第126章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(41)

第126章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(41)

thereweremanywomenatthattimeuponwhomthetimelaidadreadfullydisfiguringhand；buttherewasnotoneamongthemmoretobedreadedthanthisruthlesswoman，nowtakingherwayalongthestreets.ofastrongandfearlesscharacter，ofshrewdsenseandreadiness，ofgreatdetermination，ofthatkindofbeautywhichnotonlyseemstoimparttoitspossessorfirmnessandanimosity，butseemstostrikeintoothersaninstinctiverecognitionofthosequalities；thetroubledtimewouldhaveheavedherup，underanycircumstances.but，imbuedfromherchildhoodwithabroodingsenseofwrong，andaninveteratehatredofaclass，opportunityhaddevelopedherintoatigress.shewasabsolutelywithoutpity，ifshehadeverhadthevirtueinher，ithadquitegoneoutofher.

itwasnothingtoherthataninnocentmanwastodieforthesinsofhisforefathers；shesaw，nothim，butthem.itwasnothingtoher，thathiswifewastobemadeawidowandhisdaughteranorphan；thatwasinsufficientpunishment，becausetheywerehernaturalenemiesandherprey，andassuchhadnorighttolive.toappealtoher，wasmadehopelessbyherhavingnosenseofpity，evenforherself，ifshehadbeenlaidlowinthestreets，inanyofthemanyencountersinwhichshehadbeenengaged，shewouldnothavepitiedherself；nor，ifshehadbeenorderedtotheaxetomorrow，wouldshehavegonetoitwithanysofterfeelingthanafiercedesiretochangeplaceswiththemanwhosentherthere.

suchaheartmadamedefargecarriedunderherroughrobe.carelesslyworn，itwasabecomingrobeenough，inacertainweirdway，andherdarkhairlookedrichunderhercoarseredcap.lyinghiddeninherbosom，wasaloadedpistol.lyinghiddenatherwaist，wasasharpeneder.thusaccoutred，andwalkingwiththeconfidenttreadofsuchacharacter，andwiththesupplefreedomofawomanwhohadhabituallywalkedinhergirlhood，bare-footandbare-ed，onthebrownseasand，madamedefargetookherwayalongthestreets，now，whenthejourneyofthetravellingcoach，atthatverymomentwaitingforthecompletionofitsload，hadbeenplannedoutlastnight，thedifficultyoftakingmissprossinithadmuchengagedmr.lorry'sattention.itwasnotmerelydesirabletoavoidoverloadingthecoach，butitwasofthehighestimportancethatthetimeoccupiedinexaminingitanditspassengers，shouldbereducedtotheutmost；sincetheirescapemightdependonthesavingofonlyafewsecondshereandthere.finally，hehadproposed，afteranxiousconsideration，thatmissprossandjerry，whowereatlibertytoleavethecity，shouldleaveitatthreeo'clockinthelightest-wheeledconveyanceknowntothatperiod.unencumberedwithage，theywouldsoonovertakethecoach，and，passingitandprecedingitontheroad，wouldorderitshorsesinadvance，andgreatlyfacilitateitsprogressduringtheprecioushoursofthenight，whendelaywasthemosttobedreaded.

seeinginthisarrangementthehopeofrenderingrealserviceinthatpressingemergency，missprosshaileditwithjoy.sheandjerryhadbeheldthecoachstart，hadknownwhoitwasthatsolomonbrought，hadpassedsometenminutesintorturesofsuspense，andwerenowconcludingtheirarrangementstofollowthecoach，evenasmadamedefarge，takingherwaythroughthestreets，nowdrewnearerandnearertotheelse-desertedlodginginwhichtheyheldtheirconsultation.

'nowwhatdoyouthink，mr.cruncher，'saidmisspross，whoseagitationwassogreatthatshecouldhardlyspeak，orstand，ormove，orlive：'whatdoyouthinkofournotstartingfromthiscourt-yard？anothercarriagehavingalreadygonefromheretoday，itmightawakensuspicion.'

'myopinion，miss，'returnedmr.cruncher，'isasyou'reright.likewisewoti'llstandbyyou，rightorwrong.'

'iamsodistractedwithfearandhopeforourpreciouscreatures，'saidmisspross，wildlycrying，'thatiamincapableofforminganyplan.areyoucapableofforminganyplan，mydeargoodmr.cruncher？'

'respectin'afuturespearo'life，miss，'returnedmr.cruncher，'ihopeso.respectin'anypresentuseo'thishereblessedoldheado'mine，ithinknot.wouldyoudomethefavour，miss，totakenoticeo'twopromisesandwowswotitismywishesfurtorecordinthisherecrisis？'

'oh，forgracioussake！'criedmisspross，stillwildlycrying，'recordthematonce，andgetthemoutoftheway，likeanexcellentman.'

'first，'saidmr.cruncher，whowasallinatremble，andwhospokewithanashyandsolemnvisage，'thempoorthingswellouto'this，nevernomorewillidoit，nevernomore！'

'iamquitesure，mr.cruncher，'returnedmisspross，'thatyouneverwilldoitagain，whateveritis，andibegyounottothinkitnecessarytomentionmoreparticularlywhatitis.'

'no，miss，'returnedjerry，'itshallnotbenamedtoyou.second：thempoorthingswellouto'this，andnevernomorewilliinterferewithmrs.cruncher'sfloppin'，nevernomore！'

'whateverhousekeepingarrangementthatmaybe，'saidmisspross，strivingtodryhereyesandcomposeherself，'ihavenodoubtitisbestthatmrs.crunchershouldhaveitentirelyunderherownsuperintendence.omypoordarlings！'

'igosofarastosay，miss，moreover，'proceededmr.cruncher，withamostalarmingtendencytoholdforthasfromapulpit—'andletmywordsbetookdownandtooktomrs.cruncherthroughyourself—thatwotmyopinionsrespectin'floppin'hasundergoneachange，andthatwotionlyhopewithallmyheartasmrs.crunchermaybea-floppin'atthepresenttime.'

'there，there，there！ihopesheis，mydearman，'criedthedistractedmisspross，'andihopeshefindsitansweringherexpectations.'