a tale of two cities(双城记)-第40章

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hid　in　doorways　too；　rubbing　its　horrible　shoulders　against　doors；　and　drawing　them　up　to　its　ears；　as　if　it　were　laughing。　It　got　into　shadows　on　the　road；　and　lay　cunningly　on　its　back　to　trip　him　up。　All　this　time　it　was　incessantly　hopping　on　behind　and　gaining　on　him；　so　that　when　the　boy　got　to　his　own　door　lie　had　reason　for　being　half　dead。　And　even　then　it　would　not　leave　him；　but　followed　him　upstairs　with　a　bump　on　every　Stair；　scrambled　into　bed　with　him；　and　bumped　down；　dead　and　heavy；　on　his　breast　when　he　fell　asleep。　
　From　his　oppressed　slumber；　Young　Jerry　in　his　closet　was　awakened　after　daybreak　and　before　sunrise；　by　the　presence　of　his　father　in　the　family　room。　Something　had　gone　bong　with　him；　at　least；　so　Young　Jerry　inferred；　from　the　circumstance　of　his　holding　Mrs。　Cruncher　by　the　ears；　and　knocking　the　back　of　her　head　against　the　headboard　of　the　bed。　
　‘I　told　you　I　would；'　said　Mr。　Cruncher；　‘and　I　did。'　
‘Jerry；　Jerry；　Jerry！'　his　wife　implored。　
　‘You　oppose　yourself　to　the　profit　of　the　business；'　said　Jerry；　‘and　me　and　my　partners　suffer。　You　was　to　honour　and　obey；　why　the　devil　don't　you？'　
　‘I　try　to　be　a　good　wife；　Jerry；'　the　poor　woman　protested；　with　tears。　
　‘Is　it　being　a　good　wife　to　oppose　your　husband's　business？　Is　it　honouring　your　husband　to　dishonour　his　business？　Is　it　obeying　your　husband　to　disobey　him　on　the　wital　subject　of　his　business？'　
　‘You　hadn't　taken　to　the　dreadful　business　then；　Jerry。'　
　‘It's　enough　for　you；'　retorted　Mr。　Cruncher；　‘to　be　the　wife　of　a　honest　tradesman；　and　not　to　occupy　your　female　mind　with　calculations　when　he　took　to　his　trade　or　when　he　didn't。　A　honouring　and　obeying　wife　would　let　his　trade　alone　altogether。　Call　yourself　a　religious　woman？　If　you're　a　religious　woman；　give　me　a　irreligious　one！　You　have　no　more　nat'ral　sense　of　duty　than　the　bed　of　this　here　Thames　river　has　of　a　pile；　and　similarly　it　must　be　knocked　into　you。'　
　The　altercation　was　conducted　in　a　low　tone　of　voice；　and　terminated　in　the　honest　tradesman's　kicking　off　his　clay…soiled　boots；　and　lying　down　at　his　length　on　the　floor。　After　taking　a　timid　peep　at　him　lying　on　his　back；　with　his　rusty　hands　under　his　head　for　a　pillow；　his　son　lay　down　too；　and　fell　asleep　again。　
　There　was　no　fish　for　breakfast；　and　not　much　of　anything　else。　Mr。　Cruncher　was　out　of　spirits；　and　out　of　temper；　and　kept　an　iron　pot…lid　by　him　as　a　projectile　for　the　correction　of　Mrs。　Cruncher；　in　case　he　should　observe　any　symptoms　of　her　saying　Grace。　He　was　brushed　and　washed　at　the　usual　hour；　and　set　off　with　his　son　to　pursue　his　ostensible　calling。　
　Young　Jerry；　walking　with　the　stool　under　his　arm　at　his　father's　side　along　sunny　and　crowded　Fleet　Street；　was　a　very　different　Young　Jerry　from　him　of　the　previous　night；　running　home　through　darkness　and　solitude　from　his　grim　pursuer。　His　cunning　was　fresh　with　the　day；　and　his　qualms　were　gone　with　the　nightin　which　particulars　it　is　not　improbable　that　he　had　compeers　in　Fleet　Street　and　the　City　of　London；　that　fine　morning。　
　‘Father；'　said　Young　Jerry；　as　they　walked　along：　taking　care　to　keep　at　arm's　length　and　to　have　the　stool　well　between　them：　‘what's　a　ResurrectionMan？'　
　Mr。　Cruncher　came　to　a　stop　on　the　pavement　before　lie　answered；　‘How　should　I　know？'　
　‘I　thought　you　knowed　everything；　father；'　said　the　artless　boy。　
　‘Hem！　Well；'　returned　Mr。　Cruncher；　going　on　again；　and　lifting　off　his　hat　to　give　his　spikes　free　play；　‘he's　a　tradesman。'　
　‘What‘s　his　goods；　father？'　asked　the　brisk　Young　Jerry。　
　‘His　goods；'　said　Mr。　Cruncher；　after　turning　it　over　in　his　mind；　is　a　branch　of　Scientific　goods。'　
　‘Persons'　bodies；　ain't　it；　father？'　asked　the　lively　boy。　
　‘I　believe　it　is　something　of　that　sort；'　said　Mr。　Cruncher。　
　‘Oh；　father；　I　should　so　like　to　be　a　Resurrectionman　when　I　‘m　quite　growed　up！'　
　Mr。　Cruncher　was　soothed；　but　shook　his　head　in　a　dubious　and　moral　way。　‘It　depends　upon　how　you　dewelop　your　talents。　Be　careful　to　dewelop　your　talents；　and　never　to　say　no　more　than　you　can　help　to　nobody；　and　there's　no　telling　at　the　present　time　what　you　may　not　come　to　be　fit　for。'　As　Young　Jerry；　thus　encouraged；　went　on　a　few　yards　in　advance；　to　plant　the　stool　in　the　shadow　of　the　Bar；　Mr。　Cruncher　added　to　himself：　‘Jerry；　you　honest　tradesman；　there's　hopes　wot　that　boy　will　yet　be　a　blessing　to　you；　and　a　recompense　to　you　for　his　mother！　

CHAPTER　XVII
One　Night
NEVER　did　the　sun　go　down　with　a　brighter　glory　on　the　quiet　comer　in　Soho；　than　one　memorable　evening　when　Doctor　and　his　daughter　sat　under　the　plane…tree　together。　Never　did　the　moon　rise　with　a　milder　radiance　over　great　London；　than　on　that　night　when　it　found　them　still　seated　under　the　tree；　and　shone　upon　their　faces　through　its　leaves。　
　Lucie　was　to　be　married　to…morrow。　She　had　reserved　this　last　evening　for　her　father；　and　they　sat　alone　under　the　plane…tree。　
　‘You　are　happy；　my　dear　father？'　
　‘Quite；　my　child。'　
　They　had　said　little　though　they　had　been　there　a　long　time。　When　it　was　yet　light　enough　to　work　and　read；　she　had　neither　engaged　herself　in　her　usual　work；　nor　had　she　read　to　him。　She　had　employed　herself　in　both　ways；　at　his　side　under　the　tree；　many　and　many　a　time；　but；　this　time　was　not　quite　like　any　other；　and　nothing　could　make　it　so。　
　And　I　am　very　happy　to…night；　dear　father。　I　am　deeply　happy　in　the　love　that　Heaven　has　so　blessedmy　love　for　Charles；　and　Charles's　love　for　me。　But；　if　my　life　were　not　to　be　still　consecrated　to　you；　or　if　my　marriage　were　so　arranged　as　that　it　would　part　us；　even　by　the　length　of　a　few　of　these　streets；　I　should　be　more　unhappy　and　self…reproachful　now　than　I　can　tell　you。　Even　as　it　is…'　
　Even　as　it　was；　she　could　not　command　her　voice。　
　In　the　sad　moonlight；　she　clasped　him　by　the　neck；　and　lad　her　face　upon　his　breast。　In　the　moonlight　which　is　always　sad；　as　the　light　of　the　sun　itself　Bas　the　light　called　human　life　is…at　its　coming　and　its　going。　
　‘Dearest　dear！　Can　you　tell　me；　this　last　time；　that　you　feel　quite；　quite　sure；　no　new　affections　of　mine；　and　no　new　duties　of　mine；　will　ever　interpose　between　us？　I　know　it　well；　but　do　you　know　it？　In　your　own　heart；　do　you　feel　quite　certain？'　
　Her　father　answered；　with　a　cheerful　firmness　of　conviction　he　could　scarcely　have　assumed；　‘Quite　sure；　my　darling！　More　than　that；'　he　added；　as　he　tenderly　kissed　her：　‘my　future　is　far　brighter；　Lucie；　seen　through　your　marriage；　than　it　could　have　beennay；　than　it　ever　waswithout　it。'　
‘If　I　could　hope　that；　my　father！…'　
　‘Believe　it；　love！　Indeed　it　is　so。　Consider　how　natural　and　how　plain　it　is；　my　dear；　that　it　should　be　so。　You；　devoted　and　young；　cannot　fully　appreciate　the　anxiety　I　have　felt　that　your　life　should　not　be　wasted'　
　She　moved　her　hand　towards　his　lips；　but　he　took　it　in　his；　and　repeated　the　word。　
　‘wasted；　my　childshould　not　be　wasted；　struck　aside　from　the　natural　order　of　thingsfor　my　sake。　Your　unselfishness　cannot　entirely　comprehend　how　much　my　mind　has　gone　on　this；　but；　only　ask　yourself　how　could　my　happiness　be　perfect；　while　yours　was　incomplete？'　
　‘If　I　had　never　seen　Charles；　my　father；　I　should　have　been　quite　happy　with　you。'　
　He　smiled　at　her　unconscious　admission　that　she　would　have　been　unhappy　without　Charles；　having　seen　him；　and　replied：　
　‘My　child；　you　did　see　him；　and　it　is　Charles。　If　it　had　not　been　Charles；　it　would　have　been　another。　Or；　if　it　had　been　no　other；　I　should　have　been　the　cause；　and　then　the　dark　part　of　my　life　would　have　cast　its　shadow　beyond　myself　and　would　have　fallen　on　you。'　
　It　was　the　first　time；　except　at　the　trial；　of　her　ever　hearing　him　refer　to　the　period　of　his　suffering。　It　gave　her　a　strange　and　new　sensation　while　his　words　were　in　her　ears；　and　she　remembered　it　long　afterwards。　
　‘See！'　said　the　Doctor　of　Beauvais；　raising　his　hand　towards　the　moon。　‘I　have　looked　at　her　from　my　prison…window；　when　I　could　not　bear　her　light。　I　have　looked　at　her　when　it　has　been　such　torture　to　me　to　think　of　her　shining　upon　what　I　had　lost；　that　I　have　beaten　my　head　against　my　prison…walls。　I　have　looked　at　her；　in　a　state　so　dull　and　lethargic；　t