English
Oneyearandthreemonths.DuringallthattimeLuciewasneversure,fromhourtohour,butthattheGuillotinewouldstrikeoffherhusband’sheadnextday.
Everyday,throughthestonystreets,thetumbrilsnowjoltedheavily,filledwithCondemned.
Lovelygirls;brightwomen,brown-haired,black-haired,andgrey;youths;stalwartmenandold;gentlebornandpeasantborn;allredwineforLaGuillotine,alldailybroughtintolightfromthedarkcellarsoftheloathsomeprisons,andcarriedtoherthroughthestreetstoslakeherdevouringthirst.
Liberty,equality,fraternity,ordeath;—thelast,muchtheeasiesttobestow,OGuillotine!
Ifthesuddennessofhercalamity,andthewhirlingwheelsofthetime,hadstunnedtheDoctor’sdaughterintoawaitingtheresultinidledespair,itwouldbuthavebeenwithherasitwaswithmany.
But,fromthehourwhenshehadtakenthewhiteheadtoherfreshyoungbosominthegarretofSaintAntoine,shehadbeentruetoherduties.
Shewastruesttothemintheseasonoftrial,asallthequietlyloyalandgoodwillalwaysbe.
Assoonastheywereestablishedintheirnewresidence,andherfatherhadenteredontheroutineofhisavocations,shearrangedthelittlehouseholdasexactlyasifherhusbandhadbeenthere.
Everythinghaditsappointedplaceanditsappointedtime.
LittleLucieshetaught,asregularly,asiftheyhadallbeenunitedintheirEnglishhome.
Theslightdeviceswithwhichshecheatedherselfintotheshowofabeliefthattheywouldsoonbereunited—thelittlepreparationsforhisspeedyreturn,thesettingasideofhischairandhisbooks—these,andthesolemnprayeratnightforonedearprisonerespecially,amongthemanyunhappysoulsinprisonandtheshadowofdeath—werealmosttheonlyoutspokenreliefsofherheavymind.
Shedidnotgreatlyalterinappearance.
Theplaindarkdresses,akintomourningdresses,whichsheandherchildwore,wereasneatandaswellattendedtoasthebrighterclothesofhappydays.
Shelosthercolour,andtheoldandintentexpressionwasaconstant,notanoccasional,thing;otherwise,sheremainedveryprettyandcomely.
Sometimes,atnightonkissingherfather,shewouldburstintothegriefshehadrepressedallday,andwouldsaythathersolereliance,underHeaven,wasonhim.
Healwaysresolutelyanswered:“Nothingcanhappentohimwithoutmyknowledge,andIknowthatIcansavehim,Lucie.”
Theyhadnotmadetheroundoftheirchangedlifemanyweeks,whenherfathersaidtoher,oncominghomeoneevening:
“Mydear,thereisanupperwindowintheprison,towhichCharlescansometimesgainaccessatthreeintheafternoon.
Whenhecangettoit—whichdependsonmanyuncertaintiesandincidents—hemightseeyouinthestreet,hethinks,ifyoustoodinacertainplacethatIcanshowyou.
Butyouwillnotbeabletoseehim,mypoorchild,andevenifyoucould,itwouldbeunsafeforyoutomakeasignofrecognition.”
“Oshowmetheplace,myfather,andIwillgothereeveryday.”
Fromthattime,inallweathers,shewaitedtheretwohours.
Astheclockstrucktwo,shewasthere,andatfoursheturnedresignedlyaway.
Whenitwasnottoowetorinclementforherchildtobewithher,theywenttogether;atothertimesshewasalone;but,shenevermissedasingleday.
Itwasthedarkanddirtycornerofasmallwindingstreet.
Thehovelofacutterofwoodintolengthsforburning,wastheonlyhouseatthatend;allelsewaswall.
Onthethirddayofherbeingthere,henoticedher.
“Goodday,citizeness.”
“Goodday,citizen.”
Thismodeofaddresswasnowprescribedbydecree.Ithadbeenestablishedvoluntarilysometimeago,amongthemorethoroughpatriots;but,wasnowlawforeverybody.
“Walkinghereagain,citizeness?”
“Youseeme,citizen!”
Thewood-sawyer,whowasalittlemanwitharedundancyofgesture(hehadoncebeenamenderofroads),castaglanceattheprison,pointedattheprison,andputtinghistenfingersbeforehisfacetorepresentbars,peepedthroughthemjocosely.
“Butit’snotmybusiness,”saidhe.Andwentonsawinghiswood.
Nextdayhewaslookingoutforher,andaccostedherthemomentsheappeared.
“What?Walkinghereagain,citizeness?”
“Yes,citizen.”
“Ah!Achildtoo!Yourmother,isitnot,mylittlecitizeness?”
“DoIsayyes,mamma?”whisperedlittleLucie,drawingclosetoher.
“Yes,dearest.”
“Yes,citizen.”
“Ah!Butit’snotmybusiness.Myworkismybusiness.Seemysaw!IcallitmyLittleGuillotine.La,la,la;La,la,la!Andoffhisheadcomes!”
Thebilletfellashespoke,andhethrewitintoabasket.
“IcallmyselftheSamsonofthefirewoodguillotine.Seehereagain!Loo,loo,loo;Loo,loo,loo!AndoffHERheadcomes!Now,achild.Tickle,tickle;Pickle,pickle!AndoffITSheadcomes.Allthefamily!”
Lucieshudderedashethrewtwomorebilletsintohisbasket,butitwasimpossibletobetherewhilethewood-sawyerwasatwork,andnotbeinhissight.
Thenceforth,tosecurehisgoodwill,shealwaysspoketohimfirst,andoftengavehimdrink-money,whichhereadilyreceived.
Hewasaninquisitivefellow,andsometimeswhenshehadquiteforgottenhimingazingattheprisonroofandgrates,andinliftingherheartuptoherhusband,shewouldcometoherselftofindhimlookingather,withhiskneeonhisbenchandhissawstoppedinitswork.“Butit’snotmybusiness!”
hewouldgenerallysayatthosetimes,andwouldbrisklyfalltohissawingagain.
Inallweathers,inthesnowandfrostofwinter,inthebitterwindsofspring,inthehotsunshineofsummer,intherainsofautumn,andagaininthesnowandfrostofwinter,Luciepassedtwohoursofeverydayatthisplace;andeverydayonleavingit,shekissedtheprisonwall.
Herhusbandsawher(soshelearnedfromherfather)itmightbeonceinfiveorsixtimes:itmightbetwiceorthricerunning:itmightbe,notforaweekorafortnighttogether.
Itwasenoughthathecouldanddidseeherwhenthechancesserved,andonthatpossibilityshewouldhavewaitedouttheday,sevendaysaweek.
TheseoccupationsbroughtherroundtotheDecembermonth,whereinherfatherwalkedamongtheterrorswithasteadyhead.
Onalightly-snowingafternoonshearrivedattheusualcorner.
Itwasadayofsomewildrejoicing,andafestival.
Shehadseenthehouses,asshecamealong,decoratedwithlittlepikes,andwithlittleredcapsstuckuponthem;also,withtricolouredribbons;also,withthestandardinscription(tricolouredletterswerethefavourite),RepublicOneandIndivisible.
Liberty,Equality,Fraternity,orDeath!
Themiserableshopofthewood-sawyerwassosmall,thatitswholesurfacefurnishedveryindifferentspaceforthislegend.
Hehadgotsomebodytoscrawlitupforhim,however,whohadsqueezedDeathinwithmostinappropriatedifficulty.
Onhishouse-top,hedisplayedpikeandcap,asagoodcitizenmust,andinawindowhehadstationedhissawinscribedashis“LittleSainteGuillotine”—forthegreatsharpfemalewasbythattimepopularlycanonised.
Hisshopwasshutandhewasnotthere,whichwasarelieftoLucie,andleftherquitealone.
But,hewasnotfaroff,forpresentlysheheardatroubledmovementandashoutingcomingalong,whichfilledherwithfear.
Amomentafterwards,andathrongofpeoplecamepouringroundthecornerbytheprisonwall,inthemidstofwhomwasthewood-sawyerhandinhandwithTheVengeance.
Therecouldnotbefewerthanfivehundredpeople,andtheyweredancinglikefivethousanddemons.
Therewasnoothermusicthantheirownsinging.
TheydancedtothepopularRevolutionsong,keepingaferocioustimethatwaslikeagnashingofteethinunison.
Menandwomendancedtogether,womendancedtogether,mendancedtogether,ashazardhadbroughtthemtogether.
Atfirst,theywereamerestormofcoarseredcapsandcoarsewoollenrags;but,astheyfilledtheplace,andstoppedtodanceaboutLucie,someghastlyapparitionofadance-figuregoneravingmadaroseamongthem.
Theyadvanced,retreated,struckatoneanother’shands,clutchedatoneanother’sheads,spunroundalone,caughtoneanotherandspunroundinpairs,untilmanyofthemdropped.
Whilethoseweredown,therestlinkedhandinhand,andallspunroundtogether:thentheringbroke,andinseparateringsoftwoandfourtheyturnedandturneduntiltheyallstoppedatonce,beganagain,struck,clutched,andtore,andthenreversedthespin,andallspunroundanotherway.
Suddenlytheystoppedagain,paused,struckoutthetimeafresh,formedintolinesthewidthofthepublicway,and,withtheirheadslowdownandtheirhandshighup,swoopedscreamingoff.
Nofightcouldhavebeenhalfsoterribleasthisdance.
Itwassoemphaticallyafallensport—asomething,onceinnocent,deliveredovertoalldevilry—ahealthypastimechangedintoameansofangeringtheblood,bewilderingthesenses,andsteelingtheheart.
Suchgraceaswasvisibleinit,madeittheuglier,showinghowwarpedandpervertedallthingsgoodbynaturewerebecome.
Themaidenlybosombaredtothis,theprettyalmost-child’sheadthusdistracted,thedelicatefootmincinginthissloughofbloodanddirt,weretypesofthedisjointedtime.
ThiswastheCarmagnole.Asitpassed,leavingLuciefrightenedandbewilderedinthedoorwayofthewood-sawyer’shouse,thefeatherysnowfellasquietlyandlayaswhiteandsoft,asifithadneverbeen.
“Omyfather!”forhestoodbeforeherwhenshelifteduptheeyesshehadmomentarilydarkenedwithherhand;“suchacruel,badsight.”
“Iknow,mydear,Iknow.Ihaveseenitmanytimes.Don’tbefrightened!Notoneofthemwouldharmyou.”
“Iamnotfrightenedformyself,myfather.ButwhenIthinkofmyhusband,andthemerciesofthesepeople—”
“Wewillsethimabovetheirmerciesverysoon.Ilefthimclimbingtothewindow,andIcametotellyou.Thereisnooneheretosee.Youmaykissyourhandtowardsthathighestshelvingroof.”
“Idoso,father,andIsendhimmySoulwithit!”
“Youcannotseehim,mypoordear?”
“No,father,”saidLucie,yearningandweepingasshekissedherhand,“no.”
Afootstepinthesnow.MadameDefarge.“Isaluteyou,citizeness,”fromtheDoctor.“Isaluteyou,citizen.”Thisinpassing.Nothingmore.MadameDefargegone,likeashadowoverthewhiteroad.
“Givemeyourarm,mylove.Passfromherewithanairofcheerfulnessandcourage,forhissake.
Thatwaswelldone;”theyhadleftthespot;“itshallnotbeinvain.Charlesissummonedforto-morrow.”
“Forto-morrow!”
“Thereisnotimetolose.Iamwellprepared,butthereareprecautionstobetaken,thatcouldnotbetakenuntilhewasactuallysummonedbeforetheTribunal.
Hehasnotreceivedthenoticeyet,butIknowthathewillpresentlybesummonedforto-morrow,andremovedtotheConciergerie;Ihavetimelyinformation.Youarenotafraid?”
Shecouldscarcelyanswer,“Itrustinyou.”
“Doso,implicitly.Yoursuspenseisnearlyended,mydarling;heshallberestoredtoyouwithinafewhours;Ihaveencompassedhimwitheveryprotection.ImustseeLorry.”
Hestopped.Therewasaheavylumberingofwheelswithinhearing.Theybothknewtoowellwhatitmeant.One.Two.Three.Threetumbrilsfaringawaywiththeirdreadloadsoverthehushingsnow.
“ImustseeLorry,”theDoctorrepeated,turningheranotherway.
Thestauncholdgentlemanwasstillinhistrust;hadneverleftit.
Heandhisbookswereinfrequentrequisitionastopropertyconfiscatedandmadenational.
Whathecouldsavefortheowners,hesaved.
NobettermanlivingtoholdfastbywhatTellson’shadinkeeping,andtoholdhispeace.
Amurkyredandyellowsky,andarisingmistfromtheSeine,denotedtheapproachofdarkness.
ItwasalmostdarkwhentheyarrivedattheBank.
ThestatelyresidenceofMonseigneurwasaltogetherblightedanddeserted.
Aboveaheapofdustandashesinthecourt,rantheletters:NationalProperty.RepublicOneandIndivisible.
Liberty,Equality,Fraternity,orDeath!
WhocouldthatbewithMr.Lorry—theowneroftheriding-coatuponthechair—whomustnotbeseen?
Fromwhomnewlyarrived,didhecomeout,agitatedandsurprised,totakehisfavouriteinhisarms?
Towhomdidheappeartorepeatherfalteringwords,when,raisinghisvoiceandturninghisheadtowardsthedooroftheroomfromwhichhehadissued,hesaid:“RemovedtotheConciergerie,andsummonedforto-morrow?”
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