登陆注册
12109300000098

第98章 BOOK THE THIRD:THE TRACK OF A STORM(13)

'There is no time to lose. I am well prepared,but there are precautions to be taken,that could not be taken until he was actually summoned before the Tribunal.He has not received the notice yet,but I know that he will presently be summoned for tomorrow,and removed to the Conciergerie;I have timely information.You are not afraid?'

She could scarcely answer,'I trust in you.'

'Do so implicitly. Your suspense is nearly ended,my darling;heshall be restored to you within a few hours;I have encompassed him with every protection.I must see Lorry.'

He stopped. There was a heavy lumbering of wheels within hearing.They both knew too well what it meant.One.Two.Three.Three tumbrils faring away with their dread loads over the hushing snow.

'I must see Lorry,'the Doctor repeated,turning her another way.

The staunch old gentleman was still in his trust;had never left it. He and his books were in frequent requisition as to property confiscated and made national.What he could save for the owners,he saved.No better man living to hold fast by what Tellson's had in keeping,and to hold his peace.

A murky red and yellow sky,and a rising mist from the Seine,denoted the approach of darkness. It was almost dark when they arrived at the Bank.The stately residence of Monseigneur was altogether blighted and deserted.Above a heap of dust and ashes in the court,ran the letters:National Property.Republic One and Indivisible.Liberty,Equality,Fraternity,or Death!

Who could that be with Mr. Lorry—the owner of the riding-coat upon the chair—who must not be seen?From whom newly arrived,did he come out,agitated and surprised,to take his favourite in his arms?To whom did he appear to repeat her faltering words,when,raising his voice and turning his head towards the door of the room from which he had issued,he said:'Removed to the Conciergerie,and summoned for tomorrow?'

XXXVI.TRIUMPH

T he dread Tribunal of five Judges,Public Prosecutor,and determined Jury,sat every day. Their lists went forth every evening,and were read out by the gaolers of the various prisons to their prisoners.The standard gaoler-joke was'Come out and listen to the Evening Paper,you inside there!'

'Charles Evremonde,called Darnay!'

So at last began the Evening Paper at La Force.

When a name was called,its owner stepped apart into a spot reserved for those who were announced as being thus fatally recorded. Charles Evremonde,called Darnay,had reason to know the usage;he had seen hundreds pass away so.

His bloated gaoler,who wore spectacles to read with,glanced over them to assure himself that he had taken his place,and went through the list,making a similar short pause at each name. There were twenty-three names,but only twenty were responded to;for one of the prisoners so summoned had died in gaol and been forgotten,and two had already been guillotined and forgotten.The list was read,in the vaulted chamber where Darnay had seen the associated prisoners on the night of his arrival.Every one of those had perished in the massacre;every human creature he had since cared for and parted with,had died on the scaffold.

There were hurried words of farewell and kindness,but the parting was soon over. It was the incident of every day,and the society of La Force were engaged in the preparation of somegames of forfeits and a little concert,for that evening.They crowded to the grates and shed tears there;but,twenty places in the projected entertainments had to be refilled,and the time was,at best,short to the lockup hour,when the common rooms and corridors would be delivered over to the great dogs who kept watch there through the night.The prisoners were far from insensible or unfeeling;their ways arose out of the condition of the time.Similarly,though with a subtle difference,a species of fervour or intoxication,known,without doubt,to have led some persons to brave the guillotine unnecessarily,and to die by it,was not mere boastfulness,but a wild infection of the wildly shaken public mind.In seasons of pestilence,some of us will have a secret attraction to the disease—a terrible passing inclination to die of it.And all of us have like wonders hidden in our breasts,only needing circumstances to evoke them.

The passage to the Conciergerie was short and dark;the night in its vermin-haunted cells was long and cold. Next day,fifteen prisoners were put to the bar before Charles Darnay's name was called.All the fifteen were condemned,and the trials of the whole occupied an hour and a half.

'Charles Evremonde,called Darnay,'was at length arraigned.

同类推荐
  • 铁关刀

    铁关刀

    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。
  • 本草纲目别名录

    本草纲目别名录

    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。
  • 续修台湾县志

    续修台湾县志

    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。
  • 靖夷纪事

    靖夷纪事

    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。
  • THE SKETCH BOOK

    THE SKETCH BOOK

    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。
热门推荐
  • 我叫龙啸神

    我叫龙啸神

    当你走在路上时,突然看见一个人不人,鬼不鬼的东西,你该怎么办?当你梦想着你的梦时,发现伙伴们已经成为了丧尸,你又怎么办?是悲哀,是伤心,是自暴自弃,还是勇往直前,努力拼搏?每一个人都会害怕,但不代表胆怯,找到丧尸们的阴谋吧。
  • tfboys十年的情与爱

    tfboys十年的情与爱

    韩冬雪三姐妹来到重庆,无意中撞见tfboys,她们的美貌与不同的性格打动了tfboys。接下来,他们将上演一场精彩的爱情剧
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 山神庙

    山神庙

    从前有座山,山上有座庙,庙里有个老和尚在给小和尚讲鬼故事。
  • 筱南寻雨

    筱南寻雨

    多年后的某一天“但是为什么会帮助我啊”筱荀对着将自己抱在怀中的男人说“因为你眼睛里有星星”
  • 凤栖花之甜蜜宠

    凤栖花之甜蜜宠

    她是夏氏千金,本应该是被许多人捧在手尖上的小公主。可那天晚上,父亲跳楼,母亲心脏病旧发。她被活生生推到了悬崖壁如若她以前生活的地方,是天堂,那么现在就是地狱。她感觉不知所措,她以前是一个校花,而现在变成了别人都唾弃的垃圾。是他,故意找借口,留住她。故意损她,用智商碾压她。他不知道?自己,是爱上她了……
  • 梦殇之沧海

    梦殇之沧海

    2365年,一个科技发展大跨越的时代,网游已经遍布世界的每一个角落,从《生命》到《上苍》,再到《第二世界》的公测,网游俨然已经成为人类的第二世界。然而在游戏的背后,他们是一个世界的设计者,同时也是迷失在路途中的孤独行者。梦醒,一个陌生与未知的世界呈现在眼前。过去,现在,未来,三百五十年,眨眼已在身后。她是来自2015年的古武世家的少女,遇到了来自3020年的妖灵,时间与空间的变换,这个世界到底有多少面,又有多少孤独而又不被世人知道的存在游离在这个世界之外……不管是真还是幻,是梦还是醒,就如余非琪所说,“南柯一梦也好,庄周梦蝶也好,不论留下多少足迹,至少我知道我在这个世界存在过!”
  • 重生之千金妖娆

    重生之千金妖娆

    她是二十一世纪的宅女腐女一枚‘尼玛!睡觉也能穿越!’穿越也就算了还穿到以个不受宠的才人身上。老天爷!你脑袋进水银了!说完指了指床榻上的某美男某美男拿出一张圣旨念到‘奉天承运皇帝诏曰,浅儿,约吗?'
  • 傲娇总裁腹黑宠妻

    傲娇总裁腹黑宠妻

    宝宝心里苦,但宝宝不说QAQ。。。内容自己看吧QAQ
  • 刺碑

    刺碑

    佣兵找个黑客珠联璧合然后和爱人相濡以沫拿着现代的武器和科技领先自己二百年的人死磕看老婆把饭烧成碳听呼啸的子弹飞过耳畔好像什么都不顺心也好像找到了自己的幸福末日悄悄来临战士怎么可以屈服侵略者