a tale of two cities(双城记)-第30章

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‘But；　however　that　may　be；'　resumed　the　nephew；　glancing　at　him　with　deep　distrust；　‘I　know　that　your　diplomacy　would　stop　me　by　any　means；　and　would　know　no　scruple　as　to　means。　
　‘My　friend；　I　told　you　so；'　said　the　uncle；　with　a　fine　pulsation　in　the　two　marks。　‘Do　me　the　favour　to　recall　that　I　told　you　so；　long　ago。'　
　‘I　recall　it。'　
　‘Thank　you；'　said　the　Marquisvery　sweetly　indeed。　
　His　tone　lingered　in　the　air；　almost　like　the　tone　of　a　musical　instrument。　
　‘In　effect；　sir；'　pursued　the　nephew；　‘I　believe　it　to　be　at　once　your　bad　fortune；　and　my　good　fortune；　that　has　kept　me　out　of　a　prison　in　France　here。'　
　‘I　do　not　quite　understand；'　returned　the　uncle；　sipping　his　coffee。　‘Dare　I　ask　you　to　explain？'　
　‘I　believe　that　if　you　were　not　in　disgrace　with　the　Court；　and　had　not　been　overshadowed　by　that　cloud　for　years　past；　a　letter　de　cachet　would　have　sent　me　to　some　fortress　indefinitely。'　
　‘It　is　possible；'　said　the　uncle；　with　great　calmness。　‘For　the　honour　of　the　family；　I　could　even　resolve　to　incommode　you　to　that　extent。　Pray　excuse　me！'　
　‘I　perceive　that；　happily　for　me；　the　Reception　of　the　day　before　yesterday　was；　as　usual；　a　cold　one；'　observed　the　nephew。　
　‘I　would　not　say　happily；　my　friend；'　returned　the　uncle；　with　refined　politeness；　‘I　would　not　be　sure　of　that。　A　good　opportunity　for　consideration；　surrounded　by　the　advantages　of　solitude；　might　influence　your　destiny　to　far　greater　advantage　than　you　influence　it　for　yourself。　But　it　is　useless　to　discuss　the　question。　I　am；　as　you　say；　at　a　disadvantage。　These　little　instruments　of　correction；　these　gentle　aids　to　the　power　and　honour　of　families；　these　slight　favours　that　might　so　incommode　you；　are　only　to　be　obtained　now　by　interest　and　importunity。　They　are　sought　by　so　many；　and　they　are　granted　（comparatively）　to　so　few！　It　used　not　to　be　so；　but　France　in　all　such　things　is　changed　for　the　worse。　Our　not　remote　ancestors　held　the　right　of　life　and　death　over　the　surrounding　vulgar。　From　this　room；　many　such　dogs　have　been　taken　out　to　be　hanged；　in　the　next　room　（my　bedroom）；　one　fellow；　to　our　knowledge；　was　poniarded　on　the　spot　for　professing　some　insolent　delicacy　respecting　his　daughterhis　daughter？　We　have　lost　many　privileges；　a　new　philosophy　has　become　the　mode；　and　the　assertion　of　our　station；　in　these　days；　might　（I　do　not　go　so　far　as　to　say　would；　but　might）　cause　us　real　inconvenience。　All　very　bad；　very　bad！'　
　The　Marquis　took　a　gentle　little　pinch　of　snuff；　and　shook　his　head；　as　elegantly　despondent　as　he　could　becomingly　be　of　a　country　still　containing　himself；　that　great　means　of　regeneration。　
　‘We　have　so　asserted　our　station；　both　in　the　old　time　and　in　the　modern　time　also；'　said　the　nephew；　gloomily；　‘that　I　believe　our　name　to　be　more　detested　than　any　name　in　France。'　
　‘Let　us　hope　so；'　said　the　uncle。　‘Detestation　of　the　high　is　the　involuntary　homage　of　the　low。'　
　‘There　is　not；'　pursued　the　nephew；　in　his　former　tone；　‘a　face　I　can　look　at；　in　all　this　country　round　about　us；　which　looks　at　me　with　any　deference　on　it　but　the　dark　deference　of　fear　and　slavery。'　
　‘A　compliment；'　said　the　Marquis；　‘to　the　grandeur　of　the　family；　merited　by　the　manner　in　which　the　family　has　sustained　its　grandeur。　Hah！'　And　he　took　another　gentle　little　pinch　of　snuff；　and　lightly　crossed　his　legs。　
　But；　when　his　nephew；　leaning　an　elbow　on　the　table；　covered　his　eyes　thoughtfully　and　dejectedly　with　his　hand；　the　fine　mask　looked　at　him　sideways　with　a　stronger　concentration　of　keenness；　closeness；　and　dislike；　than　was　comportable　with　its　wearer's　assumption　of　indifference。　
　‘Repression　is　the　only　lasting　philosophy。　The　dark　deference　of　fear　and　slavery；　my　friend；'　observed　the　Marquis；　‘will　keep　tee　dogs　obedient　to　the　whip；　as　long　as　this　roof；'　looking　up　to　it；　‘shuts　out　the　sky。'　
　That　might　not　be　so　long　as　the　Marquis　supposed。　If　a　picture　of　the　chaateau　as　it　was　to　be　a　very　few　years　hence；　and　of　fifty　like　it　as　they　too　were　to　be　a　very　few　years　hence；　could　have　been　shown　to　him　that　night；　he　might　have　been　at　a　loss　to　claim　his　own　from　the　ghastly；　fire…charred；　plunder…wrecked　ruins。　As　for　the　roof　he　vaunted；　he　might　have　found　that　shutting　out　the　sky　in　a　new　wayto　wit；　for　ever；　from　the　eyes　of　the　bodies　into　which　its　lead　was　fired；　out　of　the　barrels　of　a　hundred　thousand　muskets。　
‘Meanwhile；'　said　the　Marquis；　‘I　will　preserve　the　honour　and　repose　of　the　family；　if　you　will　not。　But　you　must　be　fatigued。　Shall　we　terminate　our　Conference　for　the　night？'　
　‘A　moment　more。'　
　‘An　hour；　if　you　please。'　
　‘Sir；'　said　the　nephew；　‘we　have　done　wrong；　and　are　reaping　the　fruits　of　wrong。'　
　‘We　have　done　wrong？'　repeated　the　Marquis；　with　an　inquiring　smile；　and　delicately　pointing；　first　to　his　nephew；　then　to　himself。　
　‘Our　family；　our　honourable　family；　whose　honour　is　of　so　much　account　to　both　of　us；　in　such　different　ways。　Even　in　my　father's　time；　we　did　a　world　of　wrong；　injuring　every　human　creature　who　came　between　us　and　our　pleasure；　whatever　it　was。　Why　need　I　speak　of　my　father's　time；　when　it　is　equally　yours？　Can　I　separate　my　father's　twin…brother；　joint　inheritor；　and　next　successor；　from　himself？'　
　‘Death　has　done　that！'　said　the　Marquis。　
　‘And　has　left　me；'　answered　the　nephew；　‘bound　to　a　system　that　is　frightful　to　me；　responsible　for　it；　but　powerless　in　it；　seeking　to　execute　the　last　request　of　my　dear　mother's　lips；　and　obey　the　last　look　of　my　dear　mother's　eyes；　which　implored　file　to　have　mercy　and　to　redress；　and　tortured　by　seeking　assistance　and　power　in　vain？　
　‘Seeking　them　from　me；　my　nephew；'　said　the　Marquis；　touching　him　on　the　breast　with　his　forefingerthey　were　now　standing　by　the　hearthyou　will　for　ever　seek　them　in　vain；　be　assured。　
　Every　fine　straight　line　in　the　clear　whiteness　of　his　face；　was　cruelly；　craftily；　and　closely　compressed；　while　he　stood　looking　quietly　at　his　nephew；　with　his　snuff…box　in　his　hand。　
　Once　again　he　touched　him　on　the　breast；　as　though　his　finger　were　the　fine　point　of　a　small　sword；　with　which；　in　delicate　finesse；　he　ran　him　through　the　body；　and　said；　
　‘My　friend；　I　will　die；　perpetuating　the　system　under　which　I　have　lived。'　
　When　he　had　said　it；　he　took　a　culminating　pinch　of　Snuff；　and　put　his　box　in　his　pocket。　
　‘Better　to　be　a　rational　creature；'　he　added　then；　after　ringing　a　small　bell　on　the　table；　‘and　accept　your　natural　destiny。　But　you　are　lost；　Monsieur　Charles；　I　see。'　
‘This　property　and　France　are　lost　to　me；'　said　the　nephew；　sadly；　‘I　renounce　them。'　
　‘Are　they　both　yours　to　renounce？　France　may　be；　but　is　the　property？　It　is　scarcely　worth　mentioning；　but；　is　it　yet？'　
　‘I　had　no　intention；　in　the　words　I　used；　to　claim　it　yet。　If　it　passed　to　me　from　you；　to…morrow…　
　‘Which　I　have　the　vanity　to　hope　is　not　probable。'　
‘or　twenty　years　hence…'　
　‘You　do　me　too　much　honour；'　said　the　Marquis；　‘still；　I　prefer　that　supposition。'　
　‘I　would　abandon　it；　and　live　otherwise　and　elsewhere。　It　is　little　to　relinquish。　What　is　it　but　a　wilderness　of　misery　and　ruin？'　
　‘Hah！'　said　the　Marquis；　glancing　round　the　luxurious　room。　‘To　the　eye　it　is　fair　enough；　here；　but　seen　in　its　integrity；　under　the　sky；　and　by　the　daylight；　it　is　a　crumbling　tower　of　waste；　mismanagement；　extortion；　debt；　mortgage；　oppression；　hunger；　nakedness；　and　suffering。'　
　‘Hah！'　said　the　Marquis　again；　in　a　well…satisfied　manner。　
　‘If　it　ever　becomes　mine；　it　shall　be　put　into　some　hands　better　qualified　to　free　it　slowly　（if　such　a　thing　is　possible）　from　the　weight　that　drags　it　down；　so　that　the　miserable　people　Who　cannot　leave　it　and　who　have　been　long　wrung　to　the　last　point　of　endurance；　may；　in　another　generation；　suffer　less；　bat　it　is　not　for　me。　There　is　a　curse　on　it；　and　on　all　this　land。'　
　‘And　you？'　said　the　uncle。　‘Forgive　my　curiosity；　do　you；　under　your　new　philosophy；　graciously　intend　to　live？'　
　‘I　must　do；　to　live；　what　others　of　my　countrymen；　even　with　nobility　at　their　backs；　may　have　to　do　some　daywork。'　
　‘In　England；　for　example？'　
　‘Yes。　The　family　honour；　sir；　is　safe　from　me　in　this　country。　The　family　name　can　suffer　from