第58章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(41)

第58章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(41)

'yes，thankyou.'

'come，then！youshallseetheapartmentthatitoldyouyoucouldoccupy.itwillsuityoutoamarvel.'

outofthewine-shopintothestreet，outofthestreetintoacourtyard，outofthecourtyardupasteepstaircase，outofthestaircaseintoagarret—formerlythegarretwhereawhite-hairedmansatonalowbench，stoopingforwardandverybusy，makingshoes.

nowhite-hairedmanwastherenow；but，thethreemenweretherewhohadgoneoutofthewine-shopsingly.andbetweenthemandthewhite-hairedmanafaroff，wastheonesmalllink，thattheyhadoncelookedinathimthroughthechinksinthewall.

defargeclosedthedoorcarefully，andspokeinasubduedvoice：'jacquesone，jacquestwo，jacquesthree！thisisthewitnessencounteredbyappointment，byme，jacquesfour.hewilltellyouall.speak，jacquesfive！'

themenderofroads，bluecapinhand，wipedhisswarthyforeheadwithit，andsaid，'whereshallicommence，monsieur？'

'commence，'wasmonsieurdefarge'snotunreasonablereply，'atthecommencement.'

'isawhimthen，messieurs，'beganthemenderofroads，'ayearagothisrunningsummer，underneaththecarriageofthemarquis，hangingbythechain.beholdthemannerofit.ileavingmyworkontheroad，thesungoingtobed，thecarriageofthemarquisslowlyascendingthehill，hehangedbythechain—likethis.'

againthemenderofroadswentthroughthewholeperformance；inwhichheoughttohavebeenperfectbythattime，seeingthatithadbeentheinfallibleresourceandindispensableentertainmentofhisvillageduringawholeyear.

jacquesonestruckin，andaskedifhehadeverseenthemanbefore？

'never，'answeredthemenderofroads，recoveringhisperpendicular.

jacquesthreedemandedhowheafterwardsrecognisedhimthen？

'byhistallfigure，'saidthemenderofroads，softly，andwithhisfingerathisnose.'whenmonsieurthemarquisdemandsthatevening，'say，whatishelike？'imakeresponse，'tallasaspectre.''

'youshouldhavesaid，shortasadwarf，'returnedjacquestwo.

'butwhatdidiknow？thedeedwasnotthenaccomplished，neitherdidheconfideinme.observe！underthosecircumstanceseven，idonotoffermytestimony.monsieurthemarquisindicatesmewithhisfinger，standingnearourlittlefountain，andsays，'tome！bringthatrascal！'myfaith，messieurs，ioffernothing.'

'heisrightthere，jacques，'murmureddefarge，tohimwhohadinterrupted.'goon！'

'good！'saidthemenderofroadswithanairofmystery.'thetallmanislost，andheissought—howmanymonths？nine，ten，eleven？'

'nomatter，thenumber，'saiddefarge.'heiswellhidden，butatlastheisunluckilyfound.goon！'

'iamagainatworkuponthehillside，andthesunisagainabouttogotobed.iamcollectingmytoolstodescendtomycottagedowninthevillagebelow，whereitisalreadydark，wheniraisemyeyes，andseecomingoverthehillsixsoldiers.inthemidstofthemisatallmanwithhisarmsbound—tiedtohissides—likethis！'

withtheaidofhisindispensablecap，herepresentedamanwithhiselbowsboundfastathiships，withcordsthatwereknottedbehindhim.

'istandaside，messieurs，bymyheapofstones，toseethesoldiersandtheirprisonerpass（foritisasolitaryroad，that，whereanyspectacleiswellworthlookingat），andatfirst，astheyapproach，iseenomorethanthattheyaresixsoldierswithatallmanbound，andthattheyarealmostblacktomysight—exceptonthesideofthesungoingtobed，wheretheyhavearededge，messieurs.also，iseethattheirlongshadowsareonthehollowridgeontheoppositesideoftheroad，andareonthehillaboveit，andareliketheshadowsofgiants.also，iseethattheyarecoveredwithdust，andthatthedustmoveswiththemastheycome，tramp，tramp！butwhentheyadvancequiteneartome，irecognisethetallman，andherecognisesme.ah，buthewouldbewellcontenttoprecipitatehimselfoverthehillsideonceagain，asontheeveningwhenheandifirstencountered，closetothesamespot！'

hedescribeditasifhewerethere，anditwasevidentthathesawitvividly；perhapshehadnotseenmuchinhislife.

'idonotshowthesoldiersthatirecognisethetallman；hedoesnotshowthesoldiersthatherecognisesme；wedoit，andweknowit，withoureyes.'comeon！'saysthechiefofthatcompany，pointingtothevillage，'bringhimfasttohistomb！'andtheybringhimfaster.ifollow.hisarmsareswelledbecauseofbeingboundsotight，hiswoodenshoesarelargeandclumsy，andheislame.becauseheislame，andconsequentlyslow，theydrivehimwiththeirguns—likethis！'

heimitatedtheactionofaman'sbeingimpelledforwardbythebutt-endsofmuskets.

'astheydescendthehilllikemadmenrunningarace，hefalls.theylaughandpickhimupagain.hisfaceisbleedingandcoveredwithdust，buthecannottouchit；thereupontheylaughagain.theybringhimintothevillage；allthevillagerunstolook；theytakehimpastthemill，anduptotheprison；allthevillageseestheprisongateopeninthedarknessofthenight—andswallowhim—likethis！'

heopenedhismouthwideashecould，andshutitwithasoundingsnapofhisteeth.observantofhisunwillingnesstomartheeffectbyopeningitagain.defargesaid，'goon，jacques.'

'allthevillage，'pursuedthemenderofroads，ontiptoeandinalowvoice，'withdraws；allthevillagewhispersbythefountain；allthevillagesleeps；allthevillagedreamsofthatunhappyone，withinthelocksandbarsoftheprisononthecrag，andnevertocomeoutofit，excepttoperish.inthemorning，withmytoolsuponmyshoulder，eatingmymorselofblackbreadasigo，imakeacircuitbytheprison，onmywaytomywork.thereiseehim，highup，behindthebarsofaloftyironcage，bloodyanddustyaslastnight，lookingthrough.hehasnohandfree，towavetome；idarenotcalltohim；heregardsmelikeadeadman.'