【导读】 双城记(A Tale of Two Cities)是英国作家查尔斯·狄更斯所著的一部以法国大革命为背景所写成的长篇历史小说。故事将巴黎、伦敦两个大城市连接起来，围绕着曼马内特医生一家和以德法日夫妇为首的圣安东尼区展开故事。
【文化节选】
Charles Darnay passed his last night alone in the prison.
He had no hope.He knew he must die，not for anything he had done wrong，but for the crimes of his father and his uncle.He sat down to write to his wife：
I knew nothing about the time your father spent in prison until he told me.Even then I did not know that it was my family that had been so cruel to him.I told your father that my real name was Evrémonde，and he made me promise not to tell you.I am sure that he had forgotten the paper he had written，but what has happened now is not his fault.Take care of him and our child，and one day we shall all meet again in the happier world that comes after death.
Darnay did not sleep peacefully that night and in the morning he walked up and down his prison，waiting.He counted the hours—nine，gone for ever，ten，eleven，twelve gone for ever.At one o'clock he heard someone outside the door.The door opened and closed and there stood Sydney Carton，holding a warning finger to his lips.
“Be quiet！I come from your wife.She begs you to do exactly what I say，and to ask no questions.There is no time.Take off your boots and put on mine.”
“Carton，my dear friend，”said Darnay，“it is impossible to escape from this place.You will only die with me.”
“I'm not asking you to escape.Put on my shirt，and my coat.”He did not allow Darnay time to argue or refuse.“Now sit down and write what I say，”he said.“Quickly，my friend，quickly！”
查尔斯·代尔那独自一人在监狱里过着他的最后一个夜晚。
他不抱什么希望了。他知道他必须得死，不是因为他做错了什么事，而是因为他父亲和叔叔所犯下的罪行。他坐下来给他的妻子写信：
在你父亲告诉我以前，我对他在监狱中度过的岁月一无所知。即便那时我也不知道是我的家庭曾那样残忍地对待过他。我当时告诉你父亲我的真实姓氏是埃弗蒙，但他让我发誓不要告诉你。我相信他那时已经忘了他曾在监狱里写的那份记录。但是现在发生的事不是他的过错。你要好好照顾他和我们的孩子。有一天我们将会重逢在一个更幸福的世界里的，人们死后就会到来的那个世界。
代尔那那天晚上没有安睡过，凌晨他在囚室里走来走去地等待着。他数着时间——9点，永远过去了，10点、11点、12点，都永远消逝了。一点钟时他听见有人在门外。门开了又关上。西得尼·卡登走了进来。他伸出一只手指按在嘴上。
“安静！我从你妻子那儿来。她求你完全按照我说的去做，什么也别问。没时间了。脱掉你的靴子换上我的。”
“卡登，我亲爱的朋友，”代尔那说道，“从这个地方逃跑是不可能的，你只会和我一起死的。”
“我没让你逃跑。穿上我的衬衫。还有我的大衣。”他没有给代尔那争辩或拒绝的时间。“现在坐下写下我说的话。”他说。“快点儿，我的朋友，快一点儿！”
