A Tale of Two Cities-CHAPTER 10 THE SUBSTANCE OF THE SHADOW

THE SUBSTANCE OF THE SHADOW,I Alexandre Manette, unfortunate physician, native of Beauvais, and afterwards resident in Paris—write this melancholy ¹ paper in my doleful cell in the Bastille, during the last month of the year 1767. I write it at stolen intervals ², under every difficulty. I design to secrete ³ it in the wall of the chimney, where I have slowly and laboriously ⁴ made a place of concealment ⁵ for it. Some pitying hand may find it there, when I and my sorrows are dust.,“These words are formed by the rusty ⁷ iron point with which I write with difficulty in scrapings of soot ⁸ and charcoal ⁹ from the chimney, mixed with blood, in the last month of the tenth year of my captivity ¹⁰. Hope has quite departed from my breast. I know from terrible warnings I have noted ¹¹ in myself that my reason will not long remain unimpaired, but I solemnly declare that I am at this time in the possession of my right mind—that my memory is exact and circumstantial—and that I write the truth as I shall answer for these my last recorded words, whether they be ever read by men or not, at the Eternal Judgment-seat.,“One cloudy moonlight night, in the third week of December (I think the twenty-second of the month) in the year 1757, I was walking on a retired ¹² part of the quay ¹³ by the Seine for the refreshment ¹⁴ of the frosty air, at an hour’s distance from my place of residence in the Street of the School of Medicine, when a carriage came along behind me, driven very fast. As I stood aside to let that carriage pass, apprehensive ¹⁵ that it might otherwise run me down, a head was put out at the window, and a voice called to the driver to stop.,“The carriage stopped as soon as the driver could rein ¹⁶ in his horses, and the same voice called to me by my name. I answered. The carriage was then so far in advance of me that two gentlemen had time to open the door and alight before I came up with it. I observed that they were both wrapped in cloaks, and appeared to conceal ⁶ themselves. As they stood side by side near the carriage door, I also observed that they both looked of about my own age, or rather younger, and that they were greatly alike, in stature ¹⁷, manner, voice, and (as far as I could see) face too.,“‘You are Doctor Manette?’ said one.,“‘Gentlemen,’ said I, ‘pardon me; but I usually inquire who does me the honour to seek my assistance, and what is the nature of the case to which I am summoned.’ “The reply to this was made by him who had spoken second. ‘Doctor, your clients are people of condition. As to the nature of the case, our confidence in your skill assures us that you will ascertain ²⁰ it for yourself better than we can describe it. Enough. Will you please enter the carriage?’ “I could do nothing but comply, and I entered it in silence. They both entered after me—the last springing in, after putting up the steps. The carriage turned about, and drove on at its former speed.,“I repeat this conversation exactly as it occurred. I have no doubt that it is, word for word, the same. I describe everything exactly as it took place, constraining ²¹ my mind not to wander from the task. When I make the broken marks that follow here, I leave off for the time, and put my paper in its hiding place.,“The carriage left the streets behind, passed the North Barrier, and emerged upon the country road. At two-thirds of a league from the Barrier—I did not estimate the distance at that time, but afterwards when I traversed it—it struck out of the main avenue, and presently stopped at a solitary ²² house. We all three alighted, and walked, by a damp soft footpath ²³ in a garden where a neglected fountain had overflowed ²⁴, to the door of the house. It was not opened immediately, in answer to the ringing of the bell, and one of my two conductors struck the man who opened it, with his heavy riding-glove, across the face.,“There was nothing in this action to attract my particular attention, for I had seen common people struck more commonly than dogs. But, the other of the two, being angry likewise, struck the man in like manner with his arm; the look and bearing of the brothers were then so exactly alike, that I then first perceived them to be twin brothers.,“From the time of our alighting at the outer gate (which we found locked, and which one of the brothers had opened to admit us, and had relocked), I had heard cries proceeding ²⁵ from an upper chamber ²⁶. I was conducted to this chamber straight, the cries growing louder as we ascended ²⁷ the stairs, and I found a patient in a high fever of the brain, lying on a bed.,He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过 ，他感到很郁闷 。,The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴
，有阵雨
。