第128章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(43)

第128章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(43)

'womanimbecileandpig-like！'saidmadamedefarge，frowning.'itakenoanswerfromyou.idemandtoseeher.eithertellherthatidemandtoseeher，orstandoutofthewayofthedoorandletmegotoher！'this，withanangryexplanatorywaveofherrightarm.

'ilittlethought，'saidmisspross，'thatishouldeverwanttounderstandyournonsensicallanguage；butiwouldgiveallihave，excepttheclothesiwear，toknowwhetheryoususpectthetruth，oranypartofit.'

neitherofthemforasinglemomentreleasedtheother'seyes.madamedefargehadnotmovedfromthespotwhereshestoodwhenmissprossfirstbecameawareofher；but，shenowadvancedonestep.

'iamabriton，'saidmisspross.'iamdesperate.idon'tcareanenglishtwopenceformyself.iknowthatthelongerikeepyouhere，thegreaterhopethereisformyladybird.i'llnotleaveahandfulofthatdarkhairuponyourhead，ifyoulayafingeronme！'

thusmisspross，withashakeofherheadandaflashofhereyesbetweeneveryrapidsentence，andeveryrapidsentenceawholebreath.thusmisspross，whohadneverstruckablowinherlife.

but，hercouragewasofthatemotionalnaturethatitbroughttheirrepressibletearsintohereyes.thiswasacouragethatmadamedefargesolittlecomprehendedastomistakeforweakness.'ha，ha！'shelaughed，'youpoorwretch！whatareyouworth！iaddressmyselftothatdoctor.'thensheraisedhervoiceandcalledout，'citizendoctor！wifeofevremonde！childofevremonde！anypersonbutthismiserablefool，answerthecitizenessdefarge？'

perhapsthefollowingsilence，perhapssomelatentdisclosureintheexpressiononmisspross'sface，perhapsasuddenmisgivingapartfromeitherestion，whisperedtomadamedefargethattheyweregone.threeofthedoorssheopenedswiftly，andlookedin.

'thoseroomsareallindisorder，therehasbeenhurriedpacking，thereareoddsandendsupontheground.thereisnooneinthatroombehindyou！letmelook.'

'never！'saidmisspross，whounderstoodtherequestasperfectlyasmadamedefargeunderstoodtheanswer.

'iftheyarenotinthatroom，theyaregone，andcanbepursuedandbroughtback，'saidmadamedefargetoherself.

'aslongasyoudon'tknowwhethertheyareinthatroomornot，youareuncertainwhattodo，'saidmissprosstoherself；'andyoushallnotknowthat，ificanpreventyourknowingit；andknowthat，ornotknowthat，youshallnotleaveherewhileicanholdyou.'

'ihavebeeninthestreetsfromthefirst，nothinghasstoppedme，iwilltearyoutopieces，butiwillhaveyoufromthatdoor，'saidmadamedefarge.

'wearealoneatthetopofahighhouseinasolitarycourt-yard，wearenotlikelytobeheard，andiprayforbodilystrengthtokeepyouhere，whileeveryminuteyouarehereisworthahundredthousandguineastomydarling，'saidmisspross.

madamedefargemadeatthedoor.misspross，ontheinstinctofthemoment，seizedherroundthewaistinbothherarms，andheldhertight.itwasinvainformadamedefargetoleandtostrike；misspross，withthevigoroustenacityoflove，alwayssomuchstrongerthanhate，claspedhertight，andevenliftedherfromthefloorinthelethattheyhad.thetwohandsofmadamedefargebuffetedandtoreherface；but，misspross，withherheaddown，heldherroundthewaist，andclungtoherwithmorethantheholdofadrowningwoman.

soon，madamedefarge'shandsceasedtostrike，andfeltatherencircledwaist.'itisundermyarm，'saidmisspross，insmotheredtones，'youshallnotdrawit.iamstrongerthanyou，iblessheavenforit.i'llholdyoutilloneorotherofusfaintsordies！'

madamedefarge'shandswereatherbosom.missprosslookedup，sawwhatitwas，struckatit，struckoutaflashandacrash，andstoodalone—blindedwithsmoke.

allthiswasinasecond.asthesmokecleared.leavinganawfulstillness，itpassedoutontheair，likethesoulofthefuriouswomanwhosebodylaylifelessontheground.inthefirstfrightandhorrorofhersituation，missprosspassedthebodyasfarfromitasshecould，andrandownthestairstocallforfruitlesshelp.happily，shebethoughtherselfoftheconsequencesofwhatshedid，intimetocheckherselfandgoback.itwasdreadfultogoinatthedooragain；butshedidgoin，andevenwentnearit，togetthebonnetandotherthingsthatshemustwear.thesesheputon，outonthestaircase，firstshuttingandlockingthedoorandtakingawaythekey.shethensatdownonthestairsafewmomentstobreatheandtocry，andthengotupandhurriedaway.

bygoodfortuneshehadaveilonherbonnet，orshecouldhardlyhavegonealongthestreetswithoutbeingstopped.bygoodfortune，too，shewasnaturallysopeculiarinappearanceasnottoshowdisfigurementlikeanyotherwoman.sheneededbothadvantages，forthemarksofgrippingfingersweredeepinherface，andherhairwastorn，andherdress（hastilycomposedwithunsteadyhands）wasclutchedandedahundredways.

incrossingthebridge，shedroppedthedoorkeyintheriver.arrivingatthecathedralsomefewminutesbeforeherescort，andwaitingthere，shethought，whatifthekeywerealreadytakeninanet，andifitwereidentified，whatifthedoorwereopenedandtheremainsdiscovered，whatifshewerestoppedatthegate，senttoprison，andchargedwithmurder！inthemidstoftheseflutteringthoughts，theescortappeared，tookherin，andtookheraway.

'isthereanynoiseinthestreets？'sheaskedhim.

'theusualnoises，'mr.cruncherreplied；andlookedsurprisedbythequestionandbyheraspect.

'idon'thearyou，'saidmisspross.'whatdoyousay？'

itwasinvainformr.crunchertorepeatwhathesaid；missprosscouldnothearhim.'soi'llnodmyhead，'thoughtmr.cruncher，amazed，'atalleventsshe'llseethat.'andshedid.

'isthereanynoiseinthestreetsnow？'askedmissprossagain，presently.

againmr.crunchernoddedhishead.

'idon'thearit.'