第108章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(23)

第108章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(23)

mr.lorry'seyesgraduallysoughtthefire；hissympathywithhisdarling，andtheheavydisappointmentofthissecondarrest，graduallyweakenedthem；hewasanoldmannow，overbornewithanxietyoflate，andhistearsfell.

'youareagoodmanandatruefriend，'saidcarton，inanalteredvoice.'forgivemeifinoticethatyouareaffected.icouldnotseemyfatherweep，andsitby，careless.andicouldnotrespectyoursorrowmore，ifyouweremyfather.youarefreefromthatmisfortune，however.'

thoughhesaidthelastwords，withaslipintohisusualmanner，therewasatruefeelingandrespectbothinhistoneandinhistouch，thatmr.lorry，whohadneverseenthebettersideofhim，waswhollyunpreparedfor.hegavehimhishand，andcartongentlypressedit.

'toreturntopoordarnay，'saidcarton.'don'ttellherofthisinterview，orthisarrangement.itwouldnotenablehertogotoseehim.shemightthinkitwascontrived，incaseoftheworst，toconveytohimthemeansofanticipatingthesentence.'

mr.lorryhadnotthoughtofthat，andhelookedquicklyatcartontoseeifitwereinhismind.itseemedtobe；hereturnedthelook，andevidentlyunderstoodit.

'shemightthinkathousandthings，'cartonsaid，'andanyofthemwouldonlyaddtohertrouble.don'tspeakofmetoher.asisaidtoyouwhenifirstcame，ihadbetternotseeher.icanputmyhandout，todoanylittlehelpfulworkforherthatmyhandcanfindtodo，withoutthat.youaregoingtoher，ihope？shemustbeverydesolatetonight.'

'iamgoingnow，directly.'

'iamgladofthat.shehassuchastrongattachmenttoyouandrelianceonyou.howdoesshelook？'

'anxiousandunhappy，butverybeautiful.'

'ah！'

itwasalong，grievingsound，likeasigh—almostlikeasob.itattractedmr.lorry'seyestocarton'sface，whichwasturnedtothefire.alight，orashade（theoldgentlemancouldnothavesaidwhich），passedfromitasswiftlyasachangewillsweepoverahillsideonawildbrightday，andheliftedhisfoottoputbackoneofthelittleflaminglogs，whichwastumblingforward.heworethewhiteriding-coatandtop-boots，theninvogue，andthelightofthefiretouchingtheirlightsurfacesmadehimlookverypale，withhislongbrownhair，alluntrimmed，hanginglooseabouthim.hisindifferencetofirewassufficientlyremarkabletoelicitawordofremonstrancefrommr.lorry：hisbootwasstilluponthehotembersoftheflaminglog，whenithadbrokenundertheweightofhisfoot.

'iforgotit，'hesaid.

mr.lorry'seyeswereagainattractedtohisface.takingnoteofthewastedairwhichcloudedthenaturallyhandsomefeatures，andhavingtheexpressionofprisoners'facesfreshinhismind，hewasstronglyremindedofthatexpression.

'andyourdutiesherehavedrawntoanend，sir？'saidcarton，turningtohim.

'yes.asiwastellingyoulastnightwhenluciecameinsounexpectedly，ihaveatlengthdoneallthaticandohere.ihopedtohavelefttheminperfectsafety，andthentohavequittedparis.ihavemyleavetopass.iwasreadytogo.'

theywerebothsilent.

'yoursisalonglifetolookbackupon，sir？'saidcarton，wistfully.

'iaminmyseventy-eighthyear.'

'youhavebeenusefulallyourlife；steadilyandconstantlyoccupied；trusted，respected，andlookedupto？'

'ihavebeenamanofbusiness，eversinceihavebeenaman.indeed，imaysaythatiwasamanofbusinesswhenaboy.'

'seewhataplaceyoufillatseventy-eight.howmanypeoplewillmissyouwhenyouleaveitempty！'

'asolitaryoldbachelor，'answeredmr.lorry，shakinghishead.'thereisnobodytoweepforme.'

'howcanyousaythat！wouldn'tsheweepforyou？wouldn'therchild？'

'yes，yes，thankgod.ididn'tquitemeanwhatisaid.'

'itisathingtothankgodfor；isitnot？'

'surely，surely.'

'ifyoucouldsay，withtruth，toyourownsolitaryheart，tonight，ihavesecuredtomyselftheloveandattachment，thegratitudeorrespect，ofnohumancreature；ihavewonmyselfatenderplaceinnoregard；ihavedonenothinggoodorserviceabletoberememberedby！yourseventy-eightyearswouldbeseventy-eightheavycurses；wouldtheynot？'

'yousaytruly，mr.carton；ithinktheywouldbe.'

sydneyturnedhiseyesagainuponthefire，and，afterasilenceofafewmoments，said：'ishouldliketoaskyou：—doesyourchildhoodseemfaroff？dothedayswhenyousatatyourmother'sknee，seemdaysofverylongago？'

respondingtohissoftenedmanner，mr.lorryanswered：

'twentyyearsback，yes；atthistimeofmylife，no.for，asidrawcloserandclosertotheend，itravelinthecircle，nearerandnearertothebeginning.itseemstobeoneofthekindsmoothingsandpreparingsoftheway.myheartistouchednow，bymanyremembrancesthathavelongfallenasleep，ofmyprettyyoungmother（andisoold！），andbymanyassociationsofthedayswhenwhatwecalltheworldwasnotsorealwithme，andmyfaultswerenotconfirmedinme.'

'iunderstandthefeeling！'exclaimedcarton，withabrightflush.'andyouarethebetterforit？'

'ihopeso.'

cartonterminatedtheconversationhere，byrisingtohelphimonwithhisoutercoat.'butyou，'saidmr.lorry，revertingtothetheme，'youareyoung.'

'yes，'saidcarton.'iamnotold，butmyyoungwaywasneverthewaytoage.enoughofme.'

'andofme，iamsure，'saidmr.lorry.'areyougoingout？'

'i'llwalkwithyoutohergate.youknowmyvagabondandrestlesshabits.ifishouldprowlaboutthestreetsalongtime，don'tbeuneasy；ishallreappearinthemorning.yougotothecourttomorrow？'

'yes，unhappily.'

'ishallbethere，butonlyasoneofthecrowd.myspywillfindaplaceforme.takemyarm，sir.'