登陆注册
3554300000127

第127章 BOOK THE THIRD:THE TRACK OF A STORM(42)

'Forbid it,'proceeded Mr. Cruncher,with additional solemnity,additional slowness,and additional tendency to hold forth and hold out,'as anything wot I have ever said or done should be wisited on my earnest wishes for them poor creeturs now!Forbid it as we shouldn't all flop(if it was anyways conwenient)to get'em out o'this here dismal risk!Forbid it,miss!Wot I say,for-BID it!'This was Mr.Cruncher's conclusion after a protracted but vain endeavour to find a better one.

And still Madame Defarge,pursuing her way along the streets,came nearer and nearer.

'If we ever get back to our native land,'said Miss Pross,'you may rely upon my telling Mrs. Cruncher as much as I may be able to remember and understand of what you have so impressively said;and at all events you may be sure that I shall bear witness to your being thoroughly in earnest at this dreadful time.Now,pray let us think!My esteemed Mr.Cruncher,let us think!'

Still,Madame Defarge,pursuing her way along the streets,came nearer and nearer.

'If you were to go before,'said Miss Pross,'and stop the vehicle and horses from coming here,and were to wait somewhere for me;wouldn't that be best?'

Mr. Cruncher thought it might be best.

'Where could you wait for me?'asked Miss Pross.

Mr. Cruncher was so bewildered that he could think of no locality but Temple Bar.Alas Temple Bar was hundreds of miles away,and Madame Defarge was drawing very near indeed.

'By the cathedral door,'said Miss Pross.'Would it be much out of the way,to take me in near the great cathedral door between the two towers?'

'No,miss,'answered Mr. Cruncher.

'Then,like the best of men,'said Miss Pross,'go to the posting-house straight,and make that change.'

'I am doubtful,'said Mr. Cruncher,hesitating and shaking his head,'about leaving of you,you see.We don't know what may happen.'

'Heaven knows we don't,'returned Miss Pross,'but have no fear for me. Take me in at the cathedral,at three o'clock,or as near it as you can,and I am sure it will be better than our going from here.I feel certain of it.There!Bless you,Mr.Cruncher!Think—not of me,but of the lives that may depend on both of us!'

This exordium,and Miss Pross's two hands in quite agonised entreaty clasping his,decided Mr. Cruncher.With an encouraging nod or two,he immediately went out to alter the arrangements,and left her by herself to follow as she had proposed.

The having originated a precaution which was already in course of execution,was a great relief to Miss Pross. The necessity of composing her appearance so that it should attract no special notice in the streets,was another relief.She looked at her watch,and it was twenty minutes past two.She had no time to lose,but must get ready at once.

Afraid,in her extreme perturbation,of the loneliness of the deserted rooms,and of half-imagined faces peeping from behind every open door in them,Miss Pross got a basin of cold water and began laving her eyes,which were swollen and red. Haunted by her feverish apprehensions,she could not bear to have her sight obscured for a minute at a time by the dripping water,but constantly paused and looked round to see that there was no one watching her.In one of those pauses she recoiled and cried out,for she saw a figure standing i n the room.

The basin fell to the ground broken,and the water flowed to the feet of Madame Defarge. By strange stern ways,and through much staining blood,those feet had come to meet that water.

Madame Defarge looked coldly at her,and said.'The wife of Evremonde;where is she?'

It flashed upon Miss Pross's mind that the doors were all standing open,and would suggest the flight. Her first act was to shut them.There were four in the room,and she shut them all.She then placed herself before the door of the chamber which Lucie had occupied.

Madame Defarge's dark eyes followed her through this rapid movement,and rested on her when it was finished. Miss Pross had nothing beautiful about her;years had not tamed the wildness,or softened the grimness,of her appearance;but,she too was a determined woman in her different way,and she measured Madame Defarge with her eyes,every inch.

'You might,from your appearance,be the wife of Lucifer,'said Miss Pross,in her breathing.'Nevertheless,you shall not get the better of me. I am an Englishwoman.'

Madame Defarge looked at her scornfully,but still with something of Miss Pross's own perception that they two were at bay. She saw a tight,hard,wiry woman before her,as Mr.Lorry had seen in the same figure a woman with a strong hand,in the years gone by.She knew full well that Miss Pross was the family's devoted friend;Miss Pross knew full well that Madame Defarge was the family's malevolent enemy.

'On my way yonder,'said Madame Defarge,with a slight movement of her hand towards the fatal spot,'where they reserve my chair and my knitting for me,I am come to make my compliments to her in passing. I wish to see her.'

'I know that your intentions are evil,'said Miss Pross,'and you may depend upon it,I'll hold my own against them.'

Each spoke in her own language;neither understood the other's words;both were very watchful,and intent to deduce fromlook and manner,what the unintelligible words meant.

'It will do her no good to keep herself concealed from me at this moment,'said Madame Defarge.'Good patriots will know what that means. Let me see her.Go tell her that I wish to see her.Do you hear?'

'If those eyes of yours were bed-winches,'returned Miss Pross,'and I was an English four-poster,they shouldn't loose a splinter of me. No,you wicked foreign woman;I am your match.'

Madame Defarge was not likely to follow these idiomatic remarks in detail;but,she so far understood them as to perceive that she was set at naught.

同类推荐
  • 钱氏秘传产科方书名试验录

    钱氏秘传产科方书名试验录

    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。
  • 谈渊

    谈渊

    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。
  • 张太史明道杂志

    张太史明道杂志

    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。
  • 楚辞

    楚辞

    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 Black Tulip

    The Black Tulip

    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
  • 余生爱你等花开

    余生爱你等花开

    华珊重生到了沐南笙身上,并且在四年后嫁给了自己当初的男朋友。怎么回事?男朋友劈腿了吗?结婚以后,华珊彻底成为了沐南笙。“渣渣,来一个我灭一个。苏木槿我男人,看什么看!”有人问:沐南笙能当歌后是不是走了后台?沐歌后无奈表示:除非你耳朵聋了,才相信我走了后台。简直强势的不要不要的!听说新晋歌后很高冷,苏木槿:一点都看不出来!甜宠1v1(作者简介无能…莫怪…)
  • 迷离档案

    迷离档案

    一个精于行为心理分析的心理咨询师,遇到离奇凶杀案件,每一个案件都仿佛与他相关,这是一场心理的博弈,离奇,诡异……最后,当走近真相才发现所有的一切包藏着一个惊天的谜局。
  • 五方帝四:燕王篇

    五方帝四:燕王篇

    何昭宇、白慕飞和白帝之间的恩怨情愁。他是傲睨天下、尊贵孤高的白帝,雄霸武林一方,未曾有过要不到的东西,更未曾为谁如此屈就,唯有何昭宇,这个为了所爱牺牲所有的人,能让他情牵意动,甚至不顾一切,毁誓下山。何昭宇苦,白慕飞苦,白帝也苦,这纠缠不清的缘,会让三人面临什么样的抉择呢?
  • 第一专宠,匪姐不好惹

    第一专宠,匪姐不好惹

    孽债啊!不能啊!他是个非男勿扰的怪王爷,女人,从来不碰!关起门来,翻翻账本,不是东风压倒西风,就是西风压倒东风。
  • 冷情君傲世后

    冷情君傲世后

    前生她是驱魔龙族的奇才,重生为后宫弃后,皇宫争斗花样百出,阴谋诡计连番上场,朝中动变,与帝同坐龙位,傲视天下。凭着高超手段,掀起江湖狂风巨浪,风波渐起,谁与争锋。一朝废后,她偏偏坐稳这后位,笑傲天下。她一抹素颜,引得帝王倾心不已。帝后恩爱,携手守江山。本以为上天给自己一次重生的机会,却不想原来这是一场阴谋,而她将如何选择?怎么去面对这次人世间的危机—————【本文主打搞笑温馨,一对一,稳定更新,欢迎入坑!】
  • 邪妃至上

    邪妃至上

    “帝小九,要不要考虑嫁给我。”“瑶瑶……”“啊?”“你要不要考虑这样皮上天的后果是什么?”“……”王牌特工,金牌律师。一朝惨死,异世重生。凤眸初睁,韶颜倾城。废材无能,弱不禁风?一路成长,炼药锻器,驯兽御灵。前世死因迷雾重重,抽丝剥茧寻回记忆。翻手为云,覆手为雨,且看她,不……他们一袭白衣走天下。“等你万年,最后你还是我的。”“我是你的?”“我是你的。”“唔……这个可以有。”(集n种风格于一身的甜宠1V1,前期小尴尬——乱,后期很浪漫——甜。不喜欢的小可耐点xx,作者萌新,不接受人身攻击。)【前方高甜,狗粮来袭!!】
  • 田园弃女很嚣张

    田园弃女很嚣张

    她是现代集千万宠爱于一身的公主,天之骄女,却被一架飞机送回了千百年前。破屋烂墙,缺衣少食?看她一双素手扭转乾坤,发家致富。相公冷落?她强行上位;姑姐陷害?她将计就计!庶母凶狠?一巴掌甩过去:“能动手的,老娘从来不吵吵!”
  • 陛下溺宠,皇后娘娘别想逃

    陛下溺宠,皇后娘娘别想逃

    他,掌握人生死的帝王,她是二十一世纪的影阁少主,一场车祸她穿越来到这个架空的时代,算了,随遇而安吧,只是这个杀戮果断的帝王是什么情况?第一次见面她被人流带入了他的怀中,让他念念不忘那如繁星的双眸,同是也在心中埋下爱的萌芽。第二次见面她在湖边戏水,让他沉迷不能自拔,可却寻而不得。爱的萌芽破土而出。第三次见面她俏皮可爱,聪明伶俐,让他敞开了那冰冷无情的心房。从此宠她无下线。他为她废除三宫六院,为她学会了所有的一切,为她杀了所有伤害她的人,哪怕是她的家人,把她宠成了一个所有人的羡慕的皇后。对她一切都无所谓,只要她开心就好。在他眼中万里江山不及她倾城一笑(一对一专宠,宠甜所有人。)
  • 绝世战灵

    绝世战灵

    昔日强者,虎落平阳。他不甘平庸,誓要报仇雪恨,纵横苍穹,傲世寰宇。可这天下,却对他嗤之以鼻。他无惧冷眼,一人一剑,豪情冲九霄,天地任逍遥……
  • 公元6000年异世界

    公元6000年异世界

    阿密自愿挑战时光旅行,来到了公元6000年,却发现景物虽然依旧,但这根本是个异世界;《狼嚎》、《血族猎人D》成了世界文学古典名著,只要搞懂鸡兔同笼,就可以拿诺贝尔奖,还有提着人头当球踢的阳光美少女、骄傲坏脾气的御姐、羞怯可人的纤柔少女……这是天堂吗?但是,等等……满月、变身、獠牙?还有猎杀血族的街头足球!原来,美少女是狼人,御姐是血族熟女。这是什么世界啊,人类呢?公元6000年,怎么都没有人类了呢?