第39章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(22)

第39章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(22)

'whydoeshemakethatabominablenoise？isithischild？'

'excuseme，monsieurthemarquis—itisapity—yes.'

thefountainwasalittleremoved；forthestreetopened，whereitwas，intoaspacesometenortwelveyardssquare.asthetallmansuddenlygotupfromtheground，andcamerunningatthecarriage，monsieurthemarquisclappedhishandforaninstantonhissword-hilt.

'killed！'shriekedtheman，inwilddesperation，extendingbotharmsattheirlengthabovehishead，andstaringathim.'dead！'

thepeopleclosedround，andlookedatmonsieurthemarquis.therewasnothingrevealedbythemanyeyesthatlookedathimbutwatchfulnessandeagerness；therewasnovisiblemenacingoranger.neitherdidthepeoplesayanything；afterthefirstcry，theyhadbeensilent，andtheyremainedso.thevoiceofthesubmissivemanwhohadspoken，wasflatandtameinitsextremesubmission.monsieurthemarquisranhiseyesoverthemall，asiftheyhadbeenmereratscomeoutoftheirholes.

hetookouthispurse.

'itisextraordinarytome，'saidhe，'thatyoupeoplecannottakecareofyourselvesandyourchildren.oneortheotherofyouisforeverintheway.howdoiknowwhatinjuryyouhavedonemyhorses？see！givehimthat.'

hethrewoutagoldcoinforthevalettopickup，andalltheheadscranedforwardthatalltheeyesmightlookdownasitfell.thetallmancalledoutagainwithamostunearthlycry，'dead！'

hewasarrestedbythequickarrivalofanotherman，forwhomtherestmadeway.onseeinghim，themiserablecreaturefelluponhisshoulder，sobbingandcrying，andpointingtothefountain，wheresomewomenwerestoopingoverthemotionlessbundle，andmovinggentlyaboutit.theywereassilent，however，asthemen.

'iknowall，iknowall，'saidthelastcomer.'beabraveman，mygaspard！itisbetterforthepoorlittleplaythingtodieso，thantolive.ithasdiedinamomentwithoutpain.couldithavelivedanhourashappily？'

'youareaphilosopher，youthere，'saidthemarquis，smiling.'howdotheycallyou？'

'theycallmedefarge.'

'ofwhattrade？'

'monsieurthemarquis，vendorofwine.'

'pickupthat，philosopherandvendorofwine，'saidthemarquis，throwinghimanothergoldcoin，'andspenditasyouwill.thehorsesthere；aretheyright？'

withoutdeigningtolookattheassemblageasecondtime，monsieurthemarquisleanedbackinhisseat，andwasjustbeingdrivenawaywiththeairofagentlemanwhohadaccidentallybrokensomecommonthing，andhadpaidforit，andcouldaffordtopayforit；whenhiseasewassuddenlydisturbedbyacoinflyingintohiscarriage，andringingonitsfloor.

'hold！'saidmonsieurthemarquis.'holdthehorses！whothrewthat？'

helookedtothespotwheredefargethevendorofwinehadstood，amomentbefore；butthewretchedfatherwasgrovellingonhisfaceonthepavementinthatspot，andthefigurethatstoodbesidehimwasthefigureofadarkstoutwoman，knitting.

'youdogs，'saidthemarquis，butsmoothly，andwithanunchangedfront，exceptastothespotsonhisnose：'iwouldrideoveranyofyouverywillingly，andexterminateyoufromtheearth.ifiknewwhichrascalthrewatthecarriage，andifthatbrigandweresufficientlynearit，heshouldbecrushedunderthewheels.'

socowedwastheircondition，andsolongandhardtheirexperienceofwhatsuchamancoulddotothem，withinthelawandbeyondit，thatnotavoice，orahand，orevenaneyewasraised.amongthemen，notone.butthewomanwhostoodknittinglookedupsteadily，andlookedthemarquisintheface.itwasnotforhisdignitytonoticeit；hiscontemptuouseyespassedoverher，andoveralltheotherrats；andheleanedbackinhisseatagain，andgavetheword，'goon！'

hewasdrivenon，andothercarriagescamewhirlingbyinquickession；theminister，thestate-projector，thefarmer-general，thedoctor，thelawyer，theecclesiastic，thegrandopera，thecomedy，thewholefancyballinabrightcontinuousflow，camewhirlingby.theratshadcreptoutoftheirholestolookon，andtheyremainedlookingonforhours；soldiersandpoliceoftenpassingbetweenthemandthespectacle，andmakingabarrierbehindwhichtheyslunk，andthroughwhichtheypeeped.thefatherhadlongagotakenuphisbundleandhiddenhimselfawaywithit，whenthewomenwhohadtendedthebundlewhileitlayonthebaseofthefountain，sattherewatchingtherunningofthewaterandtherollingofthefancyball—whentheonewomanwhohadstoodconspicuous，knitting，stillknittedonwiththesteadinessoffate.thewaterofthefountainran，theswiftriverran，thedayranintoevening，somuchlifeinthecityranintodeathaccordingtorule，timeandtidewaitedfornoman，theratsweresleepingclosetogetherintheirdarkholesagain，thefancyballwaslightedupatsupper，allthingsrantheircourses.

xiv.monseigneurinthecountry

abeautifullandscape，withthecornbrightinit，butnotabundant.patchesofpoorryewherecornshouldhavebeen，patchesofpoorpeasandbeans，patchesofmostcoarsevegetablesubstitutesforwheat.oninanimatenature，asonthemenandwomenwhocultivatedit，aprevalenttendencytowardsanappearanceofvegetatingunwillingly—adejecteddispositiontogiveup，andwitheraway.

monsieurthemarquisinhistravellingcarriage（whichmighthavebeenlighter），conductedbyfourpost-horsesandtwopostilions，edupasteephill.ablushonthecountenanceofmonsieurthemarquiswasnoimpeachmentofhishighbreeding；itwasnotfromwithin；itwasoccasionedbyanexternalcircumstancebeyondhiscontrol—thesettingsun.

thesunsetstrucksobrilliantlyintothetravellingcarriagewhenitgainedthehill-top，thatitsoccupantwassteepedincrimson.'itwilldieout，'saidmonsieurthemarquis，glancingathishands，'directly.'