双城记 查尔斯·狄更斯-第93部分

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　Evrémonde　then　sees　the　Spy；　and　looks　attentively　at　him；　and　goes　his　way。
The　clocks　are　on　the　stroke　of　three；　and　the　furrow　ploughed　among　the　populace　is　turning　round；　to　e　on　into　the　place　of　execution；　and　end。　The　ridges　thrown　to　this　side　and　to　that；　now　crumble　in　and　close　behind　the　last　plough　as　it　passes　on；　for　all　are　following　to　the　Guillotine。　In　front　of　it；　seated　in　chairs；　as　in　a　garden　of　public　diversion；　are　a　number　of　women；　busily　knitting。　On　one　of　the　foremost　chairs；　stands　The　Vengeance；　looking　about　for　her　friend。
‘Thérèse！'　she　cries；　in　her　shrill　tones。　‘Who　has　seen　her？　Thérèse　Defarge！'
‘She　never　missed　before；'　says　a　knitting…woman　of　the　sisterhood。
‘No；　nor　will　site　miss　now；'　cries　The　Vengeance；　petulantly。　‘Thérèse！'
‘Louder；'　the　woman　remends。
Ay！　Louder；　Vengeance；　much　louder；　and　still　site　will　scarcely　hear　thee。　Louder　yet；　Vengeance；　with　a　little　oath　or　so　added；　and　yet　it　will　hardly　bring　her。　Send　other　women　up　and　down　to　seek　her；　lingering　somewhere；　and　yet；　although　the　messengers　have　done　dread　deeds；　it　is　questionable　whether　of　their　own　wills　they　will　go　far　enough　to　find　her！
‘Bad　Fortune！'　cries　The　Vengeance；　stamping　her　foot　in　the　chair；　‘and　here　are　the　tumbrils！　And　Evrémonde　will　be　despatched　in　a　wink；　and　she　not　here！　See　her　knitting　in　my　hand；　and　her　empty　chair　ready　for　her。　I　cry　with　‘vexation　and　disappointment！'
As　The　Vengeance　descends　from　her　elevation　to　do　it；　the　tumbrils　begin　to　discharge　their　loads。　The　ministers　of　Sainte　Guillotine　are　robed　and　ready。　Crash！……A　head　is　held　up；　and　the　knitting…women　who　scarcely　lifted　their　eyes　to　look　at　it　a　moment　ago　when　it　could　think　and　speak；　count　One。
The　second　tumbril　empties　and　moves　on；　the　third　es　up。　Crash……And　the　knitting…women；　never　faltering　or　pausing　in　their　work；　count　Two。
The　supposed　Evrémonde　descends；　and　the　seamstress　is　lifted　out　next　after　him。　He　has　not　relinquished　her　patient　hand　in　getting　out；　but　still　holds　it　as　he　promised。　He　gently　places　her　with　her　back　to　the　crashing　engine　that　constantly　whirrs　up　and　falls；　and　she　looks　into　his　face　and　thanks　him。
‘But　for　you；　dear　stranger；　I　should　not　be　so　posed；　for　I　am　naturally　a　poor　little　thing；　faint　of　heart；　nor　should　I　have　been　able　to　raise　my　thoughts　to　Him　who　was　put　to　death；　that　we　might　have　hope　and　fort　here　to…day。　I　think　you　were　sent　to　me　by　Heaven。
‘Or　you　to　me；'　says　Sydney　Carton。　‘Keep　your　eyes　upon　me；　dear　child；　and　mind　no　other　object。'
‘I　mind　nothing　while　I　hold　your　hand。　I　shall　mind　nothing　when　I　let　it　go；　if　they　are　rapid。'
‘They　will　be　rapid。　Fear　not！'
The　two　stand　in　the　fast…thinning　throng　of　victims；　but　they　speak　as　if　they　were　alone。　Eye　to　eye；　voice　to　voice；　hand　to　hand；　heart　to　heart；　these　two　children　of　the　Universal　Mother；　else　so　wide　apart　and　differing；　have　e　together　on　the　dark　highway；　to　repair　home　together；　and　to　rest　in　her　bosom。
‘Brave　and　generous　friend；　will　you　let　me　ask　you　one　last　question？　I　am　very　ignorant；　and　it　troubles　me……just　a　little。'
‘Tell　me　what　it　is。'
‘I　have　a　cousin；　an　only　relative　and　an　orphan；　like　myself；　whom　I　love　very　dearly。　She　is　five　years　younger　than　I；　and　she　lives　in　a　farmer's　house　in　the　south　country。　Poverty　parted　us；　and　she　knows　nothing　of　my　fate……for　I　cannot　writ……and　if　I　could；　how　should　I　tell　her！　It　is　better　as　it　is。'
‘Yes；　yes；　better　as　it　is。'
‘What　I　have　been　thinking　as　we　came　along；　and　what　I　am　still　thinking　now；　as　I　look　into　your　kind　strong　face　which　gives　me　so　much　support；　is　this：……if　the　Republic　really　does　good　to　the　poor；　and　they　e　to　be　less　hungry；　and　in　all　ways　to　suffer　less；　she　may　live　a　long　time：　she　may　even　live　to　be　old。'
‘What　then；　my　gentle　sister？'
‘Do　you　think：'　the　unplaining　eyes　in　which　there　is　so　much　endurance；　fill　with　tears；　and　the　lips　part　a　little　more　and　tremble：　‘that　it　will　seem　long　to　me；　while　I　wait　for　her　in　the　better　land　where　I　trust　both　you　and　I　will　be　mercifully　sheltered？'
‘It　cannot　be；　my　child；　there　is　no　Time　there；　and　no　trouble　there。'
‘You　fort　me　so　much！　I　am　so　ignorant。　Am　I　to　kiss　you　now？　Is　the　moment　e？'
‘Yes。'
She　kisses　his　lips；　he　kisses　hers；　they　solemnly　bless　each　other。　The　spare　hand　does　not　tremble　as　he　releases　it；　nothing　worse　than　a　sweet；　bright　constancy　is　in　the　patient　face。　She　goes　next　before　him…is　gone；　the　knitting…women　count　Twenty…Two。
‘I　am　the　Resurrection　and　the　Life；　saith　the　Lord：　he　that　believeth　in　me；　though　he　were　dead；　yet　shall　he　live：　and　whosoever　liveth　and　believeth　in　me　shall　never　die。'
The　murmuring　of　many　voices；　the　upturning　of　many　faces；　the　pressing　on　of　many　footsteps　in　the　outskirts　of　the　crowd；　so　that　it　swells　forward　in　a　mass；　like　one　great　heave　of　water；　all　flashes　away。　Twenty…Three。
They　said　of　him；　about　the　city　that　night；　that　it　was　the　peacefullest　man's　face　ever　beheld　there。　Many　added　that　he　looked　sublime　and　prophetic。
One　of　the　most　remarkable　sufferers　by　the　same　axe……a　woman……Had　asked　at　the　foot　of　the　same　scaffold；　not　long　before；　to　be　allowed　to　write　down　the　thoughts　that　were　inspiring　her。　If　he　had　given　an　utterance　to　his；　and　they　were　prophetic；　they　would　have　been　these：
‘I　see　Barsad；　and　Cly；　Defarge；　The　Vengeance；　the　Juryman；　the　Judge；　long　ranks　of　the　new　oppressors　who　have　risen　on　the　destruction　of　the　old；　perishing　by　this　retributive　instrument；　before　it　shall　cease　out　of　its　present　use。　I　see　a　beautiful　city　and　a　brilliant　people'　rising　from　this　abyss；　and；　in　their　struggles　to　be　truly　free；　in　their　triumphs　and　defeats；　through　long　long　years　to　e；　I　see　the　evil　of　this　time　and　of　the　previous　time　of　which　this　is　the　natural　birth；　gradually　making　expiation　for　itself　and　wearing　out。
‘I　see　the　lives　for　which　I　lay　down　my　life；　peaceful；　useful；　prosperous　and　happy；　in　that　England　which　I　shall　see　no　more。　I　see　Her　with　a　child　upon　her　bosom；　who　bears　my　name。　I　see　her　father；　aged　and　bent；　but　otherwise　restored；　and　faithful　to　all　men　in　his　healing　office；　and　at　peace。　I　see　the　good　old　man；　so　long　their　friend；　in　ten　years'　time　enriching　them　with　all　he　has；　and　passing　tranquilly　to　his　reward。
‘I　see　that　I　hold　a　sanctuary　in　their　hearts；　and　in　the　hearts　of　their　descendants；　generations　hence。　I　see　her；　an　old　woman；　weeping　for　me　on　the　anniversary　of　this　day。　I　see　her　and　her　husband；　their　course　done；　lying　side　by　side　in　their　last　earthly　bed；　and　I　know　that　each　was　not　more　honoured　and　held　sacred　in　the　other's　soul；　than　I　was　in　the　souls　of　both。
‘I　see　that　child　who　lay　upon　her　bosom　and　who　bore　my　name；　a　man　winning　his　way　up　in　that　path　of　life　which　once　was　mine。　I　see　him　winning　it　so　well；　that　my　name　is　made　illustrious　there　by　the　light　of　his。　I　see　the　blots　I　threw　upon　it；　faded　away。　I　see　him；　foremost　of　just　judges　and　honoured　men；　bringing　a　boy　of　my　name；　with　a　forehead　that　I　know　and　golden　hair；　to　this　place……then　fair　to　look　upon；　with　not　a　trace　of　this　day's　disfigurement……and　I　hear　him　tell　the　child　my　story；　with　a　tender　and　a　faltering　voice。
‘It　is　a　far；　far　better　thing　that　I　do；　than　I　have　ever　done；　it　is　a　far；　far　better　rest　that　I　go　to　than　I　have　ever　known。'　
THE　END　









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