第116章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(31)

第116章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(31)

'ifithadpleasedgodtoputitinthehardheartofeitherofthebrothers，inallthesefrightfulyears，tograntmeanytidingsofmydearestwife—somuchastoletmeknowbyawordwhetheraliveordead—imighthavethoughtthathehadnotquiteabandonedthem.but，nowibelievethatthemarkoftheredcrossisfataltothem，andthattheyhavenopartinhismercies.andthemandtheirdescendants，tothelastoftheirrace，i，alexandremanette，unhappyprisoner，dothislastnightoftheyear1767，inmyunbearableagony，denouncetothetimeswhenallthesethingsshallbeansweredfor.idenouncethemtoheavenandtoearth.'

aterriblesoundarosewhenthereadingofthisdocumentwasdone.asoundofcravingandeagernessthathadnothingarticulateinitbutblood.thenarrativecalledupthemostrevengefulpassionsofthetime，andtherewasnotaheadinthenationbutmusthavedroppedbeforeit.

littleneed，inthepresenceofthattribunalandthatauditory，toshowhowthedefargeshadnotmadethepaperpublic，withtheothercapturedbastillememorialsborneinprocession，andhadkeptit，bidingtheirtime.littleneedtoshowthatthisdetestedfamilynamehadlongbeenanathematisedbysaintantoine，andwaswroughtintothefatalregister.themannevertrodgroundwhosevirtuesandserviceswouldhavesustainedhiminthatplacethatday，againstsuchdenunciation.

andalltheworseforthedoomedman，thatthedenouncerwasawell-knowncitizen，hisownattachedfriend，thefatherofhiswife.oneofthefrenziedaspirationsofthepopulacewas，forimitationsofthequestionablepublicvirtuesofantiquity，andforsacrificesandself-immolationsonthepeople'saltar.thereforewhenthepresidentsaid（elsehadhisownheadquiveredonhisshoulders），thatthegoodphysicianoftherepublicwoulddeservebetterstilloftherepublicbyrootingoutanobnoxiousfamilyofaristocrats，andwoulddoubtlessfeelasacredglowandjoyinmakinghisdaughterawidowandherchildanorphan，therewaswildexcitement，patrioticfervour，notatouchofhumansympathy.

'muchinfluencearoundhim，hasthatdoctor？'murmuredmadamedefarge，smilingtothevengeance.'savehimnow，mydoctor，savehim！'

ateveryjuryman'svote，therewasaroar.anotherandanother.roarandroar.

unanimouslyvoted.atheartandbydescentanaristocrat，anenemyoftherepublic，anotoriousoppressorofthepeople.backtotheconciergerie，anddeathwithinfour-and-twentyhours！xli.dusk

thewretchedwifeoftheinnocentmanthusdoomedtodie.fellunderthesentence，asifshehadbeenmortallystricken.but，sheutterednosound；andsostrongwasthevoicewithinher，representingthatitwassheofalltheworldwhomustupholdhiminhismiseryandnotaugmentit，thatitquicklyraisedher，evenfromthatshock.

thejudgeshavingtotakepartinapublicdemonstrationoutofdoors，thetribunaladjourned.thequicknoiseandmovementofthecourt'semptyingitselfbymanypassageshadnotceased，whenluciestoodstretchingoutherarmstowardsherhusband，withnothinginherfacebutloveandconsolation.

'ifimighttouchhim！ifimightembracehimonce！o，goodcitizens，ifyouwouldhavesomuchcompassionforus！'

therewasbutagaolerleft，alongwithtwoofthefourmenwhohadtakenhimlastnight，andbarsad.thepeoplehadallpouredouttotheshowinthestreets.barsadproposedtotherest，'letherembracehimthen；itisbutamoment.'itwassilentlyacquiescedin，andtheypassedherovertheseatsinthehalltoaraisedplace，wherehe，byleaningoverthedock，couldfoldherinhisarms.

'farewell，deardarlingofmysoul.mypartingblessingonmylove.weshallmeetagain，wherethewearyareatrest！'

theywereherhusband'swords，asheheldhertohisbosom.

'icanbearit，dearcharles.iamsupportedfromabove：don'tsufferforme.apartingblessingforourchild.'

'isendittoherbyyou.ikissherbyyou.isayfarewelltoherbyyou.'

'myhusband.no！amoment！'hewastearinghimselfapartfromher.'weshallnotbeseparatedlong.ifeelthatthiswillbreakmyheartby-and-by；butiwilldomydutywhileican，andwhenileaveher，godwillraiseupfriendsforher，ashedidforme.'

herfatherhadfollowedher，andwouldhavefallenonhiskneestobothofthem，butthatdarnayputoutahandandseizedhim，crying：

'no，no！whathaveyoudone，whathaveyoudone，thatyoushouldkneeltous！weknownow，whataleyoumadeofold.weknownow，whatyouunderwentwhenyoususpectedmydescent，andwhenyouknewit.weknownow，thenaturalantipathyyoustroveagainst，andconquered，forherdearsake.wethankyouwithallourhearts，andallourloveandduty.heavenbewithyou！'

herfather'sonlyanswerwastodrawhishandsthroughhiswhitehair，andwringthemwithashriekofanguish.

'itcouldnotbeotherwise，'saidtheprisoner.'allthingshaveworkedtogetherastheyhavefallenout.itwasthealways-vainendeavourtodischargemypoormother'strustthatfirstbroughtmyfatalpresencenearyou.goodcouldnevercomeofsuchevil，ahappierendwasnotinnaturetosounhappyabeginning.becomforted，andforgiveme.heavenblessyou！'

ashewasdrawnaway，hiswifereleasedhim，andstoodlookingafterhimwithherhandstouchingoneanotherintheattitudeofprayer，andwitharadiantlookuponherface，inwhichtherewasevenacomfortingsmile.ashewentoutattheprisoners'door，sheturned，laidherheadlovinglyonherfather'sbreast.triedtospeaktohim，andfellathisfeet.

then，issuingfromtheobscurecornerfromwhichhehadnevermoved，sydneycartoncameandtookherup.onlyherfatherandmr.lorrywerewithher.hisarmtrembledasitraisedher，andsupportedherhead.yet，therewasanairabouthimthatwasnotallofpity—thathadaflushofprideinit.

'shallitakehertoacoach？ishallneverfeelherweight.'