第1章BOOKTHEFIRST：RECALLEDTOLIFE(1)

第1章bookthefirst：recalledtolife(1)

i.theperiod

itwasthebestoftimes，itwastheworstoftimes，itwastheageofwisdom，itwastheageoffoolishness，itwastheepochofbelief，itwastheepochofincredulity，itwastheseasonoflight，itwastheseasonofdarkness，itwasthespringofhope，itwasthewinterofdespair，wehadeverythingbeforeus，wehadnothingbeforeus，wewereallgoingdirecttoheaven，wewereallgoingdirecttheotherway—inshort，theperiodwassofarlikethepresentperiod，thatsomeofitsnoisiestauthoritiesinsistedonitsbeingreceived，forgoodorforevil，inthesuperlativedegreeofcomparisononly.

therewereakingwithalargejawandaqueenwithaplainface，onthethroneofengland；therewereakingwithalargejawandaqueenwithafairface，onthethroneoffrance.inbothcountriesitwasclearerthancrystaltothelordsofthestatepreservesofloavesandfishes，thatthingsingeneralweresettledforever.

itwastheyearofourlordonethousandsevenhundredandseventy-five.spiritualrevelationswereconcededtoenglandatthatfavouredperiod，asatthis.mrs.southcotthadrecentlyattainedherfive-and-twentiethblessedbirthday，ofwhomapropheticprivateinthelifeguardshadheraldedthesublimeappearancebyannouncingthatarrangementsweremadefortheswallowingupoflondonandwestminster.eventhecock-laneghosthadbeenlaidonlyarounddozenofyears，afterrappingoutitsmessages，asthespiritsofthisveryyearlastpast（supernaturallydeficientinoriginality）rappedouttheirs.meremessagesintheearthlyorderofeventshadlatelycometotheenglishcrownandpeople，fromacongressofbritishsubjectsinamerica：which，strangetorelate，haveprovedmoreimportanttothehumanracethananycommunicationsyetreceivedthroughanyofthechickensofthecock-lanebrood.

france，lessfavouredonthewholeastomattersspiritualthanhersisteroftheshieldandtrident，rolledwithexceedingsmoothnessdownhill，makingpapermoneyandspendingit.undertheguidanceofherchristianpastors，sheentertainedherself，besides，withsuchhumaneachievementsassentencingayouthtohavehishandscutoff，histonguetornoutwithpincers，andhisbodyburnedalive，becausehehadnotkneeleddownintheraintodohonourtoadirtyprocessionofmonkswhichpassedwithinhisview，atadistanceofsomefiftyorsixtyyards.itislikelyenoughthat，rootedinthewoodsoffranceandnorway，thereweregrowingtrees，whenthatsuffererwasputtodeath，alreadymarkedbythewoodman，fate，tocomedownandbesawnintoboards，tomakeacertainmovableframeworkwithasackandaknifeinit，terribleinhistory.itislikelyenoughthatintheroughouthousesofsometillersoftheheavylandsadjacenttoparis，therewereshelteredfromtheweatherthatveryday，rudecarts，bespatteredwithrusticmire，snuffedaboutbypigs，androostedinbypoultry，whichthefarmer，death，hadalreadysetaparttobehistumbrilsoftherevolution.butthatwoodmanandthatfarmer，thoughtheyworkunceasingly，worksilently，andnooneheardthemastheywentaboutwithmuffledtread：therather，forasmuchastoentertainanysuspicionthattheywereawake，wastobeatheisticalandtraitorous.

inengland，therewasscarcelyanamountoforderandprotectiontojustifymuchnationalboasting.daringburglariesbyarmedmen，andhighwayrobberies，tookplaceinthecapitalitselfeverynight；familieswerepubliclycautionednottogooutoftownwithoutremovingtheirfurnituretoupholsterers'warehousesforsecurity；thehighwaymaninthedarkwasacitytradesmaninthelight，and，beingrecognisedandchallengedbyhisfellow-tradesmanwhomhestoppedinhischaracterof'thecaptain，'gallantlyshothimthroughtheheadandrodeaway；themailwaswaylaidbysevenrobbers，andtheguardshotthreedead，andthengotshotdeadhimselfbytheotherfour，'inconsequenceofthefailureofhisammunition'：afterwhichthemailwasrobbedinpeace；thatmagnificentpotentate，thelordmayoroflondon，wasmadetostandanddeliveronturnhamgreen，byonehighwayman，whodespoiledtheillustriouscreatureinsightofallhisretinue；prisonersinlondongaolsfoughtbattleswiththeirturnkeys，andthemajestyofthelawfiredblunderbussesinamongthem，loadedwithroundsofshotandball；thievessnippedoffdiamondcrossesfromthenecksofnoblelordsatcourtdrawing-rooms；musketeerswentintost.giles's，tosearchforcontrabandgoods，andthemobfiredonthemusketeers，andthemusketeersfiredonthemob，andnobodythoughtanyoftheseoccurrencesmuchoutofthecommonway.inthemidstofthem，thehangman，everbusyandeverworsethanuseless，wasinconstantrequisition；now，stringinguplongrowsofmiscellaneouscriminals；now，hangingahousebreakeronsaturdaywhohadbeentakenontuesday；now，burningpeopleinthehandatnewgatebythedozen，andnowburningpamphletsatthedoorofwestminsterhall；today，takingthelifeofanatrociousmurderer，andtomorrowofawretchedpilfererwhohadrobbedafarmer'sboyofsixpence.

allthesethings，andathousandlikethem，cametopassinandcloseuponthedearoldyearonethousandsevenhundredandseventy-five.environedbythem，whilethewoodmanandthefarmerworkedunheeded，thosetwoofthelargejaws，andthoseothertwooftheplainandthefairfaces，trodwithstirenough，andcarriedtheirdivinerightswithahighhand.thusdidtheyearonethousandsevenhundredandseventy-fiveconducttheregreatnesses，andmyriadsofsmallcreatures—thecreaturesofthischronicleamongtherest—alongtheroadsthatlaybeforethem.