a tale of two cities(双城记)-第76章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　‘Why　need　you　tell　me　what　I　have　not　asked？　You　are　a　turnkey　at　the　Conciergerie？'　
　‘I　am　sometimes。'　
　‘You　can　be　when　you　choose。'　
　‘I　can　pass　in　and　out　when　I　choose。'　
　‘Sydney　Carton　filled　another　glass　with　brandy；　poured　it　slowly　out　upon　the　hearth；　and　watched　it　as　it　dropped。　It　being　all　spent；　he　said；　rising：　
　‘So　far；　we　have　spoken　before　these　two；　because　it　was　as　well　that　the　merits　of　the　cards　should　not　rest　solely　between　you　and　me。　Come　into　the　dark　room　here；　and　let　us　have　one　final　word　alone。'　


CHAPTER　IX
The　Game　Made
WHILE　Sydney　Carton　and　the　Sheep　of　the　prisons　were　in　the　adjoining　dark　room；　speaking　so　low　that　not　a　sound　was　heard；　Mr。　Lorry　looked　at　Jerry　in　considerable　doubt　and　mistrust。　That　honest　tradesman's　manner　of　receiving　the　look；　did　not　inspire　confidence；　he　changed　the　leg　on　which　he　rested；　as　often　as　if　he　had　fifty　of　those　limbs；　and　were　trying　them　all；　he　examined　his　finger…nails　with　a　very　questionable　closeness　of　attention；　and　whenever　Mr。　Lorry's　eye　caught　his；　he　was　taken　with　that　peculiar　kind　of　short　cough　requiring　the　hollow　of　a　hand　before　it；　which　is　seldom；　if　ever；　known　to　be　an　infirmity　attendant　on　perfect　openness　of　character。　
　‘Jerry；'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　‘Come　here。'　
　Mr。　Cruncher　came　forward　sideways；　with　one　of　his　shoulders　in　advance　of　him。　
　‘What　have　you　been；　besides　a　messenger？'　
　After　some　cogitation；　accompanied　with　an　intent　look　at　his　patron；　Mr。　Cruncher　conceived　the　luminous　idea　of　replying；　‘Agricultooral　character。'　
　‘My　mind　misgives　me　much；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　angrily　shaking　a　forefinger　at　him；　‘that　you　have　used　the　respectable　and　great　house　of　Tellson's　as　a　blind；　and　that　you　have　had　an　unlawful　occupation　of　an　infamous　description。　If　you　have；　don't　expect　me　to　befriend　you　when　you　get　back　to　England。　If　you　have；　don't　expect　me　to　keep　your　secret。　Tellson's　shall　not　be　imposed　upon。'　
　‘I　hope；　sir；'　pleaded　the　abashed　Mr。　Cruncher；　‘that　a　gentleman　like　yourself　wot　I've　had　the　honour　of　odd　jobbing　till　I'm　grey　at　it；　would　think　twice　about　harming　of　me；　even　if　it　wos；so　I　don't　say　it　is；　but　even　if　it　wos。　And　which　it　is　to　be　took　into　account　that　if　it　wos；　it　wouldn't；　even　then；　be　all　o'　one　side。　There'd　be　two　sides　to　it。　There　might　be　medical　doctors　at　the　present　hour；　a　picking　up　their　guineas　where　a　honest　tradesman　don't　pick　up　his　fardensfardens！　no；　nor　yet　his　half　fardenshalf　fardens！　no；　nor　yet　his　quartera　banking　away　like　smoke　at　Tellson's；　and　a　cocking　their　medical　eyes　at　that　tradesman　on　the　sly；　a　going　in　and　going　out　to　their　own　carriagesah！　equally　like　smoke；　if　not　more　so。　Well；　that　'ud　be　imposing；　too；　on　Tellson's。　For　you　cannot　sarse　the　goose　and　not　the　gander。　And　here's　Mrs。　Cruncher；　or　leastways　wos　in　the　Old　England　times；　and　would　be　to…morrow；　if　cause　given；　a　floppin'　again　the　business　to　that　degree　as　is　ruinating　stark　ruinating！　Whereas　them　medical　doctors'　wives　don't　flopcatch　'em　at　it！　Or；　if　they　flop；　their　floppings　goes　in　favour　of　more　patients；　and　how　can　you　rightly　have　one　without　the　t'other？　Then；　wot　with　undertakers；　and　wot　with　parish　clerks；　and　wot　with　sextons；　and　wot　with　private　watchmen　（all　awaricious　and　all　in　it）；　a　man　wouldn't　get　much　by　it；　even　if　it　wos　so。　And　wot　little　a　man　did　get；　would　never　prosper　with　him；　Mr。　Lorry。　He'd　never　have　no　good　of　it；　he'd　want　all　along　to　be　out　of　the　line；　if　he　could　see　his　way　out；　being　once　ineven　if　it　wos　so。'　
　‘Ugh！'　cried　Mr。　Lorry；　rather　relenting；　nevertheless。　‘I　am　shocked　at　the　sight　of　you。'　
　‘Now；　what　I　would　humbly　offer　to　you；　sir；'　pursued　Mr。　Cruncher；　‘even　if　it　wos　so；　which　I　don't　say　it　is…'　
　‘Don't　prevaricate；'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　
　‘No；　I　will　not；　sir；'　returned　Mr。　Cruncher；　as　if　nothing　were　further　from　his　thoughts　or　practice‘which　I　don't　say　it　iswot　I　would　humbly　offer　to　you；　sir；　would　be　this。　Upon　that　there　stool；　at　that　there　Bar；　sets　that　there　boy　of　mine；　brought　up　and　growed　up　to　be　a　man；　wot　will　errand　you；　message　you；　general…light…job　you；　till　your　heels　is　where　your　head　is；　if　such　should　be　your　wishes。　If　it　wos　so；　which　I　still　don't　say　it　is　（for　I　will　not　prewaricate　to　you；　sir）；　let　that　there　boy　keep　his　father's　place；　and　take　care　of　his　mother；　don't　blow　upon　that　boy's　fatherdo　not　do　it；　sirand　let　that　father　go　into　the　line　of　the　reg'lar　diggin'；　and　make　amends　for　what　he　would　have　un…dugif　it　wos　soby　diggin'　of　'em　in　with　a　will；　and　with　conwictions　respectin'　the　futur'　keepin'　of　'em　safe。　That；　Mr。　Lorry；'　said　Mr。　Cruncher；　wiping　his　forehead　with　his　arm；　as　an　announcement　that　he　had　arrived　at　the　peroration　of　his　discourse；　‘is　wot　I　would　respectfully　offer　to　you；　sir。　A　man　don't　see　all　this　here　a　goin'　on　dreadful　round　him；　in　the　way　of　Subjects　without　heads；　dear　me；　plentiful　enough　fur　to　bring　the　price　down　to　porterage　and　hardly　that；　without　havin'　his　serious　thoughts　of　things。　And　these　here　would　be　mine；　if　it　wos　so；　entreatin'　of　you　fur　to　bear　in　mind　that　wot　I　said　just　now；　I　up　and　said　in　the　good　cause　when　I　might　have　kep'　it　back。'　
　‘That　at　least　is　true；'　said　Mr。　Lorry。　‘Say　no　more　now。　It　may　be　that　I　shall　yet　stand　your　friend；　if　you　deserve　it；　and；　repent　in　actionnot　in　words。　I　want　no　more　
　Mr。　Cruncher　knuckled　his　forehead；　as　Sydney　Carton　and　the　spy　returned　from　the　dark　room。　‘Adieu；　Mr。　Barsad；'　said　the　former；　‘our　arrangement　thus　made；　you　have　nothing　to　fear　from　me。'　
　He　sat　down　in　a　chair　on　the　hearth；　over　against　Mr。　Lorry。　When　they　were　alone；　Mr。　Lorry　asked　him　what　he　had　done？　
　‘Not　much。　If　it　should　go　ill　with　the　prisone　I　have　ensured　access　to　him；　Once。'　
　Mr。　Lorry's　countenance　fell。　
　‘It　is　all　I　could　do；'　said　Carton。　‘To　propose　too　much；　would　be　to　put　this　man's　head　under　the　axe；　and；　as　he　himself　said；　nothing　worse　could　happen　to　him　if　he　were　denounced。　It　was　obviously　the　weakness　of　the　position。　There　is　no　help　for　it。'　
　‘But　access　to　him；'　said　Mr。　Lorry；　‘if　it　should　go　ill　before　the　Tribunal；　will　not　save　him。'　
　‘I　never　said　it　would。'　
　Mr。　Lorry's　eyes　gradually　sought　the　fire；　his　sympathy　with　his　darling；　and　the　heavy　disappointment　of　this　second　arrest；　gradually　weakened　them；　he　was　an　old　man　now；　overborne　with　anxiety　of　late；　and　his　tears　fell。　
　‘You　are　a　good　man　and　a　true　friend；'　said　Carton；　in　an　altered　voice。　‘Forgive　me　if　I　notice　that　you　are　affected。　I　could　not　see　my　father　weep；　and　sit　by；　careless。　And　I　could　not　respect　your　sorrow　more；　if　you；　were　my　father。　You　are　free　from　that　misfortune；　however。　
　Though　he　said　the　last　words；　with　a　slip　into　his　usual　manner；　there　was　a　true　feeling　and　respect　both　in　his　tone　and　in　his　touch；　that　Mr。　Lorry；　who　had　never　seen　the　better　side　of　him；　was　wholly　unprepared　for。　He　gave　him　his　hand；　and　Carton　gently　pressed　it。　
　‘To　return　to　poor　Darnay；'　said　Carton。　‘Don't　tell　Her　of　this　interview；　or　this　arrangement。　It　would　not　enable　Her　to　go　to　see　him。　She　might　think　it　was　contrived；　in　case　of　the　worst；　to　convey　to　him　the　means　of　anticipating　the　sentence。'　
　Mr。　Lorry　had　not　thought　of　that；　and　he　looked　quickly　at　Carton　to　see　if　it　were　in　his　mind。　It　seemed　to　be；　he　returned　the　look；　and　evidently　understood　it。　
　‘She　might　think　a　thousand　things；'　Carton　said；　‘and　any　of　them　would　only　add　to　her　trouble。　Don't　speak　of　me　to　her。　As　I　said　to　you　when　I　first　came；　I　had　better　not　see　her。　I　can　put　my　hand　out；　to　do　any　little　helpful　work　for　her　that　my　hand　can　find　to　do；　without　that。　You　are　going　to　her；　I　hope？　She　must　be　very　desolate　to…night。　
　‘I　am　going　now；　directly。'　
　‘I　am　glad　of　that。　She　has　such　a　strong　attachment　to　you　and　reliance　on　you。　How　does　she　look？'　
　‘Anxious　and　unhappy；　but　very　beautiful。'　‘Ah！'　
　It　was　a　long；　grieving　sound；　like　a　sighalmost　like　a　sob。　It　attracted　Mr。　Lorry's　eyes　to　Cartons　face；　which　was　turned　to　the　fire。　A　light；　or　a　shade　（the　old　gentleman　could　not　have　said　w