# ■ 11 Madame Defarge's revenge

Lucie held out her arms to her husband. 'Let me kiss him, one last time. '

Most of the citizens had gone out into the streets to shout how they hated the prisoners, but Barsad was still there.

Let her kiss her husband, 'he said. 'It's just for a minute. '

Lucie went over to her husband and he took her in his arms. Dr Manette followed his daughter and fell on his knees before them, but Darnay pulled him to his feet, saying,

No, no. Now we know how much you suffered, especially when you knew whose son I was. But you kept your feelings secret, because of your love for Lucie. We thank you, with all our hearts, for what you did. I tried so hard to do what my mother had wished, but I never found that poor girl. And how could that terrible story ever have a happy ending? '

He turned to his wife. 'My dearest love, we shall meet again, in the place where there are no worries. God be with you both. '

As Darnay was taken away, Lucie fell to the floor, unconscious. Sydney Carton came quickly forward to help Mr Lorry and Dr Manette He carried Lucie to her coach and she was taken home. Then he carried her into the house where her daughter and Miss Pross waited, tears falling from their eyes.

Before I go, 'said Sydney Carton, 'may I kiss her? 'He touched Lucie's face lightly with his lips, whispered a few words, and went into the next room.

You are still very popular with the citizens, Doctor. You must try again to talk to the judges. '

I'll do everything I can. Everything, 'Dr Manette said.

Mr Lorry went with Carton to the door.

I have no hope, whispered Mr Lorry sadly.

Nor have I, 'replied Carton. 'After today, no judge in Paris would even try to save him. The people would be too angry. I will return here later, to see if there is any news, but there is no real hope. '

He left the house and began to walk quickly towards Saint Antoine. His face was calm and serious；he looked like a man who had decided to do something. 'I must show myself to the people here, 'he thought. 'They should know that there is a man like me in the city. '

In Defarge's wine－shop the only customer was Jacques Three, who had been on the Tribunal that had decided Darnay should die. When Carton sat down and asked for a glass of wine, Madame Defarge looked at him carelessly at first. Then much more carefully. She went back to her husband and

Jacques Three, who were talking. 'He is very much like Evrémonde, 'she said softly.

Defarge himself looked at Carton and said, 'Yes, but only a little, 'and the three continued their conversation. Carton listened carefully, while pretending to read a newspaper.

Madame is right, 'said Jacques Three. 'Why should we stop at Evrémonde? '

We must stop somewhere, said Defarge.

Not until they are all dead, every one of that family, 'said his wife.

You're right, but think how much the Doctor has suffered. Perhaps he has suffered enough. '

Listen, 'said Madame Defarge coldly. 'Don't forget that I was that younger sister. And it was my family that suffered so much from the Evrémonde brothers. It was my sister who died, and my sister's husband, and my father；it was my brother who was killed. Tell others to stop；don't tell me！'

Carton paid for his wine and went out quickly on his way. He went back to Dr Manette's house, where more bad news was waiting for him. The Doctor's mind had returned to the past once again. He did not recognize his friends, and wanted only to find his old table and to make shoes.

Listen to me carefully, 'Carton said to Mr Lorry. 'I believe that Lucie, her daughter, and perhaps even her father are in great danger. I heard Madame Defange talking about them tonight. They must leave Paris tomorrow. They have the necessary papers, and so do you. Here are mine－take them and keep them safe with your own. You must leave by coach at two o'clock tomorrow. Keep a place for me in the coach, and don't leave without me. Promise that you will do exactly what I have said. Many lives will depend on it. '

I promise, 'said Mr Lorry.

■ 11 得法熱夫人的報復

路茜向他的丈夫伸出雙臂。“讓我吻吻他，最後一次。”

大多數公民已經走上街頭，喊著他們是多麼痛恨這個罪犯，可巴薩德仍舊留在那兒。

“讓她吻一下她丈夫吧，”他說，“只須一分鐘。”

路茜走向她丈夫，他便把她摟在懷裡。馬內特醫生跟著女兒並在他們面前跪了下來，但代爾那把他拉了起來，說道：

“不，不，現在我們知道您受了多少苦，尤其是當您知道我是誰的兒子的時候。可您隱藏著您的感情，是為著您對路茜的愛。我們謝謝您所做的事情，由衷地謝謝您。我盡力去做了我母親希望我做的事，可我一直沒有找到那個可憐的女孩。況且那麼一個可怕的故事怎麼會有一個幸福的結局呢? ”

他轉向他的妻子：“我最親愛的，我們會再相見的。在無憂無慮的地方，上帝與你們兩個人同在。”

當代爾那被帶走後，路茜倒在地上，不醒人事。西得尼·卡登快步走過來幫勞裡先生和馬內特醫生的忙。他把路茜抱上了馬車送她回家，然後他把她抱進了她女兒和普羅斯小姐等候著的房子，淚水從她們的眼中落下來。

“我走之前，”西得尼·卡登說，“我能吻吻她嗎? ”他的嘴脣輕輕地吻了路茜的臉頰，小聲地說了幾句話，然後走進了旁邊的一個房間。

“您在公民中仍舊很受歡迎，醫生。您必須盡力再同法官們談談。”

“我會去做我所能做的一切事情的。一切事情。”馬內特醫生說。勞裡先生和卡登一起走到了門口。

“我不抱希望了。”勞裡先生悲哀地低聲說道。

“我也不抱希望了。”卡登回答。“過了今天，巴黎甚至將不會有法官去救他了，人們會過於憤怒的。我過一會兒再來，看看是否有什麼消息，但是不會有真正的指望了。”

他離開了房子便快步向聖安東尼走去，他的臉平靜而嚴肅，看上去像一個已下定決心要去做件大事的人。“我得向這裡的人展示一下我自己。”他想：“他們得知道在這個城市裡有一個像我這樣的男人。”

得法熱的酒店裡唯一的一名顧客是雅克三，他剛去參加了判處代爾那死刑的那個審判會。在卡登坐下要一杯酒時，得法熱夫人起初不在意地看著他，接著便非常仔細地看起他來。她回到正在談話的她丈夫和雅克三身邊，輕聲地說：“他可真像埃弗蒙。”

得法熱自己看著卡登說：“是的，可只有一點兒像。”然後他們三人接著聊天。卡登一邊裝著看報紙一邊仔細聽著。

“夫人是對的，”雅克第三說。“我們為什麼要在埃弗蒙這兒就打住呢? ”

“我們必須適可而止。”得法熱說。

“在他們，包括那個家族裡的每一個人都死掉之前，我們不能就這樣打住。”他妻子說。

“你是對的，但是想一想醫生受了多少苦，也許他已經受夠了。”

“聽著，”得法熱夫人冷酷地說。“別忘了我就是那個小妹妹，並且是我的家庭受了埃弗蒙兄弟那麼多的苦難。是我的姐姐死去了，還有我姐姐的丈夫，以及我的父親；是我的哥哥被殺死了。去讓別人打住吧，別讓我這麼做！”

卡登付了酒錢便匆匆出門上了路。他回到了馬內特醫生的住處。那裡有更多的壞消息在等著他。醫生的思維又一次回到了從前。他不認識他的朋友了，而只想著要找他的老桌子做鞋。

“仔細聽我說，”卡登對勞裡先生說。“我確信路茜、她的女兒，也許還有她的父親都處在極大的危險中。我今晚聽到得法熱夫人在談論他們。他們明天必須離開巴黎。他們有必需的證件，你也有。這是我的證件——把它們拿去同你的放在一起妥善保管。你們必須在明天兩點鐘乘馬車離開。在馬車上給我留個位置，要等我來了再走。你一定要完全照我說的去做；保全許多人的生命就在此一舉了。”

“我答應你。”勞裡先生說道。