a tale of two cities(双城记)-第69章

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ours　of　every　day　at　this　place；　and　every　day　on　leaving　it；　she　kissed　the　prison　wall。　Her　husband　saw　her　（so　she　learned　from　her　father）　it　might　be　once　in　five　or　six　times：　it　might　be　twice　or　thrice　running：　it　might　be；　not　for　a　week　or　a　fortnight　together。　It　was　enough　that　he　could　and　did　see　her　when　the　chances　served；　and　on　that　possibility　she　would　have　waited　out　the　day；　seven　days　a　week。　
　These　occupations　brought　her　round　to　the　December　month；　wherein　her　father　walked　among　the　terrors　with　a　steady　head。　On　a　lightly…snowing　afternoon　she　arrived　at　the　usual　corner。　It　was　a　day　of　some　wild　rejoicing；　and　a　festival。　She　had　seen　the　houses；　as　she　came　along；　decorated　with　little　pikes；　and　with　little　red　caps　stuck　upon　them；　also；　with　tricoloured　ribbons；　also；　with　the　standard　inscription　（tricoloured　letters　were　the　favourite）；　Republic　One　and　Indivisible。　Liberty；　Equality；　Fraternity；　or　Death！　
　The　miserable　shop　of　the　wood…sawyer　was　so　small；　that　its　whole　surface　furnished　very　indifferent　space　for　this　legend。　He　had　got　somebody　to　scrawl　it　up　for　him；　however；　who　had　squeezed　Death　in　with　most　inappropriate　difficulty。　On　his　house…top；　he　displayed　pike　and　cap；　as　a　good　citizen　must；　and　in　a　window　he　had　stationed　his　saw　inscribed　as　his　‘Little　Sainte　Guillotine'for　the　great　sharp　female　was　by　that　time　popularly　canonised。　His　shop　was　shut　and　he　was　not　there；　which　was　a　relief　to　Lucie；　and　left　her　quite　alone。　
　But；　he　was　not　far　off；　for　presently　she　heard　a　troubled　movement　and　a　shouting　coming　along；　which　filled　her　with　fear。　A　moment　afterwards；　and　a　throng　of　people　came　pouring　round　the　corner　by　the　prison　wall；　in　the　midst　of　whom　was　the　wood…sawyer　hand　in　hand　with　The　Vengeance。　There　could　not　be　fewer　than　five　hundred　people；　and　they　were　dancing　like　five　thousand　demons。　There　was　no　other　music　than　their　own　singing。　They　danced　to　the　popular　Revolution　song；　keeping　a　ferocious　time　that　was　like　a　gnashing　of　teeth　in　unison。　Men　and　women　danced　together；　women　danced　together；　men　danced　together；　as　hazard　had　brought　them　together。　At　first；　they　were　a　mere　storm　of　coarse　red　caps　and　coarse　woollen　rags；　but；　as　they　filled　the　place；　and　stopped　to　dance　about　Lucie；　some　ghastly　apparition　of　a　dance…figure　gone　raving　mad　arose　among　them。　They　advanced；　retreated；　struck　at　one　another's　hands；　clutched　at　one　another's　heads；　spun　round　alone；　caught　one　another　and　spun　round　in　pairs；　until　many　of　them　dropped。　While　those　were　down；　the　rest　linked　hand　in　hand；　and　all　spun　round　together：　then　the　ring　broke；　and　in　separate　rings　of　two　and　four　they　turned　and　turned　until　they　all　stopped　at　once；　began　again；　struck；　clutched；　and　tore；　and　then　reversed　the　spin；　and　all　spun　round　another　way。　Suddenly　they　stopped　again；　paused；　struck　out　the　time　afresh；　formed　into　lines　the　width　of　the　public　way；　and；　with　their　heads　low　down　and　their　hands　high　up；　swooped　screaming　off。　No　fight　could　have　been　half　so　terrible　as　this　dance。　It　was　so　emphatically　a　fallen　sporta　something；　once　innocent；　delivered　over　to　all　devilrya　healthy　pastime　changed　into　a　means　of　angering　the　blood；　bewildering　the　senses；　and　steeling　the　heart。　Such　grace　as　was　visible　in　it；　made　it　the　uglier；　showing　how　warped　and　perverted　all　things　good　by　nature　were　become。　The　maidenly　bosom　bared　to　this；　the　pretty　almost…child's　head　thus　distracted；　the　delicate　foot　mincing　in　this　slough　of　blood　and　dirt；　were　types　of　the　disjointed　time。'　
　This　was　the　Carmagnole。　As　it　passed；　leaving　Lucie　frightened　and　bewildered　in　the　doorway　of　the　wood…sawyer's　house；　the　feathery　snow　fell　as　quietly　and　lay　as　white　and　soft；　as　if　it　had　never　been。　
　‘O　my　father！'　for　he　stood　before　her　when　she　lifted　up　the　eyes　she　had　momentarily　darkened　with　her　hand；　‘such　a　cruel；　bad　sight。'　
　‘I　know；　my　dear；　I　know。　I　have　seen　it　many　times。　Don't　be　frightened！　Not　one　of　them　would　harm　you。'　
　‘I　am　not　frightened　for　myself；　my　father。　But　when　I　think　of　my　husband；　and　the　mercies　of　these　people…'　
　‘We　will　set　him　above　their　mercies　very　soon。　I　left　him　climbing　to　the　window；　and　I　came　to　tell　you。　There　is　no　one　here　to　see。　You　may　kiss　your　hand　towards　that　highest　shelving　roof。'　
　‘I　do　so；　father；　and　I　send　him　my　Soul　with　it！'　
　‘You　cannot　see　him；　my　poor　dear？'　
　‘No；　father；'　said；　Lucie；　yearning　and　weeping　as　she　kissed　her　hand；　‘no。　
　A　footstep　in　the　snow。　Madame　Defarge。　‘I　salute　you；　citizeness；'　from　the　Doctor。　‘I　salute　you；　citizen。'　This　in　passing。　Nothing　more。　Madame　Defarge　gone；　like　a　shadow　over　the　white　road。　
　‘Give　me　your　arm；　my　love。　Pass　from　here　with　an　air　of　cheerfulness　and　courage；　for　his　sake。　That　was　well　done；'　they　had　left　the　spot；　‘it　shall　not　be　in　vain。　Charles　is　summoned　for　to…morrow。'　
　‘For　to…morrow！'　
　‘There　is　no　time　to　lose。　I　am　well　prepared；　but　there　are　precautions　to　be　taken；　that　could　not　be　taken　until　he　was　actually　summoned　before　the　Tribunal。　He　has　not　received　the　notice　yet；　but　I　know　that　he　will　presently　be　summoned　for　to…morrow；　and　removed　to　the　Conciergerie；　I　have　timely　information。　You　are　not　afraid？'　
　She　could　scarcely　answer；　‘I　trust　in　you。'　
　‘Do　so；　implicitly。　Your　suspense　is　nearly　ended；　my　darling；　he　shall　be　restored　to　you　within　a　few　hours；　I　have　encompassed　him　with　every　protection。　I　must　see　Lorry。'　
　He　stopped。　There　was　a　heavy　lumbering　of　wheels　within　hearing。　They　both　knew　too　well　what　it　meant。　One。　Two。　Three。　Three　tumbrils　faring　away　with　their　dread　loads　over　the　hushing　snow。　
　‘I　must　see　Lorry；'　the　Doctor　repeated；　turning　her　another　way。　
　The　staunch　old　gentleman　was　still　in　his　trust；　had　never　left　it。　He　and　his　books　were　in　frequent　requisition　as　to　property　confiscated　and　made　national。　What　he　could　save　for　the　owners；　he　saved。　No　better　man　living　to　hold　fast　by　what　Tellson's　had　in　keeping；　and　to　hold　his　peace。　
　A　murky　red　and　yellow　sky；　and　a　rising　mist　from　the　Seine；　denoted　the　approach　of　darkness。　It　was　almost　dark　when　they　arrived　at　the　Bank。　The　stately　residence　of　Monseigneur　was　altogether　blighted　and　deserted。　Above　a　heap　of　dust　and　ashes　in　the　court；　ran　the　letters：　National　Property。　Republic　One　and　Indivisible。　Liberty；　Equality；　Fraternity；　or　Death！　
　Who　could　that　be　with　Mr。　Lorrythe　Owner　of　the　riding…coat　upon　the　chairwho　must　not　be　seen？　From　whom　newly　arrived；　did　he　come　out；　agitated　and　surprised；　to　take　his　favourite　in　his　arms？　To　whom　did　he　appear　to　repeat　her　faltering　words；　when；　raising　his　voice　and　turning　his　head　towards　the　door　of　the　room　from　which　he　had　issued；　he　said：　‘Removed　to　the　Conciergerie；　and　summoned　for　to…morrow？'　


CHAPTER　VI
Triumph
THE　dread　Tribunal　of　five　Judges；　Public　Prosecutor；　and　determined　Jury；　sat　every　day。　Their　lists　went　forth　every　evening；　and　were　read　out　by　the　gaolers　of　the　various　prisons　to　their　prisoners。　The　standard　gaoler…joke　was；　‘Come　out　and　listen　to　the　Evening　Paper；　you　inside　there！'　
　‘Charles　Evrémonde；　called　Darnay！'　So　at　last　began　the　Evening　Paper　at　La　Force。　
　When　a　name　was　called；　its　owner　stepped　apart　into　a　spot　reserved　for　those　who　were　announced　as　being　thus　fatally　recorded。　Charles　Evrémonde；　called　Darnay；　had　reason　to　know　the　usage；　he　had　seen　hundreds　pass　away　so。　
　His　bloated　gaoler；　who　wore　spectacles　to　read　with；　glanced　over　them　to　assure　himself　that　he　had　taken　his　place；　and　went　through　the　list；　making　a　similar　short　pause　at　each　name。　There　were　twenty…three　names；　but　only　twenty　here　responded　to；　for　one　of　the　prisoners　so　summoned　had　died　in　gaol　and　been　forgotten；　and　two　had　already　been　guillotined　and　forgotten。　The　list　was　read；　in　the　vaulted　chamber　where　Darnay　had　seen　the　associated　prisoners　on　the　night　of　his　arrival。　Every　one　of　those　had　perished　in　the　massacre；　every　human　creature　he　had　since　cared　for　and　parted　with；　had　died　on　the　scaffold。　
　There　were　hurried　words　of　farewell　and　kindness；　but　the　p