第60章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(43)

第60章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(43)

'verywillingly，'saidthemenderofroads，whomdefargeescortedtothetopofthestairs，and，leavingseatedthere，returned.

thethreehadrisen，andtheirheadsweretogetherwhenhecamebacktothegarret.

'howsayyou，jacques？'demandednumberone.'toberegistered？'

'toberegistered，asdoomedtodestruction，'returneddefarge.

'magnificent！'croakedthemanwithcraving，'thechateau，andalltherace？'inquiredthefirst.

'thechateauandalltherace，'returneddefarge.'extermination.'

thehungrymanrepeated，inarapturouscroak，'magnificent！'andbegangnawinganotherfinger.

'areyousure，'askedjacquestwo，ofdefarge，'thatnoembarrassmentcanrisefromourmannerofkeepingtheregister？withoutdoubtitissafe，fornoonebeyondourselvescandecipherit；butshallwealwaysbeabletodecipherit—or，ioughttosay，willshe？'

'jacques，'returneddefarge，drawinghimselfup，'ifmadamemywifeundertooktokeeptheregisterinhermemoryalone，shewouldnotloseawordofit—notasyllableofit.knitted，inherownstitchesandherownsymbols，itwillalwaysbeasplaintoherasthesun.confideinmadamedefarge.itwouldbeeasierfortheweakestpoltroonthatlives，toerasehimselffromexistence，thantoeraseoneletterofhisnameorcrimesfromtheknittedregisterofmadamedefarge.'

therewasamurmurofconfidenceandapproval，andthenthemanwhohungered，asked：'isthisrustictobesentbacksoon？ihopeso.heisverysimple；ishenotalittledangerous？'

'heknowsnothing，'saiddefarge；'atleastnothingmorethanwouldeasilyelevatehimselftoagallowsofthesameheight.ichargemyselfwithhim；lethimremainwithme；iwilltakecareofhim，andsethimonhisroad.hewishestoseethefineworld—theking，thequeen，andcourt；lethimseethemonsunday.'

'what？'exclaimedthehungryman，staring.'isitagoodsign，thathewishestoseeroyaltyandnobility？'

'jacques，'saiddefarge；'judiciouslyshowacatmilk，ifyouwishhertothirstforit.judiciouslyshowadoghisnaturalprey，ifyouwishhimtobringitdownoneday.'

nothingmorewassaid，andthemenderofroads，beingfoundalreadydozingonthetopmoststair，wasadvisedtolayhimselfdownonthepallet-bedandtakesomerest.heneedednopersuasion，andwassoonasleep.

worsequartersthandefarge'swine-shop，couldeasilyhavebeenfoundinparisforaprovincialslaveofthatdegree.savingforamysteriousdreadofmadamebywhichhewasconstantlyhaunted，hislifewasverynewandagreeable.but，madamesatalldayathercounter，soexpresslyunconsciousofhim，andsoparticularlydeterminednottoperceivethathisbeingtherehadanyconnexionwithanythingbelowthesurface，thatheshookinhiswoodenshoeswheneverhiseyelightedonher.for，hecontendedwithhimselfthatitwasimpossibletoforeseewhatthatladymightpretendnext；andhefeltassuredthatifsheshouldtakeintoherbrightlyornamentedheadtopretendthatshehadseenhimdoamurderandafterwardsflaythevictim，shewouldinfalliblygothroughwithituntiltheplaywasplayedout.

therefore，whensundaycame，themenderofroadswasnotenchanted（thoughhesaidhewas）tofindthatmadamewastoaccompanymonsieurandhimselftoversailles.itwasadditionallydisconcertingtohavemadameknittingallthewaythere，inapublicconveyance；itwasadditionallydisconcertingyet，tohavemadameinthecrowdintheafternoon，stillwithherknittinginherhandsasthecrowdwaitedtoseethecarriageofthekingandqueen.

'youworkhard，madame，'saidamannearher.

'yes，'answeredmadamedefarge；'ihaveagooddealtodo.'

'whatdoyoumake，madame？'

'manythings.'

'forinstance—'

'forinstance，'returnedmadamedefarge，composedly，'shrouds.'

themanmovedalittlefurtheraway，assoonashecould，andthemenderofroadsfannedhimselfwithhisbluecap：feelingitmightilycloseandoppressive.ifheneededakingandqueentorestorehim，hewasfortunateinhavinghisremedyathand；for，soonthelarge-facedkingandthefair-facedqueencameintheirgoldencoach，attendedbytheshiningbull'seyeoftheircourt，aglitteringmultitudeoflaughingladiesandfinelords；andinjewelsandsilksandpowderandsplendourandelegantlyspurningfiguresandhandsomelydisdainfulfacesofbothsexes，themenderofroadsbathedhimself，somuchtohistemporaryintoxicating，thathecriedlonglivetheking，longlivethequeen，longliveeverybodyandeverything！asifhehadneverheardofubiquitousjacquesinhistime.then，thereweregardens，courtyards，terraces，fountains，greenbanks，morekingandqueen，morebull'seye，morelordsandladies，morelonglivetheyall！untilheabsolutelyweptwithsentiment.duringthewholeofthisscene，whichlastedsomethreehours，hehadplentyofshoutingandweepingandsentimentalcompany，andthroughoutdefargeheldhimbythecollar，asiftorestrainhimfromflyingattheobjectsofhisbriefdevotionandtearingthemtopieces.

'bravo！'saiddefarge，clappinghimonthebackwhenitwasover，likeapatron；'youareagoodboy！'

themenderofroadswasnowcomingtohimself，andwasmistrustfulofhavingmadeamistakeinhislatedemonstrations；butno.

'youarethefellowwewant，'saiddefarge，inhisear；'youmakethesefoolsbelievethatitwilllastforever.then，theyarethemoreinsolent，anditisthenearerended.'

'hey！'criedthemenderofroads，reflectively；'that'strue.'

'thesefoolsknownothing.whiletheydespiseyourbreath，andwouldstopitforeverandever，inyouorinahundredlikeyouratherthaninoneoftheirownhorsesordogs，theyonlyknowwhatyourbreathtellsthem.letitdeceivethemthen，alittlelonger；itcannotdeceivethemtoomuch.'

madamedefargelookedsuperciliouslyattheclient，andnoddedinconfirmation.