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a tale of two cities(双城记)-第102章

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s danger of his giving warning; and then they might escape。 
 ‘That must never be;' croaked Jacques Three; ‘no one must escape。 We have not half enough as it is。 We ought to have six score a day。' 
 ‘In a word;' Madame Defarge went on; ‘my husband has not my reason for pursuing this family to annihilation; and I have not his reason for regarding this Doctor with any sensibility。 I must act for myself; therefore。 Come hither; little citizen。 
 The wood…sawyer; who held her in the respect; and himself in the submission; of mortal fear; advanced with his hand to his red cap。 
 ‘Touching those signals; little citizen;' said Madame Defarge; sternly; ‘that she made to the prisoners; you are ready to bear witness to them this very day?' 
 ‘Ay; ay; why not!' cried the sawyer。 ‘Every day; in all weathers; from two to four; always signalling; sometimes with the little one; sometimes without。 I know what I know。 I have seen with my eyes。' 
 He made all manner of gestures while he spoke; as if in incidental imitation of some few of the great diversity of signals that he had never seen。 
 ‘Clearly plots;' said Jacques Three。 ‘Transparently!' 
 ‘There is no doubt of the Jury?' inquired Madame Defarge; letting her eyes turn to him with a gloomy smile。 
 ‘Rely upon the patriotic Jury; dear citizeness。 I answer for my fellow…Jurymen。' 
 ‘Now; let me see;' said Madame Defarge; pondering again。 ‘Yet once more! Can I spare this Doctor to my husband? I have no feeling either way。 Can I spare him?' 
 ‘He would count as one head;' observed Jacques Three; in a low voice。 ‘We really have not heads enough; it would be a pity; I think。' 
 ‘He was signalling with her when I saw her;' argued Madame Defarge; ‘I cannot speak of one without the other; and I must not be silent; and trust the case wholly to him; this little citizen here。 For; I am not a bad witness。 
 The Vengeance and Jacques Three vied with each other in their fervent protestations that she was the most admirable and marvellous of witnesses。 The little citizen; not to be outdone; declared her to be a celestial witness。 
 He must take his chance;' said Madame Defarge。 ‘No; I cannot spare him! You are engaged at three o'clock; you are going to see the batch of to…day executed。You?' 
 The question was addressed to the wood…sawyer; who hurriedly replied in the affirmative: seizing the occasion to add that he was the most ardent of Republicans; and that he would be in effect the most desolate of Republicans; if anything prevented him from enjoying the pleasure of smoking his afternoon pipe in the contemplation of the droll national barber。 He was so very demonstrative herein; that he might have been suspected (perhaps was; by the dark eyes that looked Contemptuously at him out of Madame Defarge's head) of having his small individual fears for his own personal safety; every hour in the day。 
 ‘I;' said madame; ‘am equally engaged at the same place。 After it is over…say at eight to…nightcome you to me; in Saint Antoine; and we will give information against these' people at my section。' 
 The wood…sawyer said he would be proud and flattered to attend the citizeness。 The citizeness looking at him; he became embarrassed; evaded her glance as a small dog would have done; retreated among his wood; and hid his confusion over the handle of his saw。 
 Madame Defarge beckoned the Juryman and The Vengeance a little nearer to the door; and there expounded her further views to them thus: 
 ‘She will now be at home; awaiting the moment of his death。 She will be mourning and grieving。 She will be in a state of mind to impeach the justice of the Republic。 She will be full of sympathy with its enemies。 I will go to her。' 
 ‘What an admirable woman; what an adorable woman!' exclaimed Jacques Three; rapturously。 ‘Ah; my cherished!' cried The Vengeance; and embraced her。 
 ‘Take you my knitting;' said Madame Defarge; placing it in her lieutenant's hands; ‘and have it ready for me in my usual seat。 Keep me my usual chair。 Go you there; straight; for there will probably be a greater concourse than usual; to…day。' 
 ‘I willingly obey the orders of my Chief' said The Vengeance with alacrity; and kissing her cheek。 ‘You will not be late?' 
‘I shall be there before the commencement。' 
 ‘And before the tumbrils arrive。 Be sure you are there; my soul;' said The Vengeance; calling after her; for she had already turned into the street; ‘before the tumbrils arrive!' 
 Madame Defarge slightly waved her hand; to imply that she heard; and might be relied upon to arrive in good time; and so went through tile mud; and round the corner of the prison wall。 The Vengeance and the Juryman; looking alter her as she walked away; were highly appreciative of her fine figure; and her superb moral endowments。 
 There were many women at that time; upon whom the time laid a dreadfully disfiguring hand; but; there was not one among them more to be dreaded than this ruthless woman; now taking her way along the streets。 Of a strong and fearless character; of shrewd sense and readiness; of great determination; of that kind of beauty which not only seems to impart to its possessor firmness and animosity; but to strike into others an instinctive recognition of those qualities; the troubled time would have heaved her up; under any circumstances。 But; imbued from her childhood with a brooding sense of; wrong; and an inveterate hatred of a class; opportunity had developed her into a tigress。 She was absolutely without pity。 If she had ever had the virtue in her; it had quite gone out of her。 
 It was nothing to her; that an innocent man was to die for the sins of his forefathers; she saw; not him; but them。 It was nothing to her; that his wife was to be made a widow and his daughter an orphan; that was insufficient punishment; because they were her natural enemies and her prey; and as such had no right to live。 To appeal to her; was made hopeless by her having no sense of pity; even for herself。 If she had been laid low in the streets; in any of the many encounters in which she had been engaged; she would not have pitied herself; nor; if she had been ordered to the axe to…morrow; would she have gone to it with any softer feeling than a fierce desire to change places with the man who sent her there。 
 Such a heart Madame Defarge carried under her rough robe。 Carelessly worn; it was a becoming robe enough; in a certain weird way; and her dark hair looked rich under her coarse red cap。 Lying hidden in her bosom; was a loaded pistol。 Lying hidden at her waist; was a sharpened dagger。 Thus accoutred; and walking with the confident tread of such a character; and with the supple freedom of a woman who had habitually walked in her girlhood; bare…foot and bare…legged; on the brown sea…sand; Madame Defarge took her way along the streets。 
 Now; when the journey of the travelling coach; at that very moment waiting for the completion of its load; had been planned out last night; the difficulty of taking Miss Pross in it had much engaged Mr。 Lorry's attention。 It was not merely desirable to avoid overloading the coach; but it was of the highest importance that the time occupied in examining it and its passengers; should be reduced to the utmo
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