a tale of two cities(双城记)-第25章

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　He　recovered　himself　almost　instantly。　Rain　was　really　falling　in　large　drops；　and　he　showed　the　back　of　his　hand　with　rain…drops　on　it。　But；　he　said　not　a　single　word　in　reference　to　the　discovery　that　had　been　told　of；　and；　as　they　went　into　the　house；　the　business　eye　of　Mr。　Lorry　either　detected；　or　fancied　it　detected；　on　his　face；　as　it　turned　towards　Charles　Darnay；　the　same　singular　look　that　had　been　upon　it　when　it　turned　towards　him　in　the　passages　of　the　Court　House。　
　He　recovered　himself　so　quickly；　however；　that　Mr。　Lorry　had　doubts　of　his　business　eye。　The　arm　of　the　golden　giant　in　the　hall　was　not　more　steady　than　he　was；　when　he　stopped　under　it　to　remark　to　them　that　he　was　not　yet　proof　against　slight　surprises　（if　he　ever　would　be）；　and　that　the　rain　had　startled　him。　
　Tea…time；　and　Miss　Pross　making　tea；　with　another　fit　of　the　jerks　upon　her；　and　yet　no　Hundreds　of　people。　Mr。　Garton　had　lounged　in；　but　he　made　only　Two。　
　The　night　was　so　very　sultry；　that　although　they　sat　with　doors　and　windows　open；　they　were　overpowered　by　heat。　When　the　tea…table　was　done　with；　they　all　moved　to　one　of　the　windows；　and　looked　out　into　the　heavy　twilight。　Lucie　sat　by　her　father；　Darnay　sat　beside　her；　Carton　leaned　against　a　window。　The　curtains　were　long　and　white；　and　some　of　the　thunder…gusts　that　whirled　into　the　corner；　caught　them　up　to　the　ceiling；　and　waved　them　like　spectral　wings。　
　‘The　rain…drops　are　still　falling；　large；　heavy；　and　few；'　said　Doctor　Manette。　‘It　comes　slowly。　
　‘It　comes　surely；'　said　Carton。　
　They　spoke　low；　as　people　watching　and　waiting　mostly　do；　as　people　in　a　dark　room；　watching　and　waiting　for　Lightning；　always　do。　
　There　was　a　great　hurry　in　the　streets；　of　people　speeding　away　to　get　shelter　before　the　storm　broke；　the　wonderful　corner　for　echoes　resounded　with　the　echoes　of　footsteps　coming　and　going；　yet　not　a　footstep　was　there。　
　‘A　multitude　of　people；　and　yet　a　solitude！'　said　Darnay；　when　they　had　listened　for　a　while。　
　‘Is　it　not　impressive；　Mr。　Darnay？'　asked　Lucie。　‘Sometimes；　I　have　sat　here　of　an　evening；　until　I　have　fanciedbut　even　the　shade　of　a　foolish　fancy　makes　me　shudder　to…night；　when　all　is　so　black　and　solemn…'　
　‘Let　us　shudder　too。　We　may　know　what　it　is。'　
　‘It　will　seem　nothing　to　you。　Such　whims　are　only　impressive　as　we　originate　them；　I　think；　they　are　not　to　be　communicated。　I　have　sometimes　sat　alone　here　of　an　evening；　listening；　until　I　have　made　the　echoes　out　to　be　the　echoes　of　all　the　footsteps　that　are　coming　by…and…by　into　our　lives。'　
　‘There　is　a　great　crowd　coming　one　day　into　our　lives；　if　that　be　so；'　Sydney　Carton　struck　in；　in　his　moody　way。　
　The　footsteps　were　incessant；　and　the　hurry　of　them　became　more　and　more　rapid。　The　corner　echoed　and　re…echoed　with　the　tread　of　feet；　some；　as　it　seemed；　under　the　windows；　some；　as　it　seemed；　in　the　room；　some　coming；　some　going；　some　breaking　off；　some　stopping　altogether；　all　in　the　distant　streets；　and　not　one　within　sight。　
　‘Are　all　these　footsteps　destined　to　come　to　all　of　us；　Miss　Manette；　or　are　we　to　divide　them　among　us？'　
　‘I　don't　know；　Mr。　Darnay；　I　told　you　it　was　a　foolish　fancy；　but　you　asked　for　it。　When　I　have　yielded　myself　to　it；　I　have　been　alone；　and　then　I　have　imagined　them　the　foot…steps　the　people　who　are　to　come　into　my　life；　and　my　father's。'　
　‘I　take　them　into　mine！'　said　Carton。　‘I　ask　no　questions　and　make　no　stipulations。　There　is　a　great　crowd　bearing　down　upon　us；　Miss　Manette；　and　I　see　them…by　the　Lightning。'　He　added　the　last　words；　after　there　had　been　a　vivid　flash　which　had　shown　him　lounging　in　the　window。　
　‘And　I　hear　them。'　he　added　again；　after　a　peal　of　thunder。　
　‘Here　they　come；　fast；　fierce；　and　furious。'　
　It　was　the　rush　and　roar　of　rain　that　he　typified；　and　it　stopped　him；　for　no　voice　could　be　heard　in　it。　A　memorable　storm　of　thunder　and　lightning　broke　with　that　sweep　of　water；　and　there　was　not　a　moment's　interval　in　crash；　and　We；　and　rain；　until　after　the　moon　rose　at　midnight。　
　The　great　bell　of　Saint　Paul's　was　striking　One　in　the　cleared　air；　when　Mr。　Lorry；　escorted　by　Jerry；　high…booted。　and　bearing　a　lantern；　set　forth　on　his　return…passage　to　Clerkenwell。　There　were　solitary　patches　of　road　on　the　way　between　Soho　and　Clerkenwell；　and　Mr。　Lorry；　mindful　of　footpads；　always　retained　Jerry　for　this　service：　though　it　was　usually　performed　a　good　two　hours　earlier。　
　‘What　a　night　it　has　been！　Almost　a　night；　‘Jerry；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　‘to　bring　the　dead　out　of　their　graves。　
　‘I　never　see　the　night　myself；　masternor　yet　I　don't　expect　towhat　would　do　that；'　answered　Jerry。　
　‘Good…night；　Mr。　Carton；'　said　the　man　of　business。　‘Good…night；　Mr。　Darnay。　Shall　we　ever　see　such　a　night　again；　together！'　
　Perhaps。　Perhaps；　see　the　great　crowd　of　people　with　its　rush　and　roar；　bearing　down　upon　them；　too。　


CHAPTER　VII
Monseigneur　in　Town
　
MONSEIGNEUR；　one　of　the　great　lords　in　power　at　the　Court；　held　his　fortnightly　reception　in　his　grand　hotel　in　Paris。　Monseigneur　was　in　his　inner　room；　his　sanctuary　of　sanctuaries；　the　Holiest　of　Holiests　to　the　crowd　of　worshippers　in　the　suite　of　rooms　without。　Monseigneur　was　about　to　take　his　chocolate。　Monseigneur　could　swallow　a　great　many　things　with　ease；　and　was　by　some　few　sullen　minds　supposed　to　be　rather　rapidly　swallowing　France；　but；　his　morning's　chocolate　could　not　so　much　as　get　into　the　throat　of　Monseigneur；　without　the　aid　of　four　strong　men　besides　the　Cook。　
　Yes。　It　took　four　men；　all　four　a…blaze　with　gorgeous　decoration；　and　the　Chief　of　them　unable　to　exist　with　fewer　than　two　gold　watches　in　his　pocket；　emulative　of　the　noble　and　chaste　fashion　set　by　Monseigneur；　to　conduct　the　happy　chocolate　to　Monseigneur's　lips。　One　lacquey　carried　the　chocolate…pot　into　the　sacred　presence；　a　second；　milled　and　frothed　the　chocolate　with　the　little　instrument　he　bore　for　that　function；　a　third；　presented　the　favoured　napkin；　a　fourth　（he　of　the　two　old　watches）；　poured　the　chocolate　out。　It　was　impossible　Monseigneur　to　dispense　with　one　of　these　attendants　on　the　chocolate　and　hold　his　high　place　under　the　admiring　Heavens。　Deep　would　have　been　the　blot　upon　his　escutcheon　if　his　chocolate　had　been　ignobly　waited　on　by　only　three　men；　he　must　have　died　of　two。　
　Monseigneur　had　been　out　at　a　little　supper　last　night；　where　the　Comedy　and　the　Grand　Opera　were　charmingly　represented。　Monseigneur　was　out　at　a　little　supper　most　nights；　with　fascinating　company。　So　polite　and　so　impressible　was　Monseigneur；　that　the　Comedy　and　the　Grand　Opera　had　far　more　influence　with　him　in　the　tiresome　articles　of　state　affairs　and　state　secrets；　than　the　needs　of　all　France。　A　happy　circumstance　for　France；　as　the　like　always　is　for　all　countries　similarly　favoured！always　was　for　England　（by　way　of　example）；　in　the　regretted　days　of　the　merry　Stuart　who　sold　it。　
　Monseigneur　had　one　truly　noble　idea　of　general　public　business；　which　was；　to　let　everything　go　on　in　its　own　way；　of　particular　public　business；　Monseigneur　had　the　other　truly　noble　idea　that　it　must　all　go　his　waytend　to　his　own　power　and　pocket。　Of　his　pleasures；　general　and　particular；　Monseigneur　had　the　other　truly　noble　idea；　that　the　world　was　made　for　them。　The　text　of　his　order　（altered　from　the　original　by　only　a　pronoun；　which　is　not　much）　‘ran：　‘The　earth　and　the　fulness　thereof　are　mine；　saith　Monseigneur。'　
　Yet；　Monseigneur　had　slowly　found　that　vulgar　embarrassments　crept　into　his　affairs；　both　private　and　public；　and　he　had；　as　to　both　classes　of　affairs；　allied　himself　perforce　with　a　Farmer…General。　As　to　finances　public；　because　Monseigneur　could　not　make　anything　at　all　of　them；　and　must　consequently　let　them　out　to　somebody　who　could；　as　to　finances　private；　because　Farmer…Generals　were　rich；　and　Monseigneur；　after　generations　of　great　luxury　and　expense；　was　growing　poor。　Hence　Monseigneur　had　taken　his　sister　from　a　convent；　while　there　was　yet　time　to　ward　off　the　impending　veil；　the　cheapest　garment　she　could　wear；　and　had　bestowed　her　as　a　prize　upon　a　very　rich　Farmer…General；　poor　in　family。　Which　Farmer…General；　carrying　an　appropriate　cane　with　a　golden　apple　on　t