登陆注册
12109300000110

第110章 BOOK THE THIRD:THE TRACK OF A STORM(25)

The night wore out,and,as he stood upon the bridge listening to the water as it splashed the river-walls of the Island of Paris,where the picturesque confusion of houses and cathedral shone bright in the light of the moon,the day came coldly,looking like a dead face out of the sky. Then,the night,with the moon and the stars,turned pale and died,and for a little while it seemed as if Creation were delivered over to Death's dominion.

But the glorious sun,rising,seemed to strike those words,that burden of the night,straight and warm to his heart in its long bright rays. And looking along them,with reverently shaded eyes,a bridge of light appeared to span the air between him and the sun,while the river sparkled under it.

The strong tide,so swift,so deep,and certain,was like a congenial friend,in the morning stillness. He walked by the stream,far from the houses,and in the light and warmth of the sun fell asleep on the bank.When he awoke and was afoot again,he lingered there yet a little longer,watching an eddy that turned and turned purposeless,until the stream absorbed it,and carried it on to the sea.—'Like me!'

A trading-boat,with a sail of the softened colour of a dead leaf,then glided into his view,floated by him,and died away. As its silent track in the water disappeared,the prayer that had broken up out of his heart for a merciful consideration of all his poor blindness and errors,ended in the words,'I am the resurrection and the life.'

Mr. Lorry was already out when he got back,and it was easy tosurmise where the good old man was gone.Sydney Carton drank nothing but a little coffee,ate some bread,and,having washed and changed to refresh himself,went out to the place of trial.

The court was all astir and a-buzz,when the black sheep—whom many fell away from in dread—pressed him into an obscure corner among the crowd. Mr.Lorry was there,and Doctor Manette was there.She was there,sitting beside her father.

When her husband was brought in,she turned a look upon him,so sustaining,so encouraging,so full of admiring love,and pitying tenderness,yet so courageous for his sake,that it called the healthy blood into his face,brightened his glance,and animated his heart. If there had been any eyes to notice the influence of her look,on Sydney Carton,it would have been seen to be the same influence exactly.

Before that unjust Tribunal,there was little or no order of procedure,ensuring to any accused person any reasonable hearing. There could have been no such Revolution,if all laws,forms,and ceremonies,had not first been so monstrously abused,that the suicidal vengeance of the Revolution was to scatter them all to the winds.

Every eye was turned to the jury. The same determined patriots and good republicans as yesterday and the day before,and tomorrow and the day after.Eager and prominent among them,one man with a craving face,and his fingers perpetually hovering about his lips,whose appearance gave great satisfaction to the spectators.A life-thirsting,cannibal-looking,bloody-minded juryman,the Jacques Three of Saint Antoine.The whole jury,as a jury of dogs empanelled to try the deer.

Every eye then turned to the five judges and the publicprosecutor. No favourable leaning in that quarter today.A fell,uncompromising,murderous business-meaning there.Every eye then sought some other eye in the crowd,and gleamed at it approvingly;and heads nodded at one another before bending forward with a strained attention.

Charles Evremonde,called Darnay. Released yesterday.Reaccused and retaken yesterday.Indictment delivered to him last night.Suspected and Denounced enemy of the Republic,Aristocrat,one of a family of tyrants,one of a race proscribed,for that they had used their abolished privileges to the infamous oppression of the people.Charles Evremonde,called Darnay,in right of such proion,absolutely Dead in Law.

To this effect,in as few or fewer words,the Public Prosecutor.

The President asked,was the Accused openly denounced or secretly?

'Openly,President.'

'By whom?'

'Three voices. Ernest Defarge,wine vendor of Saint Antoine.'

'Good.'

'Therese Defarge,his wife.'

'Good.'

'Alexandre Manette,physician.'

A great uproar took place in the court,and in the midst of it,Doctor Manette was seen,pale and trembling,standing where he had been seated.

'President,I indignantly protest to you that this is a forgery and a fraud. You know the accused to be the husband of my daughter.My daughter,and those dear to her,are far dearer to me than my life.Who and where is the false conspirator who says thatI denounce the husband of my child?'

'Citizen Manette,be tranquil. To fail in submission of the authority of the Tribunal would be to put yourself out of Law.As to what is dearer to you than life.nothing can be so dear to a good citizen as the Republic.'

Loud acclamations hailed this rebuke. The President rang his bell,and with warmth resumed.

'If the Republic should demand of you the sacrifice of your child herself,you would have no duty but to sacrifice her. Listen to what is to follow.In the meanwhile,be silent!'

Frantic acclamations were again raised. Doctor Manette sat down,with his eyes looking around,and his lips trembling;his daughter drew closer to him.The craving man on the jury rubbed his hands together,and restored the usual hand to his mouth.

Defarge was produced,when the court was quiet enough to admit of his being heard,and rapidly expounded the story of the imprisonment,and of his having been a mere boy in the Doctor's service,and of the release,and of the state of the prisoner when released and delivered to him. This short examination followed.for the court was quick with its work.

'You did good service at the taking of the Bastille,citizen?'

'I believe so.'

同类推荐
  • 芥舟学画编

    芥舟学画编

    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。
  • 田赋考辨

    田赋考辨

    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。
  • 入就瑞白禅师语录

    入就瑞白禅师语录

    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。
  • 明亡述略

    明亡述略

    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。
  • 魁罡六锁秘法

    魁罡六锁秘法

    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
  • 王俊凯之美食萌萌哒

    王俊凯之美食萌萌哒

    哈哈!遇上了一个厨艺白痴,竟然是小时候的玩伴,后来凯爷究竟会和慕容诺雪会发生什么事情呢?
  • 心理罪:刑侦档案

    心理罪:刑侦档案

    骇人听闻的事件背后,隐藏着人性最丑陋的一面。在解开一个又一个疑团之后,所得到的真相比表象更加不可思议、难以置信……
  • 无征

    无征

    一个可怜的可爱的有点二逼的青年回到久违的家乡发生的一些可怜的可爱的故事,外号辰疯子的他十四岁爷爷失踪了,十七岁没了爹和妈,受了刺激的他离家出走在外面游荡了一年多后开始想家后却发现他在森林里迷路了......艹!结果他又花了一年多的时间才走出来,最后又用了大半年的时间回到家。他有一个梦想,他要把这个世界上所有危险神秘的地方都走上一遍,掀开这些地方的神秘面纱,当他把人间的所有他能去的地方都走上一遍后,他还要到天界去,也把天界的那些危险神秘的地方给走上一遍。然后如果没死的话,他要写两本书,一本是《辰疯子人间密地游》,另一本是《辰疯子天界游》。这就是他的梦想。但是,他实现梦想的道路会顺利吗?一个浩大无比的世界,一个神秘的世界,一大坨不为人知的秘密等着人们去探索。让我们一起来看辰疯子实现梦想的路上会发生什么样的故事。结局很有爱。
  • 构建大明

    构建大明

    朱时陆特悲催的穿越了,说他的穿越悲催是因为他穿越到了元末——一个视“汉人如猪狗、世乱如虮虱”的乱世。不过,祸兮福之所倚,穿越后他遇见了贵人——一个传说中英明神武的贵人,一个和他具有相同相貌的贵人——朱重八,大明的开国皇帝。但是,悲催就是悲催。朱重八死了,在他穿越后的第一天,朱重八就死了;在他还没有开创伟大的事业,却仅仅还是一个黄觉寺行僧的时候就死了。朱时陆奇了怪了,他怎么能死?他死了,那这大明的江山该谁来开创?……他,朱时陆,这个在相貌上与朱重八毫无二致的特情人员陷入了深思,重八、十六(时陆),难道这是上天的安排……至此,回穿无望的他只好梳理思路、筹划人生,开始了他波澜壮阔、如梦如幻,携美创业的九五之旅。
  • 独占成婚:腹黑顾少轻点宠

    独占成婚:腹黑顾少轻点宠

    被弃在美国自生自灭整整四年,一回来就是替自己的妹妹嫁给一个半身不遂不能人道的变……态。嫁就嫁吧,为了病床上的植物人妈妈,她认了!只不过她不会这么轻易认命,运气不好投胎的时候瞎了眼,总不能把自己活的越来越怂,如履薄冰,忍气吞声的日子,她不过是在等羽翼丰满。但是谁告诉她,为什么这个分明就不行的男人……这么如狼似虎?“顾少,我已经是你老婆了,你能不能不要这么腹黑?”“我也不是只对你腹黑,但我只对你温柔。”好吧好吧!看在你帅的份上,求你宠轻点好不好?"
  • 斗气大陆之绝世斗皇

    斗气大陆之绝世斗皇

    在数百年前的一次穿越,斗气大陆中出现一个出生在小家族的“斗帝”强者,自从他种种事迹改变了斗气大陆的许多事物的发展,他也是斗气大陆中不少少年少女的偶像,他号称“炎帝”,他名为“萧炎”!而这次时空再次错乱,又有一位穿越者来到斗气大陆,不知这次又会发生什么。
  • 黑夜诡灵

    黑夜诡灵

    在世界的尽头,有人说那里有彼岸花,我不知道有没有,但我知道在白天的背后有不为人知的诡异黑暗!
  • 弃子大少

    弃子大少

    圣私立英才一体式学院,以世界尖端师资团队和强大资历、地位以及浓厚的教学文化底蕴位列华夏新十佳一体式院校的佼佼者。由当今世上,社会背景最为复杂,人脉网络线堪比大脑神经元连接图的世界财团巨鳄—管氏一族全面掌控,为培养后继撑起管氏一族的商业帝国而成立的精英式教学培育机构。其中,不乏有名门望族的优秀继承人,各方学霸,技艺达人,乃至励精图治也要逆天改命的奋斗丝。然而,身为管氏一族的嫡系后继者管君候,却在一次家族会议中,被其亲生父亲剥夺身为继承人的权利,成为一介弃子。于是,作为弃子大少的管君候不得不在各种艰难的危局之中去锤炼诸般技艺、对抗那个掌控自己命运的千年老怪。
  • 末世皇后:皇上滚下榻

    末世皇后:皇上滚下榻

    从末世穿越到皇宫,在见识到了皇帝后宫的莺莺燕燕后某女突发奇想,“我也要当皇帝!”自从树立了这么个伟大的目标后夏琪就三天两头的在小皇帝面前刷脸,誓要把人弄死。眼看着快把他给搞死了……一日从皇后寝宫里传出一阵巨响,接着他们就看到皇上飞了出来,出来。“你要什么朕都给你。”皇帝一脸情深的望着眼前的人。“我要你的皇位你也给吗?”“嗯。”
  • 诸天星主

    诸天星主

    天域皓天宫的神子洛凡,遭人算计围攻致死。机缘巧合之下,转世重生于边境小城,但丹田却天生变异,不能修炼武道,从小遭受世人冷眼。后天降神石,得星辰大道,从此开启逆天之旅,曾经失去的一切将加倍讨回,今世的所有敌人阻碍全部轰碎成渣。真人,至人,贤人,圣人,四极登天,证无上大道。纵横天下,星辰剑出,谁与争锋?