登陆注册
3554300000036

第36章 BOOK THE SECOND:THE GOLDEN THREAD(19)

'Let us shudder too. We may know what it is.'

'It will seem nothing to you. Such whims are only impressive as we originate them,I think;they are not to be communicated.I have sometimes sat alone here of an evening,listening,until I have made the echoes out to be the echoes of all the footsteps that are coming by-and-by into our lives.'

'There is a great crowd coming one day into our lives,if that be so,'Sydney Carton struck in,in his moody way.

The footsteps were incessant,and the hurry of them became more and more rapid. The corner echoed and re-echoed with the tread of feet;some,as it seemed,under the windows;some,as it seemed,in the room;some coming,some going,some breaking off,some stopping altogether;all in the distant streets,and not one within sight.

'Are all these footsteps destined to come to all of us,Miss Manette,or are we to divide them among us?'

'I don't know,Mr. Darnay;I told you it was a foolish fancy,but you asked for it.When I have yielded myself to it,I have been alone,and then I have imagined them the footsteps of the people who are to come into my life,and my father's.'

'I take them into mine!'said Carton.'I ask no questions and make no stipulations. There is a great crowd bearing down upon us,Miss Manette,and I see them—by the Lightning.'He addedthe last words,after there had been a vivid flash which had shown him lounging in the window.

'And I hear them!'he added again,after a peal of thunder.'Here they come,fast,fierce,and furious!'

It was the rush and roar of rain that he typified,and it stopped him,for no voice could be heard in it. A memorable storm of thunder and lightning broke with that sweep of water,and there was not a moment's interval in crash,and fire,and rain,until after the moon rose at midnight.

The great bell of Saint Paul's was striking One in the cleared air,when Mr. Lorry,escorted by Jerry,high-booted and bearing a lantern,set forth on his return passage to Clerkenwell.There were solitary patches of road on the way between Soho and Clerkenwell,and Mr.Lorry,mindful of footpads,always retained Jerry for this service:though it was usually performed a good two hours earlier.

'What a night it has been!Almost a night,Jerry,'said Mr. Lorry,'to bring the dead out of their graves.'

'I never see the night myself,master—nor yet I don't expect to—what would do that,'answered Jerry.

'Good night,Mr. Carton,'said the man of business.'Good night,Mr.Darnay.Shall we ever see such a night again,together!'

Perhaps. Perhaps,see the great crowd of people with its rush and roar,bearing down upon them,too.

XIII.MONSEIGNEUR IN TOWN

M onseigneur,one of the great lords in power at the Court,held his fortnightly reception in his grand hotel in Paris. Monseigneur was in his inner room,his sanctuary of sanctuaries,the Holiest of Holiests to the crowd of worshippers in the suite of rooms without.Monseigneur was about to take his chocolate.Monseigneur could swallow a great many things with ease,and was by some few sullen minds supposed to be rather rapidly swallowing France;but,his morning's chocolate could not so much as get into the throat of Monseigneur,without the aid of four strong men besides the Cook.

Yes,it took four men,all four a-blaze with gorgeous decoration,and the Chief of them unable to exist with fewer than two gold watches in his pocket,emulative of the noble and chaste fashion set by Monseigneur,to conduct the happy chocolate to Monseigneur's lips. One lacquey carried the chocolate-pot into the sacred presence;a second,milled and frothed the chocolate with the little instrument he bore for that function;a third,presented the favoured napkin;a fourth(he of the two gold watches),poured the chocolate out.It was impossible for Monseigneur to dispense with one of these attendants on the chocolate and hold his high place under the admiring Heavens.Deep would have been the blot upon his escutcheon if his chocolate had been ignobly waited on by only three men;he must have died of two.

Monseigneur had been out at a little supper last night,wherethe Comedy and the Grand Opera were charmingly represented. Monseigneur was out at a little supper most nights,with fascinating company.So polite and so impressible was Monseigneur,that the Comedy and the Grand Opera had far more influence with him in the tiresome articles of state affairs and state secrets,than the needs of all France.A happy circumstance for France,as the like always is for all countries similarly favoured!—always was for England(by way of example),in the regretted days of the merry Stuart who sold it.

Monseigneur had one truly noble idea of general public business,which was,to let everything go on its own way;of particular public business,Monseigneur had the other truly noble idea that it must all go his way—tend to his own power and pocket. Of his pleasures,general and particular,Monseigneur had the other truly noble idea,that the world was made for them.The text of his order(altered from the original by only a pronoun,which is not much)ran:'The earth and the fullness thereof are mine,saith Monseigneur.'

同类推荐
  • 疑仙传

    疑仙传

    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。
  • 武术汇宗

    武术汇宗

    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。
  • 竹间续话

    竹间续话

    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。
  • 玉斗山人集

    玉斗山人集

    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。
  • 灵剑子

    灵剑子

    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
  • 无敌剑尊

    无敌剑尊

    本是宗门天之骄子的林枫,却因突破时遭同伴偷袭,被打入山崖!命不该绝使得林枫死里逃生,机缘巧合得到逆天神宝。追求极致剑术,领悟究极奥义。踏上了一条极致的修炼之路。如果修炼不是为了装逼,那将毫无意义。如果打脸不带声响,那还有什么意思?
  • 北京五大部直音会韵

    北京五大部直音会韵

    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。
  • 雷军的谜:小米的那套办法

    雷军的谜:小米的那套办法

    虽然雷军很早就声名远播,但真正成名是在40岁后以颠覆者身份创办了小米。更令人们动容的是,他带着浓浓的追梦味道,以及内心的理想主义和英雄情结,颠覆了整个世界,只为看到梦想最初的样子。小米的确是中国所有企业都应该学习的一个商业样本,而雷军的互联网思维——专注、极致、口碑、快,更是所有企业家都应该学习和借鉴的经营思想。
  • 非演员系列

    非演员系列

    要不是一个偶然的机会,魏克柱倒真的要当一辈子快乐的单身汉了。所以他心中总是忘不了他姑妈的恩情。其实,在剧团里,论业务,魏克柱也是挺棒的,唱起歌嗓子像小钢炮,拉起小提琴也是占据首席。身体各部位也不缺少零件,就是身高量到1.54米以后就再也不长一分毫,要是在旧社会也还无所谓,高老婆矮汉子现像也不鲜见,但在当今女性眼中就被判为三级残废一流,你说恼人不恼人这新月姑娘自幼失去父母,跟着姨妈姨父生活在一个小县城,好不容易读到中学毕业,在家里没吃上两天闲饭,姨父早就嫌弃她是个累赘,整天指东骂西的,弄得新月终日难堪。
  • 妆嗜宠

    妆嗜宠

    这个男人霸气,阴冷,甚至凶狠。他对她很狠,狠到让她感到绝望。可他对她也很宠,宠到能把世界都搬到她面前。他们两一个天一个地,他决绝果断,她柔韧坚强,然而他却是她命定的煞星。乔小妆是官家小姐,可认识她的人只知道她是个普通大学生。庄千夜是个手段狠戾的男人,可熟悉他的人都知道只有对乔小妆他才会温柔,甚至百般呵护。【强推新文:特种军官的腻宠:】【推荐连载文:夕钰皇妃:】她有男朋友,她跟他站在一起,很般配,她自己也这么觉得。可是,遇到他,她开始不幸。他是庄千夜,抢了兄弟的女人,他说:"这女人本来就是我的,从小就烙上了我的痕迹,你拿什么跟我争?"她说:我的命由我不由天他说:那得看你头顶这片天的是谁,你就是孙猴子,我也制得服你。她一直相信老天是公平的,却不知道老天把这只禽兽送到她身边来是折磨她还是对他的眷顾。她恨他,恨之入骨,她以为终于摆脱他了,她的生活终于风平浪静了。可是,他却摇身一变,成了家族联姻的对象,非她不娶。他爱她,爱得痴狂,宁负天下人也得要她。然而他爱她,她却从来都不知道。他除了强迫她,威胁她还能做什么?她不知道她眼里的禽兽为什么在母亲眼里,朋友眼里,甚至她最疼惜的弟弟眼里,他都是她的最佳夫婿。很多年以后,他在她耳边轻吐:"我就是掌控命运的神,不管我们相隔多远,相差多大,我爱你,你就是我的,你怎么躲也躲不掉。"本文定义:强宠、强娶豪宠=====================================蝎子年度新文震撼出世:《嚣张宝贝黑道妈》推荐:《婚内兽爱》《名门,高攀不起》《夕钰皇妃》推荐完结文:《囚徒》《燃爱》《燃爱Ⅱ》========================================【群:一九零八零零九七五】
  • 意念力练习题

    意念力练习题

    每个人其实都是天才,但是为什么你的天才特质得不到发挥呢?这是因为你没有挖掘出你的潜能量,更没有去操控它。只要我们不断地用充满希望与期待的话语来与潜意识交谈,潜意识就能让你的生活变得更加明朗,让你的希望和期待得以实现。本书指导我们运用自身的本能力量,从身体、精神和心灵上改善自己的境况,可以通过自我心理暗示影响我们的生活。
  • 传奇之纵横玛法

    传奇之纵横玛法

    星星新书已经上传,并保持稳定更新!欢迎大家前往捧场!
  • 一本书读懂互联网金融

    一本书读懂互联网金融

    本书从互联网金融的前世今生,以及互联网金融在大数据、第三方支付、网贷、众筹等方面的应用,对什么是互联网金融做出了最好的解释。本书从各个方面讲解了互联网金融的应用,简单易懂,让读者了解什么是互联网金融,以及互联网金融与人们的关系,是每个人都能轻松看懂的互联网金融入门书。
  • 恶魔首席的珠光宝妻(全本)

    恶魔首席的珠光宝妻(全本)

    她走投无路,无奈地签下一纸婚约,成为他的珠光宝妻。风光无限的生活背后,其实只是征服与被征服的较量、付出与收获的比拼……她发誓,自己不是故意降落在他的大腿上!可是他、他、他……居然趁机鄙夷她身材没料,这绝对是一种侮辱!可是唇枪舌战的结果,崇高的理想,不得不向现实低头。拿着他丢给她的一纸契约,委委屈屈地签上了自己的大名,从鲜花一朵,蜕变为宝妻一枚。在协议的保鲜期内,两人施展浑身解数,征服与被征服、侵略与反侵略的大战,从此拉开了帷幕。期限届满,她却傻了眼。法律白痴被精心设计,又落进了另一个陷阱,纠葛的大战,硝烟四起……-------------------------------------------本文涉及大量时尚与珠宝的话题,有意探讨的亲们,请加群:102343504推荐寞染其他文文:唯美虐文《冷酷少帅的乱世红颜》http://m.wkkk.net/a/122781/浪漫豪门《误惹无情冷总裁》http://m.wkkk.net/a/132719/穿越架空《美人策:不屑为妃》http://m.wkkk.net/a/187936/火热连载中《恶魔首席:娇妻,往哪逃》http://m.wkkk.net/a/223318/
  • 任正非传

    任正非传

    任正非,一个中国商业史上无法绕开的名字,他被誉为教父级企业家,他重新定义了中国企业家精神。他的创业故事激励着无数企业家搏杀奋斗。他和他缔造的企业一样沉稳低调,历经沉浮坎坷,却最终披荆斩棘,登上了个人意志和时代的巅峰。他早年投身军营,却未上前线杀敌,做的是基建工程兵;改革开放后,军队改制,他转业于国企,却给所在企业造成巨额亏损,最终被除名。时年43岁的他,失业、离婚、负债200万元,没有资本、没有人脉、没有技术、没有市场经验,带着仅有的2万余元钱,在破旧的仓库里成立了华为。然而30年后,当人们提起华为时,它已经是跻身世界五百强之列,年营业额逾800亿美元的超级企业……