第89章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(4)

第89章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(4)

theprisonoflaforcewasagloomyprison，darkandfilthy，andwithahorriblesmelloffoulsleepinit.extraordinaryhowsoonthenoisomeflavourofimprisonedsleep，becomesmanifestinallsuchplacesthatareillcaredfor！‘insecret，too，’grumbledthegaoler，lookingatthewrittenpaper.‘asifiwasnotalreadyfulltobursting！’

hestuckthepaperonafile，inanill-humour，andcharlesdarnayawaitedhisfurtherpleasureforhalfanhour：sometimes，pacingtoandfrointhestrongarchedroom：sometimes，restingonastoneseat：ineithercasedetainedtobeimprintedonthememoryofthechiefandhissubordinates.

‘come！’saidthechief，atlengthtakinguphiskeys，‘comewithme，emigrant.’

throughthedismalprisontwilight，hisnewchargeaccompaniedhimbycorridorandstaircase，manydoorsclangingandlockingbehindthem，untiltheycameintoalarge，low，vaultedchamber，crowdedwithprisonersofbothsexes.thewomenwereseatedatalongtable，readingandwriting，knitting，sewing，andembroidering；themenwereforthemostpartstandingbehindtheirchairs，orlingeringupanddowntheroom.

intheinstinctiveassociationofprisonerswithshamefulcrimeanddisgrace，thenewcomerrecoiledfromthiscompany.butthecrowningunrealityofhislongunrealride，was，theirallatoncerisingtoreceivehim，witheveryrefinementofmannerknowntothetime，andwithalltheengaginggracesandcourtesiesoflife.

sostrangelycloudedweretheserefinementsbytheprisonmannersandgloom，sospectraldidtheybecomeintheinappropriatesqualorandmiserythroughwhichtheywereseen，thatcharlesdarnayseemedtostandincompanyofthedead.ghostsall！theghostofbeauty，theghostofstateliness，theghostofelegance，theghostofpride，theghostoffrivolity，theghostofwit，theghostofyouth，theghostofage，allwaitingtheirdismissalfromthedesolateshore，allturningonhimeyesthatwerechangedbythedeaththeyhaddiedincomingthere.

itstruckhimmotionless.thegaolerstandingathisside，andtheothergaolersmovingabout，whowouldhavebeenwellenoughastoappearanceintheordinaryexerciseoftheirfunctions，lookedsoextravagantlycoarsecontrastedwithsorrowingmothersandbloomingdaughterswhowerethere—withtheapparitionsofthecoquette，theyoungbeauty，andthematurewomandelicatelybred—thattheinversionofallexperienceandlikelihoodwhichthesceneofshadowspresented，washeightenedtoitsutmost.surely，ghostsall.surely，thelongunrealridesomeprogressofdiseasethathadbroughthimtothesegloomyshades！

‘inthenameoftheassembledcompanionsinmisfortune，’saidagentlemanofcourtlyappearanceandaddress，comingforward，‘ihavethehonourofgivingyouwelcometolaforce，andofcondolingwithyouonthecalamitythathasbroughtyouamongus.mayitsoonterminatehappily！itwouldbeanimpertinenceelsewhere，butitisnotsohere，toaskyournameandcondition？’

charlesdarnayrousedhimself，andgavetherequiredinformation，inwordsassuitableashecouldfind.

‘butihope，’saidthegentleman，followingthechiefgaolerwithhiseyes，whomovedacrosstheroom，‘thatyouarenotinsecret？’

‘idonotunderstandthemeaningoftheterm，butihaveheardthemsayso.’

‘ah，whatapity！wesomuchregretit！buttakecourage；severalmembersofoursocietyhavebeeninsecret，atfirst，andithaslastedbutashorttime.’thenheadded，raisinghisvoice，‘igrievetoinformthesociety—insecret.’

therewasamurmurofcommiserationascharlesdarnaycrossedtheroomtoagrateddoorwherethegaolerawaitedhim，andmanyvoices—amongwhich，thesoftandcompassionatevoicesofwomenwereconspicuous—gavehimgoodwishesandencouragement.heturnedatthegrateddoor，torenderthethanksofhisheart；itclosedunderthegaoler'shand；andtheapparitionsvanishedfromhissightforever.

thewicketopenedonastonestaircase，leadingupward.whentheyhadascendedfortysteps（theprisonerofhalfanhouralreadycountedthem），thegaoleropenedalowblackdoor，andtheypassedintoasolitarycell.itstruckcoldanddamp，butwasnotdark.

‘yours，’saidthegaoler.

‘whyamiconfinedalone？’

‘howdoiknow！’

‘icanbuypen，ink，andpaper？’

‘sucharenotmyorders.youwillbevisited，andcanaskthen.atpresent，youmaybuyyourfood，andnothingmore.’

therewereinthecell，achair，atable，andastrawmattress.asthegaolermadeageneralinspectionoftheseobjects，andofthefourwalls，beforegoingout，awanderingfancywanderedthroughthemindoftheprisonerleaningagainstthewalloppositetohim，thatthisgaolerwassounwholesomelybloated，bothinfaceandperson，astolooklikeamanwhohadbeendrownedandfilledwithwater.whenthegaolerwasgone，hethoughtinthesamewanderingway，‘nowamileft，asifiweredead.’stoppingthen，tolookdownatthemattress，heturnedfromitwithasickfeeling，andthought，‘andhereinthesecrawlingcreaturesisthefirstconditionofthebodyafterdeath.’