第22章

Now,whenthejourneyofthetravellingcoach,atthatverymomentwaitingforthecompletionofitsload,hadbeenplannedoutlastnight,thedifficultyoftakingMissProssinithadmuchengagedMr.Lorry\'sattention.Itwasnotmerelydesirabletoavoidoverloadingthecoach,butitwasofthehighestimportancethatthetimeoccupiedinexaminingitanditspassengers,shouldbereducedtotheutmost;sincetheirescapemightdependonthesavingofonlyafewsecondshereandthere.Finally,hehadproposed,afteranxiousconsideration,thatMissProssandJerry,whowereatlibertytoleavethecity,shouldleaveitatthreeo\'clockinthelightest-wheeledconveyanceknowntothatperiod.Unencumberedwithluggage,theywouldsoonovertakethecoach,and,passingitandprecedingitontheroad,wouldorderitshorsesinadvance,andgreatlyfacilitateitsprogressduringtheprecioushoursofthenight,whendelaywasthemosttobedreaded.

Seeinginthisarrangementthehopeofrenderingrealserviceinthatpressingemergency,MissProsshaileditwithjoy.SheandJerryhadbeheldthecoachstart,hadknownwhoitwasthatSolomonbrought,hadpassedsometenminutesintorturesofsuspense,andwerenowconcludingtheirarrangementstofollowthecoach,evenasMadameDefarge,takingherwaythroughthestreets,nowdrewnearerandnearertotheelse-desertedlodginginwhichtheyheldtheirconsultation.

`Nowwhatdoyouthink,Mr.Cruncher,\'saidMissPross,whoseagitationwassogreatthatshecouldhardlyspeak,orstand,ormove,orlive:`whatdoyouthinkofournotstartingfromthiscourt-yard?Anothercarriagehavingalreadygonefromhereto-day,itmightawakensuspicion.

`Myopinion,miss,\'returnedMr.Cruncher,`isas,you\'reright.LikewisewotI\'llstandbyyou,rightorwrong.

`Iamsodistractedwithfearandhopeforourpreciouscreatures,\'saidMissPross,wildlycrying,`thatIamincapableofforminganyplan.Areyoucapableofforminganyplan,mydeargoodMr.Cruncher?\'

`Respectin\'afuturespearo\'life,miss,\'returnedMr.Cruncher,`Ihopeso.Respectin\'anypresentuseo\'thishereblessedoldheado\'mine,Ithinknot.Wouldyoudomethefavour,miss,totakenoticeo\'twopromisesandwowswotitismywishesfurtorecordinthisherecrisis?\'

`Oh,forgracioussake!\'criedMissPross,stillwildlycrying,`recordthematonce,andgetthemoutoftheway,likeanexcellentman.

`First,\'saidMr.Cruncher,whowasallinatremble,andwhospokewithanashyandsolemnvisage,`thempoorthingswellouto\'this,nevernomorewillIdoit,nevernomore!\'

`Iamquitesure,Mr.Cruncher,\'returnedMissPross,`thatyouneverwilldoitagain,whateveritis,andIbegyounottothinkitnecessarytomentionmoreparticularlywhatitis.\'

`No,miss,\'returnedJerry,`itshallnotbenamedtoyou.Second:thempoorthingswellouto\'this,andnevernomorewillIinterferewithMrs.Cruncher\'sflopping,nevernomore!\'

`Whateverhousekeepingarrangementthatmaybe,\'saidMissPross,strivingtodryhereyesandcomposeherself,`IhavenodoubtitisbestthatMrs.Crunchershouldhaveitentirelyunderherownsuperintendence——Omypoordarlings!\'

`Igosofarastosay,miss,morehover,\'proceededMr.Cruncher,withamostalarmingtendencytoholdforthasfromapulpit——`andletmywordsbetookdownandtooktoMrs.Cruncherthroughyourself——thatwotmyopinionsrespectin\'floppinghasundergoneachange,andthatwotIonlyhopewithallmyheartasMrs.Crunchermaybeafloppingatthepresenttime.\'

There,there,there!Ihopesheis,mydearman,\'criedthedistractedMissPross,`andIhopeshefindsitansweringherexpectations.\'

`Forbidit,\'proceededMr.Cruncher,withadditionalsolemnity,additionalslowness,andadditionaltendencytoholdforthandholdout,`asanythingwotIhaveeversaidordoneshouldbewisitedonmyearnestwishesforthempoorcreetursnow!Forbiditasweshouldn\'tallflop(ifitwasanywaysconwenient)toget`emouto\'thisheredismalrisk!Forbidit,miss!WotIsay,for——BIDit!\'ThiswasMr.Cruncher\'sconclusionafteraprotractedbutvainendeavourtofindabetterone.

AndstillMadameDefarge,pursuingherwayalongthestreets,camenearerandnearer.

`Ifweevergetbacktoournativeland,\'saidMissPross,`youmayrelyuponmytellingMrs.CruncherasmuchasImaybeabletorememberandunderstandofwhatyouhavesoimpressivelysaid;andatalleventsyoumaybesurethatIshallbearwitnesstoyourbeingthoroughlyinearnestatthisdreadfultime.Now,prayletusthink!MyesteemedMr.Cruncher,letusthink!\'

Still,MadameDefarge,pursuingherwayalongthestreets,camenearerandnearer.

`Ifyouweretogobefore,\'saidMissPross,`andstopthevehicleandhorsesfromcominghere,andweretowaitsomewhereforme;wouldn\'tthatbebest?\'

Mr.Cruncherthoughtitmightbebest.

`Wherecouldyouwaitforme?\'askedMissPross.

Mr.CruncherwassobewilderedthathecouldthinkofnolocalitybutTempleBar.Alas!TempleBarwashundredsofmilesaway,andMadameDefargewasdrawingverynearindeed.

`Bythecathedraldoor,\'saidMissPross.`Woulditbemuchoutoftheway,totakemein,nearthegreatcathedraldoorbetweenthetwotowers?\'

`No,miss,\'answeredMr.Cruncher.

`Then,likethebestofmen,\'saidMissPross,`gototheposting-housestraight,andmakethatchange.\'

`Iamdoubtful,\'saidMr.Cruncher,hesitatingandshakinghishead,`aboutleavingofyou,yousee.Wedon\'tknowwhatmayhappen.\'

`Heavenknowswedon\'t,\'returnedMissPross,`buthavenofearforme.Takemeinatthecathedral,atThreeo\'clock,orasnearitasyoucan,andIamsureitwillbebetterthanourgoingfromhere.Ifeelcertainofit.There!Blessyou,Mr.Cruncher!Think——notofme,butofthelivesthatmaydependonbothofus!\'

Thisexordium,andMissPross\'stwohandsinquiteagonisedentreatyclaspinghis,decidedMr.Cruncher.Withanencouragingnodortwo,heimmediatelywentouttoalterthearrangements,andleftherbyherselftofollowasshehadproposed.

Thehavingoriginatedaprecautionwhichwasalreadyincourseofexecution,wasagreatrelieftoMissPross.ThenecessityofComposingherappearancesothatitshouldattractnospecialnoticeinthestreets,wasanotherreliefShelookedatherwatch,anditwastwentyminutespasttwo.Shehadnotimetolose,butmustgetreadyatonce.

Afraid,inherextremeperturbation,ofthelonelinessofthedesertedrooms,andofhalf-imaginedfacespeepingfrombehindeveryopendoorinthem,MissProssgotabasinofcoldwaterandbeganlavinghereyes,whichwereswollenandred.Hauntedbyherfeverishapprehensions,shecouldnotbeartohavehersightobscuredforaminuteatatimebythedrippingwater,butconstantlypausedandlookedroundtoseethattherewasnoonewatchingher.Inoneofthosepausessherecoiledandcriedout,forshesawafigurestandingintheroom.

Thebasinfelltothegroundbroken,andthewaterflowedtothefeetofMadameDefarge.Bystrangesternways,andthroughmuchstainingblood,thosefeethadcometomeetthatwater.

MadameDefargelookedcoldlyather,andsaid,`ThewifeofEvrémonde;whereisshe?\'

ItflasheduponMissPross\'smindthatthedoorswereallstandingopen,andwouldsuggesttheflight.Herfirstactwastoshutthem.Therewerefourintheroom,andsheshutthemall.ShethenplacedherselfbeforethedoorofthechamberwhichLuciehadoccupied.

MadameDefarge\'sdarkeyesfollowedherthroughthisrapidmovement,andrestedonherwhenitwasfinished.MissProsshadnothingbeautifulabouther;yearshadnottamedthewildness,orsoftenedthegrimness,ofherappearance;but,shetoowasadeterminedwomaninherdifferentway,andshemeasuredMadameDefargewithhereyes,everyinch.

`Youmight,fromyourappearance,bethewifeofLucifer,\'saidMissPross,inherbreathing.`Nevertheless,youshallnotgetthebetterofme.IamanEnglishwoman.

MadameDefargelookedatherscornfully,butstillwithsomethingofMissPross\'sownperceptionthattheytwowereatbay.Shesawatight,hard,wirywomanbeforeher,asMr.Lorryhadseeninthesamefigureawomanwithastronghand,intheyearsgoneby.SheknewfullwellthatMissProsswasthefamily\'sdevotedfriend;MissProssknewfullwellthatMadameDefargewasthefamily\'smalevolentenemy.

`Onmywayyonder,\'saidMadameDefarge,withaslightmovementofherhandtowardsthefatalspot,`wheretheyreservemychairandmyknittingforme,Iamcome,tomakemycomplimentstoherinpassing.Iwishtoseeher.

`Iknowthatyourintentionsareevil,\'saidMissPross,`andyoumaydependuponit,I\'llholdmyownagainstthem.\'

Eachspokeinherownlanguage;neitherunderstoodtheother\'swords;bothwereverywatchful,andintenttodeducefromlookandmanner,whattheunintelligiblewordsmeant.

`Itwilldohernogoodtokeepherselfconcealedfrommeatthismoment,\'saidMadameDefarge.`Goodpatriotswillknowwhatthatmeans.Letmeseeher.GotellherthatIwishtoseeher.Doyouhear?\'

`Ifthoseeyesofyourswerebed-winches,\'returnedMissPross,`andIwasanEnglishfour-poster,theyshouldn\'tlooseasplinterofme.No,youwickedforeignwoman;Iamyourmatch.\'

MadameDefargewasnotlikely