ALONG the Paris streets, the death-carts rumble, hollow and harsh. Six tumbrils carry the day’s wine to La Guillotine.
在巴黎的街道上，死亡马车隆隆作响，空洞而刺耳。六辆马车运载着当天的葡萄酒前往断头台。 —

All the devouring and insatiate Monsters imagined since imagination could record itself, are fused in the one realisation, Guillotine.
自从人类有想象力以来，所有贪婪而无法满足的怪物都融合在一个真实的刑具上，断头台。 —

And yet there is not in France, with its rich variety of soil and climate, a blade, a leaf, a root, a sprig, a peppercorn, which will grow to maturity under conditions more certain than those that have produced this horror.
然而在法国境内，拥有丰富多样的土壤和气候，没有一把刀、一片叶子、一根根、一片嫩芽、一颗胡椒粒，能够在比这更确定的条件下茁壮成长，制造出这种恐怖。 —

Crush humanity out of shape once more, under similar hammers, and it will twist itself into the same tortured forms.
再次用同样的锤子将人类弄得扭曲变形，它将自己扭曲成同样痛苦的形态。 —

Sow the same seed of rapacious licence and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind.
再次播下贪婪的自由和压迫的种子，它必定会结出同样的果实，依据它自身的属性。

Six tumbrils roll along the streets.
六辆牢车沿着街道行驶。 —

Change these back again to what they were, thou powerful enchanter, Time, and they shall be seen to be the carriages of absolute monarchs, the equipages of feudal nobles, the toilettes of flaring Jezebels, the churches that are not my father’s house but dens of thieves, the huts of millions of starving peasants! No;
能够将它们变回从前的模样吗，强大的魔法师——时间？它们将被看到是绝对君主的马车，封建贵族的座驾，炫耀的耶洗别的装饰物，不是我父亲居住的教堂，而是贼窝，是数百万饥饿的农民的茅屋！不， —

the great magician who majestically works out the appointed order of the Creator, never reverses his transformations.
这位气度堂堂的大魔法师，他威严地执行着造物主所规定的次序，从不逆转他的变化。 —

‘If thou be changed into this shape by the will of God,’ say the seers to the enchanted, in the wise Arabian stories, ‘then remain so! But, if thou wear this form through mere passing conjuration, then resume thy former aspect!’ Changeless and hopeless, the tumbrils roll along.
在阿拉伯的智慧故事中，先知对被魔法变成这种形态的人说：“如果你是上帝的意愿使你变成这样，那就保持这样！但是，如果你的形态只是短暂的变幻，那就恢复你以前的面貌！”不变和绝望，牢车继续前行。

As the sombre wheels of the six carts go round, they seem to plough up a long crooked furrow among the populace in the streets.
当六辆黑暗的车轮转动时，它们似乎在人群中犁出了一条长而弯曲的沟壑。 —

Ridges of faces are thrown to this side and to that, and the ploughs go steadily onward.
一片片人脸被翻起，向左向右扔去，而犁头则稳定地前行。 —

So used are the regular inhabitants of the houses to the spectacle, that in many windows there are no people, and in some the occupation of the hands is not so much as suspended, while the eyes survey the faces in the tumbrils.
居民们对这一景象已经习以为常，以至于许多窗户里没有人，有些窗户里的手甚至没有停下来，而眼睛则观察着牢车上的人脸。 —

Here and there, the inmate has visitors to see the sight;
有些住户还带着来参观的人来看这一景象； —

then he points his finger, with something of the complacency of a curator or authorised exponent, to this cart and to this, and seems to tell who sat here yesterday, and who there the day before.
然后他伸出手指，像一个馆长或者官方解释者一样，自信地指着这辆手推车和那辆手推车，仿佛在告诉谁昨天坐在这里，前天又坐在那里。 —

Of the riders in the tumbrils, some observe these things, and all things on their last roadside, with an impassive stare; others, with a lingering interest in the ways of life and men.
囚车上的乘客们中，有些人目光呆滞地观察着这些事物，以及最后一次路过的景象；而其他人则对人生和人类的方式表现出持久的兴趣。 —

Some, seated with drooping heads, are sunk in silent despair;
一些人头垂下坐着，沉浸在无声的绝望中； —

again, there are some so heedful of their looks that they cast upon the multitude such glances as they have seen in theatres, and in pictures. Several close their eyes, and think, or try to get their straying thoughts together.
另外一些人则非常注重自己的形象，在人群中投以戏剧或者画中见过的目光。几个人闭上眼睛，思考，或者试图整理思绪。 —

Only one, and he a miserable creature, of a crazed aspect, is so shattered and made drunk by horror, that he sings, and tries to dance. Not one of the whole numberappeals by look or gesture, to the pity of the people.
只有一个可怜的、疯狂的家伙，因为恐惧而颓废和醉醺醺，他唱歌，试图跳舞。整个队伍中没有一个人通过眼神或手势向人们乞求怜悯。

There is a guard of sundry horsemen riding abreast of the tumbrils, and faces are often turned up to some of them, and they are asked some question.
一队骑在囚车旁边的士兵，经常有人抬头看着他们，并向他们提问。 —

It would seem to be always the same question, for, it is always followed by a press of people towards the third cart.
似乎每次都是同一个问题，因为每次都会有人向第三辆囚车挤去。 —

The horsemen abreast of that cart, frequently point out one man in it with their swords.
与那辆囚车并排行驶的骑兵们经常用剑指向其中的一个人。 —

The leading curiosity is, to know which is he;
人们最感兴趣的是要知道是哪一个。 —

he stands at the back of the tumbril with his head bent down, to converse with a mere girl who sits on the side of the cart, and holds his hand.
他站在囚车的后面，低下头与一个年轻女孩交谈，女孩坐在囚车的一侧，握着他的手。 —

He has no curiosity or care for the scene about him, and always speaks to the girl.
他对周围的场景没有任何好奇或关心，总是在和那个女孩交谈。 —

Here and there in the long street of St. Honoré, cries are raised against him.
在圣奥诺雷的长街上，有人对他大喊大叫。 —

If they move him at all, it is only to a quiet smile, as he shakes his hair a little more loosely about his face.
如果他们对他有任何影响，那只会是一个安静的微笑，当他抖散一些垂在脸上的头发时。 —

He cannot easily touch his face, his arms being bound.
他很难碰到自己的脸，因为手臂被绑住了。

On the steps of a church, awaiting the coming-up of the tumbrils, stands the Spy and prison-sheep.
在教堂的台阶上，等待刑车的到来，站着一个间谍和一只关押在监狱里的羊。 —

He looks into the first of them: not there.
他向第一辆车里看去：没有在那里。 —

He looks into the second: not there.
他又看向第二辆车：也没有。 —

He already asks himself, ‘Has he sacrificed me?’ when his face clears, as he looks into the third.
他已经问自己，“他把我牺牲了吗？”当他看向第三辆车时，他的脸突然放松了。

‘Which is Evrémonde?’ says a man behind him.
一个人在他身后问道：“哪个是埃弗尔蒙德？ —

‘That. At the back there.’ ‘With his hand in the girl’s?’ ‘Yes.’
” “那个，后面的那个。” “他手里握着那个女孩？” “是的。”

The man cries, ‘Down, Evrémonde To the Guillotine all aristocrats!
这人喊道：“低头，埃弗尔蒙德！所有的贵族都去断头台！低头， —

Down, Evrémonde!’
埃弗尔蒙德！”

‘Hush, hush!’ the Spy entreats him, timidly.
“嘘，嘘！” 间谍恳求他，胆怯地。

‘And why not, citizen?’
“为什么不，公民？”

‘He is going to pay the forfeit:
“他将要偿还代价： —

it will be paid in five minutes more. Let him be at peace.’
再过五分钟就会被偿还。让他平静下来吧。”

But the man continuing to exclaim, ‘Down, Evrémonde!’ the face of Evrémonde is for a moment turned towards him.
但是这个人继续喊道，“低头，埃弗尔蒙德！” 埃弗尔蒙德的脸短暂地转向他。 —

Evrémonde then sees the Spy, and looks attentively at him, and goes his way.
埃弗尔蒙德随后看到了间谍，仔细地看了他一会儿，然后走开了。

The clocks are on the stroke of three, and the furrow ploughed among the populace is turning round, to come on into the place of execution, and end. The ridges thrown to this side and to that, now crumble in and close behind the last plough as it passes on, for all are following to the Guillotine. In front of it, seated in chairs, as in a garden of public diversion, are a number of women, busily knitting.
时钟正在敲响三点，人民中间产生的隔离已经开始转向，朝着行刑场所前进，并且结束。在它前面，坐在椅子上，就像在一个公共娱乐园一样，有一些女人忙着编织。在最前面的一个椅子上，站着复仇者，四处寻找她的朋友。“泰蕾兹！” 她用她尖细的声音喊道。“谁看见她了？ —

On one of the foremost chairs, stands The Vengeance, looking about for her friend.
泰蕾兹·德法尔热！”

‘Thérèse!’ she cries, in her shrill tones.
“她以前从来没失踪过， —

‘Who has seen her? Thérèse Defarge!’
”一个编织女人说。

‘She never missed before,’ says a knitting-woman of the sisterhood.
“没有；而且她现在也不会失踪的，”复仇者恼怒地说。“泰蕾兹！”

‘No; nor will site miss now,’ cries The Vengeance, petulantly.
“大声些，”那个女人建议说。 —

‘Thérèse!’

‘Louder,’ the woman recommends.
是的！大声一些，复仇者，大声一些，然而她几乎听不见。再大声一些，复仇者，顺便加上一点咒骂，然而她还是几乎听不见。

Ay! Louder, Vengeance, much louder, and still site will scarcely hear thee. Louder yet, Vengeance, with a little oath or so added, and yet it will hardly bring her.
更大声些，大声复仇者，然而她几乎听不见你。 —

Send other women up and down to seek her, lingering somewhere; and yet, although the messengers have done dread deeds, it is questionable whether of their own wills they will go far enough to find her!
派其他女性上下寻找她，停留在某个地方；然而，尽管使者们做出了可怕的举动，他们是否会出于自己的意愿而足够努力去找到她仍然是个问题！

‘Bad Fortune!’ cries The Vengeance, stamping her foot in the chair, ‘and here are the tumbrils!
“倒霉的命运！” 复仇者在椅子上跺脚说道，“这里还有拖车！ —

And Evrémonde will be despatched in a wink, and she not here! See her knitting in my hand, and her empty chair ready for her.
埃弗尔émonde马上就要被处决了，她还没到！看着她在我手里织着，她的空椅子已经准备好了。 —

I cry with ‘vexation and disappointment!’
我因为“恼怒和失望而哭！”

As The Vengeance descends from her elevation to do it, the tumbrils begin to discharge their loads.
当复仇者离开她的位置去执行时，拖车开始卸载它们的货物。 —

The ministers of Sainte Guillotine are robed and ready. Crash!
圣吉洛丁斯的使者们已经穿着袍子准备就绪。咔嗒！ —

–A head is held up, and the knitting-women who scarcely lifted their eyes to look at it a moment ago when it could think and speak, count One.
——头被扬了起来，而织毛衣的妇女们在刚才当它还能思考和说话时几乎没有抬头看它一眼，数到了一个。

The second tumbril empties and moves on; the third comes up.
第二辆拖车卸载并继续行驶；第三辆出现。 —

Crash–And the knitting-women, never faltering or pausing in their work, count Two.
咔嗒——织毛衣的妇女们毫不犹豫地织着，数到了两个。

The supposed Evrémonde descends, and the seamstress is lifted out next after him.
所谓的埃弗尔émonde下来了，接着是裁缝。在他出来的时候， —

He has not relinquished her patient hand in getting out, but still holds it as he promised.
他并没有放开她坚定的手，仍然握着手，就像他答应的那样。 —

He gently places her with her back to the crashing engine that constantly whirrs up and falls, and she looks into his face and thanks him.
他轻轻地把她背对着不断旋转起落的撞车机，她看着他的脸，对他表示感谢。

‘But for you, dear stranger, I should not be so composed, for I am naturally a poor little thing, faint of heart;
“如果没有你，亲爱的陌生人，我不会那么镇定，因为我本来就是一个天生脆弱的小东西； —

nor should I have been able to raise my thoughts to Him who was put to death, that we might have hope and comfort here to-day.
我也不会能够抬起我的思想投向那被处死为了给我们带来希望和安慰的人，而今天我们在这里。 —

I think you were sent to me by Heaven.
我认为你是上天派来的。

‘Or you to me,’ says Sydney Carton.
“或者是你让我遇见的。”悉尼·卡尔顿说道。 —

‘Keep your eyes upon me, dear child, and mind no other object.’
“亲爱的孩子，把眼睛盯着我，不要看其他东西。”

‘I mind nothing while I hold your hand.
“只要握着你的手，我就什么都不在乎。 —

I shall mind nothing when I let it go, if they are rapid.’
如果它们快的话，我不会感到害怕。”

‘They will be rapid. Fear not!’
“它们会很快的。不要害怕！”

The two stand in the fast-thinning throng of victims, but they speak as if they were alone. Eye to eye, voice to voice, hand to hand, heart to heart, these two children of the Universal Mother, else so wide apart and differing, have come together on the dark highway, to repair home together, and to rest in her bosom.
这两个人站在越来越稀薄的受害者群中，但他们的交谈仿佛他们是独处。眼睛对视，声音交流，手牵手，心与心，这两个普遍母亲的孩子们。不同而相距甚远的人们，聚集在黑暗的公路上，一起修复家园，安息其中之怀抱。

‘Brave and generous friend, will you let me ask you one last question?
「勇敢而慷慨的朋友，能否允许我问你一个最后的问题？ —

I am very ignorant, and it troubles me–just a little.’
我非常无知，这令我有些困扰。」

‘Tell me what it is.’
「告诉我吧，你有什么疑问。」

‘I have a cousin, an only relative and an orphan, like myself, whom I love very dearly.
「我有一个表妹，她是我唯一的亲戚，也像我一样是个孤儿。她比我小五岁，住在南方一个农民家里。贫困让我们分离， —

She is five years younger than I, and she lives in a farmer’s house in the south country.
她对我的命运一无所知，因为我不能写信，即使能写，我又该如何告诉她呢！现在这样不知情反而更好。」 —

Poverty parted us, and she knows nothing of my fate–for I cannot writ–and if I could, how should I tell her! It is better as it is.’
「是的，是的，现在这样更好。」

‘Yes, yes; better as it is.’
「我们一路走来，我一直在想，而现在当我看着你那慈祥坚定的面容时，感受到你给予我的巨大支持，

‘What I have been thinking as we came along, and what I am still thinking now, as I look into your kind strong face which gives me so much support, is this:–if the Republic really does good to the poor, and they come to be less hungry, and in all ways to suffer less, she may live a long time:
我想到的是：如果共和国真的帮助了穷人，让他们不再饥饿，在各个方面都减少了苦难，她或许可以活很久，甚至活到老年。」「那又如何，我亲爱的妹子？ —

she may even live to be old.’
」

‘What then, my gentle sister?’
「你认为…」她忍受着无尽苦痛的眼眸充满了泪水，嘴唇微微张开颤动着：「对我来说，等待她在那个更美好的世界里，我会觉得时间漫长吗？在那个我信任你和我都会获得怜悯庇护的地方？」

‘Do you think:’ the uncomplaining eyes in which there is so much endurance, fill with tears, and the lips part a little more and tremble:
「不可能的，我的孩子； —

‘that it will seem long to me, while I wait for her in the better land where I trust both you and I will be mercifully sheltered?’
那里没有时间，没有苦难。」

‘It cannot be, my child;
「你给了我如此多的安慰！ —

there is no Time there, and no trouble there.’
我太无知了。现在，我可以亲吻你吗？时刻到了吗？」

‘You comfort me so much! I am so ignorant.
「是的。 —

Am I to kiss you now? Is the moment come?’
」

‘Yes.’
她吻了他的嘴唇，他也吻了她的嘴唇，他们庄严地祝福彼此。他松开的那只瘦弱的手没有颤抖，他的脸上只有甜蜜而明亮的坚定。她先走在他前面-消失了；编织女人们数到第二十二。

She kisses his lips; he kisses hers;
「我是复活， —

they solemnly bless each other.
我是生命， —

The spare hand does not tremble as he releases it;
主这样说：凡信我的， —

nothing worse than a sweet, bright constancy is in the patient face.
虽然死了，也必复活； —

She goes next before him-is gone;
凡活着信我的， —

the knitting-women count Twenty-Two.
必永远不死。」

‘I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord:
「我是复活，我是生命，主这样说： —

he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.’
凡信我的，虽然死了，也必复活；凡活着信我的，必永远不死。」

The murmuring of many voices, the upturning of many faces, the pressing on of many footsteps in the outskirts of the crowd, so that it swells forward in a mass, like one great heave of water, all flashes away. Twenty-Three.
众多声音的低语，众多面孔的转向，踏着众多脚步在人群的外围前进，使得人群像一股汹涌的巨大浪潮一样迅速散开。二十三。

They said of him, about the city that night, that it was the peacefullest man’s face ever beheld there.
当晚，人们都说他是这座城市里最宁静的人。 —

Many added that he looked sublime and prophetic.
许多人还认为他的面容庄严而富有预言性。

One of the most remarkable sufferers by the same axe–a woman–Had asked at the foot of the same scaffold, not long before, to be allowed to write down the thoughts that were inspiring her.
同一个断头台下的一位最为显眼的受难者——一个女人——在不久之前曾请求被允许写下激励她的思想。 —

If he had given an utterance to his, and they were prophetic, they would have been these:
如果他表达了自己的思想并且那确实有预见性，那么它们大概会是这样：

‘I see Barsad, and Cly, Defarge, The Vengeance, the Juryman, the Judge, long ranks of the new oppressors who have risen on the destruction of the old, perishing by this retributive instrument, before it shall cease out of its present use.
“我看到巴尔萨，克莱思，德法日，复仇女神，陪审员，法官，众多登上旧体制的倒台者，在这惩罚性的工具消失之前，纷纷丧命。” —

I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people’ rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free, in their triumphs and defeats, through long long years to come, I see the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out.
我看到一个美丽的城市和一个杰出的民族从这个深渊中崛起，在他们为了真正的自由而奋斗、在他们的胜利和失败中，经过漫长的岁月，我看到这个时代和前一个时代的罪恶，逐渐为自己赎罪和消磨殆尽。

‘I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy, in that England which I shall see no more.
“我看到我为之舍生取义的那些人过着宁静、有益、繁荣和幸福的生活，生活在我再也看不到的英格兰。 —

I see Her with a child upon her bosom, who bears my name.
我看到她怀抱着一个名为我名字的孩子。 —

I see her father, aged and bent, but otherwise restored, and faithful to all men in his healing office, and at peace. I see the good old man, so long their friend, in ten years’ time enriching them with all he has, and passing tranquilly to his reward.
我看到她的父亲，年迈而略为佝偻，但其他方面已经康复，忠于他治疗工作中的所有人，并且心平气和。我看到这个善良老人，作为他们的朋友良久，十年后用他的一切来使他们富裕，并平静地离开人世，去接受他的报酬。

‘I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence.
“我看到自己在他们心中，以及他们后代的心中有一座庇护所。我看到她， —

I see her, an old woman, weeping for me on the anniversary of this day.
是一位老妇人，在这一天的纪念日上为我哭泣。” —

I see her and her husband, their course done, lying side by side in their last earthly bed, and I know that each was not more honoured and held sacred in the other’s soul, than I was in the souls of both.
我看到她和她的丈夫，他们完成了自己的使命，躺在最后一张床上，我知道每一个人对彼此的灵魂都如同对我一样崇敬和神圣。

‘I see that child who lay upon her bosom and who bore my name, a man winning his way up in that path of life which once was mine.
‘我看到那个曾躺在她怀中并以我的名字命名的孩子，一个在我曾经拥有的生活道路上取得成功的男人。 —

I see him winning it so well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his.
我看到他的成功是如此辉煌， —

I see the blots I threw upon it, faded away.
以至于我的名字因他的光辉而闪耀。 —

I see him, foremost of just judges and honoured men, bringing a boy of my name, with a forehead that I know and golden hair, to this place–then fair to look upon, with not a trace of this day’s disfigurement–and I hear him tell the child my story, with a tender and a faltering voice.
我看到他成为了伟大的法官和受人尊敬的人，他带着一个我名字的男孩来到这个地方——当时那个孩子的脸上是我所熟悉的额头和金色的头发——然后，我听到他用温柔和颤抖的声音给那个孩子讲述我的故事。

‘It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.’
‘我所做的远远好过我曾经做过的事情；我所要去的地方比我曾经经历过的休息更好。’