a tale of two cities(双城记)-第46章

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rles　Darnay　that　the　king　was　in　prison；　and　that　the　foreign　ambassadors　had　one　and　all　left　Paris。　On　the　road　（except　at　Beauvais）　he　had　heard　absolutely　nothing。　The　escort　and　the　universal　watchfulness　had　completely　isolated　him。　
　That　he　had　fallen　among　far　greater　dangers　than　those　which　had　developed　themselves　when　he　left　England；　he　of　course　knew　now。　That　perils　had　thickened　about　him　fast；　and　might　thicken　faster　and　faster　yet；　he　of　course　knew　now。　He　could　not　but　admit　to　himself　that　he　might　not　have　made　this　journey；　if　he　could　have　foreseen　the　events　of　a　few　days。　And　yet　his　misgivings　were　not　so　dark　as；　imagined　by　the　light　of　this　later　time；　they　would　appear。　Troubled　as　the　future　was；　it　was　the　unknown　future；　and　in　its　obscurity　there　was　ignorant　hope。　The　horrible　massacre；　days　and　nights　long；　which；　within　a　few　rounds　of　the　clock；　was　to　set　a　great　mark　of　blood　upon　the　blessed　garnering　time　of　harvest；　was　as　far　out　of　his　knowledge　as　if　it　had　been　a　hundred　thousand　years　away。　The　‘sharp　female　newly…born；　and　called　La　Guillotine；'　was　hardly　known　to　him；　or　to　the　generality　of　people；　by　name。　The　frightful　deeds　that　were　to　be　soon　done；　were　probably　unimagined　at　that　time　in　the　brains　of　the　doers。　How　could　they　have　a　place　in　the　shadowy　conceptions　of　a　gentle　mind？　
　Of　unjust　treatment　in　detention　and　hardship；　and　in　cruel　separation　from　his　wife　and　child；　he　foreshadowed　the　likelihood；　or　the　certainty；　but；　beyond　this；　he　dreaded　nothing　distinctly。　With　this　on　his　mind；　which　was　enough　to　carry　into　a　dreary　prison　court…yard；　he　arrived　at　the　prison　of　La　Force。　
　A　man　with　a　bloated　face　opened　the　strong　wicket；　to　whom　Defarge　presented　‘The　Emigrant　Evrémonde。'　
　‘What　the　Devil！　How　many　more　of　them！'　exclaimed　the　man　with　the　bloated　face。　
　Defarge　took　his　receipt　without　noticing　the　exclamation；　and　withdrew；　with　his　two　fellow…patriots。　
　‘What　the　Devil；　I　say　again！'　exclaimed　the　gaoler；　left　with　his　wife。　‘How　many　more！'　
　The　gaoler's　wife；　being　provided　with　no　answer　to　the　question；　merely　replied；　‘One　must　have　patience；　my　dear！'　Three　turnkeys　who　entered　responsive　to　a　bell　she　rang；；　echoed　the　sentiment　and　one　added；　‘For　the　love　of　Liberty；　which　sounded　in　that　place　like　an　inappropriate　conclusion。　
　The　prison　of　La　Force　was　a　gloomy　prison；　dark　and　filthy；　and　with　a　horrible　smell　of　foul　sleep　in　it。　Extraordinary　how　soon　the　noisome　flavour　of　imprisoned　sleep；　becomes　manifest　in　all　such　places　that　are　ill　cared　for！　
　‘In　secret；　too；'　grumbled　the　gaoler；　looking　at　the　written　paper。　‘As　if　I　was　not　already　full　to　bursting！'　
　He　stuck　the　paper　on　a　file；　in　an　ill…humour；　and　Charles　Darnay　awaited　his　further　pleasure　for　half　an　hour：　sometimes；　pacing　to　and　fro　in　the　strong　arched　room：　sometimes；　resting　on　a　stone　seat：　in　either　case　detained　to　be　imprinted　on　the　memory　of　the　chief　and　his　subordinates。　
　‘Come！'　said　the　chief；　at　length　taking　up　his　keys；　‘come　with　me；　emigrant。'　
　Through　the　dismal　prison　twilight；　his　new　charge　accompanied　him　by　corridor　and　staircase；　many　doors　clanging　and　locking　behind　them；　until　they　came　into　a　large；　low；　vaulted　chamber；　crowded　with　prisoners　of　both　sexes。　The　women　were　seated　at　a　long　table；　reading　and　writing；　knitting；　sewing；　and　embroidering；　the　men　were　for　the　most　part　standing　behind　their　chairs；　or　lingering　up　and　down　the　room。　
　In　the　instinctive　association　of　prisoners　with　shameful　crime　and　disgrace；　the　new　comer　recoiled　from　this　company。　But　the　crowning　unreality　of　his　long　unreal　ride；　was；　their　all　at　once　rising　to　receive　him；　with　every　refinement　of　manner　known　to　the　time；　and　with　all　the　engaging　graces　and　courtesies　of　life。　
　So　strangely　clouded　were　these　refinements　by　the　prison　manners　and　gloom；　so　spectral　did　they　become　in　the　inappropriate　squalor　and　misery　through　which　they　were　seen；　that　Charles　Darnay　seemed　to　stand　in　a　company　of　the　dead。　Ghosts　all！　The　ghost　of　beauty；　the　ghost　of　stateliness；　the　ghost　of　elegance；　the　ghost　of　pride；　the　ghost　of　frivolity；　the　ghost　of　wit；　the　ghost　of　youth；　the　ghost　of　age；　all　waiting　their　dismissal　from　the　desolate　shore；　all　turning　on　him　eyes　that　were　changed　by　the　death　they　had　died　in　coming　there。　
　It　struck　him　motionless。　The　gaoler　standing　at　his　side；　and　the　other　gaolers　moving　about；　who　would　have　been　well　enough　as　to　appearance　in　the　ordinary　exercise　of　their　functions；　looked　so　extravagantly　coarse　contrasted　with　sorrowing　mothers　and　blooming　daughters　who　were　there　with　the　apparitions　of　the　coquette；　the　young　beauty；　and　the　mature　woman　delicately　bredthat　the　inversion　of　all　experience　and　likelihood　which　the　scene　of　shadows　presented；　was　heightened　to　its　utmost。　Surely；　ghosts　all。　Surely；　the　long　unreal　ride　some　progress　of　disease　that　had　brought　him　to　these　gloomy　shades！　
　‘In　the　name　of　the　assembled　companions　in　misfortune；'　said　a　gentleman　of　courtly　appearance　and　address；　coming　forward；　‘I　have　the　honour　of　giving　you　welcome　to　La　Force；　and　of　condoling　with　you　on　the　calamity　that　has　brought　you　among　us。　May　it　soon　terminate　happily！　It　would　be　an　impertinence　elsewhere；　but　it　is　not　so　here；　to　ask　your　name　and　condition？'　
　Charles　Darnay　roused　himself；　and　gave　the　required　information；　in　words　as　suitable　as　he　could　find。　
　‘But　I　hope；'　said　the　gentleman；　following　the　chief　gaoler　with　his　eyes；　who　moved　across　the　room；　‘that　you　are　not　in　secret？'　
　‘I　do　not　understand　the　meaning　of　the　term；　but　I　have　heard　them　say　so。'　
　‘Ah；　what　a　pity！　We　so　much　regret　it！　But　take　courage；　several　members　of　our　society　have　been　in　secret；　at　first；　and　it　has　lasted　but　a　short　time。'　Then　he　added；　raising　his　voice；　‘I　grieve　to　inform　the　societyin　secret。　
　There　was　a　murmur　of　commiseration　as　Charles　Darnay　crossed　the　room　to　a　grated　door　where　the　gaoler　awaited　him；　and　many　voicesamong　which；　the　soft　and　compassionate　voices　of　woman　were　conspicuousgave　him　good　wishes　and　encouragement。　He　turned　at　the　grated　door；　to　render　the　thanks　of　his　heart；　it　closed　under　the　gaoler's　hand；　and　the　apparitions　vanished　from　his　sight　for　ever。　
　The　wicket　opened　on　a　stone　staircase；　leading　upward。　When　they　had　ascended　forty　steps　（the　prisoner　of　half　an　hour　already　counted　them）；　the　gaoler　opened　a　low　black　door；　and　they　passed　into　a　solitary　cell。　It　struck　cold　and　damp；　but　was　not　dark。　
　‘Yours；'　said　the　gaoler。　
　‘Why　am　I　confined　alone？'　
　‘How　do　I　know！'　
　‘I　can　buy　pen；　ink；　and　paper？'　
　‘Such　are　not　my　orders。　You　will　be　visited；　and　can　ask　then。　At　present；　you　may　buy　your　food；　and　nothing　more。'　
　There　were　in　the　cell；　a　chair；　a　table；　and　a　straw　mattress。　As　the　gaoler　made　a　general　inspection　of　these　objects；　and　of　the　four　walls；　before　going　out；　a　wandering　fancy　wandered　through　the　mind　of　the　prisoner　leaning　against　the　wall　opposite　to　him；　that　this　gaoler　was　so　unwholesomely　bloated；　both　in　face　and　person；　as　to　look　like　a　man　who　had　been　drowned　and　filled　with　water。　When　the　gaoler　was　gone；　he　thought　in　the　same　wandering　way；　‘Now　am　I　left；　as　if　I　were　dead。'　Stopping　then；　to　look　down　at　the　mattress；　he　turned　from　it　with　a　sick　feeling；　and　thought；　‘And　here　in　these　crawling　creatures　is　the　first　condition　of　the　body　after　death。'　
　‘Five　paces　by　four　and　a　half　five　paces　by　four　and　a　half；　five　paces　by　four　and　a　half。'　The　prisoner　walked　to　and　fro　in　his　cell；　counting　its　measurement；　and　the　roar　of　the　city　arose　like　muffled　drums　with　a　wild　swell　of　voices　added　to　them。　‘He　made　shoes；　he　made　shoes；　he　made　shoes。'　The　prisoner　counted　the　measurement　again；　and　paced　faster；　to　draw　his　mind　with　him　from　that　latter　repetition。　‘The　ghosts　that　vanished　when　the　wicket　closed。　There　was　one　among　them；　the　appearance　of　a　lady　dressed　in　black；　who　was　leaning　in　the　embrasure　of　a　window；　and　she　had　a　light　shining　upon　her　golden　hair；　and　she　looked　like　*　*　*　*　Let　us　ride　on　again；　for　God's　sake；　through　the　illuminated　villages　with　the　people　all　awake！　*　*　*　*　He　made　shoes；　he　made　shoes；　he　made　shoes。　*　*　*　*　Five　paces　by　four　and　a　half。'　With　such　scraps　tossing　and　rolling　upward　from　the　depths　of　his　mind；　the　prisoner　walked　faster　and　faster；　obstinately　counting　and　counting；　and　the　roar　of　the　city　changed　to　this　extent…that　it　still　rolled　in　like　muffled　drums；　but　with　the　wail　of　voices　that　he　knew；　in　the　swell　that　rose　above　them。　


CHAPTER　II
The　Grindstone
TELLSON'S　BANK；　established　in　the　Saint　Germain　Quarter　of　Paris；　was　in　a　wing　of　a　large　house；　approached　by　a　court…yard　and　shut　off　from　the　street　by　a　high　wall　and　a　strong　gate。　The　house　belonged　to　a　great　nobleman　who　had　lived　in　it　until　he　made　a　flight　from　the　troubles；　in　his　own　cook's　dress；　and　got　across　the　borders。　A　mere　beast　of　the　chase　flying　from　hunters；　he　was　still　in　his　metempsychosis　no　other　than　the　same　Monseigneur；　the　preparation　of　whose　chocolate　for　whose　lips　had　once　occupied　three　strong　men　besides　the　cook　in　question。　
　Monseigneur　gone；　and　the　three　strong　men　absolving　themselves　from　the　sin　of　having　drawn　his　high　wages；　by　being　more　than　ready　and　willing　to　cut　his　throat　on　the　altar　of　the　dawning　Republic　one　and　indivisible　of　Liberty；　Equality；　Fraternity；　or　Death；　Monseigneur's　house　had　been　first　sequestrated；　and　then　confiscated。　For；　all　things　moved　so　fast；　and　decree　followed　decree　with　that　fierce　precipitation；　that　now　upon　the　third　night　of　the　autumn　month　of　September；　patriot　emissaries　of　the　law　were　in　possession　of　Monseigneur's　house；　and　had　marked　it　with　the　tricolour；　and　were　drinking　brandy　in　its　state　apartments。　
　A　place　of　business　in　London　like　Tellson's　place　of　business　in　Paris；　would　soon　have　driven　the　House　out　of　its　mind　and　into　the　Gazette。　For；　what　would　staid　British　responsibility　and　respectability　have　said　to　orange…trees　in　boxes　in　a　Bank　court…yard；　and　even　to　a　Cupid　over　the　counter？　Yet　such　things　were。　Tellson's　had　whitewashed　the　Cupid；　but　he　was　still　to　be　seen　on　the　ceiling；　in　the　coolest　linen；　aiming　（as　he　very　often　does）　at　money　from　morning　to　night。　Bankruptcy　must　inevitably　have　come　of　this　young　Pagan；　in　Lombard　street；　London；　and　also　of　a　curtained　alcove　in　the　rear　of　the　immortal　boy；　and　also　of　a　looking…glass　let　into　the　wall；　and　also　of　clerks　not　at　all　old；　who　danced　in　public　on　the　slightest　provocation。　Yet；　a　French　Tellson's　could　get　on　with　these　things　exceedingly　well；　and；　as　long　as　the　times　held　together；　no　man　had　taken　fright　at　them；　and　drawn　out　his　money。　
　What　money　would　be　drawn　out　of　Tellson's　henceforth；　and　what　would　lie　there；　lost　and　forgotten；　what　plate　and　jewels　would　tarnish　in　Tellson's　hiding…places；　while　the　depositors　rusted　in　prisons；　and　when　they　should　have　violently　perished；　how　many　accounts　with　Tellson's　never　to　be　balanced　in　this　world；　must　be　carried　over　into　the　next；　no　man　could　have　said；　that　night