a tale of two cities(双城记)-第42章

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　to　the　prison　on　the　crag。　At　the　gate；　a　group　of　officers　were　looking　at　the　fire；　removed　from　them；　a　group　of　soldiers。　‘Help；　gentlemen…officers！　The　chateau　is　on　fire；　valuable　objects　may　be　saved　from　the　flames　by　timely　aid！　Help；　help！'　The　officers　looked　towards　the　soldiers　who　looked　at　the　fire；　gave　no　orders；　and　answered；　with　shrugs　and　biting　of　lips；　‘It　must　burn。'　
　As　the　rider　rattled　down　the　hill　again　and　through　the　street；　the　village　was　illuminating。　The　mender　of　roads；　and　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　particular　friends；　inspired　as　one　man　and　woman　by　the　idea　of　lighting　up；　had　darted　into　their　houses；　and　were　putting　candles　in　every　dull　little　pane　of　glass。　The　general　scarcity　of　everything；　occasioned　candles　to　be　borrowed　in　a　rather　peremptory　manner　of　Monsieur　Gabelle；　and　in　a　moment　of　reluctance　and　hesitation　on　that　functionary's　part；　the　mender　of　roads；　once　so　submissive　to　authority；　had　remarked　that　carriages　were　good　to　make　bonfires　with；　and　that　post…horses　would　roast。　
　The　chateau　was　left　to　itself　to　flame　and　burn。　In　the　roaring　and　raging　of　the　conflagration；　a　red…hot　wind；　driving　straight　from　the　infernal　regions；　seemed　to　be　blowing　the　edifice　away。　With　the　rising　and　falling　of　the　blaze；　the　stone　faces　showed　as　if　they　were　in　torment。　When　great　masses　of　stone　and　timber　fell；　the　face　with　the　two　dints　in　the　nose　became　obscured：　anon　struggled　out　of　the　smoke　again；　as　if　it　were　the　face　of　the　cruel　Marquis；　burning　at　the　stake　and　contending　with　the　fire。　
　The　chateau　burned；　the　nearest　trees；　laid　hold　of　by　the　fire；　scorched　and　shrivelled；　trees　at　a　distance；　fired　by　the　four　fierce　figures；　begirt　the　blazing　edifice　with　a　new　forest　of　smoke。　Molten　lead　and　iron　boiled　in　the　marble　basin　of　the　fountain；　the　water　ran　dry；　the　extinguisher　tops　of　the　towers　vanished　like　ice　before　the　heat；　and　trickled　down　into　four　rugged　wells　of　flame。　Great　rents　and　splits　branched　out　in　the　solid　walls；　like　crystallisation；　stupefied　birds　wheeled　about　and　dropped　into　the　furnace；　four　fierce　figures　trudged　away；　East；　West；　North；　and　South；　along　the　night…enshrouded　roads；　guided　by　the　beacon　they　had　lighted；　towards　their　next　destination。　The　illuminated　village　had　seized　hold　of　the　tocsin；　and；　abolishing　the　lawful　ringer；　rang　for　joy。　
　Not　only　that；　but　the　village；　light…headed　with　famine；　fire；　and　bell…ringing；　and　bethinking　itself　that　Monsieur　Gabelle　had　to　do　with　the　collection　of　rent　and　taxesthough　it　was　but　a　small　instalment　of　taxes；　and　no　rent　at　all；　that　Gabelle　had　got　in　those　latter　daysbecame　impatient　for　an　interview　with　him；　and；　surrounding　his　house；　summoned　him　to　come　forth　for　personal　conference。　Whereupon；　Monsieur　Gabelle　did　heavily　bar　his　door；　and　retire　to　hold　counsel　with　himself　The　result　of　that　conference　was；　that　Gabelle　again　withdrew　himself　to　his　house…top　behind　his　stack　of　chimneys；　this　time　resolved；　if　his　door　was　broken　in　（he　was　a　small　Southern　man　of　retaliative　temperament）；　to　pitch　himself　head　foremost　over　the　parapet；　and　crush　a　man　or　two　below。　
　Probably；　Monsieur　Gabelle　passed　a　long　night　up　there；　with　the　distant　chateau　for　fire　and　candle；　and　the　beating　at　his　door；　combined　with　the　joy…ringing；　for　music；　not　to　mention　his　having　an　ill…omened　lamp　slung　across　the　road　before　his　posting…house　gate；　which　the　village　showed　a　lively　inclination　to　displace　in　his　favour。　A　trying　suspense；　to　be　passing　a　whole　summer　night　on　the　brink　of　the　black　ocean；　ready　to　take　that　plunge　into　it　upon　which　Monsieur　Gabelle　had　resolved　But；　the　friendly　dawn　appearing　at　last；　and　the　rush…candles　of　the　village　guttering　out；　the　people　happily　dispersed；　and　Monsieur　Gabelle　came　down　bringing　his　life　with　him　for　that　while。　
　Within　a　hundred　miles；　and　in　the　light　of　other　fires；　there　were　other　functionaries　less　fortunate；　that　night　and　other　nights；　whom　the　rising　sun　found　hanging　across　once…peaceful　streets；　where　they　had　been　born　and　bred；　also；　there　were　other　villagers　and　townspeople　less　fortunate　than　the　mender　of　roads　and　his　fellows；　upon　whom　the　functionaries　and　soldiery　turned　with　success；　and　whom　they　strung　up　in　their　turn。　But；　the　fierce　figures　were　steadily　wending　East；　West；　North；　and　South；　be　that　as　it　would；　and　whosoever　hung；　fire　burned。　The　altitude　of　the　gallows　that　would　turn　to　water　and　quench　it；　no　functionary；　by　any　stretch　of　mathematics；　was　able　to　calculate　successfully。　


CHAPTER　XXIV
Drain　to　the　Loadstone　Rock
In　such　risings　of　fire　and　risings　of　seathe　firm　earth　shaken　by　the　rushes　of　an　angry　ocean　which　had　now　no　ebb；　but　was　always　on　the　flow；　higher　and　higher；　to　the　tenor　and　wonder　of　the　beholders　on　the　shorethree　years　of　tempest　were　consumed。　Three　more　birthdays　of　little　Lucie　had　been　woven　by　the　golden　thread　into　the　peaceful　tissue　of　the　life　of　her　home。　
　Many　a　night　and　many　a　day　had　its　inmates　listened　to　the　echoes　in　the　corner；　with　hearts　that　failed　them　when　they　heard　the　thronging　feet。　For；　the　footsteps　had　become　to　their　minds　as　the　footsteps　of　a　people；　tumultuous　under　a　red　flag　and　with　their　country　declared　in　danger；　changed　into　wild　beasts；　by　terrible　enchantment　long　persisted　in。　
　Monseigneur；　as　a　class；　had　dissociated　himself　from　the　phenomenon　of　his　not　being　appreciated：　of　his　being　so　little　wanted　in　France；　as　to　incur　considerable　danger　of　receiving　his　dismissal　from　it；　and　this　life　together。　Like　the　fabled　rustic　who　raised　the　Devil　with　infinite　pains；　and　was　so　terrified　at　the　sight　of　him　that　he　could　ask　the　Enemy　no　question；　but　immediately　fled；　so；　Monseigneur；　after　boldly　reading　the　Lord's　Prayer　backwards　for　a　great　number　of　years；　and　performing　many　other　potent　spells　for　compelling　the　Evil　One；　no　sooner　beheld　him　in　his　terrors　than　he　took　to　his　noble　heels。　
　The　shining　Bull's　Eye　of　the　Court　was　gone；　or　it　would　have　been　the　mark　for　a　hurricane　of　national　bullets。　It　had　never　been　a　good　eye　to　see　withhad　long　had　the　mote　in　it　of　Lucifer's　pride；　Sardanapalus's　luxury；　and　a　mole's　blindnessbut　it　had　dropped　out　and　was　gone。　The　Court；　from　that　exclusive　inner　circle　to　its　outermost　rotten　ring　of　intrigue；　corruption；　and　dissimulation；　was　all　gone　together。　Royalty　was　gone；　had　been　besieged　in　its　Palace　and　‘suspended；'　when　the　last　tidings　came　over。　
　The　August　of　the　year　one　thousand　seven　hundred　and　ninety…two　was　come；　and　Monseigneur　was　by　this　time　scattered　far　and　wide。　
　As　was　natural；　the　head…quarters　and　great　gathering…place　of　Monseigneur；　in　London；　was　Tellson's　Bank。　Spirits　are　supposed　to　haunt　the　places　where　their　bodies　most　resorted；　and　Monseigneur　without　a　guinea　haunted　the　spot　where　his　guineas　used　to　be。　Moreover；　it　was　the　spot　to　which　such　French　intelligence　as　was　most　to　be　relied　upon；　came　quickest。　Again：　Tellson's　was　a　munificent　house；　and　extended　great　liberality　to　old　customers　who　had　fallen　from　their　high　estate。　Again：　those　nobles　who　had　seen　the　coming　storm　in　time；　and　anticipating　plunder　or　confiscation；　had　made　provident　remittances　to　Tellson's；　were　always　to　be　heard　of　there　by　their　needy　brethren。　To　which　it　must　be　added　that　every　new　comer　from　France　reported　himself　and　his　tidings　at　Tellson's；　almost　as　a　matter　of　course。　For　such　variety　of　reasons；　Tellson's　was　at　that　time；　as　to　French　intelligence；　a　kind　of　High　Exchange；　and　this　was　so　well　known　to　the　public；　and　the　inquiries　made　there　were　in　consequence　so　numerous；　that　Tellson's　sometimes　wrote　the　latest　news　out　in　a　line　or　so　and　posted　it　in　the　Bank　windows；　for　all　who　ran　through　Temple　Bar　to　read。　
　On　a　steaming；　misty　afternoon；　Mr。　Lorry　sat　at　his　desk；　and　Charles　Darnay　stood　leaning　on　it；　talking　with　him　in　a　low　voice。　The　penitential　den　once　set　apart　for　interviews　with　the　House；　was　now　the　news…Exchange；　and　was　filled　to　overflowing。　It　was　within　half　an　hour　or　so　of　the　time　of　closing。　
　‘But；　although　you　are　the　youngest　man　that　ever　lived；'　said　Charles　Darnay；　rather　hesitating；　‘I　must　still　suggest　to　you…'　
　‘I　understand。　That　I　am　too　old？'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　
　‘Unsettled　weather；　a　long　journey；　uncertain　means　of　travelling；　a　disorganised　country；　a　city　that　may　not　be　even　safe　for　you。'　
　‘My　dear　Charles；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　with　cheerful　confidence；　you　touch　some　of　the　reasons　for　my　going：　not　for　my　staying　away。　It　is　safe　enough　for　me；　nobody　will　care　to　interfere　with　an　old　fellow　of　hard　upon　four…score　when　there　are　so　many　people　there　much　better　worth　interfering　with。　As　to　its　being　a　disorganised　city；　if　it　were　not　a　disorganised　city　there　would　be　no　occasion　to　send　somebody　from　our　House　here　to　our　House　there；　who　knows　the　city　and　the　business；　of　old；　and　is　in　Tellson's　confidence。　As　to　the　uncertain　travelling；　the　long　journey；　and　the　winter　weather；　if　I　were　not　prepared　to　submit　myself　to　a　few　inconveniences　for　the　sake　of　Tellson's；　after　all　these　years；　who　ought　to　be？'　
　‘I　wish　I　were　going　myself；'　said　Charles　Darnay；　somewhat　restlessly；　and　like　one　thinking　aloud。　
　‘Indeed！　You　are　a　pretty　fellow　to　object　and　advise！'　exclaimed　Mr。　Lorry。　‘You　wish　you　were　going　yourself？　And　you　a　Frenchman　born？　You　are　a　wise　counsellor。'　
　‘My　dear　Mr。　Lorry；　it　is　because　I　am　a　Frenchman　born；　that　the　thought　（which　I　did　not　mean　to　utter　here；　however）　has　passed　through　my　mind　often。　One　cannot　help　thinking；　having　had　some　sympathy　for　the　miserable　people；　and　having　abandoned　something　to　them；'　he　spoke　here　in　his　former　thoughtful　manner；　‘that　one　might　be　listened　to；　and　might　have　the　power　to　persuade　to　some　restraint。　Only　last　night；　after　you　had　left　us；　when　I　was　talking　to　Lucie…'　
　‘When　you　were　talking　to　Lucie；'　Mr。　Lorry　repeated。　‘Yes。　I　wonder　you　are　not　ashamed　to　mention　the　name　of　Lucie！　Wishing　you　were　going　to　France　at　this　time　of　day！'　
　‘However；　I　am　not　going；'　said　Charles　Darnay；　with　a　smile。　‘It　is　more　to　the　purpose　that　you　say　you　are。'　
　‘And　I　am；　in　plain　reality。　The　truth　is；　my　dear　Charles；'　Mr。　Lorry　glanced　at　the　distant　House；　and　lowered　his　voice；　‘you　can　have　no　conception　of　the　difficulty　with　which　our　business　is　transacted；　and　of　the　peril　in　which　our　books　and　papers　over　yonder　are　involved。　The　Lord　above　knows　what　the　compromising　consequences　would　be　to　numbers　of　people；　if　some　of　our　documents　were　seized　or　destroyed；　and　they　might　be；　at　any　time；　you　know；　for　who　can　say　that　Paris　is　not　set　a…fire　to…day；　or　sacked　to…morrow！　Now；　a　judicious　selection　from　these　with　the　least　possible　delay；　and　the　burying　of　them；　or　otherwise　getting　of　them　out　of　harm's　way；　is　within　the　power　（without　loss　of　precious　time）　of　scarcely　any　one　but　myself；　if　any　one。　And　shall　I　hang　back；　when　Tellson's　knows　this　and　says　thisTellson's；　whose　bread　I　have　eaten　these　sixty　yearsbecause　I　am　a　little　stiff　about　the　joints？　Why；　I　am　a　boy；　sir；　to　half　a　dozen　old　codgers　here！'　
　‘How　I　admir