登陆注册
3554300000107

第107章 BOOK THE THIRD:THE TRACK OF A STORM(22)

'So far,we have spoken before these two,because it was as wellthat 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.'

XXXIX.THE GAME MADE

W hile 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 deion.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 fardens—fardens!no,nor yet his half fardens—half fardens!no,nor yet his quarter—a banking away like smoke at Tellson's,and a cocking their medical eyes at that tradesman on the sly,going in and out to their own carriages—ah!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 tomorrow,if cause given,a floppin agin the business to that degree as is ruinating—stark ruinating!Whereas them medical doctors'wives don't flop—catch'em at it!Or,if they flop,their floppin 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 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 in—even 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 is—wot 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 was 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 father—do not do it,sir—and let that father go into the line of the reg'lar diggin',and make amends for what he would have undug—if it wos so—by 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 action—not in words.I want no more words.'

Mr. Cruncher knuckled his forehead,as Sydney Carton and thespy 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 prisoner,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.'

同类推荐
  • 游点苍山记

    游点苍山记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 和萧侍御监祭白帝城

    和萧侍御监祭白帝城

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 保婴撮要

    保婴撮要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • CLOTELLE

    CLOTELLE

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 五色石

    五色石

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 顺意天行

    顺意天行

    生逢乱世,万物悲歌!当生命的意义只剩下了存活,作为卑贱半妖,少年应当何去何从!一段卑微、不择手段的草根逆袭……
  • 商情悲歌

    商情悲歌

    爱德华成长在美国一个特殊的华人家族。养父是美国人查尔斯·费曼,12岁时,他因命运的安排遇到了查尔斯,成为其第二位养子,可他从未忘记自己来自中国,父亲叫曾世鸿,而他原本的名字叫做曾文恺。凌希和妈妈去新加坡生活了24年,当年,她的父亲为了商人的理想辜负了她们母女……当她与来自商人世家的曾启扬为爱纠葛不清时,又遇到商业精英爱德华,而爱德华竟然是曾启扬的亲叔叔。曾世鸿创立了一个以曾家人为核心的商业王国,豪门风光无限,然而,家族内部却纷争不断,而小儿子曾文恺的回归也让家族的暗战一触即发。父子之怨、兄弟之争、妯娌之恨;叔侄夺爱、父女博弈、挚友反目……费曼家族的几个华人小孩长大后,成为了一支精英商人团队。在中国创业,并结识了富商欧阳博裕和他的女儿欧阳斯琳。费曼家族的出现,曾文恺的回归,欧阳博裕的真实身份牵扯出了三段被岁月尘封的商情悲歌……
  • 批评孩子50招

    批评孩子50招

    每个孩子的本性中部存在着“善”和“恶”的两面。父母教育孩子的过程其实就是不断地唤醒并激发他(她)人性中“善”的一面,同时抑制和消除人性中“恶”的一面的过程。这个过程不应该完全是灰色阴暗的,还应该有美丽灿烂的阳光。批评之所以为一门艺术,在于它并非只要满足某些既定的条件即可得到某种确定的结果,而更多地取决于一些微妙的、甚至难以言传的感应和领悟,要特别注重批评对象、时机、场合和方式的选择。所谓“运用之妙,存乎一心”,对批评的巧妙运用可以使教育变得事半功倍。
  • 汤姆叔叔的小屋(语文新课标课外读物)

    汤姆叔叔的小屋(语文新课标课外读物)

    现代中、小学生不能只局限于校园和课本,应该广开视野,广长见识,广泛了解博大的世界和社会,不断增加丰富的现代社会知识和世界信息,才有所精神准备,才能迅速地长大,将来才能够自由地翱翔于世界蓝天。否则,我们将永远是妈妈怀抱中的乖宝宝,将永远是温室里面的豆芽菜,那么,我们将怎样走向社会、走向世界呢?
  • 悲惨世界(上)

    悲惨世界(上)

    《悲惨世界》作为人类苦难的“百科全书”,是一部气势宏伟的鸿篇巨制,它以无与伦比的厚重与深沉,在世界文学史上占有特殊的地位,是一座永立的丰碑。雨果用高超的艺术手法,以崇高的人道主义精神,满怀激情地讲述了冉阿让坎坷的一生。冉阿让和他周围的普通人芳汀、珂赛特、马吕斯、伽弗洛什等,同不公正的黑暗社会进行了可歌可泣的斗争,许多场景催人泪下,还有很多场面催人奋进。雨果的大手笔准确地描述了滑铁卢战役、巴黎大起义,酷烈的场面足以感泣鬼神。雨果还熟练地运用了大悬念笔法,伏线千里,在富有戏剧性的情节中,将历史大事件以及小人物的悲惨命运有机地联系起来。
  • 用时间证明我没有忘

    用时间证明我没有忘

    我想爱你,还是不爱,为什么我喜欢的你,不是原来的他了,我们能在一起吗!小说讲的是女主单纯到不单纯,遇到的感情线,一些事,来看她们两个是否能在一起
  • 废材大小姐神医倾城

    废材大小姐神医倾城

    上一世,我是在二十一世纪叱咤风云的特工V!这一世女主找到亲人而没人疼爱!太子退婚?没事!姐有男主!庸医一大堆?没事!咱是炼药师盟的盟主!上古神器宁死不走!远古神兽抱腿喊娘!谁说我是野种!我就让他死五全尸!总之!傻白甜二货女主+霸气冷艳的绝色阁主会不会出现大杂烩呢?你信不信?反正我信!
  • The Flying U's Last Stand

    The Flying U's Last Stand

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 阿鸠留经

    阿鸠留经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 家长必知的教子名言

    家长必知的教子名言

    本书以名人名言的方式,用简洁、明确的语言传播科学的教育观念,介绍教育孩子的有关知识、家教艺术及带领家长走出误区,并给以科学指导和建议,具有知识性、指导性、可操作性、实用性等特点。