought　the　irrepressible　tears　into　her　eyes。　This　was　a　courage　that　Madame　Defarge　so　little　prehended　as　to　mistake　for　weakness。　‘Ha；　ha！'　she　laughed；　‘you　poor　wretch！　What　are　you　worth！　I　address　myself　to　that　Doctor。'　Then　she　raised　her　voice　and　called　out；　‘Citizen　Doctor！　Wife　of　Evrémonde！　Child　of　Evrémonde！　Any　person　but　this　miserable　fool；　answer　the　Citizeness　Defarge！'
Perhaps　the　following　silence；　perhaps　some　latent　disclosure　in　the　expression　of　Miss　Pross's　face；　perhaps　a　sudden　misgiving　apart　from　either　suggestion；　whispered　to　Madame　Defarge　that　they　were　gone。　Three　of　the　doors　she　opened　swiftly；　and　looked　in。
‘Those　rooms　are　all　in　disorder；　there　has　been　hurried　packing；　there　are　odds　and　ends　upon　the　ground。　There　is　no　one　in　that　room　behind　you！　Let　me　look。'
‘Never！'　said　Miss　Pross；　who　understood　the　request　as　perfectly　as　Madame　Defarge　understood　the　answer。
‘If　they　are　not　in　that　room；　they　are　gone；　and　can　be　pursued　and　brought　back；'　said　Madame　Defarge　to　herself。
‘As　long　as　you　don't　know　whether　they　are　in　that　room　or　not；　you　are　uncertain　what　to　do；'　said　Miss　Pross　to　herself；　‘and　you　shall　not　know　that；　if　I　can　prevent　your　knowing　it；　and　know　that；　or　not　know　that；　you　shall　not　leave　here　while　I　can　hold　you。'
‘I　have　been　in　the　streets　from　the　first；　nothing　has　stopped　me；　I　will　tear　you　to　pieces；　but　I　will　have　you　from　that　door；'　said　Madame　Defarge。
‘We　are　alone　at　the　top　of　a　high　house　in　a　solitary　courtyard；　we　are　not　likely　to　be　heard；　and　I　pray　for　bodily　strength　to　keep　you　here；　while　every　minute　you　are　here　is　worth　a　hundred　thousand　guineas　to　my　darling；'　said　Miss　Pross。
Madame　Defarge　made　at　the　door。　Miss　Pross；　on　the　instinct　of　the　moment；　seized　her　round　tile　waist　in　both　her　arms；　and　held　her　tight。　It　was　in　vain　for　Madame　Defarge　to　struggle　and　to　strike；　Miss　Pross；　with　the　vigorous　tenacity　of　love；　always　so　much　stronger　than　hate；　clasped　her　tight；　and　even　lifted　her　from　the　floor　in　the　struggle　that　they　had。　The　two　hands　of　Madame　Defarge　buffeted　and　tore　her　face；　but；　Miss　Pross；　with　her　head　down；　held　her　round　the　waist；　and　clung　to　her　with　more　than　the　hold