Chapter 1 The road to Paris—1775
第1章 去巴黎的路—1775年
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the season of light, it was the season of darkness.
那是最好的年代，也是最糟的年代。那是光明的时节，也是黑暗的时节。
It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of sadness. It was the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy－five.
那是希望的春季，也是悲伤的冬日。那是公元1775年。
In France there was a King and a Queen, and in England there was a King and a Queen.
那时的法国有国王和王后，英国也有国王和王后，
They believed that nothing would ever change.
他们相信什么事情都不会改变。
But in France things were bad, and getting worse. The people were poor, hungry and unhappy.
但是法国的境况很糟糕，而且是每况愈下。人民贫穷、饥饿和不幸中生活。
The King made paper money and spent it, and the people had nothing to eat.
国王发行纸币进行挥霍，而百姓却要忍饥挨饿。
Behind closed doors in the homes of the people, voices spoke in whispers against the King and his noblemen；
在门户紧闭的家中，人们悄声地谈论着反对国王和他的贵族们的话题。
they were only whispers, but they were the angry whispers of desperate people.
它们只是低声的密谈，但却是绝望中的人们愤怒的声音。
Late one November night, in that same year 1775, a coach going from London to Dover, stopped at the top of a long hill.
就在那1775年11月的一个深夜，一辆从伦敦赶往多佛的马车停在了一条绵延的山丘的顶部。
The horses were tired, but as they rested, the driver heard an other horse coming fast up the hill behind them.
马匹都已经很累了，但在它们休息时，赶车人听到后面有另一匹马正急速地朝他们赶来。
The rider stopped his horse beside the coach and shouted：
骑马人把马停在马车的旁边并喊道：
'I want a passenger, Mr Jarvis Lorry, from Tellson's Bank in London.'
“我要找伦敦台尔森银行来的贾维斯·劳里先生。”
'I am Mr Jarvis Lorry, ' said one of the passengers, putting his head out of the window.'What do you want?'
“我就是贾维斯·劳里先生，”车内的一位乘客从车窗探出头来说道。“有什么事吗?”
'It's me！Jerry, Jerry Cruncher, from Tellson's Bank, sir, ' cried the man on the horse.
“是我！杰里，杰里·克拉彻，从台尔森银行来的，先生，”马上的人喊道。
'What's the matter, Jerry?' called Mr Lorry.
“什么事，杰里?”劳里先生问道。
A message for you, Mr Lorry. You've got to wait at Dover for a young lady.'
“捎个信儿给您，劳里先生，您得在多佛等候一位年轻女士。”
'Very well, Jerry, ' said Mr Lorry.'Tell them my answer is CAME BACK TO LIFE'.
“好吧，杰里，”劳里先生说。“告诉他们，就说我的答复是'活过来'”。
It was a strange message, and a strange answer. No one in the coach understood what they meant.
口信儿是奇特的，而答复就更奇特了。马车上的人都不明白他们在说什么。
The next day Mr Lorry was sitting in his hotel in Dover when a young lady arrived.
第二天，劳里先生在多佛的旅馆里坐着时，来了一位年轻的女士。
She was pretty, with golden hair and blue eyes, and Mr Lorry remembered a small child, almost a baby.
她很美，有一头金黄的头发和蓝色的眼睛，这让劳里先生想起了一个小孩儿，几乎是个婴儿。
He had carried her in his arms when he came from Calais to Dover, from France to England, many years ago.
那是在很多年前，在从法国加莱去英国多佛的路上，他曾把她抱在怀里。
Mr Lorry asked the young lady to sit down.
劳里先生让这位年轻女士坐下来。