The wretched wife of the innocent man thus doomed to die, fell under the sentence, as if she had been mortally stricken. But, she uttered no sound; and so strong was the voice within her, representing that it was she of all the world who must uphold him in his misery and not augment it, that it quickly raised her, even from that shock.
The Judges having to take part in a public demonstration out of doors, the Tribunal adjourned. The quick noise and movement of the court’s emptying itself by many passages had not ceased, when Lucie stood stretching out her arms towards her husband, with nothing in her face but love and consolation.
“If I might touch him! If I might embrace him once! O, good citizens, if you would have so much compassion for us!”
There was but a gaoler left, along with two of the four men who had taken him last night, and Barsad. The people had all poured out to the show in the streets. Barsad proposed to the rest, “Let her embrace him then; it is but a moment.” It was silently acquiesced in, and they passed her over the seats in the hall to a raised place, where he, by leaning over the dock, could fold her in his arms.
“Farewell, dear darling of my soul. My parting blessing on my love. We shall meet again, where the weary are at rest!”
They were her husband’s words, as he held her to his bosom.
“I can bear it, dear Charles. I am supported from above: don’t suffer for me. A parting blessing for our chad.”
“I send it to her by you. I kiss her by you. I say farewell to her by you.”
“My husband. No! A moment!” He was tearing himself apart from her. “We shall not be separated long. I feel that this will break my heart by-and-bye; but I will do my duty while I can, and when I leave her, God will raise up friends for her, as He did for me.”
Her father had followed her, and would have fallen on his knees to both of them, but that Darnay put out a hand and seized him, crying:
“No, no! What have you done, what have you done, that you should kneel to us! We know now, what a struggle you made of old. We know, now what you underwent when you suspected my descent, and when you knew it. We know now, the natural antipathy you strove against, and conquered, for her dear sake. We thank you with all our hearts, and all our love and duty. Heaven be with you!”
Her father’s only answer was to draw his hands through his white hair, and wring them with a shriek of anguish.
“It could not be otherwise,” said the prisoner. “All things have worked together as they have fallen out. it was the always-vain endeavour to discharge my poor mother’s trust that first brought my fatal presence near you. Good could never come of such evil, a happier end was not in nature to so unhappy a beginning. Be comforted, and forgive me. Heaven bless you!”
As he was drawn away, his wife released him, and stood looking after him with her hands touching one another in the attitude of prayer, and with a radiant look upon her face, in which there was even a comforting smile. As he went out at the prisoners’ door, she turned, laid her head lovingly on her father’s breast, tried to speak to him, and fell at his feet.
Then, issuing from the obscure corner from which he had never moved, Sydney Carton came and took her up. Only her father and Mr. Lorry were with her. His arm trembled as it raised her, and supported her head. Yet, there was an air about him that was not all of pity—that had a flush of pride in it.
“Shall I take her to a coach? I shall never feel her weight.”
He carried her lightly to the door, and laid her tenderly down in a coach. Her father and their old friend got into it, and he took his seat beside the driver.
When they arrived at the gateway where he had paused in the dark not many hours before, to picture to himself on which of the rough stones of the street her feet had trodden, he lifted her again, and carried her up the staircase to their rooms. There, he laid her down on a couch, where her child and Miss Pross wept over her.
“Don’t recall her to herself,” he said, softly, to the latter, “she is better so. Don’t revive her to consciousness, while she only faints.”
“Oh, Carton, Carton, dear Carton!” cried little Lucie, springing up and throwing her arms passionately round him, in a burst of grief. “Now that you have come, I think you will do something to help mamma, something to save papa! O, look at her, dear Carton! Can you, of all the people who love her, bear to see her so?”
He bent over the child, and laid her blooming cheek against his face. He put her gently from him, and looked at her unconscious mother.
“Before I go,” he said, and paused—”I may kiss her?”
It was remembered afterwards that when he bent down and touched her face with his lips, he murmured some words. The child, who was nearest to him, told them afterwards, and told her grandchildren when she was a handsome old lady, that she heard him say, “A life you love.”
When he had gone out into the next room, he turned suddenly on Mr. Lorry and her father, who were following, and said to the latter:
“You had great influence but yesterday, Doctor Manette; let it at least be tried. These judges, and all the men in power, are very friendly to you, and very recognisant of your services; are they not?”
“Nothing connected with Charles was concealed from me. I had the strongest assurances that I should save him; and I did.” He returned the answer in great trouble, and very slowly.
“Try them again. The hours between this and to-morrow afternoon are few and short, but try.”
“I intend to try. I will not rest a moment.”
“That’s well. I have known such energy as yours do great things before now—though never,” he added, with a smile and a sigh together, “such great things as this. But try! Of little worth as life is when we misuse it, it is worth that effort. It would cost nothing to lay down if it were not.”
“I will go,” said Doctor Manette, “to the Prosecutor and the President straight, and I will go to others whom it is better not to name. I will write too, and—But stay! There is a Celebration in the streets, and no one will be accessible until dark.”
“That’s true. Well! It is a forlorn hope at the best, and not much the forlorner for being delayed till dark. I should like to know how you speed; though, mind! I expect nothing! When are you likely to have seen these dread powers, Doctor Manette?”
“Immediately after dark, I should hope. Within an hour or two from this.”
“It will be dark soon after four. Let us stretch the hour or two. If I go to Mr. Lorry’s at nine, shall I hear what you have done, either from our friend or from yourself?”
“Yes.”
“May you prosper!”
Mr. Lorry followed Sydney to the outer door, and, touching him on the shoulder as he was going away, caused him to turn.
“I have no hope,” said Mr. Lorry, in a low and sorrowful whisper.
“Nor have I.”
“If any one of these men, or all of these men, were disposed to spare him—which is a large supposition; for what is his life, or any man’s to them!—I doubt if they durst spare him after the demonstration in the court.”
“And so do I. I heard the fall of the axe in that sound.”
Mr. Lorry leaned his arm upon the door-post, and bowed his face upon it.
“Don’t despond,” said Carton, very gently; “don’t grieve. I encouraged Doctor Manette in this idea, because I felt that it might one day be consolatory to her. Otherwise, she might think `his life was want only thrown away or wasted,’ and that might trouble her.”
“Yes, yes, yes,” returned Mr. Lorry, drying his eyes, “you are right. But he will perish; there is no real hope.”
“Yes. He will perish: there is no real hope,” echoed Carton.
And walked with a settled step, down-stairs.
背景介紹與作者介紹
這段文字出自查爾斯·狄更斯的經典小說《雙城記》，該小說於 1859 年首次出版。狄更斯是一位著名的英國作家和社會評論家，以其生動的人物形象和對維多利亞時代社會的描繪而聞名。這部小說的背景設定在法國大革命的動盪時期，探討了犧牲、復活和為正義而奮鬥的主題。狄更斯寫這個故事是為了突出他那個時代的社會不公，並強調在混亂中愛與救贖的力量。
詳細解讀與意義
這段摘錄描繪了一個充滿情感的時刻，忠誠的妻子露西·馬內特面臨著她丈夫查爾斯·達爾內即將被處決的命運，儘管他無罪卻被判刑。儘管絕望籠罩，露西體現了堅強和希望，決心在她丈夫最黑暗的時刻支持他。悉尼·卡頓是一個與自我價值感作鬥爭的複雜人物，他表現出同情和驕傲，幫助露西，暗示了他自己即將到來的犧牲。
這個場景捕捉了小說的核心主題：愛的持久、面對不公的勇氣以及個人救贖的可能性。人物之間的互動揭示了人類即使在看似無望的情況下也能表現出的善良和韌性。
給學生的教訓和啟示
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愛與支持的力量： 露西對丈夫堅定不移的愛告訴我們，在困難時期支持我們所關心的人的重要性。在生活和友誼中，提供情感支持可以為他人提供力量和安慰。
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逆境中的勇氣： 露西和悉尼·卡頓都表現出勇敢——不僅是身體上的勇氣，還有情感和道德上的勇氣。學生可以學會，以尊嚴和決心面對挑戰是一項寶貴的生活技能。
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犧牲與救贖： 悉尼·卡頓的行為暗示了為更大的利益而犧牲自己。這鼓勵人們反思有時將他人置於自己之上如何能帶來個人成長和有意義的改變。
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絕望中的希望： 即使情況看起來很糟糕，保持希望也能激勵行動和韌性。這對於正在應對自身掙扎的學生來說是一個關鍵的教訓。
在日常生活中的應用
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在學校： 當同學或朋友遇到困難時，提供善意和鼓勵可以產生重大影響。學會同情和支持他人可以建立更牢固的關係。
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在社交場合： 即使很困難，也要堅持正確的事情，這反映了故事中人物所表現出的勇氣。學生可以在他們的互動中練習正直和公平。
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個人成長： 反思悉尼·卡頓的旅程可以激勵年輕人尋求目標，努力改善自己，即使他們感到迷茫或不確定。
培養積極的價值觀
為了培養故事中闡述的美德，學生可以：
- 通過傾聽和理解他人的感受來練習同情心。
- 通過設定目標並克服挫折來培養韌性。
- 通過志願服務或幫助有需要的人來擁抱無私。
- 反思道德選擇及其後果，以建立堅強的品格。
結論
《雙城記》提供了關於人性、愛和犧牲的永恆教訓。通過學習這個故事，學生不僅可以提高他們的文學理解能力，還可以獲得關於如何以同情心和勇氣生活的寶貴見解。這些品質可以豐富他們的學術之旅和個人生活，幫助他們成為有思想和有韌性的人。
