a tale of two cities(双城记)-第17章

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ition　of　everything　in　the　rooms；　from　the　largest　object　to　the　least；　the　arrangement　of　colours；　the　elegant　variety　and　contrast　obtained　by　thrift　in　trifles；　by　delicate　hands；　clear　eyes；　and　good　sense；　were　at　once　so　pleasant　in　themselves；　and　so　expressive　of　their　originator；　that；　as　Mr。　Lorry　stood　looking　about　him；　the　very　chairs　and　tables　seemed　to　ask　him；　with　something　of　that　peculiar　expression　which　he　knew　so　well　by　this　time；　whether　he　approved？　
　There　were　three　rooms　on　a　floor；　and；　the　doors　by　which　they　communicated　being　put　open　that　the　air　might　pass　freely　through　them　all；　Mr。　Lorry；　smilingly　observant　of　that　fanciful　resemblance　which　he　detected　all　around　him；　walked　from　one　to　another。　The　first　was　the　best　room；　and　in　it　were　Lucie's　birds；　and　flowers；　and　books；　and　desk；　and　work…table；　and　box　of　water…colours；　the　second　was　the　Doctor's　consulting…room；　used　also　as　the　dining…room；　the　third；　changingly　speckled　by　the　rustle　of　the　plane…tree　in　the　yard；　was　the　Doctor's　bedroom；　and　there；　in　a　corner；　stood　the　disused　shoemaker's　bench　and　tray　of　tools；　much　as　it　had　stood　on　the　fifth　floor　of　the　dismal　house　by　the　wine…shop；　in　the　suburb　of　Saint　Antoine　in　Paris。　
　‘I　wonder；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　pausing　in　his　looking　about；　‘that　he　keeps　that　reminder　of　his　sufferings　about　him！'　
　‘And　why　wonder　at　that？'　was　the　abrupt　inquiry　that　made　him　start。　
　It　proceeded　from　Miss　Pross；　the　wild　red　woman；　strong　of　hand；　whose　acquaintance　he　had　first　made　at　the　Royal　George　Hotel　at　Dover；　and　had　since　improved。　
　‘I　should　have　thought…‘Mr。　Lorry　began。　
　‘Pooh！　You'd　have　thought！'　said　Miss　Pross；　and　Mr。　Lorry　left　off。　
　‘How　do　you　do？'　inquired　that　lady　thensharply；　and　yet　as　if　to　express　that　she　bore　him　no　malice。　
　‘I　am　pretty　well；　I　thank　you；'　answered　Mr。　Lorry；　with　meekness；　‘how　are　you？'　
　‘Nothing　to　boast　of；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　‘Indeed？'　
　‘Ah！　indeed！'　said　Miss　Pross。　‘I　am　very　much　put　out　about　my　Ladybird。'　
　‘Indeed？'　
　‘For　gracious　sake　say　something　else　besides　‘‘indeed；''　or　you'll　fidget　me　to　death；'　said　Miss　Pross：　whose　character　（dissociated　from　stature）　was　shortness。'　
　‘Really；　then？'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　as　an　amendment。　
　‘Really；　is　bad　enough；'　returned　Miss　Pross；　‘but　better。　Yes；　I　am　very　much　put　out。'　
　‘May　I　ask　the　cause？'　
　‘I　don't　want　dozens　of　people　who　are　not　at　all　worthy　of　Ladybird；　to　come　here　looking　after　her；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　‘Do　dozens　come　for　that　purpose？'　
　‘Hundreds；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　It　was　characteristic　of　this　lady　（as　of　some　other　people　before　her　time　and　since）　that　whenever　her　original　pro…position　was　questioned；　she　exaggerated　it。　
　‘Dear　me！'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　as　the　safest　remark　he　could　think　of。　
　‘I　have　lived　with　the　darlingor　the　darling　has　lived　with　me；　and　paid　me　for　it；　which　she　certainly　should　never　have　done；　you　may　take　your　affidavit；　if　I　could　have　afforded　to　keep　either　myself　or　her　for　nothingsince　she　was　ten　years　old。　And　it's　really　very　hard；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　Not　seeing　with　precision　what　was　very　hard；　Mr。　Lorry　shook　his　head；　using　that　important　part　of　himself　as　a　sort　of　fairy　cloak　that　would　fit　anything。　
　‘All　sorts　of　people　who　are　not　in　the　least　degree　worthy　of　the　pet；　are　always　turning　up；'　said　Miss　Pross。　‘When　you　began　it…'　
　‘I　began　it；　Miss　Pross？'　
　‘Didn't　you？　Who　brought　her　father　to　life？'　
　‘Oh！　If　that　was　beginning　it…'said　Mr。　Lorry。　
　‘It　wasn't　ending　it；　I　suppose？　I　say；　when　you　began　it；　it　was　hard　enough；　not　that　I　have　any　fault　to　find　with　Doctor　Manette；　except　that　he　is　not　worthy　of　such　a　daughter；　which　is　no　imputation　on　him；　for　it　was　not　to　be　expected　that　anybody　should　be；　under　any　circumstances。　But　it　really　is　doubly　and　trebly　hard　to　have　crowds　and　multitudes　of　people　turning　up　after　him　（I　could　have　forgiven　him）；　to　take　Ladybird's　affections　away　from　me。'　
　Mr。　Lorry　knew　Miss　Pross　to　be　very　jealous；　but　he　also　knew　her　by　this　time　to　be；　beneath　the　surface　of　her　eccentricity；　one　of　those　unselfish　creaturesfound　only　among　womenwho　will；　for　pure　love　and　admiration；　bind　themselves　willing　slaves；　to　youth　when　they　have　lost　it；　to　beauty　that　they　never　had；　to　accomplishments　that　they　were　never　fortunate　enough　to　gain；　to　bright　hopes　that　never　shone　upon　their　own　sombre　lives。　He　knew　enough　of　the　world　to　know　that　there　is　nothing　in　it　better　than　the　faithful　service　of　the　heart；　so　rendered　and　so　free　from　any　mercenary　taint；　he　had　such　an　exalted　respect　for　it；　that　in　the　retributive　arrangements　made　by　his　own　mindwe　all　make　such　arrangements；　more　or　lesshe　stationed　Miss　Pross　much　nearer　to　the　lower　Angels　than　many　ladies　immeasurably　better　got　up　both　by　Nature　and　Art；　who　had　balances　at　Tellson's。　
　‘There　never　was；　nor　will　be；　but　one　man　worthy　of　Lady…bird；'　said　Miss　Pross；　‘and　that　was　my　brother　Solomon；　if　he　hadn't　made　a　mistake　in　life。'　
　Here　again：　Mr。　Lorry's　inquiries　into　Miss　Pross's　personal　history　had　established　the　fact　that　her　brother　Solomon　was　a　heartless　scoundrel　who　had　stripped　her　of　everything　she　possessed；　as　a　stake　to　speculate　with；　and　had　abandoned　her　in　her　poverty　for　evermore；　with　no　touch　of　compunction。　Miss　Pross's　fidelity　of　belief　in　Solomon　（deducting　a　mere　trifle　for　this　slight　mistake）　was　quite　a　serious　matter　with　Mr。　Lorry；　and　had　its　weight　in　his　good　opinion　of　her。　
　‘As　we　happen　to　be　alone　for　the　moment；　and　are　both　people　of　business；'　he　said；　when　they　had　got　back　to　the　drawing…room　and　had　sat　down　there　in　friendly　relations；　‘let　me　ask　youdoes　the　Doctor；　in　talking　with　Lucie；　never　refer　to　the　shoemaking　time；　yet？'　
　‘Never。'　
　‘And　yet　keeps　that　bench　and　those　tools　beside　him？'　
　‘Ah！'　returned　Miss　Pross；　shaking　her　head。　‘But　I　don't　say　he　don't　refer　to　it　within　himself。'　
　‘Do　you　believe　that　he　thinks　of　it　much？'　
　‘I　do；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　‘Do　you　imagine…'　Mr。　Lorry　had　begun；　when　Miss　Pross　took　him　up　short　with：　
　‘Never　imagine　anything。　Have　no　imagination　at　all。'　
　‘I　stand　corrected；；　do　you　supposeyou　go　so　far　as　to　Suppose；　sometimes？　
　‘Now　and　then；'　said　Miss　Pross。　
　‘Do　you　suppose；'　Mr。　Lorry　went　on；　with　a　laughing　twinkle　in　his　bright　eye；　as　it　looked　kindly　at　her；　‘that　Doctor　Manette　has　any　theory　of　his　own；　preserved　through　all　those　years；　relative　to　the　cause　of　his　being　so　oppressed；　perhaps；　even　to　the　name　of　his　oppressor？'　
　‘I　don't　suppose　anything　about　it　but　what　Ladybird　tells　me。'　
　‘And　that　is…？'　
　‘That　she　thinks　he　has。'　
　‘Now　don't　be　angry　at　my　asking　all　these　questions；　because　I　am　a　mere　dull　man　of　business；　and　you　are　a　woman　of　business。'　
　‘Dull？'　Miss　Pross　inquired；　with　placidity。　
　Rather　wishing　his　modest　adjective　away；　Mr。　Lorry　replied；　‘No；　no；　no。　Surely　not。　To　return　to　business：…　Is　it　not　remarkable　that　Doctor　Manette；　unquestionably　innocent　of　any　crime　as　we　are　all　well　assured　he　is；　should　never　touch　upon　that　question？　I　will　not　say　with　me；　though　he　had　business　relations　with　me　many　years　ago；　and　we　are　now　intimate；　I　will　say　with　the　fair　daughter　to　whom　he　is　so　devotedly　attached；　and　who　is　so　devotedly　attached　to　him？　Believe　me；　Miss　Pross；　I　don't　approach　the　topic　with　you；　out　of　curiosity；　but　out　of　zealous　interest。'　
　‘Well！　To　the　best　of　my　understanding；　and　bad's　the　best；　you'll　tell　me；'　said　Miss　Pross；　softened　by　the　tone　of　the　apology；　‘he　is　afraid　of　the　whole　subject。　
　‘Afraid？'　
　‘It's　plain　enough；　I　should　think；　why　he　may　be。　It's　a　dreadful　remembrance。　Besides　that；　his　loss　of　himself　grew　out　of　it。　Not　knowing　how　he　lost　himself；　or　how　he　re…covered　himself；　he　may　never　feel　certain　of　not　losing　himself　again。　That　alone　wouldn't　make　the　subject　pleasant；　I　should　think。'　
　It　was　a　profounder　remark　than　Mr。　Lorry　had　looked　for。　‘True；'　said　he；　‘and　fearful　to　reflect　upon。　Yet；　a　doubt　lurks　in　my　mind；　Miss　Pross；　whether　it　is　good　for　Doctor　Manette　to　have　that　suppression　always　shut　up　within　him。　Indeed；　it　is　this　doubt　and　the　uneasiness　it　sometimes　causes　me　that　has　led　me　to　our　present　confidence。'　
　‘Can't　be　helped；'　said　Miss　Pross；　shaking　her　head。　‘Touch　that　string；　and　he　instantly　changes　for　the　worse。　Better　leave　it　alone。　In　short；　must　leave　it　alone；　like　or　no　like。　Sometimes；　lie　gets　up　in　the　dead　of　the　night；　and　will　be　heard；　by　us　overhead　there；　walking　up　and　down；　walking　up　and　down；　in　his　room。　Ladybird　has　learnt　to　know　then　that　his　mind　is　walking　up　and　down；　walking　up　and　down；　in　his　old　prison。　She　hurries　to　him；　and　they　go　on　together；　walking　up　and　down；　walking　up　and　down；　until　he　is　composed。　But　he　never　says　a　word　of　the　true　reason　of　his　restlessness；　to　her；　and　she　finds　it　best　not　to　hint　at　it　to　him。　In　silence　they　go　walking　up　and　down　together；　walking　up　and　down　together；　till　her　love　and　company　have　brought　him　to　himself。'　
　Notwithstanding　Miss　Pross's　denial　of　her　own　imagination；　there　was　a　perception　of　the　pain　of　being　monotonously　haunted　by　one　sad　idea；　in　her　repetition　of　the　phrase；　walking　up　and　down；　which　testified　to　her　possessing　such　a　thing。　
　The　corner　has　been　mentioned　as　a　wonderful　corner　for　echoes；　it　had　begun　to　echo　so　resoundingly　to　the　tread　of　coming　feet；　that　it　seemed　as　though　the　very　mention　of　that　weary　pacing　to　and　fro　had　set　it　going。　
　‘Here　they　are！'　said　Miss　Pross；　rising　to　break　up　the　conference；　‘and　now　we　shall　have　hundreds　of　people　pretty　soon！'　
　It　was　such　a　curious　comer　in　its　acoustical　properties；　such　a　peculiar　Ear　of　a　place；　that　as　Mr。　Lorry　stood　at　the　open　window；　looking　for　the　father　and　daughter　whose　steps　he　heard；　he　fancied　they　would　never　approach。　Not　only　would　the　echoes　die　away；　as　though　the　steps　had　gone；　but；　echoes　of　other　steps　that　never　came　would　be　heard　in　their　stead；　and　would　die　away　for　good　when　they　seemed　close　at　hand。　However；　father　and　daughter　did　at　last　appear；　and　Miss　Pross　was　ready　at　the　street　door　to　receive　them。　
　Miss　Pross　was　a　pleasant　sight；　albeit　wild；　and　red；　and　grim；　taking　off　her　darling's　bonnet　when　she　came　up…stairs；　and　touching　it　up　with　the　ends　of　her　handkerchief；　and　blowing　the　dust　off　it；　and　folding　her　mantle　ready　for　laying　by；　and　smoothing　her　rich　hair　with　as　much　pride　as　she　could　possibly　have　taken　in　her　own　hair　if　she　had　been　the　vainest　and　handsomest　of　women。　Her　darling　was　a　pleasant　sight　too；　embracing　her　and　thanking　her；　and　protesting　against　her　taking　so　much　trouble　for　herwhich　last　she　only　dared　to　do　playfully；　or　Miss　Pross；　sorely　hurt；　would　have　retired　to　her　own　chamber　and　cried。　The　Doctor　was　a　pleasant　sight　too；　looking　on　at　them；　and　telling　Miss　Pross　how　she　spoilt　Lucie；　in　accents　and　with　eyes　that　had　as　much　spoiling　in　them　as　Miss　Pross　had；　and　would　have　had　more　if　it　were　possible。　Mr。　Lorry　was　a　pleasant　sight　too；　beaming　at　all　this　in　his　little　wig；　and　thanking　his　bachelor　stars　for　having　lighted　him　in　his　declining　year