a tale of two cities(双城记)-第55章

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　‘Say　then；　my　husband。　What　is　it？'　
‘News　from　the　other　world！'　
　‘How；　then？'　cried　madame；　contemptuously。　‘The　other　world？'　
　‘Does　everybody　here　recall　old　Foulon；　who　told　the　famished　people　that　they　might　eat　grass；　and　who　died；　and　went　to　Hell？'　
　‘Everybody！'　from　all　throats。　
‘The　news　is　of　him。　He　is　among　us！'　
‘Among　us！'　from　the　universal　throat　again。　‘And　dead？'　
　‘Not　dead！　He　feared　us　so　muchand　with　reasonthat　he　caused　himself　to　be　represented　as　dead；　and　had　a　grand　mock…funeral。　But　they　have　found　him　alive；　hiding　in　the　country；　and　have　brought　him　in。　I　have　seen　him　but　now；　on　his　way　to　the　H？tel　de　Ville；　a　prisoner。　I　have　said　that　he　had　reason　to　fear　us。　Say　all！　Had　he　reason？'　
　Wretched　old　sinner　of　more　than　threescore　years　and　ten；　if　he　had　never　known　it　yet；　he　would　have　known　it　in　his　heart　of　hearts　if　he　could　have　heard　the　answering　cry。　
　A　moment　of　profound　silence　followed。　Defarge　and　his　wife　looked　steadfastly　at　one　another。　The　Vengeance　stooped；　and　the　jar　of　a　drum　was　heard　as　she　moved　it　at　her　feet　behind　the　counter。　
　‘Patriots！'　said　Defarge；　in　a　determined　voice；　‘are　we　ready？'　
Instantly　Madame　Defarge's　knife　was　in　her　girdle；　the　drum　was　beating　in　the　streets；　as　if　it　and　a　drummer　had　flown　together　by　magic；　and　The　Vengeance；　uttering　terrific　shrieks；　and　flinging　her　arms　about　her　head　like　all　the　forty　Furies　at　once；　was　tearing　from　house　to　house；　rousing　the　women。　
　The　men　were　terrible；　in　the　bloody…minded　anger　with　which　they　looked　from　windows；　caught　up　what　arms　they　had；　and　came　pouring　down　into　the　streets；　but；　the　women　were　a　sight　to　chill　the　boldest。　From　such　household　occupations　as　their　bare　poverty　yielded；　from　their　children；　from　their　aged　and　their　sick　crouching　on　the　bare　ground　famished　and　naked；　they　ran　out　with　streaming　hair；　urging　one　another；　and　themselves；　to　madness　with　the　wildest　cries　and　actions。　Villain　Foulon　taken；　my　sister！　Old　Foulon　taken；　my　mother！　Miscreant　Foulon　taken；　my　daughter！　Then；　a　score　of　others　ran　into　the　midst　of　these；　beating　their　breasts；　tearing　their　hair；　and　screaming；　Foulon　alive！　Foulon　who　told　the　starving　people　they　might　eat　grass！　Foulon　who　told　my　old　father　that　he　might　eat　grass；　when　I　had　no　bread　to　give　him！　Foulon　who　told　my　baby　it　might　suck　grass；　when　these　breasts　were　dry　with　want！　O　mother　of　God；　this　Foulon！　O　Heaven；　our　suffering！　Hear　me；　my　dead　baby　and　my　withered　father：　I　swear　on　my　knees；　on　these　stones；　to　avenge　you　on　Foulon！　Husbands；　and　brothers；　and　young　men；　Give　us　the　blood　of　Foulon；　Give　us　the　head　of　Foulon；　Give　us　the　heart　of　Foulon；　Give　us　the　body　and　soul　of　Foulon；　Rend　Foulon　to　pieces；　and　dig　him　into　the　ground；　that　grass　may　grow　from　him！　With　these　cries；　numbers　of　the　women；　lashed　into　blind　frenzy；　whirled　about；　striking　and　tearing　at　their　own　friends　until　they　dropped　into　a　passionate　swoon；　and　were　only　saved　by　the　men　belonging　to　them　from　being　trampled　under　foot。　
　Nevertheless；　not　a　moment　was　lost；　not　a　moment！　This　Foulon　was　at　the　H？tel　de　Ville；　and　might　be　loosed。　Never；　if　Saint　Antoine　knew　his　own　sufferings；　insults；　and　wrongs！　Armed　men　and　women　flocked　out　of　the　Quarter　so　fast；　and　drew　even　these　last　dregs　after　them　with　such　a　force　of　suction；　that　within　a　quarter　of　an　hour　there　was　not　a　human　creature　in　Saint　Antoine's　bosom　but　a　few　old　crones　and　the　wailing　children。　
　No。　They　were　all　by　that　time　choking　the　Hall　of　Examination　where　this　old　man；　ugly　and　wicked；　was；　and　overflowing　into　the　adjacent　open　space　and　streets。　The　Defarges；　husband　and　wife；　The　Vengeance；　and　Jacques　Three；　were　in　the　first　press；　and　at　no　great　distance　from　him　in　the　Hall。　
　‘See！'　cried　madame；　pointing　with　her　knife。　‘See　the　old　villain　bound　with　ropes。　That　was　well　done　to　tie　a　bunch　of　grass　upon　his　back。　Ha；　ha！　That　was　well　done。　Let　him　eat　it　now！'　Madame　put　her　knife　under　her　arm；　and　clapped　her　hands　as　at　a　play。　
　The　people　immediately　behind　Madame　Defarge；　explaining　the　cause　of　her　satisfaction　to　those　behind　them；　and　those　again　explaining　to　others；　and　those　to　others；　the　neighbouring　streets　resounded　with　the　clapping　of　hands。　Similarly；　during　two　or　three　hours　of　brawl；　and　the　winnowing　of　many　bushels　of　words；　Madame　Defarge's　frequent　expressions　of　impatience　were　taken　up；　with　marvellous　quickness；　at　a　distance：　the　more　readily；　because　certain　men　who　had　by　some　wonderful　exercise　of　agility　climbed　up　the　external　architecture　to　look　in　from　the　windows；　knew　Madame　Defarge　well；　and　acted　as　a　telegraph　between　her　and　the　crowd　outside　the　building。　
　At　length　the　sun　rose　so　high　that　it　struck　a　kindly　ray　as　of　hope　or　protection；　directly　down　upon　the　old　prisoner's　head。　The　favour　was　too　much　to　bear；　in　an　instant　the　barrier　of　dust　and　chaff　that　had　stood　surprisingly　long；　went　to　the　winds；　and　Saint　Antoine　had　got　him！　
　It　was　known　directly；　to　the　furthest　confines　of　the　crowd。　Defarge　had　but　sprung　over　a　railing　and　a　table；　and　folded　the　miserable　wretch　in　a　deadly　embraceMadame　Defarge　had　but　followed　and　turned　her　hand　in　one　of　the　ropes　with　which　he　was　tiedThe　Vengeance　and　Jacques　Three　were　not　yet　up　with　them；　and　the　men　at　the　windows　had　not　yet　swooped　into　the　Hall；　like　birds　of　prey　from　their　high　percheswhen　the　cry　seemed　to　go　up；　all　over　the　city；　‘Bring　him　out！　Bring　him　to　the　lamp！'　
　Down；　and　up；　and　head　foremost　on　the　steps　of　the　building；　now；　on　his　knees；　now；　on　his　feet；　now；　on　his　back；　dragged；　and　struck　at；　and　stifled　by　the　bunches　of　grass　and　straw　that　were　thrust　into　his　face　by　hundreds　of　hands；　torn；　bruised；　panting；　bleeding；　yet　always　entreating　and　beseeching　for　mercy；　now　full　of　vehement　agony　of　action；　with　a　small　clear　space　about　him　as　the　people　drew　one　another　back　that　they　might　see；　now；　a　log　of　dead　wood　drawn　through　a　forest　of　legs；　he　was　hauled　to　the　nearest　street　corner　where　one　of　the　fatal　lamps　swung；　and　there　Madame　Defarge　let　him　goas　a　cat　might　have　done　to　a　mouseand　silently　and　composedly　looked　at　him　while　they　made　ready；　and　while　he　besought　her：　the　women　passionately　screeching　at　him　all　the　time；　and　the　men　sternly　calling　out　to　have　him　killed　with　grass　in　his　mouth。　Once；　he　went　aloft；　and　the　rope　broke；　and　they　caught　him　shrieking；　twice；　he　went　aloft；　and　the　rope　broke；　and　they　caught　him　shrieking；　then；　the　rope　was　merciful；　and　held　him；　and　his　head　was　soon　upon　a　pike；　with　grass　enough　in　the　mouth　for　all　Saint　Antoine　to　dance　at　the　sight　of。　Nor　was　this　the　end　of　the　day's　bad　work；　for　Saint　Antoine　so　shouted　and　danced　his　angry　blood　up；　that　it　boiled　again；　on　hearing　when　the　day　closed　in　that　the　son…in…law　of　the　despatched；　another　of　the　people's　enemies　and　insulters；　was　coming　into　Paris　under　guard　five　hundred　strong；　in　cavalry　alone。　Saint　Antoine　wrote　his　crimes　on　flaring　sheets　of　paper；　seized　himwould　have　torn　him　out　of　the　breast　of　an　army　to　bear　Foulon　companyset　his　head　and　heart　on　pikes；　and　carried　the　three　spoils　of　the　day；　in　Wolf…procession；　through　the　streets。　
　Not　before　dark　night　did　the　men　and　women　come　back　to　the　children；　wailing　and　breadless。　Then；　the　miserable　bakers'　shops　were　beset　by　long　files　of　them；　patiently　waiting　to　buy　bad　bread；　and　while　they　waited　with　stomachs　faint　and　empty；　they　beguiled　the　time　by　embracing　one　another　on　the　triumphs　of　the　day；　and　achieving　them　again　in　gossip。　Gradually；　these　strings　of　ragged　people　shortened　and　frayed　away；　and　then　poor　lights　began　to　shine　in　high　windows；　and　slender　fires　were　made　in　the　streets；　at　which　neighbours　cooked　in　common；　afterwards　supping　at　their　doors。　
　Scanty　and　insufficient　suppers　those；　and　innocent　of　meat；　as　of　most　other　sauce　to　wretched　bread。　Yet；　human　fellowship　infused　some　nourishment　into　the　flinty　viands；　and　struck　some　sparks　of　cheerfulness　out　of　them。　Fathers　and　mothers　who　had　had　their　full　share　in　the　worst　of　the　day；　played　ge