第81章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(64)

第81章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(64)

manyanightandmanyadayhaditsinmateslistenedtotheechoesinthecorner，withheartsthatfailedthemwhentheyheardthethrongingfeet.for，thefootstepshadbecometotheirmindsasthefootstepsofapeople，tumultuousunderaredflagandwiththeircountrydeclaredindanger，changedintowildbeasts，byterribleenchantmentlongpersistedin.

monseigneur，asaclass，haddissociatedhimselffromthephenomenonofhisnotbeingappreciated：ofhisbeingsolittlewantedinfrance，astoincurconsiderabledangerofreceivinghisdismissalfromit，andthislifetogether.likethefabledrusticwhoraisedthedevilwithinfinitepains，andwassoterrifiedatthesightofhimthathecouldasktheenemynoquestion，butimmediatelyfled；so，monseigneur，afterboldlyreadingthelord'sprayerbackwardsforagreatnumberofyears，andperformingmanyotherpotentspellsforcompellingtheevilone，nosoonerbeheldhiminhisterrorsthanhetooktohisnobleheels.

theshiningbull'seyeofthecourtwasgone，oritwouldhavebeenthemarkforahurricaneofnationalbullets.ithadneverbeenagoodeyetoseewith—hadlonghadthemoteinitoflucifer'spride，sardanapalus'sluxury，andamole'sblindness—butithaddroppedoutandwasgone.thecourt，fromthatexclusiveinnercircletoitsoutermostrottenringofintrigue，corruption，anddissimulation，wasallgonetogether.royaltywasgone；hadbeenbesiegedinitspalaceand'suspended，'whenthelasttidingscameover.

theaugustoftheyearonethousandsevenhundredandninety-twowascome，andmonseigneurwasbythistimescatteredfarandwide.

aswasnatural，theheadquartersandgreatgathering-placeofmonseigneur，inlondon，wastellson'sbank.spiritsaresupposedtohaunttheplaceswheretheirbodiesmostresorted，andmonseigneurwithoutaguineahauntedthespotwherehisguineasusedtobe.moreover，itwasthespottowhichsuchfrenchintelligenceaswasmosttobereliedupon，camequickest.again：tellson'swasamunificenthouse，andextendedgreatliberalitytooldcustomerswhohadfallenfromtheirhighestate.again：thosenobleswhohadseenthecomingstormintime，andanticipatingplunderorconfiscation，hadmadeprovidentremittancestotellson's，werealwaystobeheardoftherebytheirneedybrethren.towhichitmustbeaddedthateverynewcomerfromfrancereportedhimselfandhistidingsattellson's，almostasamatterofcourse.forsuchvarietyofreasons，tellson'swasatthattime，astofrenchintelligence，akindofhighexchange；andthiswassowellknowntothepublic，andtheinquiriesmadetherewereinconsequencesonumerous，thattellson'ssometimeswrotethelatestnewsoutinalineorsoandposteditinthebankwindows，forallwhoranthroughtemplebartoread.

onasteamy，mistyafternoon，mr.lorrysatathisdesk，andcharlesdarnaystoodleaningonit，talkingwithhiminalowvoice.thepenitentialdenoncesetapartforinterviewswiththehouse，wasnowthenewsexchange，andwasfilledtooverflowing.itwaswithinhalfanhourorsoofthetimeofclosing.

'but，althoughyouaretheyoungestmanthateverlived，'saidcharlesdarnay，ratherhesitating，'imuststillesttoyou—'

'iunderstand.thatiamtooold？'saidmr.lorry.

'unsettledweather，alongjourney，uncertainmeansoftravelling，adisorganisedcountry，acitythatmaynotbeevensafeforyou.'

'mydearcharles，'saidmr.lorry，withcheerfulconfidence，'youtouchsomeofthereasonsformygoing：notformystayingaway.itissafeenoughforme；nobodywillcaretointerferewithanoldfellowofharduponfourscorewhentherearesomanypeopletheremuchbetterworthinterferingwith.astoitsbeingadisorganisedcity，ifitwerenotadisorganisedcitytherewouldbenooccasiontosendsomebodyfromourhouseheretoourhousethere，whoknowsthecityandthebusiness，ofold，andisintellson'sconfidence.astotheuncertaintravelling，thelongjourney，andthewinterweather，ifiwerenotpreparedtosubmitmyselftoafewinconveniencesforthesakeoftellson's，afteralltheseyears，whooughttobe？'

'iwishiweregoingmyself，'saidcharlesdarnay，somewhatrestlessly，andlikeonethinkingaloud.

'indeed！youareaprettyfellowtoobjectandadvise！'exclaimedmr.lorry.'youwishyouweregoingyourself？andyouafrenchmanborn？youareawisecounsellor.'

'mydearmr.lorry，itisbecauseiamafrenchmanborn，thatthethought（whichididnotmeantoutterhere，however）haspassedthroughmymindoften.onecannothelpthinking，havinghadsomesympathyforthemiserablepeople，andhavingabandonedsomethingtothem，'hespokehereinhisformerthoughtfulmanner，'thatonemightbelistenedto，andmighthavethepowertopersuadetosomerestraint.onlylastnight，afteryouhadleftus，wheniwastalkingtolucie—'

'whenyouweretalkingtolucie，'mr.lorryrepeated.'yes.iwonderyouarenotashamedtomentionthenameoflucie！wishingyouweregoingtofranceatthistimeofday！'

'however，iamnotgoing，'saidcharlesdarnay，withasmile.'itismoretothepurposethatyousayyouare.'