登陆注册
3554300000012

第12章 BOOK THE FIRST:RECALLED TO LIFE(12)

'Gentlemen,'said her husband,who had kept his bright eye observantly upon her,'good day. The chamber,furnished bachelor-fashion,that you wished to see,and were inquiring for when I stepped out,is on the fifth floor.The doorway of the staircase gives on the little courtyard close to the left here,'pointing with his hand,'near to the window of my establishment.But,now that I remember,one of you has already been there,and can show the way.Gentlemen,adieu!'

They paid for their wine and left the place. The eyes of Monsieur Defarge were studying his wife at her knitting when the elderly gentleman advanced from his corner,and begged the favour of a word.

'Willingly,sir,'said Monsieur Defarge,and quietly stepped with him to the door.

Their conference was very short,but very decided. Almost at the first word,Monsieur Defarge started and became deeply attentive.It had not lasted a minute,when he nodded and went out.The gentleman then beckoned to the young lady,and they,too,went out.Madame Defarge knitted with nimble fingers and steady eyebrows,and saw nothing.

Mr. Jarvis Lorry and Miss Manette,emerging from the wine-shop thus,joined Monsieur Defarge in the doorway to which he had directed his other company just before.It opened from a stinking little black courtyard,and was the general public entrance to a great pile of houses,inhabited by a great number ofpeople.In the gloomy tile-paved entry to the gloomy tile-paved staircase,Monsieur Defarge bent down on one knee to the child of his old master,and put her hand to his lips.It was a gentle action,but not at all gently done;a very remarkable transformation had come over him in a few seconds.He had no good-humour in his face,nor any openness of aspect left,but had become a secret,angry,dangerous man.

'It is very high;it is a little difficult. Better to begin slowly.'Thus,Monsieur Defarge,in a stern voice,to Mr.Lorry,as they began ascending the stairs.

'Is he alone?'the latter whispered.

'Alone!God help him,who should be with him!'said the other,in the same low voice.

'Is he always alone,then?'

'Yes.'

'Of his own desire?'

'Of his own necessity. As he was,when I first saw him after they found me and demanded to know if I would take him,and,at my peril be discreet—as he was then,so he is now.'

'He is greatly changed?'

'Changed!'

The keeper of the wine-shop stopped to strike the wall with his hand,and mutter a tremendous curse. No direct answer could have been half so forcible.Mr.Lorry's spirits grew heavier and heavier,as he and his two companions ascended higher and higher.

Such a staircase,with its accessories,in the older and more crowded parts of Paris,would be bad enough now;but,at that time,it was vile indeed to unaccustomed and unhardened senses. Every little habitation within the great foul nest of one high building—that is to say,the room or rooms within every door that opened on the general staircase—left its own heap of refuse on its own landing,besides flinging other refuse from its own windows.The uncontrollable and hopeless mass of decomposition so engendered,would have polluted the air,even if poverty and deprivation had not loaded it with their intangible impurities;the two bad sources combined made it almost insupportable.Through such an atmosphere,by a steep dark shaft of dirt and poison,the way lay.Yielding to his own disturbance of mind,and to his young companion's agitation,which became greater every instant,Mr.Jarvis Lorry twice stopped to rest.Each of these stoppages was made at a doleful grating,by which any languishing good airs that were left uncorrupted seemed to escape,and all spoilt and sickly vapours seemed to crawl in.Through the rusted bars,tastes,rather than glimpses,were caught of the jumbled neighbourhood;and nothing within range,nearer or lower than the summits of the two great towers of Notre-Dame,had any promise on it of healthy life or wholesome aspirations.

At last,the top of the staircase was gained,and they stopped for the third time. There was yet an upper staircase,of a steeper inclination and of contracted dimensions,to be ascended,before the garret story was reached.The keeper of the wine-shop,always going a little in advance,and always going on the side which Mr.Lorry took,as though he dreaded to be asked any question by the young lady,turned himself about here,and,carefully feeling in the pockets of the coat he carried over his shoulder,took out a key.

'The door is locked then,my friend?'said Mr. Lorry,surprised.

'Ay. Yes,'was the grim reply of Monsieur Defarge.

'You think it necessary to keep the unfortunate gentleman so retired?'

'I think it necessary to turn the key.'Monsieur Defarge whispered it closer in his ear,and frowned heavily.

'Why?'

'Why!Because he has lived so long,locked up,that he would be frightened—rave,tear himself to pieces—die—come to I know not what harm—if his door was left open.'

'Is it possible?'exclaimed Mr. Lorry.

'Is it possible!'repeated Defarge,bitterly.'Yes. And a beautiful world we live in,when it is possible,and when many other such things are possible,and not only possible,but done—done,see you!—under that sky there,every day.Long live the Devil.Let us go on.'

This dialogue had been held in so very low a whisper,that not a word of it had reached the young lady's ears. But,by this time she trembled under such strong emotion,and her face expressed such deep anxiety,and,above all,such dread and terror,that Mr.Lorry felt it incumbent on him to speak a word or two of reassurance.

同类推荐
  • 永庆升平前传

    永庆升平前传

    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。
  • Orthodoxy

    Orthodoxy

    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。
  • Unconscious Comedians

    Unconscious Comedians

    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。
  • 佛说成具光明定意经

    佛说成具光明定意经

    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。
  • The Lure of the Dim Trails

    The Lure of the Dim Trails

    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
  • 总裁毒爱小蜜

    总裁毒爱小蜜

    我要你知道,在这个世界上总有一个人是等着你的,不管在什么时候,不管在什么地方,反正你知道,总有这么个人。夏小北流年不利,应聘秘书不成,还在停车场被人莫名其妙的和谐了…四年后,身为寰宇首席秘书的她,一手牵着伶俐可爱的小男孩,一手为总裁大人张罗与温家千金的婚礼。寰宇公司,人人都传这男孩是夏小北和总裁的私生子,不然那双乌溜溜的大眼睛,怎么看怎么和总裁是一个模子刻出来的呢?一个关于爱与错过的故事:“小时候,看着满天的星星,当流星飞过的时候,却总是来不及许愿;长大了,遇见了自己喜欢的人,却还是来不及。”雷允泽:他以为那天只是一场梦。一低头,就瞥见车垫上的女式衬衫纽扣。那是他在激情之下扯落的,她一定是没法走出去,才拿走了他的外套。车厢里还弥留着淡淡的香味,是她的味道。在他醒来之前,她就消失了。就像是灰姑娘12点的魔法,在午夜的钟声敲响之前,仓皇的离去。四年来,这个24小时秘书默默无闻的身边忙碌着,他以为她是可有可无、又或是心怀不轨的,直到她巧笑嫣然,携着他弟弟的手盛装出现在他面前,他才明白自己心里竟然是嫉妒的。叶绍谦:风流多情是叶三。偏偏遇上她这个毒舌小冤家。“小北,”他第一次这样亲昵的叫她的名字,他有那么多的女朋友,每个都有一个昵称,可他从来没这么亲密的叫过她。他知道自己他妈的没救了,就是丢人他也要问出来,要死他也得死得瞑目不是?“小北,”他按捺不住,一遍一遍叫着她的名字,“让我照顾你好不好……啊?”*******************************************************新坑《豪门长媳》:【雷允晴VS陆子鸣】青梅竹马终是敌不过露水姻缘,一张医院的DNA证明,将她彻底打入了炼狱。============================推荐区:渺的完结文《贱妾》【5折】都市文新坑《毒宠妹妹》【禁忌虐恋】:非常好看的都市文:《前妻请乖乖就范》黑帮杀手和女警花的故事
  • 蛇妻之祸

    蛇妻之祸

    七岁那年,我做了一件荒唐事,害死了邻居小月姐姐,导致她被蛇妖缠上,为了救她,我和她结了冥婚,她成为我的蛇妻,从此以后,灾祸不断。
  • 皇上,微臣有喜了

    皇上,微臣有喜了

    二十一世纪同志酒吧女老板,一朝穿越为丞相,半梦半醒之际便被打包送上了金銮殿,赫然不知已被某帝王觊觎已久。从此这贡品丞相便开始了自己身在“狼窟”帝国的悲惨生活……片段一某帝王:苏爱卿觉得这些女子当中哪一个适合皇后之选?苏引:微臣觉得常将军之女文武双全,才貌出众,贤良淑德更兼…某帝王:朕觉得有一人不仅有此女的所有优点而且深的朕心,苏爱卿想知道是谁么?苏引:微臣不知。某帝王:此人远在天边近…在眼前。苏引…~片段二某侍卫:公子,你…苏引:泡温泉的时候不要说话。某侍卫:公子…苏引:静下心来好好放松。某侍卫:公子你怎么好像有…胸?苏引:!!!~片段三某王爷:苏大人我有一件心事憋了很久,一直找不到人倾诉,不知苏大人是否愿意倾听?苏引:王爷请讲。某王爷:苏大人,我…好像喜欢上了一个男人,今晚我们一起睡,苏大人好好开导开导我。苏引…~某大臣…某公主…某某某…【貌似又走回了小白风?→大概还有上面↑的诗(乱七八糟)是为了体现“红妆”二字,嗯,这不是耽美文。】【本文文风轻松,美人多多,欢迎跳坑\^o^)~\^o^)~】
  • 道行般若波罗蜜经

    道行般若波罗蜜经

    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。
  • 魅仙惊华

    魅仙惊华

    五大修仙世家之一的赫连家,怀璧其罪,一朝之间,满门修士尽被屠戮。举族之中,只余一十岁废柴女童逃出生天。师傅因此谓琼紫曰:“世间修士,俱都功利毒辣之辈!”琼紫点头,“师傅所言甚是!”扭头看身边某冷峻依旧、酷霸不减的男人,嘴角微抽,这只更是其中翘楚。********************************已有百万完结文《重生妖魅横行》,坑品有保证,欢迎新老读者点击、阅读、收藏、订阅~
  • 因缘心释论开决记

    因缘心释论开决记

    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。
  • 吉宽的马车

    吉宽的马车

    上世纪90年代中期,所有乡村男人都进城当民工的时候,吉宽依然留在乡下优哉游哉地赶着马车,成为歇马山庄公认的懒汉。本书以第一人称的视角讲述了这个农村懒汉的爱情故事,并以这个懒汉的视角揭示了一群民工的心灵史……
  • 天道启灵师

    天道启灵师

    苍生无罪,天帝不仁,十年观天,一朝画道......天道启灵图,拨乱反正!
  • 我的整个世界是你

    我的整个世界是你

    【努力的去爱你,是害怕余生都是回忆,希望余生都是你。】
  • 老公大人早上好呀

    老公大人早上好呀

    “唔……不要了……”苏笙欢抱着肚子,头摇的像拨浪鼓。男人端着精致的瓷碗,不为所动,一步步朝女孩逼近。“喝药的时候知道不要,刚才吃冰激的时候怎么不知道不要?”“可是老公,真的好苦啊……”男人用勺子舀了些,凑在女孩嘴边,“乖,你这么不注意调理自己的身体,什么时候生出小笙欢来?”车祸昏迷后意外醒来,更是得知保命的关键就是要和她老公一辈子保持亲密的婚姻关系,苏笙欢立马抱紧自家老公大腿。可是说好的走肾不走心呢?为什么最后又走肾又走心!