a tale of two cities(双城记)-第42章

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oins　before　her；　as　much　defaced　and　beaten　out　of　their　original　impress　as　the　small　coinage　of　humanity　from　whose　ragged　pockets　they　had　come。　
　A　suspended　interest　and　a　prevalent　absence　of　mind；　were　perhaps　observed　by　the　spies　who　looked　in　at　the　wine…shop；　as　they　looked　in　at　every　place；　high　and　low；　from　the　king's　palace　to　the　criminal's　gaol。　Games　at　cards　languished；　players　at　dominoes　musingly　built　towers　with　them；　drinkers　drew　figures　on　the　tables　with　spilt　drops　of　wine；　Madame　Defarge　herself　picked　out　the　pattern　on　her　sleeve　with　her　toothpick；　and　saw　and　heard　something　inaudible　and　invisible　a　long　way　off。　
　Thus；　Saint　Antoine　in　this　vinous　feature　of　his；　until　midday。　It　was　high　noontide；　when　two　dusty　men　passed　through　his　streets　and　under　his　swinging　lamps：　of　whom；　one　was　Monsieur　Defarge：　the　other　a　mender　of　roads　in　a　blue　cap。　All　adust　and　athirst；　the　two　entered　the　wine…shop。　Their　arrival　had　lighted　a　kind　of　fire　in　the　breast　of　Saint　Antoine；　fast　spreading　as　they　came　along；　which　stirred　and　flickered　in　flames　of　faces　at　most　doors　and　windows。　Yet；　no　one　had　followed　them；　and　no　man　spoke　when　they　entered　the　wine…shop；　though　the　eyes　of　every　man　there　were　turned　upon　them。　
　‘Good…day；　gentlemen！'　said　Monsieur　Defarge。　
　It　may　have　been　a　signal　for　loosening　the　general　tongue。　It　elicited　an　answering　chorus　of　‘Good…day！'　
　‘It　is　bad　weather；　gentlemen；'　said　Defarge；　shaking　his　head。　Upon　which；　every　man　looked　at　his　neighbour；　and　then　all　cast　down　their　eyes　and　sat　silent。　Except　one　man；　who　got　up　and　went　out。　
　‘My　wife；'　said　Defarge　aloud；　addressing　Madame　Defarge：　‘I　have　travelled　certain　leagues　with　this　good　mender　of　roads；　called　Jacques。　I　met　himby　accidenta　day　an　half's　journey　Out　of　Paris。　He　is　a　good　child；　this　mender　of　roads；　called　Jacques。　Give　him　to　drink；　my　wife！'　
　A　second　man　got　up　and　went　out。　Madame　Defarge　set　wine　before　the　mender　of　roads　called　Jacques；　who　doffed　his　blue　cap　to　the　company；　and　drank。　In　the　breast　of　his　blouse　he　carried　some　coarse　dark　bread；　he　ate　of　this　between　whiles；　and　sat　munching　and　drinking　near　Madame　Defarge's　counter。　A　third　man　got　up　and　went　out。　
　Defarge　refreshed　himself　with　a　draught　of　winebut；　he　took　less　than　was　given　to　the　stranger；　as　being　himself　a　man　to　whom　it　was　no　rarityand　stood　waiting　until　the　countryman　had　made　his　breakfast。　He　looked　at　no　one　present；　and　no　one　now　looked　at　him；　not　even　Madame　Defarge；　who　had　taken　up　her　knitting；　and　was　at　work。　
　‘Have　you　finished　your　repast；　friend？'　he　asked；　in　due　season。　
　‘Yes；　thank　you。'　
　‘Come；　then！　You　shall　see　the　apartment　that　I　told　you　you　could　occupy。　It　will　suit　you　to　a　marvel。'　
　Out　of　the　wine…shop　into　the　street；　out　of　the　street　into　a　courtyard；　out　of　the　courtyard　up　a　steep　staircase；　out　of　the　staircase　into　a　garretformerly　the　garret　where　a　white…haired　man　sat　on　a　low　bench；　stooping　forward　and　very　busy；　making　shoes。　
　No　white…haired　man　was　there　now；　but；　the　three　men　were　there　who　had　gone　out　of　the　wine…shop　singly。　And　between　them　and　the　white…haired　man　afar　off；　was　the　one　small　link；　that　they　had　once　looked　in　at　him　through　the　chinks　in　the　wail。　
　Defarge　closed　the　door　carefully；　and　spoke　in　a　subdued　voice：　
　‘Jacques　One；　Jacques　Two；　Jacques　Three！　This　is　the　witness　encountered　by　appointment；　by　me；　Jacques　Four。　
　He　will　tell　you　all。　Speak；　Jacques　Five！　
　The　mender　of　roads；　blue　cap　in　hand；　wiped　his　swarthy　forehead　with　it；　and　said；　‘Where　shall　I　commence；　monsieur？'　
　‘Commence；'　was　Monsieur　Defarge's　not　unreasonable　reply；　‘at　the　commencement。'　
　‘I　saw　him　then；　messieurs；'　began　the　mender　of　roads；　a　year　ago　this　running　summer；　underneath　the　carriage　of　the　Marquis；　hanging　by　the　chain。　Behold　the　manner　of　it。　I　leaving　my　work　on　the　road；　the　sun　going　to　bed；　the　carriage　of　the　Marquis　slowly　ascending　the　hill；　he　hanging　by　the　chainlike　this。'　
　Again　the　mender　of　roads　went　through　the　whole　performance；　in　which　he　ought　to　have　been　perfect　by　that　time；　seeing　that　it　had　been　the　infallible　resource　and　indispensable　entertainment　of　his　village　during　a　whole　year。　
　Jacques　One　struck　in；　and　asked　if　he　had　ever　seen　the　man　before？　
　‘Never；'　answered　the　mender　of　roads；　recovering　his　perpendicular。　
　Jacques　Three　demanded　how　he　afterwards　recognised　him　then？　
　‘By　his　tall　figure；'　said　the　mender　of　roads；　softly；　and　with　his　finger　at　his　nose。　‘When　Monsieur　the　Marquis　demands　that　evening；；　‘‘Say；　what　is　he　like？''　I　make　response；　‘‘Tall　as　a　spectre。'''　
　‘You　should　have　said；　short　as　a　dwarf；'　returned　Jacques　Two。　
　‘But　what　did　I　know？　The　deed　was　not　then　accomplished；　neither　did　he　confide　in　me。　Observe！　Under　those　circumstances　even；　I　do　not　offer　my　testimony。　Monsieur　the　Marquis　indicates　me　with　his　finger；　standing　near　our　little　fountain；　and　says；　‘‘To　me！　Bring　that　rascal！''　My　faith；　messieurs；　I　offer　nothing。'　
　‘He　is　right　there；　Jacques；'　murmured　Defarge；　to　him　who　had　interrupted。　‘Go　on！'　
　‘Good！'　said　the　mender　of　roads；　with　an　air　of　mystery。　‘The　tall　man　is　lost；　and　he　is　soughthow　many　months？　Nine；　ten；　eleven？'　
　‘No　matter；　the　number；'　said　Defarge。　‘He　is　well　hidden；　but　at　last　he　is　unluckily　found。　Go　on！'　
　‘I　am　again　at　work　upon　the　hillside；　and　the　sun　is　again　about　to　go　to　bed。　I　am　collecting　my　tools　to　descend　to　my　cottage　down　in　the　village　below；　where　it　is　already　dark；　when　I　raise　my　eyes；　and　see　coming　over　the　hill　six　soldiers。　In　the　midst　of　them　is　a　tall　man　with　his　arms　boundtied　to　his　sideslike　this！'　
　With　the　aid　of　his　indispensable　cap；　he　represented　a　man　with　his　elbows　bound　fast　at　his　hips；　with　cords　that　were　knotted　behind　him。　
　‘I　stand　aside；　messieurs；　by　my　heap　of　stones；　to　see　the　soldiers　and　their　prisoner　pass　（for　it　is　a　solitary　road；　that；　where　any　spectacle　is　well　worth　looking　at）；　and　at　first；　as　they　approach；　I　see　no　more　than　that　they　are　six　soldiers　with　a　tall　man　bound；　and　that　they　are　almost　black　to　my　sightexcept　on　the　side　of　the　sun　going　to　bed　where　they　have　a　red　edge；　messieurs。　Also；　I　see　that　their　long　shadows　are　on　the　hollow　ridge　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　road；　and　are　on　the　hill　above　it；　and　are　like　the　shadows　of　giants。　Also；　I　see　that　they　are　covered　with　dust；　and　that　the　dust　moves　with　them　as　they　come；　tramp；　tramp！　But　when　they　advance　quite　near　to　me；　I　recognise　the　tall　man；　and　he　recognises　me。　Ah；　but　he　would　be　well　content　to　precipitate　himself　over　the　hillside　once　again；　as　on　the　evening　when　he　and　I　first　encountered；　close　to　the　same　spot！'　
　He　described　it　as　if　he　were　there；　and　it　was　evident　that　he　saw　it　vividly；　perhaps　he　had　not　seen　much　in　his　life。　
　‘I　do　not　show　the　soldiers　that　I　recognise　the　tall　man；　he　does　not　show　the　soldiers　that　he　recognises　me；　we　do　it；　and　we　know　it；　with　our　eyes。　‘‘Come　on！''　says　the　chief　of　that　company；　pointing　to　the　village；　‘‘bring　him　fast　to　his　tomb！''　and　they　bring　him　faster。　I　follow。　His　arms　are　swelled　because　of　being　bound　so　tight；　his　wooden　shoes　are　large　and　clumsy；　and　he　is　lame。　Because　he　is　lame；　and　consequently　slow；　they　drive　him　with　their　gunslike　this！'　
　He　imitated　the　action　of　a　man's　being　impelled　forward　by　the　butt…ends　of　muskets。　
　‘As　they　descend　the　hill　like　madmen　running　a　race；　he　falls。　They　laugh　and　pick　him　up　again。　His　face　is　bleeding　and　covered　with　dust；　but　he　cannot　touch　it；　thereupon　they　laugh　again。　They　bring　him　into　the　village；　all　the　village　runs　to　look；　they　take　him　past　the　mill；　and　up　to　the　prison；　all　the　village　sees　the　prison　gate　open　in　the　darkness　of　the　night；　and　swallow　himlike　this！'　
　He　opened　his　mouth　as　wide　as　he　could；　and　shut　it　with　a　sounding　snap　of　his　teeth。　Observant　of　his　unwillingness　to　mar　the　effect　by　opening　it　again；　Defarge　said；　‘Go　on；　Jacques。'　
　‘All　the　village；'　pursued　the　mender　of　roads；　on　tiptoe　and　in　a　low　voice；　‘withdraws；　all　the　village　whispers　by　the