barnaby rudge(巴纳比·卢杰)-第155章
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to smile upon the earth in sadness； as if the night； more thoughtful
than the day； looked down in sorrow on the sufferings and evil
deeds of men； and felt its peace sink deep into his heart。 He； a
poor idiot； caged in his narrow cell； was as much lifted up to God；
while gazing on the mild light； as the freest and most favoured
man in all the spacious city； and in his ill…remembered prayer； and
in the fragment of the childish hymn； with which he sung and
crooned himself asleep； there breathed as true a spirit as ever
studied homily expressed； or old cathedral arches echoed。
As his mother crossed a yard on her way out； she saw； through
a grated door which separated it from another court； her husband；
walking round and round； with his hands folded on his breast； and
his head hung down。 She asked the man who conducted her； if she
might speak a word with this prisoner。 Yes； but she must be quick
for he was locking up for the night； and there was but a minute or
so to spare。 Saying this； he unlocked the door； and bade her go in。
It grated harshly as it turned upon its hinges； but he was deaf to
the noise； and still walked round and round the little court；
without raising his head or changing his attitude in the least。 She
spoke to him； but her voice was weak； and failed her。 At length she
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put herself in his track； and when he came near； stretched out her
hand and touched him。
He started backward； trembling from head to foot； but seeing
who it was； demanded why she came there。 Before she could
reply； he spoke again。
‘Am I to live or die？ Do you murder too； or spare？’
‘My son—our son；’ she answered； ‘is in this prison。’
‘What is that to me？’ he cried； stamping impatiently on the
stone pavement。 ‘I know it。 He can no more aid me than I can aid
him。 If you are come to talk of him； begone！’
As he spoke he resumed his walk； and hurried round the court
as before。 When he came again to where she stood； he stopped；
and said；
‘Am I to live or die？ Do you repent？’
‘Oh！—do you？’ she answered。 ‘Will you； while time remains？ Do
not believe that I could save you； if I dared。’
‘Say if you would；’ he answered with an oath； as he tried to
disengage himself and pass on。 ‘Say if you would。’
‘Listen to me for one moment；’ she returned； ‘for but a moment。
I am but newly risen from a sick…bed； from which I never hoped to
rise again。 The best among us think； at such a time； of good
intentions half…performed and duties left undone。 If I have ever；
since that fatal night； omitted to pray for your repentance before
death—if I omitted； even then； anything which might tend to urge
it on you when the horror of your crime was fresh—if； in our later
meeting； I yielded to the dread that was upon me； and forgot to fall
upon my knees and solemnly adjure you； in the name of him you
sent to his account with Heaven； to prepare for the retribution
which must come； and which is stealing on you now—I humbly
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before you； and in the agony of supplication in which you see me；
beseech that you will let me make atonement。’
‘What is the meaning of your canting words？’ he answered
roughly。 ‘Speak so that I may understand you。’
‘I will；’ she answered； ‘I desire to。 Bear with me for a moment
more。 The hand of Him who set His curse on murder； is heavy on
us now。 You cannot doubt it。 Our son； our innocent boy； on whom
His anger fell before his birth； is in this place in peril of his life—
brought here by your guilt； yes； by that alone； as Heaven sees and
knows； for he has been led astray in the darkness of his intellect；
and that is the terrible consequence of your crime。’
‘If you come； woman…like； to load me with reproaches—’ he
muttered； again endeavouring to break away。
‘I do not。 I have a different purpose。 You must hear it。 If not to…
night； to…morrow； if not to…morrow； at another time。 You must hear
it。 Husband； escape is hopeless—impossible。’
‘You tell me so； do you？’ he said； raising his manacled hand；
and shaking it。 ‘You！’
‘Yes；’ she said； with indescribable earnestness。 ‘But why？’
‘To make me easy in this jail。 To make the time ’twixt this and
death； pass pleasantly。 For my good—yes； for my good； of course；’
he said； grinding his teeth； and smiling at her with a livid face。
‘Not to load you with reproaches；’ she replied； ‘not to aggravate
the tortures and miseries of your condition； not to give you one
hard word； but to restore you to peace and hope。 Husband； dear
husband； if you will but confess this dreadful crime； if you will but
implore forgiveness of Heaven and of those whom you have
wronged on earth； if you will dismiss these vain uneasy thoughts；
which never can be realised； and will rely on Penitence and on the
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Truth； I promise you； in the great name of the Creator； whose
image you have defaced； that He will comfort and console you。
And for myself；’ she cried； clasping her hands； and looking
upward； ‘I swear before Him； as He knows my heart and reads it
now； that from that hour I will love and cherish you as I did of old；
and watch you night and day in the short interval that will remain
to us； and soothe you with my truest love and duty； and pray with
you； that one threatening judgment may be arrested； and that our
boy may be spared to bless God； in his poor way； in the free air
and light！’
He fell back and gazed at her while she poured out these words；
as though he were for a moment awed by her manner； and knew
not what to do。 But anger and fear soon got the mastery of him；
and he spurned her from him。
‘Begone！’ he cried。 ‘Leave me！ You plot； do you！ You plot to get
speech with me； and let them know I am the man they say I am。 A
curse on you and on your boy。’
‘On him the curse has already fallen；’ she replied； wringing her
hands。
‘Let it fall heavier。 Let it fall on one and all。 I hate you both。 The
worst has come to me。 The only comfort that I seek or I can have；
will be the knowledge that it comes to you。 Now go！’
She would have urged him gently； even then； but he menaced
her with his chain。
‘I say go—I say it for the last time。 The gallows has me in its
grasp； and it is a black phantom that may urge me on to something
more。 Begone！ I curse the hour that I was born； the man I slew；
and all the living world！’
In a paroxysm of wrath； and terror； and the fear of death； he
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broke from her； and rushed into the darkness of his cell； where he
cast himself jangling down upon the stone floor； and smote it with
his ironed hands。 The man returned to lock the dungeon door； and
having done so； carried her away。
On that warm； balmy night in June； there were glad faces and
light hearts in all quarters of the town； and sleep； banished by the
late horrors； was doubly welcomed。 On that night； families made
merry in their houses； and greeted each other on the common
danger they had escaped； and those who had been denounced；
ventured into the streets； and they who had been plundered； got
good shelter。 Even the timorous Lord Mayor； who was summoned
that night before the Privy Council to answer for his conduct；
came back contented； observing to all his friends that he had got
off very well with a reprimand； and repeating with huge
satisfaction his memorable defence before the Council； ‘that such
was his temerity； he thought death would have been his portion。’
On that night； too； more of the scattered remnants of the mob
were traced to their lurking…places； and taken； and in the
hospitals； and deep among the ruins they had made； and in the
ditches； and fields； many unshrouded wretches lay dead： envied
by those who had been active in the disturbances； and who
pillowed their doomed heads in the temporary jails。
And in the Tower； in a dreary room whose thick stone walls
shut out the hum of life； and made a stillness which the records
left by former prisoners with those silent witnesses seemed to
deepen and intensify； remorseful for every act that had been done
by every man among the cruel crowd； feeling for the time their
guilt his own； and their lives put in peril by himself； and finding；
amidst such reflections； little comfort in fanaticism； or in his
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fancied call； sat the unhappy author of all—Lord George Gordon。
He had been made prisoner that evening。 ‘If you are sure it’s
me you want；’ he said to the officers； who waited outside with the
warrant for his arrest on a charge of High Treason； ‘I am ready to
accompany you—’ which he did without resistance。 He was
conducted first before the Privy Council； and afterwards to the
Horse Guards； and then was taken by way of Westminster Bridge；
and back over London Bridge （for the purpose of avoiding the
