第122章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(37)

第122章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(37)

hehadbeenapprisedthatthefinalhourwasthree，andheknewhewouldbesummonedsometimeearlier.inasmuchasthetumbrilsjoltedheavilyandslowlythroughthestreets.therefore，heresolvedtokeeptwobeforehismind，asthehour，andsotostrengthenhimselfintheintervalthathemightbeable，afterthattime.tostrengthenothers.

walkingregularlytoandfrowithhisarmsfoldedonhisbreast，averydifferentmanfromtheprisoner，whohadwalkedtoandfroatlaforce，heheardonestruckawayfromhim，withoutsurprise.thehourhadmeasuredlikemostotherhours.devoutlythankfultoheavenforhisrecoveredself-possession，hethought，'thereisbutanothernow，'andturnedtowalkagain.

footstepsinthestonepassageoutsidethedoor.hestopped.

thekeywasputinthelock，andturned.beforethedoorwasopened，orasitopened，amansaidinalowvoice，inenglish：'hehasneverseenmehere；ihavekeptoutofhisway.goyouinalone；iwaitnear.losenotime！'

thedoorwasquicklyopenedandclosed，andtherestoodbeforehimfacetoface，quiet，intentuponhim，withthelightofasmileonhisfeatures，andacautionaryfingeronhislip，sydneycarton.

therewassomethingsobrightandremarkableinhislook，that，forthemoment，theprisonermisdoubtedhimtobeanapparitionofhisownimagining.but，hespoke，anditwashisvoice；hetooktheprisoner'shand，anditwashisrealgrasp.

'ofallthepeopleuponearth，youleastexpectedtoseeme？'hesaid.

'icouldnotbelieveittobeyou.icanscarcelybelieveitnow.youarenot'—theapprehensioncamesuddenlyintohismind—'aprisoner？'

'no.iamaccidentallypossessedofapoweroveroneofthekeepershere，andinvirtueofitistandbeforeyou.icomefromher—yourwife，deardarnay.'

theprisonerwrunghishand.

'ibringyouarequestfromher.'

'whatisit？'

'amostearnest，pressing，andemphaticentreaty，addressedtoyouinthemostpathetictonesofthevoicesodeartoyou，thatyouwellremember.'

theprisonerturnedhisfacepartlyaside.

'youhavenotimetoaskmewhyibringit，orwhatitmeans；ihavenotimetotellyou.youmustcomplywithit—takeoffthosebootsyouwear，anddrawontheseofmine.'

therewasachairagainstthewallofthecell，behindtheprisoner.carton，pressingforward，hadalready，withthespeedoflightning，gothimdownintoit，andstoodoverhim，barefoot.

'drawonthesebootsofmine.putyourhandstothem；putyourwilltothem.quick！'

'carton，thereisnoescapingfromthisplace；itnevercanbedone.youwillonlydiewithme.itismadness.'

'itwouldbemadnessifiaskedyoutoescape；butdoi？wheniaskyoutopassoutatthatdoor，tellmeitismadnessandremainhere.changethatcravatforthisofmine，thatcoatforthisofmine.whileyoudoit.letmetakethisribbonfromyourhair，andshakeoutyourhairlikethisofmine！'

withwonderfulquickness，andwithastrengthbothofwillandaction，thatappearedquitesupernatural，heforcedallthesechangesuponhim.theprisonerwaslikeayoungchildinhishands.

'carton！dearcarton！itismadness.itcannotbeaccomplished，itnevercanbedone，ithasbeenattempted，andhasalwaysfailed.iimploreyounottoaddyourdeathtothebitternessofmine.'

'doiaskyou，mydeardarnay，topassthedoor？wheniaskthat，refuse.therearepenandinkandpaperonthistable.isyourhandsteadyenoughtowrite？'

'itwaswhenyoucamein.'

'steadyitagain，andwritewhatishalldictate.quick，friend，quick！'

pressinghishandtohisbewilderedhead，darnaysatdownatthetable.carton，withhisrighthandinhisbreast，stoodclosebesidehim.

'writeexactlyasispeak.'

'towhomdoiaddressit？'

'tonoone.'cartonstillhadhishandinhisbreast.

'doidateit？'

'no.'

theprisonerlookedup，ateachquestion.cartonstandingoverhimwithhishandinhisbreast，lookeddown.

'fyouremember，'saidcarton，dictating，'thewordsthatpassedbetweenus，longago，youwillreadilycomprehendthiswhenyouseeit.youdorememberthem，iknow.itisnotinyournaturetoforgetthem.'hewasdrawinghishandfromhisbreast；theprisonerchancingtolookupinhishurriedwonderashewrote，thehandstopped，closinguponsomething.

'haveyouwritten'forgetthem'？'cartonasked.

'ihave.isthataweaponinyourhand？'

'no；iamnotarmed.'

'whatisitinyourhand？'

'youshallknowdirectly.writeon；therearebutafewwordsmore.'hedictatedagain.'iamthankfulthatthetimehascome，whenicanprovethem.thatidosoisnosubjectforregretorgrief.'ashesaidthesewordswithhiseyesfixedonthewriter，hishandslowlyandsoftlymoveddownclosetothewriter'sface.

thependroppedfromdarnay'sfingersonthetable，andhelookedabouthimvacantly.

'whatvapouristhat？'heasked.

'vapour？'

'somethingthatcrossedme？'

'iamconsciousofnothing；therecanbenothinghere.takeupthepenandfinish.hurry，hurry！'

asifhismemorywereimpaired，orhisfacultiesdisordered，theprisonermadeanefforttorallyhisattention.ashelookedatcartonwithcloudedeyesandwithanalteredmannerofbreathing，carton—hishandagaininhisbreast—lookedsteadilyathim.

'hurry，hurry！'

theprisonerbentoverthepaper，oncemore.

'ifithadbeenotherwise'；carton'shandwasagainwatchfullyandsoftlystealingdown；'inevershouldhaveusedthelongeropportunity.ifithadbeenotherwise'；thehandwasattheprisoner'sface；'ishouldbuthavehadsomuchthemoretoanswerfor.ifithadbeenotherwise—，'cartonlookedatthepenandsawitwastrailingoffintounintelligiblesigns.

carton'shandmovedbacktohisbreastnomore.theprisonersprangupwithareproachfullook，butcarton'shandwascloseandfirmtohisnostrils，andcarton'sleftarmcaughthimroundthewaist.forafewsecondshefaintlyledwiththemanwhohadcometolaydownhislifeforhim；but，withinaminuteorso，hewasstretchedinsensibleontheground.