# ■ 13 The last goodbyes

At that same hour in the early afternoon a coach going out of Paris drives up to the gates of the city.

Who goes there? Show us your papers！'The guard looks at the papers. 'Alexandre Manette, Doctor. Which is he? '

This is Dr Manette；this helpless old man, whispering crazily to himself.

The last few days of the Revolution have been too much for him, 'said the guard with a cruel laugh. 'Lucie his daughter. The wife of Evrémonde. Which is she? '

This is she. With her child, little Lucie, beside her.

Hah, your husband has another meeting today. Sydney Carton. Lawyer, English. Which is he? '

He is here, in the corner. He is not well.

And Jarvis Lorry. Banker, English. Which is he? '

I am he, and the last, 'says Jarvis Lorry.

Here are your papers, Jarvis Lorry. You may go. '

There are wildly beating hearts in the coach, and trembling hands；there is the heavy breathing of the unconscious traveller. But onwards the coach goes；the horses are fast, and there are no shouts behind them on the road.

Also that afternoon Madame Defarge was talking with her friends.

My husband is a good citizen, but he is not strong enough. He feels sorry for the Doctor. I say that all the Evrémonde people must go to the Guillotine. The wife and the child must follow the husband. '

They're both fine heads for the Guillotine, 'said Jacques Three. 'Their heads will be a pretty sight when they are shown to the people. Yes, they too, must die. '

But I'm afraid that my husband may warn them and let them escape, 'Madame Defarge went on, 'and I must do something myself. After the death of Evrémonde at three this afternoon we'll go to the Tribunal and accuse them. '

The others agreed willingly. 'No one must escape. More heads must fall. '

Lucie Manette will be at home now, waiting for the moment of her husband's death, 'said Madame Defarge. ' I will go to her. She will say things against the Revolution, and condemn herself. Here, take my knitting and keep my usual seat near the Guillotine. '

Don't be late, 'said her friend.

To see the death of Evrémonde, I shall not be late, 'replid the cruel voice of Madame Defarge.

There were many women in Paris at that time who hated the nobles and wanted to see them die. But of all these women, Madame Defarge was the one most feared. All her life she had been filled with hate. It was nothing to her that an innocent man was going to die because of his father's and his uncle's crimes. She wanted more. Hidden in her clothes were a gun and a sharp knife, and with her usual confident step, she began to walk to Dr Manette's house.

The house was not yet empty. Miss Pross and Jerry Cruncher were there, preparing to follow Mr Lorry's coach. Mr Lorry had decided that two coaches were better than one；with fewer passengers, each coach would travel faster. But Miss Pross was still worried. A second coach leaving from the house might suggest an escape.

Mr Cruncher, 'she said, 'you must go and stop our coach coming here. Drive to the church instead, and I'll meet you there at three o'clock. '

Jerry hurried away. It was twenty past two, and at once Miss Pross began to get herself ready to leave. She was washing her face when she suddenly looked up and saw a figure standing in the room.

Madame Defarge looked at her coldly. 'The wife of Evrémonde；where is she? '

Miss Pross quickly stood in front of the door to Lucie's room. 'You're a cruel, dangerous woman, but you won't frighten me, 'she said, breathing hard.

Each woman spoke in her own language, and neither understood the other's words. But Madame Defarge knew that Miss Pross was a true friend of the Doctor's family, and Miss Pross knew that Madame Defarge was the family's enemy.

I wish to see the wife of Evrémonde. Go and tell her. Do you hear me? 'said Madame Defarge. She stared angrily at Miss Pross, but Miss Pross stared back just as angrily.

I am desperate, 'said Miss Pross. 'I know that the longer I can keep you here, the greater hope there is for my darling girl. If you fight me, I'll fight back！'

Madame Defarge stepped forward and called loudly, 'Citizen Doctor！Wife of Evrémonde！Answer me！'

There was no answer and Madame Defarge quickly opened three of the doors and saw that the rooms were empty. One door was still closed.

If they are not in that room, they are gone. But they can be followed and brought back. 'She went towards the door, but Miss Pross jumped forward and held her round the waist. Madame Defarge was used to the fighting in the streets and was strong, but love is stronger than hate and Miss Pross did not let go. Madame Defarge tried to pull out her knife.

No, 'said Miss Pross, 'it's under my arm. You shall not have it. '

Madame Defarge put her hand to the front of her dress and began to pull out the gun. Miss Pross looked down, saw what it was, and hit out at it wildly. There was a loud bang, and a cloud of smoke, and Miss Pross stood alone, trembling with terror.

All this in a second. As the smoke cleared, Miss Pross saw the lifeless body of Madame Defarge on the ground. In horror, she opened her mouth to call for help, but then she thought of the dangers this would bring for her dear Lucie. With shaking hands, she got her hat and coat, locked the door of the room, and went downstairs. As she crossed the bridge on the way to the church, she dropped the key of the locked room in the river and hurried on to meet Jerry Cruncher.

* * *

As the death－carts carry the condemned prisoners through the streets of Paris, crowds watch to see the faces of those who are to die. In the chairs around the Guillotine, the friends of Madame Defarge are waiting for her. 'Teresa, Teresa Defarge！Who has seen her? She's never missed before！'

But the death－carts have arrived, and the Guillotine has already begun its work. Crash！—A head is held up, and the women who sit knitting count One.

The supposed Evrémode helps the young girl down from the cart. He carefully places her with her back to the Guillotine, and she looks up gratefully into his face.

Because of you, dear stranger, I am calm. I think you were sent to me by God, 'she whispers.

Or perhaps He sent you to me, 'says Sydney Carton. 'Keep your eyes on me, dear child, and do not think of anything else. '

I do not mind while I hold your hand. I shall not mind when I let it go, if they are quick. '

They are quick. Fear not！'

She kisses his lips；he kisses hers. Now the Guillotine is waiting. The young girl goes next, before him. The women count Twenty－Two, and Carton walks forward.

Twenty-Three.

They said of him that it was the most peaceful face ever seen there What passed through Sydney Carton's mind as he walked those last steps to his death? Perhaps he saw into the future…

I see Barsad, Defarge, the judges, all dying under this terrible machine. I see a beautiful city being built in this terrible place. I see that new people will live here, in real freedom. I see the lives for whom I give my life, happy and peaceful in that England which I shall never see again. I see Lucie when she is old, crying for me on this day every year, and I know that she and her husband remember me until their deaths. I see their son, who has my name, now a man. I see him become a famous lawyer and make my name famous by his work. I hear him tell his son my story.

It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done；it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known. '

■ 13 最後的道別

在那天午後不久的同一時刻，一輛出巴黎的馬車正駛向城門。

“誰在那兒? 請出示你們的證件！”衛兵看著證件說：“亞歷山大·馬內特醫生。哪個是他? ”

這是馬內特醫生，這個無助的老人，正發瘋地對自己嘀咕著。

“最近幾天的革命讓他受不了啦。”衛兵殘忍地大笑著說。“路茜是他的女兒，埃弗蒙的妻子。哪個是她? ”

這就是她，還有她的孩子，小路茜在她身邊。

“哈，你丈夫今天可有另外一個聚會喲。西得尼·卡登律師，英國人。哪一位是他? ”

他在這兒，在角落裡。他身體不舒服。

“還有賈維斯·勞裡，銀行家，英國人。是哪一位? ”

“我就是，也是最後一位。”賈維斯·勞裡說。

“這是你們的證件，賈維斯·勞裡，你們可以走了。”

車裡的人的心都狂跳著，手也在發抖，還有那個失去知覺的旅行者發出的沉重的呼吸聲，但馬車在前進，馬匹跑得飛快，在他們身後的路上沒有喊叫聲。

也就在那天下午，得法熱夫人正在和她的朋友談話。

“我的丈夫是個好公民，可他不夠堅定。他可憐醫生。我說要讓埃弗蒙家的所有人都上斷頭臺，妻子和孩子都得跟那個丈夫一起去。”

“她們倆的頭可是斷頭臺上的好貨色，”雅克三說。“把她們的頭展示給人民將會是一個漂亮的景觀。是的，她們也都得死。”

“可我擔心我丈夫會報警給她們讓她們跑掉。”得法熱夫人說，“所以我必須親自做點什麼。在今天下午3點鐘埃弗蒙死後，我要去審判團指控她們。”

其他人都欣然同意。“不許有任何人跑掉；必須有更多的人頭落地。”

“路茜·馬內特現在應該正在家裡等著她丈夫死的那一刻。”得法熱夫人說。“我要去找她，她會說一些反對革命的話，因而招來罪名。好了，拿著我的毛線活兒，把斷頭臺旁邊我一向待的位子留著。”

“別晚了。”她的朋友說。

“去看埃弗蒙的死，我不會晚的。”得法熱夫人用冷酷的聲音回答道。

那時的巴黎有很多婦女痛恨貴族並希望看到他們死。但在所有這些婦女中，得法熱夫人是最可怕的一個。她的生命中充滿了仇恨。一個無辜的男人正要因為他父親或他叔叔的罪孽而死，這對她來說算不了什麼。她所要的比這更多。她在衣服裡藏了一支槍和一把尖刀，便邁著她一貫自信的步伐，開始朝馬內特醫生的住處走去。

房子裡的人尚未走空。普羅斯小姐和傑裡·克拉徹還在裡面，正準備著跟上勞裡先生的馬車。勞裡先生已斷定兩輛馬車比一輛要好。乘客少些馬車可以走得更快些。可普羅斯小姐仍舊很擔心，因為第二輛馬車離開這座房子也許會顯示出逃跑的跡象。

“克拉徹先生，”她說，“你得去攔一下我們的馬車別讓它到這兒來，而是改去教堂。我會在3點鐘時和你會合。”

傑裡趕緊走了。那是兩點20分，普羅斯小姐立刻開始為離開而做準備。在她洗臉時，她突然抬頭看到一個人正站在房間裡。

得法熱夫人冷冷地看著她。“埃弗蒙的妻子，她在哪兒? ”

普羅斯小姐迅速站到了路茜的房門前。“你是一個殘忍、危險的女人，可是你嚇唬不了我。”她呼吸艱難地說。

兩個女人各自說著自己的語言，彼此都聽不懂對方的話。而得法熱夫人知道普羅斯小姐是醫生家的一個真正的朋友；而普羅斯小姐知道得法熱夫人是這個家的敵人。

“我要見埃弗蒙的妻子，去告訴她，你聽到了嗎? ”得法熱夫人說道。她憤怒地盯著普羅斯小姐，而普羅斯小姐也同樣憤怒地盯著她。

“我豁出去了，”普羅斯小姐說。“我知道我在這兒把你拖得越久，我親愛的姑娘的希望就越大。如果你打我，我也會反擊你的。”

得法熱夫人走上前去大喊起來：“醫生公民！埃弗蒙的妻子！回我的話！”

得法熱夫人沒聽到答話便迅速打開了其中的三扇房門，看到房間是空的。有一扇門還關著。

“如果他們不在那間房裡，那麼就是已經走了。可他們會被追上並給抓回來的。”她向那扇門走去，可普羅斯小姐衝上前去抱住了她的腰。得法熱夫人已經習慣了在街上打架而且她很壯實，但愛比恨的力量更強大，普羅斯小姐沒有鬆手。得法熱夫人企圖拔出刀來。

“不。”普羅斯小姐說。“刀在我胳膊底下，你是拿不到的。”

得法熱夫人把手伸到裙子前面開始拔槍。普羅斯小姐朝下一看，弄清了那是什麼東西，就猛烈地朝外打它。一聲巨響，接著又是一團煙。之後，普羅斯小姐便獨自站在了那兒，恐懼地顫抖著。

這一切都發生在一秒鐘內。煙霧消散之後，普羅斯小姐看見得法熱夫人斷了氣的身體躺在地板上。由於恐懼，她張嘴喊著救命，但她又想到這會給她親愛的路茜帶來危險。她顫抖著雙手，拿上帽子和外衣，鎖上房門便下了樓。在去教堂的橋上，她把鎖房門的鑰匙扔到了河裡便匆匆趕去見傑裡·克拉徹。

當死囚車載著死刑犯們穿過巴黎的街道時，人們集中注意力看那些臨死的人們的臉。得法熱夫人的朋友們正坐在斷頭臺周圍的椅子上等著她。“特麗莎，特麗莎·得法熱！誰見到她了? 她以前從來沒錯過的！”

可是死囚車已經到了，斷頭臺已開始工作了。咔嚓！——一個人頭被舉了起來，坐在那兒編毛線活的女人們數著“一個。”

那個被當做了埃弗蒙的人幫著那個小女孩下了囚車。他小心地讓她背對著斷頭臺，她感激地抬頭望著他的臉。

“因為您，親愛的陌生人，我才這樣平靜。我想你是上帝送給我的。”她小聲說道。

“或許是上帝把你送給我的。”西得尼·卡登說。“眼睛看著我，親愛的孩子，別的什麼事都不要想。”

“我拉著你手的時候就不害怕了，鬆開手後我也不害怕，如果他們能快點的話。”

“他們很快。別怕。”

她吻了他的嘴脣；他也吻了她的。斷頭臺現在正在等著，下一個就是年輕的女孩子，在他之前。女人們數著二十二，接著卡登走上前去。

二十三。

人們談論他說他的臉是在那種地方見過的最平靜的臉。當西得尼·卡登邁著最後的步伐向死亡走去時，他的腦海中想到了什麼呢? 也許他看到了未來……

“我看見巴薩德、得法熱、法官們都在這個可怕的機器下面死去。我看到一個美麗的城市正在這片可怕的土地上建立起來。我看到新一代的人民將在真正的自由中生活。我看到我為之付出生命的人們，他們幸福安寧地生活在我再也見不到的英國。我看見路茜年老的時候，每一年的這一天都會為我哭泣，我知道她和她的丈夫會一直到死都記著我。我看見他們的兒子，有著和我一樣的名字，現在長成了一個男人。我看見他成了一位著名的律師並通過他的工作而使我揚名四方。我聽見他給他的兒子講起我的故事。”

“我做的是一件很好的事。它遠遠好過我所做的所有的事。它將是一個很好的長眠，遠比我所知道的要好。”