A Tale of Two Cities(excerpt)
In Monsieur Defarge's wineshop in Saint Antoine customers came and went all the time.They came to drink the thin，rough wine，but more often they came to listen and to talk，and to wait for news.
One day there were more customers than usual.Defarge had been away for three days，and when he returned that morning，he brought a stranger with him，a man who repaired roads.
“Madam，”Defarge said to his wife，“this man，who is called Jacques，has walked a long way with me.”One customer got up and went out.“This mender of roads，”continued Defarge，“who is called Jacques，is a good man.Give him something to drink.”A second man got up and went out.The man who repaired roads sat down and drank.A third man got up and went out.
“Have you finished，my friend？”said Defarge.“Then come and see the room I promised you.”
They went upstairs，to the room where Dr Manette had sat making shoes.The three men who had left the wineshop were waiting.Defarge spoke to them：
“No names.You are Jacques One，Jacques Two and Jacques Three.I am Jacques Four.This is Jacques Five.He brings us news of our poor friend Gaspard，whose child was killed by the Marquis's coach a year ago.”
“I first saw Gaspard，”said Jacques Five，“holding on under the Marquis's coach as it drove into our village.He ran away，but that night the Marquis was murdered.Gaspard disappeared and was only caught a few weeks ago.The soldiers brought him into the village and hanged him.And they have left his body hanging in the village square，where the women go to fetch water，and our children play.”,《双城记》(节选)
在圣安东尼德法日先生的酒店里，顾客们来来往往络绎不绝。他们来这儿喝点清淡的粗制葡萄酒，但他们更多的是来这儿聆听和交谈的，还有等候消息的。
一天，店里的顾客比平常要多。德法日已经出去3天了。当他那天早上回来时，他带回来了一个陌生人，一个修路工。
“夫人，”德法日对他的妻子说。“这个人叫雅克，他已经和我一起走了很长一段路。”有一个顾客这时起身走了出去。“这个修路工，”德法日接着说，“叫雅克，是个好人。给他来点喝的吧。”第二个人起身走了出去。那个修路的人坐了下来喝酒。第三个人起身走了出去。
“喝完了吗，我的朋友？”德法日说。“那就过来看看我答应给你的房间吧。”
他们上了楼，来到马内特医生曾坐着做鞋子的房间。那三个刚才离开酒店的男人正在等着他们。德法日对他们说：
“没有名字。你们是雅克一，雅克二和雅克三。我是雅克四，这是雅克五。他给我们带来了我们可怜的朋友加斯珀德的消息，一年前他的孩子被侯爵的马车压死了。”
“我第一次看到加斯珀德，”雅克五说，“是在侯爵的马车进村时，他趴在车底下。他跑掉了，但是那天晚上侯爵就被暗杀了。加斯珀德失踪了，几星期前才被抓到。士兵们把他带到村子里绞死了他，而且他们把他的尸体吊在了村里的场地上。那是妇女们打水以及我们的孩子们玩耍的地方。”
[知识积累]
1．rough adj. 不是精制的；未经加工的
2．customer n. 顾客，客户
3．promise v. 允诺；许诺
4．murder v. 谋杀
5．hang v. 绞死
