Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities
Preface
When I was acting with my children and friends in Mr WILKIE COLLINSS drama
of The Frozen Deep I first conceived the main idea of this story A strong
desire was upon me then to embody it in my own person and I traced out in my
fancy the state of mind of which it would necessitate the presentation to an
observant spectator with particular care and interest
As the idea became familiar to me it gradually shaped itself into its
present form Throughout its execution it has had complete possession of me I
have so far verified what is done and suffered in these pages as that I have
certainly done and suffered it all myself
Whenever any reference however slight is made here to the condition of the
French people before or during the Revolution it is truly made on the faith of
trustworthy witnesses It has been one of my hopes to add something to the
popular and picturesque means of understanding that terrible time though no one
can hope to add anything to the philosophy of Mr CARLYLES wonderful book
Book the First
Recalled to Life
Chapter I
The Period
It was the best of times it was the worst of times it was the age of wisdom
it was the age of foolishness it was the epoch of belief it was the epoch of
incredulity it was the season of Light it was the season of Darkness it was
the spring of hope it was the winter of despair we had everything before us
we had nothing before us we were all going direct to Heaven we were all going
direct the other way in short the period was so far like the present period
that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received for good
or for evil in the superlative degree of comparison only
There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face on the
throne of England there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair
face on the throne of France In both countries it was clearer than crystal to
the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes that things in general
were settled for ever
It was the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventyfive
Spiritual revelations were conceded to England at that favoured period as at
this Mrs Southcott had recently attained her fiveandtwentieth blessed
birthday of whom a prophetic private in the Life Guards had heralded the
sublime appearance by announcing that arrangements were made for the swallowing
up of London and Westminster Even the Cocklane ghost had been laid only a
round dozen of years after rapping out its messages as the spirits of this
very year last past supernaturally deficient in originality rapped out theirs
Mere messages in the earthly order of events had lately come to the English
Crown and People from a congress of British subjects in America which strange
to relate have proved more important to the human race than any communications
yet received through any of the chickens of the Cocklane brood
France less favoured on the whole as to matters spiritual than her sister
of the shield and trident rolled with exceeding smoothness down hill making
paper money and spending it Under the guidance of her Christian pastors she
entertained herself besides with such humane achievements as sentencing a
youth to have his hands cut off his tongue torn out with pincers and his body
burned alive because he had not kneeled down in the rain to do honour to a
dirty procession of monks which passed within his view at a distance of some
fifty or sixty yards It is likely enough that rooted in the woods of France
and Norway there were growing trees when that sufferer was put to death
already marked by the Woodman Fate to come down and be sawn into boards to
make a certain movable framework with a sack and a knife in it terrible in
history It is likely enough that in the rough outhouses of some tillers of the
heavy lands adjacent to Paris there were sheltered from the weather that very
day rude carts bespattered with rustic mire snuffed about by pigs and
roosted in by poultry which the Farmer Death had already set apart to be his
tumbrils of the Revolution But that Woodman and that Farmer though they work
unceasingly work silently and no one heard them as they went about with
muffled tread the rather forasmuch as to entertain any suspicion that they
were awake was to be atheistical and traitorous
In England there was scarcely an amount of order and protection to justify
much national boasting Daring burglaries by armed men and highway robberies
took place in the capital itself every night families were publicly cautioned
not to go out of town without removing their furniture to upholsterers
warehouses for security the highwayman in the dark was a City tradesman in the
light and being recognised and challenged by his fellowtradesman whom he
stopped in his character of the Captain gallantly shot him through the head and
rode away the mail was waylaid by seven robbers and the guard shot three dead
and then got shot dead himself by the other four in consequence of the failure
of his ammunition after which the mail was robbed in peace that magnificent
potentate the Lord Mayor of London was made to stand and deliver on Turnham
Green by one highwayman who despoiled the illustrious creature in sight of all
his retinue prisoners in London gaols fought battles with their turnkeys and
the majesty of the law fired blunderbusses in among them loaded with rounds of
shot and ball thieves snipped off diamond crosses from the necks of noble lords
at Court drawingrooms musketeers went into St Giless to search for
contraband goods and the mob fired on the musketeers and the musketeers fired
on the mob and nobody thought any of these occurrences much out of the common
way In the midst of them the hangman ever busy and ever worse than useless
was in constant requisition now stringing up long rows of miscellaneous
criminals now hanging a housebreaker on Saturday who had been taken on
Tuesday now burning people in the hand at Newgate by the dozen and now
burning pamphlets at the door of Westminster Hall today taking the life of an
atrocious murderer and tomorrow of a wretched pilferer who had robbed a
farmers boy of sixpence
All these things and a thousand like them came to pass in and close upon
the dear old year one thousand seven hundred and seventyfive Environed by
them while the Woodman and the Farmer worked unheeded those two of the large
jaws and those other two of the plain and the fair faces trod with stir
enough and carried their divine rights with a high hand Thus did the year one
thousand seven hundred and seventyfive conduct their Greatnesses and myriads
of small creatures the creatures of this chronicle among the rest along the
roads that lay before them
Chapter II
The Mail
It was the Dover road that lay on a Friday night late in November before the
first of the persons with whom this history has business The Dover road lay as
to him beyond the Dover mail as it lumbered up Shooters Hill He walked
uphill in the mire by the side of the mail as the rest of the passengers did
not because they had the least relish for walking exercise under the
circumstances but because the hill and the harness and the mud and the mail
were all so heavy that the horses had three times already come to a stop
besides once drawing the coach across the road with the mutinous intent of
taking it back to Blackheath Reins and whip and coachman and guard however in
combination had read that article of war which forbad a purpose otherwise
strongly in favour of the argument that some brute animals are endued with
Reason and the team had capitulated and returned to their duty
With drooping heads and tremulous tails they mashed their way through the
thick mud floundering and stumbling between whiles as if they were falling to
pieces at the larger joints As often as the driver rested them and brought them
to a stand with a wary »Woho soho then« the near leader violently shook his
head and everything upon it like an unusually emphatic horse denying that the
coach could be got up the hill Whenever the leader made this rattle the
passenger started as a nervous passenger might and was disturbed in mind
There was a steaming mist in all the hollows and it had roamed in its
forlornness up the hill like an evil spirit seeking rest and finding none A
clammy and intensely cold mist it made its slow way through the air in ripples
that visibly followed and overspread one another as the waves of an unwholesome
sea might do It was dense enough to shut out everything from the light of the
coachlamps but these its own workings and a few yards of road and the reek of
the labouring horses steamed into it as if they had made it all
Two other passengers besides the one were plodding up the hill by the side
of the mail All three were wrapped to the cheekbones and over the ears and
wore jackboots Not one of the three could have said from anything he saw
what either of the other two was like and each was hidden under almost as many
wrappers from the eyes of the mind, as from the eyes of the body of his two
companions In those days travellers were very shy of being confidential on a
short notice for anybody on the road might be a robber or in league with
robbers As to the latter when every postinghouse and alehouse could produce
somebody in the Captains pay ranging from the landlord to the lowest stable
nondescript it was the likeliest thing upon the cards So the guard of the
Dover mail thought to himself that Friday night in November one thousand seven
hundred and seventyfive lumbering up Shooters Hill as he stood on his own
particular perch behind the mail beating his feet and keeping an eye and a
hand on the armchest before him where a loaded blunderbuss lay at the top of
six or eight loaded horsepistols deposited on a substratum of cutlass
The Dover mail was in its usual genial position that the guard suspected the
passengers the passengers suspected one another and the guard they all
suspected everybody else and the coachman was sure of nothing but the horses
as to which cattle he could with a clear conscience have taken his oath on the
two Testaments that they were not fit for the journey
»Woho« said the coachman »So then One more pull and youre at the top
and be damned to you for I have had trouble enough to get you to it Joe«
»Halloa« the guard replied
»What oclock do you make it Joe«
»Ten minutes good past eleven«
»My blood« ejaculated the vexed coachman »and not atop of Shooters yet
Tst Yah Get on with you«
The emphatic horse cut short by the whip in a most decided negative made a
decided scramble for it and the three other horses followed suit Once more
the Dover mail struggled on with the jackboots of its passengers squashing
along by its side They had stopped when the coach stopped and they kept close
company with it If any one of the three had had the hardihood to propose to
another to walk on a little ahead into the mist and darkness he would have put
himself in a fair way of getting shot instantly as a highwayman
The last burst carried the mail to the summit of the hill The horses
stopped to breathe again and the guard got down to skid the wheel for the
descent and open the coachdoor to let the passengers in
»Tst Joe« cried the coachman in a warning voice looking down from his
box
»What do you say Tom«
They both listened
»I say a horse at a canter coming up Joe«
»I say a horse at a gallop Tom« returned the guard leaving his hold of
the door and mounting nimbly to his place »Gentlemen In the kings name all
of you«
With this hurried adjuration he cocked his blunderbuss and stood on the
offensive
The passenger booked by this history was on the coachstep getting in the
two other passengers were close behind him and about to follow He remained on
the step half in the coach and half out of it they remained in the road below
him They all looked from the coachman to the guard and from the guard to the
coachman and listened The coachman looked back and the guard looked back and
even the emphatic leader pricked up his ears and looked back without
contradicting
The stillness consequent on the cessation of the rumbling and labouring of
the coach added to the stillness of the night made it very quiet indeed The
panting of the horses communicated a tremulous motion to the coach as if it
were in a state of agitation The hearts of the passengers beat loud enough
perhaps to be heard but at any rate the quiet pause was audibly expressive of
people out of breath and holding the breath and having the pulses quickened by
expectation
The sound of a horse at a gallop came fast and furiously up the hill
»Soho« the guard sang out as loud as he could roar »Yo there Stand I
shall fire«
The pace was suddenly checked and with much splashing and floundering a
mans voice called from the mist »Is that the Dover mail«
»Never you mind what it is« the guard retorted »What are you«
»Is that the Dover mail«
»Why do you want to know«
»I want a passenger if it is«
»What passenger«
»Mr Jarvis Lorry«
Our booked passenger showed in a moment that it was his name The guard the
coachman and the two other passengers eyed him distrustfully
»Keep where you are« the guard called to the voice in the mist »because
if I should make a mistake it could never be set right in your lifetime
Gentleman of the name of Lorry answer straight«
»What is the matter« asked the passenger then with mildly quavering
speech »Who wants me Is it Jerry«
»I dont like Jerrys voice if it is Jerry« growled the guard to himself
»Hes hoarser than suits me is Jerry«
»Yes Mr Lorry«
»What is the matter«
»A despatch sent after you from over yonder T and Co«
»I know this messenger guard« said Mr Lorry getting down into the road
assisted from behind more swiftly than politely by the other two passengers who
immediately scrambled into the coach shut the door and pulled up the window
»He may come close theres nothing wrong«
»I hope there aint but I cant make so Nation sure of that« said the
guard in gruff soliloquy »Hallo you«
»Well And hallo you« said Jerry more hoarsely than before
»Come on at a footpace dye mind me And if youve got holsters to that
saddle o yourn dont let me see your hand go nigh em For Im a devil at a
quick mistake and when I make one it takes the form of Lead So now lets look
at you«
The figures of a horse and rider came slowly through the eddying mist and
came to the side of the mail where the passenger stood The rider stooped and
casting up his eyes at the guard handed the passenger a small folded paper The
riders horse was blown and both horse and rider were covered with mud from
the hoofs of the horse to the hat of the man
»Guard« said the passenger in a tone of quiet business confidence
The watchful guard with his right hand at the stock of his raised
blunderbuss his left at the barrel and his eye on the horseman answered
curtly »Sir«
»There is nothing to apprehend I belong to Tellsons Bank You must know
Tellsons Bank in London I am going to Paris on business A crown to drink I
may read this«
»If so be as youre quick sir«
He opened it in the light of the coachlamp on that side and read first
to himself and then aloud »Wait at Dover for Mamselle Its not long you see
guard Jerry say that my answer was RECALLED TO LIFE«
Jerry started in his saddle »Thats a Blazing strange answer too« said
he at his hoarsest
»Take that message back and they will know that I received this as well as
if I wrote Make the best of your way Good night«
With those words the passenger opened the coachdoor and got in not at all
assisted by his fellowpassengers who had expeditiously secreted their watches
and purses in their boots and were now making a general pretence of being
asleep With no more definite purpose than to escape the hazard of originating
any other kind of action
The coach lumbered on again with heavier wreaths of mist closing round it
as it began the descent The guard soon replaced his blunderbuss in his
armchest and having looked to the rest of its contents and having looked to
the supplementary pistols that he wore in his belt looked to a smaller chest
beneath his seat in which there were a few smiths tools a couple of torches
and a tinderbox For he was furnished with that completeness that if the
coachlamps had been blown and stormed out which did occasionally happen he
had only to shut himself up inside keep the flint and steel sparks well off the
straw and get a light with tolerable safety and ease if he were lucky in five
minutes
»Tom« softly over the coachroof
»Hallo Joe«
»Did you hear the message«
»I did Joe«
»What did you make of it Tom«
»Nothing at all Joe«
»Thats a coincidence too« the guard mused »for I made the same of it
myself«
Jerry left alone in the mist and darkness dismounted meanwhile not only
to ease his spent horse but to wipe the mud from his face and shake the wet
out of his hatbrim which might be capable of holding about half a gallon
After standing with the bridle over his heavilysplashed arm until the wheels
of the mail were no longer within hearing and the night was quite still again
he turned to walk down the hill
»After that there gallop from Temple Bar old lady I wont trust your
forelegs till I get you on the level« said this hoarse messenger glancing at
his mare »Recalled to life Thats a Blazing strange message Much of that
wouldnt do for you Jerry I say Jerry Youd be in a Blazing bad way if
recalling to life was to come into fashion Jerry«
Chapter III
The Night Shadows
A wonderful fact to reflect upon that every hyuman creature is constituted to
be that profound secret and mystery to every other A solemn consideration when
I enter a great city by night that every one of those darkly clustered houses
encloses its own secret that every room in every one of them encloses its own
secret that every beating heart in the hundreds of thousands of breasts there
is in some of its imaginings a secret to the heart nearest it Something of
the awfulness even of Death itself is referable to this No more can I turn
the leaves of this dear book that I loved and vainly hope in time to read it
all No more can I look into the depths of this unfathomable water wherein as
momentary lights glanced into it I have had glimpses of buried treasure and
other things submerged It was appointed that the book should shut with a
spring for ever and for ever when I had read but a page It was appointed that
the water should be locked in an eternal frost when the light was playing on
its surface and I stood in ignorance on the shore My friend is dead my
neighbour is dead my love the darling of my soul is dead it is the
inexorable consolidation and perpetuation of the secret that was always in that
individuality and which I shall carry in mine to my lifes end In any of the
burialplaces of this city through which I pass is there a sleeper more
inscrutable than its busy inhabitants are in their innermost personality to
me or than I am to them
As to this his natural and not to be alienated inheritance the messenger
on horseback had exactly the same possessions as the King the first Minister of
State or the richest merchant in London So with the three passengers shut up
in the narrow compass of one lumbering old mail coach they were mysteries to
one another as complete as if each had been in his own coach and six or his
own coach and sixty with the breadth of a county between him and the next
The messenger rode back at an easy trot stopping pretty often at alehouses
by the way to drink but evincing a tendency to keep his own counsel and to
keep his hat cocked over his eyes He had eyes that assorted very well with that
decoration being of a surface black with no depth in the colour or form and
much too near together as if they were afraid of being found out in something
singly if they kept too far apart They had a sinister expression under an old
cockedhat like a threecornered spittoon and over a great muffler for the chin
and throat which descended nearly to the wearers knees When he stopped for
drink he moved this muffler with his left hand only while he poured his liquor
in with his right as soon as that was done he muffled again
»No Jerry no« said the messenger harping on one theme as he rode »It
wouldnt do for you Jerry Jerry you honest tradesman it wouldnt suit your
line of business Recalled Bust me if I dont think hed been a drinking«
His message perplexed his mind to that degree that he was fain several
times to take off his hat to scratch his head Except on the crown which was
raggedly bald he had stiff black hair standing jaggedly all over it and
growing down hill almost to his broad blunt nose It was so like smiths work
so much more like the top of a strongly spiked wall than a head of hair that
the best of players at leapfrog might have declined him as the most dangerous
man in the world to go over
While he trotted back with the message he was to deliver to the night
watchman in his box at the door of Tellsons Bank by Temple Bar who was to
deliver it to greater authorities within the shadows of the night took such
shapes to him as arose out of the message and took such shapes to the mare as
arose out of her private topics of uneasiness They seemed to be numerous for
she shied at every shadow on the road
What time the mailcoach lumbered jolted rattled and bumped upon its
tedious way with its three fellowinscrutables inside To whom likewise the
shadows of the night revealed themselves in the forms their dozing eyes and
wandering thoughts suggested
Tellsons Bank had a run upon it in the mail As the bank passenger with
an arm drawn through the leathern strap which did what lay in it to keep him
from pounding against the next passenger and driving him into his corner
whenever the coach got a special jolt nodded in his place with halfshut
eyes the little coachwindows and the coachlamp dimly gleaming through them
and the bulky bundle of opposite passenger became the bank and did a great
stroke of business The rattle of the harness was the chink of money and more
drafts were honoured in five minutes than even Tellsons with all its foreign
and home connexion ever paid in thrice the time Then the strongrooms
underground at Tellsons with such of their valuable stores and secrets as
were known to the passenger and it was not a little that he knew about them
opened before him and he went in among them with the great keys and the
feeblyburning candle and found them safe and strong and sound and still
just as he had last seen them
But though the bank was almost always with him and though the coach in a
confused way like the presence of pain under an opiate was always with him
there was another current of impression that never ceased to run all through
the night He was on his way to dig some one out of a grave
Now which of the multitude of faces that showed themselves before him was
the true face of the buried person the shadows of the night did not indicate
but they were all the faces of a man of fiveandforty by years and they
differed principally in the passions they expressed and in the ghastliness of
their worn and wasted state Pride contempt defiance stubbornness
submission lamentation succeeded one another so did varieties of sunken
cheek cadaverous colour emaciated hands and figures But the face was in the
main one face and every head was prematurely white A hundred times the dozing
passenger inquired of this spectre
»Buried how long«
The answer was always the same »Almost eighteen years«
»You had abandoned all hope of being dug out«
»Long ago«
»You know that you are recalled to life«
»They tell me so«
»I hope you care to live«
»I cant say«
»Shall I show her to you Will you come and see her«
The answers to this question were various and contradictory Sometimes the
broken reply was »Wait It would kill me if I saw her too soon« Sometimes it
was given in a tender rain of tears and then it was »Take me to her« Sometimes
it was staring and bewildered and then it was »I dont know her I dont
understand«
After such imaginary discourse the passenger in his fancy would dig and
dig dig now with a spade now with a great key now with his hands to dig
this wretched creature out Got out at last with earth hanging about his face
and hair he would suddenly fall away to dust The passenger would then start to
himself and lower the window to get the reality of mist and rain on his cheek
Yet even when his eyes were opened on the mist and rain on the moving patch
of light from the lamps and the hedge at the roadside retreating by jerks the
night shadows outside the coach would fall into the train of the night shadows
within The real Bankinghouse by Temple Bar the real business of the past day
the real strongrooms the real express sent after him and the real message
returned would all be there Out of the midst of them the ghostly face would
rise and he would accost it again
»Buried how long«
»Almost eighteen years«
»I hope you care to live«
»I cant say«
Dig dig dig until an impatient movement from one of the two passengers
would admonish him to pull up the window draw his arm securely through the
leathern strap and speculate upon the two slumbering forms until his mind lost
its hold of them and they again slid away into the bank and the grave
»Buried how long«
»Almost eighteen years«
»You had abandoned all hope of being dug out«
»Long ago«
The words were still in his hearing as just spoken distinctly in his
hearing as ever spoken words had been in his life when the weary passenger
started to the consciousness of daylight and found that the shadows of the
night were gone
He lowered the window and looked out at the rising sun There was a ridge
of ploughed land with a plough upon it where it had been left last night when
the horses were unyoked beyond a quiet coppicewood in which many leaves of
burning red and golden yellow still remained upon the trees Though the earth
was cold and wet the sky was clear and the sun rose bright placid and
beautiful
»Eighteen years« said the passenger looking at the sun »Gracious Creator
of day To be buried alive for eighteen years«
Chapter IV
The Preparation
When the mail got successfully to Dover in the course of the forenoon the head
drawer at the Royal George Hotel opened the coachdoor as his custom was He did
it with some flourish of ceremony for a mail journey from London in winter was
an achievement to congratulate an adventurous traveller upon
By that time there was only one adventurous traveller left to be
congratulated for the two others had been set down at their respective roadside
destinations The mildewy inside of the coach with its damp and dirty straw
its disagreeable smell and its obscurity was rather like a larger dogkennel
Mr Lorry the passenger shaking himself out of it in chains of straw a tangle
of shaggy wrapper flapping hat and muddy legs was rather like a larger sort
of dog
»There will be a packet to Calais tomorrow drawer«
»Yes sir if the weather holds and the wind sets tolerable fair The tide
will serve pretty nicely at about two in the afternoon sir Bed sir«
»I shall not go to bed till night but I want a bedroom and a barber«
»And then breakfast sir Yes sir That way sir if you please Show
Concord Gentlemans valise and hot water to Concord Pull off gentlemans boots
in Concord You will find a fine seacoal fire sir Fetch barber to Concord
Stir about there now for Concord«
The Concord bedchamber being always assigned to a passenger by the mail
and passengers by the mail being always heavily wrapped up from head to foot
the room had the odd interest for the establishment of the Royal George that
although but one kind of man was seen to go into it all kinds and varieties of
men came out of it Consequently another drawer and two porters and several
maids and the landlady were all loitering by accident at various points of the
road between the Concord and the coffeeroom when a gentleman of sixty
formally dressed in a brown suit of clothes pretty well worn but very well
kept with large square cuffs and large flaps to the pockets passed along on
his way to his breakfast
The coffeeroom had no other occupant that forenoon than the gentleman in
brown His breakfasttable was drawn before the fire and as he sat with its
light shining on him waiting for the meal he sat so still that he might have
been sitting for his portrait
Very orderly and methodical he looked with a hand on each knee and a loud
watch ticking a sonorous sermon under his flapped waistcoat as though it pitted
its gravity and longevity against the levity and evanescence of the brisk fire
He had a good leg and was a little vain of it for his brown stockings fitted
sleek and close and were of a fine texture his shoes and buckles too though
plain were trim He wore an odd little sleek crisp flaxen wig setting very
close to his head which wig it is to be presumed was made of hair but which
looked far more as though it were spun from filaments of silk or glass His
linen though not of a fineness in accordance with his stockings was as white
as the tops of the waves that broke upon the neighbouring beach or the specks
of sail that glinted in the sunlight far at sea A face habitually suppressed
and quieted was still lighted up under the quaint wig by a pair of moist bright
eyes that it must have cost their owner in years gone by some pains to drill
to the composed and reserved expression of Tellsons Bank He had a healthy
colour in his cheeks and his face though lined bore few traces of anxiety
But perhaps the confidential bachelor clerks in Tellsons Bank were principally
occupied with the cares of other people and perhaps secondhand cares like
secondhand clothes come easily off and on
Completing his resemblance to a man who was sitting for his portrait Mr
Lorry dropped off to sleep The arrival of his breakfast roused him and he said
to the drawer as he moved his chair to it
»I wish accommodation prepared for a young lady who may come here at any
time today She may ask for Mr Jarvis Lorry or she may only ask for a
gentleman from Tellsons Bank Please to let me know«
»Yes sir Tellsons Bank in London sir«
»Yes«
»Yes sir We have oftentimes the honour to entertain your gentlemen in
their travelling backwards and forwards betwixt London and Paris sir A vast
deal of travelling sir in Tellson and Companys House«
»Yes We are quite a French House as well as an English one«
»Yes sir Not much in the habit of such travelling yourself I think sir«
»Not of late years It is fifteen years since we since I came last from
France«
»Indeed sir That was before my time here sir Before our peoples time
here sir The George was in other hands at that time sir«
»I believe so«
»But I would hold a pretty wager sir that a House like Tellson and Company
was flourishing a matter of fifty not to speak of fifteen years ago«
»You might treble that and say a hundred and fifty yet not be far from the
truth«
»Indeed sir«
Rounding his mouth and both his eyes as he stepped backward from the table
the waiter shifted his napkin from his right arm to his left dropped into a
comfortable attitude and stood surveying the guest while he ate and drank as
from an observatory or watchtower According to the immemorial usage of waiters
in all ages
When Mr Lorry had finished his breakfast he went out for a stroll on the
beach The little narrow crooked town of Dover hid itself away from the beach
and ran its head into the chalk cliffs like a marine ostrich The beach was a
desert of heaps of sea and stones tumbling wildly about and the sea did what it
liked and what it liked was destruction It thundered at the town and
thundered at the cliffs and brought the coast down madly The air among the
houses was of so strong a piscatory flavour that one might have supposed sick
fish went up to be dipped in it as sick people went down to be dipped in the
sea A little fishing was done in the port and a quantity of strolling about by
night and looking seaward particularly at those times when the tide made and
was near flood Small tradesmen who did no business whatever sometimes
unaccountably realised large fortunes and it was remarkable that nobody in the
neighbourhood could endure a lamplighter
As the day declined into the afternoon and the air which had been at
intervals clear enough to allow the French coast to be seen became again
charged with mist and vapour Mr Lorrys thoughts seemed to cloud too When it
was dark and he sat before the coffeeroom fire awaiting his dinner as he had
awaited his breakfast his mind was busily digging digging digging in the
live red coals
A bottle of good claret after dinner does a digger in the red coals no harm
otherwise than as it has a tendency to throw him out of work Mr Lorry had been
idle a long time and had just poured out his last glassful of wine with as
complete an appearance of satisfaction as is ever to be found in an elderly
gentleman of a fresh complexion who has got to the end of a bottle when a
rattling of wheels came up the narrow street and rumbled into the innyard
He set down his glass untouched »This is Mamselle« said he
In a very few minutes the waiter came in to announce that Miss Manette had
arrived from London and would be happy to see the gentleman from Tellsons
So soon
Miss Manette had taken some refreshment on the road and required none then
and was extremely anxious to see the gentleman from Tellsons immediately if it
suited his pleasure and convenience
The gentleman from Tellsons had nothing left for it but to empty his glass
with an air of stolid desperation settle his odd little flaxen wig at the ears
and follow the waiter to Miss Manettes apartment It was a large dark room
furnished in a funereal manner with black horsehair and loaded with heavy dark
tables These had been oiled and oiled until the two tall candles on the table
in the middle of the room were gloomily reflected on every leaf as if they were
buried in deep graves of black mahogany and no light to speak of could be
expected from them until they were dug out
The obscurity was so difficult to penetrate that Mr Lorry picking his way
over the wellworn Turkey carpet supposed Miss Manette to be for the moment
in some adjacent room until having got past the two tall candles he saw
standing to receive him by the table between them and the fire a young lady of
not more than seventeen in a ridingcloak and still holding her straw
travellinghat by its ribbon in her hand As his eyes rested on a short slight
pretty figure a quantity of golden hair a pair of blue eyes that met his own
with an inquiring look and a forehead with a singular capacity remembering how
young and smooth it was of lifting and knitting itself into an expression that
was not quite one of perplexity or wonder or alarm or merely of a bright
fixed attention though it included all the four expressions as his eyes
rested on these things a sudden vivid likeness passed before him of a child
whom he had held in his arms on the passage across that very Channel one cold
time when the hail drifted heavily and the sea ran high The likeness passed
away like a breath along the surface of the gaunt pierglass behind her on the
frame of which a hospital procession of negro cupids several headless and all
cripples were offering black baskets of Dead Sea fruit to black divinities of
the feminine gender and he made his formal bow to Miss Manette
»Pray take a seat sir« In a very clear and pleasant young voice a little
foreign in its accent but a very little indeed
»I kiss your hand miss« said Mr Lorry with the manners of an earlier
date as he made his formal bow again and took his seat
»I received a letter from the Bank sir yesterday informing me that some
intelligence or discovery «
»The word is not material miss either word will do«
» respecting the small property of my poor father whom I never saw so
long dead «
Mr Lorry moved in his chair and cast a troubled look towards the hospital
procession of negro cupids As if they had any help for anybody in their absurd
baskets
» rendered it necessary that I should go to Paris there to communicate
with a gentleman of the Bank so good as to be despatched to Paris for the
purpose«
»Myself«
»As I was prepared to hear sir«
She curtseyed to him young ladies made curtseys in those days with a
pretty desire to convey to him that she felt how much older and wiser he was
than she He made her another bow
»I replied to the Bank sir that as it was considered necessary by those
who know and who are so kind as to advise me that I should go to France and
that as I am an orphan and have no friend who could go with me I should esteem
it highly if I might be permitted to place myself during the journey under
that worthy gentlemans protection The gentleman had left London but I think a
messenger was sent after him to beg the favour of his waiting for me here«
»I was happy« said Mr Lorry »to be entrusted with the charge I shall be
more happy to execute it«
»Sir I thank you indeed I thank you very gratefully It was told me by the
Bank that the gentleman would explain to me the details of the business and
that I must prepare myself to find them of a surprising nature I have done my
best to prepare myself and I naturally have a strong and eager interest to know
what they are«
»Naturally« said Mr Lorry »Yes I «
After a pause he added again settling the crisp flaxen wig at the ears
»It is very difficult to begin«
He did not begin but in his indecision met her glance The young forehead
lifted itself into that singular expression but it was pretty and
characteristic besides being singular and she raised her hand as if with an
involuntary action she caught at or stayed some passing shadow
»Are you quite a stranger to me sir«
»Am I not« Mr Lorry opened his hands and extended them outwards with an
argumentative smile
Between the eyebrows and just over the little feminine nose the line of
which was as delicate and fine as it was possible to be the expression deepened
itself as she took her seat thoughtfully in the chair by which she had hitherto
remained standing He watched her as she mused and the moment she raised her
eyes again went on
»In your adopted country I presume I cannot do better than address you as
a young English lady Miss Manette«
»If you please sir«
»Miss Manette I am a man of business I have a business charge to acquit
myself of In your reception of it dont heed me any more than if I was a
speaking machine truly I am not much else I will with your leave relate to
you miss the story of one of our customers«
»Story«
He seemed wilfully to mistake the word she had repeated when he added in a
hurry »Yes customers in the banking business we usually call our connexion
our customers He was a French gentleman a scientific gentleman a man of great
acquirements a Doctor«
»Not of Beauvais«
»Why yes of Beauvais Like Monsieur Manette your father the gentleman
was of Beauvais Like Monsieur Manette your father the gentleman was of repute
in Paris I had the honour of knowing him there Our relations were business
relations but confidential I was at that time in our French House and had
been oh twenty years«
»At that time I may ask at what time sir«
»I speak miss of twenty years ago He married an English lady and I
was one of the trustees His affairs like the affairs of many other French
gentlemen and French families were entirely in Tellsons hands In a similar
way I am or I have been trustee of one kind or other for scores of our
customers These are mere business relations miss there is no friendship in
them no particular interest nothing like sentiment I have passed from one to
another in the course of my business life just as I pass from one of our
customers to another in the course of my business day in short I have no
feelings I am a mere machine To go on «
»But this is my fathers story sir and I begin to think« the curiously
roughened forehead was very intent upon him »that when I was left an orphan
through my mothers surviving my father only two years it was you who brought
me to England I am almost sure it was you«
Mr Lorry took the hesitating little hand that confidingly advanced to take
his and he put it with some ceremony to his lips He then conducted the young
lady straightway to her chair again and holding the chairback with his left
hand and using his right by turns to rub his chin pull his wig at the ears or
point what he said stood looking down into her face while she sat looking up
into his
»Miss Manette it was I And you will see how truly I spoke of myself just
now in saying I had no feelings and that all the relations I hold with my
fellowcreatures are mere business relations when you reflect that I have never
seen you since No you have been the ward of Tellsons House since and I have
been busy with the other business of Tellsons House since Feelings I have no
time for them no chance of them I pass my whole life miss in turning an
immense pecuniary Mangle«
After this odd description of his daily routine of employment Mr Lorry
flattened his flaxen wig upon his head with both hands which was most
unnecessary for nothing could be flatter than its shining surface was before
and resumed his former attitude
»So far miss as you have remarked this is the story of your regretted
father Now comes the difference If your father had not died when he did
Dont be frightened How you start«
She did indeed start And she caught his wrist with both her hands
»Pray« said Mr Lorry in a soothing tone bringing his left hand from the
back of the chair to lay it on the supplicatory fingers that clasped him in so
violent a tremble »pray control your agitation a matter of business As I was
saying «
Her look so discomposed him that he stopped wandered and began anew
»As I was saying if Monsieur Manette had not died if he had suddenly and
silently disappeared if he had been spirited away if it had not been difficult
to guess to what dreadful place though no art could trace him if he had an
enemy in some compatriot who could exercise a privilege that I in my own time
have known the boldest people afraid to speak of in a whisper across the water
there for instance the privilege of filling up blank forms for the consignment
of any one to the oblivion of a prison for any length of time if his wife had
implored the king the queen the court the clergy for any tidings of him and
all quite in vain then the history of your father would have been the history
of this unfortunate gentleman the Doctor of Beauvais«
»I entreat you to tell me more sir«
»I will I am going to You can bear it«
»I can bear anything but the uncertainty you leave me in at this moment«
»You speak collectedly and you are collected Thats good« Though his
manner was less satisfied than his words »A matter of business Regard it as a
matter of business business that must be done Now if this doctors wife
though a lady of great courage and spirit had suffered so intensely from this
cause before her little child was born «
»The little child was a daughter sir«
»A daughter A a matter of business dont be distressed Miss if the
poor lady had suffered so intensely before her little child was born that she
came to the determination of sparing the poor child the inheritance of any part
of the agony she had known the pains of by rearing her in the belief that her
father was dead No dont kneel In Heavens name why should you kneel to me«
»For the truth O dear good compassionate sir for the truth«
»A a matter of business You confuse me and how can I transact business
if I am confused Let us be clearheaded If you could kindly mention now for
instance what nine times ninepence are or how many shillings in twenty
guineas it would be so encouraging I should be so much more at my ease about
your state of mind«
Without directly answering to this appeal she sat so still when he had very
gently raised her and the hands that had not ceased to clasp his wrists were so
much more steady than they had been that she communicated some reassurance to
Mr Jarvis Lorry
»Thats right thats right Courage Business You have business before
you useful business Miss Manette your mother took this course with you And
when she died I believe brokenhearted having never slackened her unavailing
search for your father she left you at two years old to grow to be blooming
beautiful and happy without the dark cloud upon you of living in uncertainty
whether your father soon wore his heart out in prison or wasted there through
many lingering years«
As he said the words he looked down with an admiring pity on the flowing
golden hair as if he pictured to himself that it might have been already tinged
with grey
»You know that your parents had no great possession and that what they had
was secured to your mother and to you There has been no new discovery of
money or of any other property but «
He felt his wrist held closer and he stopped The expression in the
forehead which had so particularly attracted his notice and which was now
immovable had deepened into one of pain and horror
»But he has been been found He is alive Greatly changed it is too
probable almost a wreck it is possible though we will hope the best Still
alive Your father has been taken to the house of an old servant in Paris and
we are going there I to identify him if I can you to restore him to life
love duty rest comfort«
A shiver ran through her frame and from it through his She said in a low
distinct awestricken voice as if she were saying it in a dream
»I am going to see his Ghost It will be his Ghost not him«
Mr Lorry quietly chafed the hands that held his arm »There there there
See now see now The best and the worst are known to you now You are well on
your way to the poor wronged gentleman and with a fair sea voyage and a fair
land journey you will be soon at his dear side«
She repeated in the same tone sunk to a whisper »I have been free I have
been happy yet his Ghost has never haunted me«
»Only one thing more« said Mr Lorry laying stress upon it as a wholesome
means of enforcing her attention »he has been found under another name his
own long forgotten or long concealed It would be worse than useless now to
inquire which worse than useless to seek to know whether he has been for years
overlooked or always designedly held prisoner It would be worse than useless
now to make any inquiries because it would be dangerous Better not to mention
the subject anywhere or in any way and to remove him for a while at all
events out of France Even I safe as an Englishman and even Tellsons
important as they are to French credit avoid all naming of the matter I carry
about me not a scrap of writing openly referring to it This is a secret
service altogether My credentials entries and memoranda are all comprehended
in the one line Recalled to Life which may mean anything But what is the
matter She doesnt notice a word Miss Manette«
Perfectly still and silent and not even fallen back in her chair she sat
under his hand utterly insensible with her eyes open and fixed upon him and
with that last expression looking as if it were carved or branded into her
forehead So close was her hold upon his arm that he feared to detach himself
lest he should hurt her therefore he called out loudly for assistance without
moving
A wildlooking woman whom even in his agitation Mr Lorry observed to be
all of a red colour and to have red hair and to be dressed in some
extraordinary tightfitting fashion and to have on her head a most wonderful
bonnet like a Grenadier wooden measure and good measure too or a great Stilton
cheese came running into the room in advance of the inn servants and soon
settled the question of his detachment from the poor young lady by laying a
brawny hand upon his chest and sending him flying back against the nearest
wall
»I really think this must be a man« was Mr Lorrys breathless reflection
simultaneously with his coming against the wall
»Why look at you all« bawled this figure addressing the inn servants
»Why dont you go and fetch things instead of standing there staring at me I
am not so much to look at am I Why dont you go and fetch things Ill let you
know if you dont bring smellingsalts cold water and vinegar quick I
will«
There was an immediate dispersal for these restoratives and she softly laid
the patient on a sofa and tended her with great skill and gentleness calling
her my precious and my bird and spreading her golden hair aside over her
shoulders with great pride and care
»And you in brown« she said indignantly turning to Mr Lorry »couldnt
you tell her what you had to tell her without frightening her to death Look at
her with her pretty pale face and her cold hands Do you call that being a
Banker«
Mr Lorry was so exceedingly disconcerted by a question so hard to answer
that he could only look on at a distance with much feebler sympathy and
humility while the strong woman having banished the inn servants under the
mysterious penalty of letting them know something not mentioned if they stayed
there staring recovered her charge by a regular series of gradations and
coaxed her to lay her drooping head upon her shoulder
»I hope she will do well now« said Mr Lorry
»No thanks to you in brown if she does My darling pretty«
»I hope« said Mr Lorry after another pause of feeble sympathy and
humility »that you accompany Miss Manette to France«
»A likely thing too« replied the strong woman »If it was ever intended
that I should go across salt water do you suppose Providence would have cast my
lot in an island«
This being another question hard to answer Mr Jarvis Lorry withdrew to
consider it
Chapter V
The WineShop
A large cask of wine had been dropped and broken in the street The accident
had happened in getting it out of a cart the cask had tumbled out with a run
the hoops had burst and it lay on the stones just outside the door of the
wineshop shattered like a walnutshell
All the people within reach had suspended their business or their idleness
to run to the spot and drink the wine The rough irregular stones of the
street pointing every way and designed one might have thought expressly to
lame all living creatures that approached them had dammed it into little pools
these were surrounded each by its own jostling group or crowd according to its
size Some men kneeled down made scoops of their two hands joined and sipped
or tried to help women who bent over their shoulders to sip before the wine
had all run out between their fingers Others men and women dipped in the
puddles with little mugs of mutilated earthenware or even with handkerchiefs
from womens heads which were squeezed dry into infants mouths others made
small mud embankments to stem the wine as it ran others directed by
lookerson up at high windows darted here and there to cut off little streams
of wine that started away in new directions others devoted themselves to the
sodden and leedyed pieces of the cask licking and even champing the moister
winerotted fragments with eager relish There was no drainage to carry off the
wine and not only did it all get taken up but so much mud got taken up along
with it that there might have been a scavenger in the street if anybody
acquainted with it could have believed in such a miraculous presence
A shrill sound of laughter and of amused voices voices of men women and
children resounded in the street while this wine game lasted There was little
roughness in the sport and much playfulness There was a special companionship
in it an observable inclination on the part of every one to join some other
one which led especially among the luckier or lighterhearted to frolicsome
embraces drinking of healths shaking of hands and even joining of hands and
dancing a dozen together When the wine was gone and the places where it had
been most abundant were raked into a gridironpattern by fingers these
demonstrations ceased as suddenly as they had broken out The man who had left
his saw sticking in the firewood he was cutting set it in motion again the
woman who had left on a doorstep the little pot of hot ashes at which she had
been trying to soften the pain in her own starved fingers and toes or in those
of her child returned to it men with bare arms matted locks and cadaverous
faces who had emerged into the winter light from cellars moved away to
descend again and a gloom gathered on the scene that appeared more natural to
it than sunshine
The wine was red wine and had stained the ground of the narrow street in
the suburb of Saint Antoine in Paris where it was spilled It had stained many
hands too and many faces and many naked feet and many wooden shoes The
hands of the man who sawed the wood left red marks on the billets and the
forehead of the woman who nursed her baby was stained with the stain of the old
rag she wound about her head again Those who had been greedy with the staves of
the cask had acquired a tigerish smear about the mouth and one tall joker so
besmirched his head more out of a long squalid bag of a nightcap than in it
scrawled upon a wall with his finger dipped in muddy winelees BLOOD
The time was to come when that wine too would be spilled on the
streetstones and when the stain of it would be red upon many there
And now that the cloud settled on Saint Antoine which a momentary gleam had
driven from his sacred countenance the darkness of it was heavy cold dirt
sickness ignorance and want were the lords in waiting on the saintly presence
nobles of great power all of them but most especially the last Samples of a
people that had undergone a terrible grinding and regrinding in the mill and
certainly not in the fabulous mill which ground old people young shivered at
every corner passed in and out at every doorway looked from every window
fluttered in every vestige of a garment that the wind shook The mill which had
worked them down was the mill that grinds young people old the children had
ancient faces and grave voices and upon them and upon the grown faces and
ploughed into every furrow of age and coming up afresh was the sign Hunger It
was prevalent everywhere Hunger was pushed out of the tall houses in the
wretched clothing that hung upon poles and lines Hunger was patched into them
with straw and rag and wood and paper Hunger was repeated in every fragment of
the small modicum of firewood that the man sawed off Hunger stared down from
the smokeless chimneys and started up from the filthy street that had no offal
among its refuse of anything to eat Hunger was the inscription on the bakers
shelves written in every small loaf of his scanty stock of bad bread at the
sausageshop in every deaddog preparation that was offered for sale Hunger
rattled its dry bones among the roasting chestnuts in the turned cylinder
Hunger was shred into atomies in every farthing porringer of husky chips of
potato fried with some reluctant drops of oil
Its abiding place was in all things fitted to it A narrow winding street
full of offence and stench with other narrow winding streets diverging all
peopled by rags and nightcaps and all smelling of rags and nightcaps and all
visible things with a brooding look upon them that looked ill In the hunted air
of the people there was yet some wildbeast thought of the possibility of
turning at bay Depressed and slinking though they were eyes of fire were not
wanting among them nor compressed lips white with what they suppressed nor
foreheads knitted into the likeness of the gallowsrope they mused about
enduring or inflicting The trade signs and they were almost as many as the
shops were all grim illustrations of Want The butcher and the porkman
painted up only the leanest scrags of meat the baker the coarsest of meagre
loaves The people rudely pictured as drinking in the wineshops croaked over
their scanty measures of thin wine and beer and were gloweringly confidential
together Nothing was represented in a flourishing condition save tools and
weapons but the cutlers knives and axes were sharp and bright the smiths
hammers were heavy and the gunmakers stock was murderous The crippling stones
of the pavement with their many little reservoirs of mud and water had no
footways but broke off abruptly at the doors The kennel to make amends ran
down the middle of the street when it ran at all which was only after heavy
rains and then it ran by many eccentric fits into the houses Across the
streets at wide intervals one clumsy lamp was slung by a rope and pulley at
night when the lamplighter had let these down and lighted and hoisted them
again a feeble grove of dim wicks swung in a sickly manner overhead as if they
were at sea Indeed they were at sea and the ship and crew were in peril of
tempest
For the time was to come when the gaunt scarecrows of that region should
have watched the lamplighter in their idleness and hunger so long as to
conceive the idea of improving on his method and hauling up men by those ropes
and pulleys to flare upon the darkness of their condition But the time was
not come yet and every wind that blew over France shook the rags of the
scarecrows in vain for the birds fine of song and feather took no warning
The wineshop was a corner shop better than most others in its appearance
and degree and the master of the wineshop had stood outside it in a yellow
waistcoat and green breeches looking on at the struggle for the lost wine
»Its not my affair« said he with a final shrug of the shoulders »The people
from the market did it Let them bring another«
There his eyes happening to catch the tall joker writing up his joke he
called to him across the way
»Say then my Gaspard what do you do there«
The fellow pointed to his joke with immense significance as is often the
way with his tribe It missed its mark and completely failed as is often the
way with his tribe too
»What now Are you a subject for the mad hospital« said the wineshop
keeper crossing the road and obliterating the jest with a handful of mud
picked up for the purpose and smeared over it »Why do you write in the public
streets Is there tell me thou is there no other place to write such words
in«
In his expostulation he dropped his cleaner hand perhaps accidentally
perhaps not upon the jokers heart The joker rapped it with his own took a
nimble spring upward and came down in a fantastic dancing attitude with one of
his stained shoes jerked off his foot into his hand and held out A joker of an
extremely not to say wolfishly practical character he looked under those
circumstances
»Put it on put it on« said the other »Call wine wine and finish there«
With that advice he wiped his soiled hand upon the jokers dress such as it
was quite deliberately as having dirtied the hand on his account and then
recrossed the road and entered the wineshop
This wineshop keeper was a bullnecked martiallooking man of thirty and
he should have been of a hot temperament for although it was a bitter day he
wore no coat but carried one slung over his shoulder His shirtsleeves were
rolled up too and his brown arms were bare to the elbows Neither did he wear
anything more on his head than his own crisplycurling short dark hair He was a
dark man altogether with good eyes and a good bold breadth between them
Goodhumoured looking on the whole but implacablelooking too evidently a man
of a strong resolution and a set purpose a man not desirable to be met rushing
down a narrow pass with a gulf on either side for nothing would turn the man
Madame Defarge his wife sat in the shop behind the counter as he came in
Madame Defarge was a stout woman of about his own age with a watchful eye that
seldom seemed to look at anything a large hand heavily ringed a steady face
strong features and great composure of manner There was a character about
Madame Defarge from which one might have predicated that she did not often make
mistakes against herself in any of the reckonings over which she presided
Madame Defarge being sensitive to cold was wrapped in fur and had a quantity
of bright shawl twined about her head though not to the concealment of her
large earrings Her knitting was before her but she had laid it down to pick
her teeth with a toothpick Thus engaged with her right elbow supported by her
left hand Madame Defarge said nothing when her lord came in but coughed just
one grain of cough This in combination with the lifting of her darkly defined
eyebrows over her toothpick by the breadth of a line suggested to her husband
that he would do well to look round the shop among the customers for any new
customer who had dropped in while he stepped over the way
The wineshop keeper accordingly rolled his eyes about until they rested
upon an elderly gentleman and a young lady who were seated in a corner Other
company were there two playing cards two playing dominoes three standing by
the counter lengthening out a short supply of wine As he passed behind the
counter he took notice that the elderly gentleman said in a look to the young
lady »This is our man«
»What the devil do you do in that galley there« said Monsieur Defarge to
himself »I dont know you«
But he feigned not to notice the two strangers and fell into discourse
with the triumvirate of customers who were drinking at the counter
»How goes it Jacques« said one of these three to Monsieur Defarge »Is all
the spilt wine swallowed«
»Every drop Jacques« answered Monsieur Defarge
When this interchange of christian name was effected Madame Defarge
picking her teeth with her toothpick coughed another grain of cough and raised
her eyebrows by the breadth of another line
»It is not often« said the second of the three addressing Monsieur
Defarge »that many of these miserable beasts know the taste of wine or of
anything but black bread and death Is it not so Jacques«
»It is so Jacques« Monsieur Defarge returned
At this second interchange of the christian name Madame Defarge still
using her toothpick with profound composure coughed another grain of cough and
raised her eyebrows by the breadth of another line
The last of the three now said his say as he put down his empty drinking
vessel and smacked his lips
»Ah So much the worse A bitter taste it is that such poor cattle always
have in their mouths and hard lives they live Jacques Am I right Jacques«
»You are right Jacques« was the response of Monsieur Defarge
This third interchange of the christian name was completed at the moment
when Madame Defarge put her toothpick by kept her eyebrows up and slightly
rustled in her seat
»Hold then True« muttered her husband »Gentlemen my wife«
The three customers pulled off their hats to Madame Defarge with three
flourishes She acknowledged their homage by bending her head and giving them a
quick look Then she glanced in a casual manner round the wineshop took up her
knitting with great apparent calmness and repose of spirit and became absorbed
in it
»Gentlemen« said her husband who had kept his bright eye observantly upon
her »good day The chamber furnished bachelorfashion that you wished to see
and were inquiring for when I stepped out is on the fifth floor The doorway of
the staircase gives on the little courtyard close to the left here« pointing
with his hand »near to the window of my establishment But now that I
remember one of you has already been there and can show the way Gentlemen
adieu«
They paid for their wine and left the place The eyes of Monsieur Defarge
were studying his wife at her knitting when the elderly gentleman advanced from
his corner and begged the favour of a word
»Willingly sir« said Monsieur Defarge and quietly stepped with him to the
door
Their conference was very short but very decided Almost at the first word
Monsieur Defarge started and became deeply attentive It had not lasted a
minute when he nodded and went out The gentleman then beckoned to the young
lady and they too went out Madame Defarge knitted with nimble fingers and
steady eyebrows and saw nothing
Mr Jarvis Lorry and Miss Manette emerging from the wineshop thus joined
Monsieur Defarge in the doorway to which he had directed his other company just
before It opened from a stinking little black courtyard and was the general
public entrance to a great pile of houses inhabited by a great number of
people In the gloomy tilepaved entry to the gloomy tilepaved staircase
Monsieur Defarge bent down on one knee to the child of his old master and put
her hand to his lips It was a gentle action but not at all gently done a very
remarkable transformation had come over him in a few seconds He had no
goodhumour in his face nor any openness of aspect left but had become a
secret angry dangerous man
»It is very high it is a little difficult Better to begin slowly« Thus
Monsieur Defarge in a stern voice to Mr Lorry as they began ascending the
stairs
»Is he alone« the latter whispered
»Alone God help him who should be with him« said the other in the same
low voice
»Is he always alone then«
»Yes«
»Of his own desire«
»Of his own necessity As he was when I first saw him after they found me
and demanded to know if I would take him and at my peril be discreet as he
was then so he is now«
»He is greatly changed«
»Changed«
The keeper of the wineshop stopped to strike the wall with his hand and
mutter a tremendous curse No direct answer could have been half so forcible
Mr Lorrys spirits grew heavier and heavier as he and his two companions
ascended higher and higher
Such a staircase with its accessories in the older and more crowded parts
of Paris would be bad enough now but at that time it was vile indeed to
unaccustomed and unhardened senses Every little habitation within the great
foul nest of one high building that is to say the room or rooms within every
door that opened on the general staircase left its own heap of refuse on its
own landing besides flinging other refuse from its own windows The
uncontrollable and hopeless mass of decomposition so engendered would have
polluted the air even if poverty and deprivation had not loaded it with their
intangible impurities the two bad sources combined made it almost
insupportable Through such an atmosphere by a steep dark shaft of dirt and
poison the way lay Yielding to his own disturbance of mind and to his young
companions agitation which became greater every instant Mr Jarvis Lorry
twice stopped to rest Each of these stoppages was made at a doleful grating by
which any languishing good airs that were left uncorrupted seemed to escape
and all spoilt and sickly vapours seemed to crawl in Through the rusted bars
tastes rather than glimpses were caught of the jumbled neighbourhood and
nothing within range nearer or lower than the summits of the two great towers
of NotreDame had any promise on it of healthy life or wholesome aspirations
At last the top of the staircase was gained and they stopped for the third
time There was yet an upper staircase of a steeper inclination and of
contracted dimensions to be ascended before the garret story was reached The
keeper of the wineshop always going a little in advance and always going on
the side which Mr Lorry took as though he dreaded to be asked any question by
the young lady turned himself about here and carefully feeling in the pockets
of the coat he carried over his shoulder took out a key
»The door is locked then my friend« said Mr Lorry surprised
»Ay Yes« was the grim reply of Monsieur Defarge
»You think it necessary to keep the unfortunate gentleman so retired«
»I think it necessary to turn the key« Monsieur Defarge whispered it closer
in his ear and frowned heavily
»Why«
»Why Because he has lived so long locked up that he would be frightened
rave tear himself to pieces die come to I know not what harm if his door
was left open«
»Is it possible« exclaimed Mr Lorry
»Is it possible« repeated Defarge bitterly »Yes And a beautiful world we
live in when it is possible and when many other such things are possible and
not only possible but done done see you under that sky there every day
Long live the Devil Let us go on«
This dialogue had been held in so very low a whisper that not a word of it
had reached the young ladys ears But by this time she trembled under such
strong emotion and her face expressed such deep anxiety and above all such
dread and terror that Mr Lorry felt it incumbent on him to speak a word or two
of reassurance
»Courage dear miss Courage Business The worst will be over in a moment
it is but passing the roomdoor and the worst is over Then all the good you
bring to him all the relief all the happiness you bring to him begin Let our
good friend here assist you on that side Thats well friend Defarge Come
now Business business«
They went up slowly and softly The staircase was short and they were soon
at the top There as it had an abrupt turn in it they came all at once in
sight of three men whose heads were bent down close together at the side of a
door and who were intently looking into the room to which the door belonged
through some chinks or holes in the wall On hearing footsteps close at hand
these three turned and rose and showed themselves to be the three of one name
who had been drinking in the wineshop
»I forgot them in the surprise of your visit« explained Monsieur Defarge
»Leave us good boys we have business here«
The three glided by and went silently down
There appearing to be no other door on that floor and the keeper of the
wineshop going straight to this one when they were left alone Mr Lorry asked
him in a whisper with a little anger
»Do you make a show of Monsieur Manette«
»I show him in the way you have seen to a chosen few«
»Is that well«
»I think it is well«
»Who are the few How do you choose them«
»I choose them as real men of my name Jacques is my name to whom the
sight is likely to do good Enough you are English that is another thing Stay
there if you please a little moment«
With an admonitory gesture to keep them back he stooped and looked in
through the crevice in the wall Soon raising his head again he struck twice or
thrice upon the door evidently with no other object than to make a noise
there With the same intention he drew the key across it three or four times
before he put it clumsily into the lock and turned it as heavily as he could
The door slowly opened inward under his hand and he looked into the room
and said something A faint voice answered something Little more than a single
syllable could have been spoken on either side
He looked back over his shoulder and beckoned them to enter Mr Lorry got
his arm securely round the daughters waist and held her for he felt that she
was sinking
»A a a business business« he urged with a moisture that was not of
business shining on his cheek »Come in come in«
»I am afraid of it« she answered shuddering
»Of it What«
»I mean of him Of my father«
Rendered in a manner desperate by her state and by the beckoning of their
conductor he drew over his neck the arm that shook upon his shoulder lifted
her a little and hurried her into the room He set her down just within the
door and held her clinging to him
Defarge drew out the key closed the door locked it on the inside took out
the key again and held it in his hand All this he did methodically and with
as loud and harsh an accompaniment of noise as he could make Finally he walked
across the room with a measured tread to where the window was He stopped there
and faced round
The garret built to be a depository for firewood and the like was dim and
dark for the window of dormer shape was in truth a door in the roof with a
little crane over it for the hoisting up of stores from the street unglazed
and closing up the middle in two pieces like any other door of French
construction To exclude the cold one half of this door was fast closed and
the other was opened but a very little way Such a scanty portion of light was
admitted through these means that it was difficult on first coming in to see
anything and long habit alone could have slowly formed in any one the ability
to do any work requiring nicety in such obscurity Yet work of that kind was
being done in the garret for with his back towards the door and his face
towards the window where the keeper of the wineshop stood looking at him a
whitehaired man sat on a low bench stooping forward and very busy making
shoes
Chapter VI
The Shoemaker
»Good day« said Monsieur Defarge looking down at the white head that bent low
over the shoemaking
It was raised for a moment and a very faint voice responded to the
salutation as if it were at a distance
»Good day«
»You are still hard at work I see«
After a long silence the head was lifted for another moment and the voice
replied »Yes I am working« This time a pair of haggard eyes had looked at
the questioner before the face had dropped again
The faintness of the voice was pitiable and dreadful It was not the
faintness of physical weakness though confinement and hard fare no doubt had
their part in it Its deplorable peculiarity was that it was the faintness of
solitude and disuse It was like the last feeble echo of a sound made long and
long ago So entirely had it lost the life and resonance of the human voice
that it affected the senses like a once beautiful colour faded away into a poor
weak stain So sunken and suppressed it was that it was like a voice
underground So expressive it was of a hopeless and lost creature that a
famished traveller wearied out by lonely wandering in a wilderness would have
remembered home and friends in such a tone before lying down to die
Some minutes of silent work had passed and the haggard eyes had looked up
again not with any interest or curiosity but with a dull mechanical
perception beforehand that the spot where the only visitor they were aware of
had stood was not yet empty
»I want« said Defarge who had not removed his gaze from the shoemaker »to
let in a little more light here You can bear a little more«
The shoemaker stopped his work looked with a vacant air of listening at
the floor on one side of him then similarly at the floor on the other side of
him then upward at the speaker
»What did you say«
»You can bear a little more light«
»I must bear it if you let it in« Laying the palest shadow of a stress
upon the second word
The opened halfdoor was opened a little further and secured at that angle
for the time A broad ray of light fell into the garret and showed the workman
with an unfinished shoe upon his lap pausing in his labour His few common
tools and various scraps of leather were at his feet and on his bench He had a
white beard raggedly cut but not very long a hollow face and exceedingly
bright eyes The hollowness and thinness of his face would have caused them to
look large under his yet dark eyebrows and his confused white hair though they
had been really otherwise but they were naturally large and looked
unnaturally so His yellow rags of shirt lay open at the throat and showed his
body to be withered and worn He and his old canvas frock and his loose
stockings and all his poor tatters of clothes had in a long seclusion from
direct light and air faded down to such a dull uniformity of parchmentyellow
that it would have been hard to say which was which
He had put up a hand between his eyes and the light and the very bones of
it seemed transparent So he sat with a steadfastly vacant gaze pausing in his
work He never looked at the figure before him without first looking down on
this side of himself then on that as if he had lost the habit of associating
place with sound he never spoke without first wandering in this manner and
forgetting to speak
»Are you going to finish that pair of shoes today« asked Defarge
motioning to Mr Lorry to come forward
»What did you say«
»Do you mean to finish that pair of shoes today«
»I cant say that I mean to I suppose so I dont know«
But the question reminded him of his work and he bent over it again
Mr Lorry came silently forward leaving the daughter by the door When he
had stood for a minute or two by the side of Defarge the shoemaker looked up
He showed no surprise at seeing another figure but the unsteady fingers of one
of his hands strayed to his lips as he looked at it his lips and his nails were
of the same pale leadcolour and then the hand dropped to his work and he
once more bent over the shoe The look and the action had occupied but an
instant
»You have a visitor you see« said Monsieur Defarge
»What did you say«
»Here is a visitor«
The shoemaker looked up as before but without removing a hand from his
work
»Come« said Defarge »Here is monsieur who knows a wellmade shoe when he
sees one Show him that shoe you are working at Take it monsieur«
Mr Lorry took it in his hand
»Tell monsieur what kind of shoe it is and the makers name«
There was a longer pause than usual before the shoemaker replied
»I forget what it was you asked me What did you say«
»I said couldnt you describe the kind of shoe for monsieurs
information«
»It is a ladys shoe It is a young ladys walkingshoe It is in the
present mode I never saw the mode I have had a pattern in my hand« He glanced
at the shoe with some little passing touch of pride
»And the makers name« said Defarge
Now that he had no work to hold he laid the knuckles of the right hand in
the hollow of the left and then the knuckles of the left hand in the hollow of
the right and then passed a hand across his bearded chin and so on in regular
changes without a moments intermission The task of recalling him from the
vacancy into which he always sank when he had spoken was like recalling some
very weak person from a swoon or endeavouring in the hope of some disclosure
to stay the spirit of a fastdying man
»Did you ask me for my name«
»Assuredly I did«
»One Hundred and Five North Tower«
»Is that all«
»One Hundred and Five North Tower«
With a weary sound that was not a sigh nor a groan he bent to work again
until the silence was again broken
»You are not a shoemaker by trade« said Mr Lorry looking steadfastly at
him
His haggard eyes turned to Defarge as if he would have transferred the
question to him but as no help came from that quarter they turned back on the
questioner when they had sought the ground
»I am not a shoemaker by trade No I was not a shoemaker by trade I I
learnt it here I taught myself I asked leave to «
He lapsed away even for minutes ringing those measured changes on his
hands the whole time His eyes came slowly back at last to the face from which
they had wandered when they rested on it he started and resumed in the
manner of a sleeper that moment awake reverting to a subject of last night
»I asked leave to teach myself and I got it with much difficulty after a
long while and I have made shoes ever since«
As he held out his hand for the shoe that had been taken from him Mr Lorry
said still looking steadfastly in his face
»Monsieur Manette do you remember nothing of me«
The shoe dropped to the ground and he sat looking fixedly at the
questioner
»Monsieur Manette« Mr Lorry laid his hand upon Defarges arm »do you
remember nothing of this man Look at him Look at me Is there no old banker
no old business no old servant no old time rising in your mind Monsieur
Manette«
As the captive of many years sat looking fixedly by turns at Mr Lorry and
at Defarge some long obliterated marks of an actively intent intelligence in
the middle of the forehead gradually forced themselves through the black mist
that had fallen on him They were overclouded again they were fainter they
were gone but they had been there And so exactly was the expression repeated
on the fair young face of her who had crept along the wall to a point where she
could see him and where she now stood looking at him with hands which at first
had been only raised in frightened compassion if not even to keep him off and
shut out the sight of him but which were now extending towards him trembling
with eagerness to lay the spectral face upon her warm young breast and love it
back to life and hope so exactly was the expression repeated though in
stronger characters on her fair young face that it looked as though it had
passed like a moving light from him to her
Darkness had fallen on him in its place He looked at the two less and less
attentively and his eyes in gloomy abstraction sought the ground and looked
about him in the old way Finally with a deep long sigh he took the shoe up
and resumed his work
»Have you recognised him monsieur« asked Defarge in a whisper
»Yes for a moment At first I thought it quite hopeless but I have
unquestionably seen for a single moment the face that I once knew so well
Hush Let us draw further back Hush«
She had moved from the wall of the garret very near to the bench on which
he sat There was something awful in his unconsciousness of the figure that
could have put out its hand and touched him as he stooped over his labour
Not a word was spoken not a sound was made She stood like a spirit
beside him and he bent over his work
It happened at length that he had occasion to change the instrument in his
hand for his shoemakers knife It lay on that side of him which was not the
side on which she stood He had taken it up and was stooping to work again
when his eyes caught the skirt of her dress He raised them and saw her face
The two spectators started forward but she stayed them with a motion of her
hand She had no fear of his striking at her with the knife though they had
He stared at her with a fearful look and after a while his lips began to
form some words though no sound proceeded from them By degrees in the pauses
of his quick and laboured breathing he was heard to say
»What is this«
With the tears streaming down her face she put her two hands to her lips
and kissed them to him then clasped them on her breast as if she laid his
ruined head there
»You are not the gaolers daughter«
She sighed »No«
»Who are you«
Not yet trusting the tones of her voice she sat down on the bench beside
him He recoiled but she laid her hand upon his arm A strange thrill struck
him when she did so and visibly passed over his frame he laid the knife down
softly as he sat staring at her
Her golden hair which she wore in long curls had been hurriedly pushed
aside and fell down over her neck Advancing his hand by little and little he
took it up and looked at it In the midst of the action he went astray and
with another deep sigh fell to work at his shoemaking
But not for long Releasing his arm she laid her hand upon his shoulder
After looking doubtfully at it two or three times as if to be sure that it was
really there he laid down his work put his hand to his neck and took off a
blackened string with a scrap of folded rag attached to it He opened this
carefully on his knee and it contained a very little quantity of hair not
more than one or two long golden hairs which he had in some old day wound off
upon his finger
He took her hair into his hand again and looked closely at it »It is the
same How can it be When was it How was it«
As the concentrating expression returned to his forehead he seemed to
become conscious that it was in hers too He turned her full to the light and
looked at her
»She had laid her head upon my shoulder that night when I was summoned out
she had a fear of my going though I had none and when I was brought to the
North Tower they found these upon my sleeve You will leave me them They can
never help me to escape in the body though they may in the spirit Those were
the words I said I remember them very well«
He formed this speech with his lips many times before he could utter it But
when he did find spoken words for it they came to him coherently though
slowly
»How was this Was it you«
Once more the two spectators started as he turned upon her with a
frightful suddenness But she sat perfectly still in his grasp and only said
in a low voice »I entreat you good gentlemen do not come near us do not
speak do not move«
»Hark« he exclaimed »Whose voice was that«
His hands released her as he uttered this cry and went up to his white
hair which they tore in a frenzy It died out as everything but his shoemaking
did die out of him and he refolded his little packet and tried to secure it in
his breast but he still looked at her and gloomily shook his head
»No no no you are too young too blooming It cant be See what the
prisoner is These are not the hands she knew this is not the face she knew
this is not a voice she ever heard No no She was and He was before the
slow years of the North Tower ages ago What is your name my gentle angel«
Hailing his softened tone and manner his daughter fell upon her knees
before him with her appealing hands upon his breast
»O sir at another time you shall know my name and who my mother was and
who my father and how I never knew their hard hard history But I cannot tell
you at this time and I cannot tell you here All that I may tell you here and
now is that I pray to you to touch me and to bless me Kiss me kiss me O my
dear my dear«
His cold white head mingled with her radiant hair which warmed and lighted
it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him
»If you hear in my voice I dont know that it is so but I hope it is if
you hear in my voice any resemblance to a voice that once was sweet music in
your ears weep for it weep for it If you touch in touching my hair anything
that recalls a beloved head that lay on your breast when you were young and
free weep for it weep for it If when I hint to you of a Home that is before
us where I will be true to you with all my duty and with all my faithful
service I bring back the remembrance of a Home long desolate while your poor
heart pined away weep for it weep for it«
She held him closer round the neck and rocked him on her breast like a
child
»If when I tell you dearest dear that your agony is over and that I have
come here to take you from it and that we go to England to be at peace and at
rest I cause you to think of your useful life laid waste and of our native
France so wicked to you weep for it weep for it And if when I shall tell you
of my name and of my father who is living and of my mother who is dead you
learn that I have to kneel to my honoured father and implore his pardon for
having never for his sake striven all day and lain awake and wept all night
because the love of my poor mother hid his torture from me weep for it weep
for it Weep for her then and for me Good gentlemen thank God I feel his
sacred tears upon my face and his sobs strike against my heart O see Thank
God for us thank God«
He had sunk in her arms and his face dropped on her breast a sight so
touching yet so terrible in the tremendous wrong and suffering which had gone
before it that the two beholders covered their faces
When the quiet of the garret had been long undisturbed and his heaving
breast and shaken form had long yielded to the calm that must follow all storms
emblem to humanity of the rest and silence into which the storm called Life
must hush at last they came forward to raise the father and daughter from the
ground He had gradually dropped to the floor and lay there in a lethargy worn
out She had nestled down with him that his head might lie upon her arm and
her hair drooping over him curtained him from the light
»If without disturbing him« she said raising her hand to Mr Lorry as he
stooped over them after repeated blowings of his nose »all could be arranged
for our leaving Paris at once so that from the very door he could be taken
away «
»But consider Is he fit for the journey« asked Mr Lorry
»More fit for that I think than to remain in this city so dreadful to
him«
»It is true« said Defarge who was kneeling to look on and hear »More than
that Monsieur Manette is for all reasons best out of France Say shall I
hire a carriage and posthorses«
»Thats business« said Mr Lorry resuming on the shortest notice his
methodical manners »and if business is to be done I had better do it«
»Then be so kind« urged Miss Manette »as to leave us here You see how
composed he has become and you cannot be afraid to leave him with me now Why
should you be If you will lock the door to secure us from interruption I do
not doubt that you will find him when you come back as quiet as you leave him
In any case I will take care of him until you return and then we will remove
him straight«
Both Mr Lorry and Defarge were rather disinclined to this course and in
favour of one of them remaining But as there were not only carriage and horses
to be seen to but travelling papers and as time pressed for the day was
drawing to an end it came at last to their hastily dividing the business that
was necessary to be done and hurrying away to do it
Then as the darkness closed in the daughter laid her head down on the hard
ground close at the fathers side and watched him The darkness deepened and
deepened and they both lay quiet until a light gleamed through the chinks in
the wall
Mr Lorry and Monsieur Defarge had made all ready for the journey and had
brought with them besides travelling cloaks and wrappers bread and meat wine
and hot coffee Monsieur Defarge put this provender and the lamp he carried on
the shoemakers bench there was nothing else in the garret but a pallet bed
and he and Mr Lorry roused the captive and assisted him to his feet
No human intelligence could have read the mysteries of his mind in the
scared blank wonder of his face Whether he knew what had happened whether he
recollected what they had said to him whether he knew that he was free were
questions which no sagacity could have solved They tried speaking to him but
he was so confused and so very slow to answer that they took fright at his
bewilderment and agreed for the time to tamper with him no more He had a wild
lost manner of occasionally clasping his head in his hands that had not been
seen in him before yet he had some pleasure in the mere sound of his
daughters voice and invariably turned to it when she spoke
In the submissive way of one long accustomed to obey under coercion he ate
and drank what they gave him to eat and drink and put on the cloak and other
wrappings that they gave him to wear He readily responded to his daughters
drawing her arm through his and took and kept her hand in both his own
They began to descend Monsieur Defarge going first with the lamp Mr Lorry
closing the little procession They had not traversed many steps of the long
main staircase when he stopped and stared at the roof and round at the walls
»You remember the place my father You remember coming up here«
»What did you say«
But before she could repeat the question he murmured an answer as if she
had repeated it
»Remember No I dont remember It was so very long ago«
That he had no recollection whatever of his having been brought from his
prison to that house was apparent to them They heard him mutter One Hundred
and Five North Tower and when he looked about him it evidently was for the
strong fortresswalls which had long encompassed him On their reaching the
courtyard he instinctively altered his tread as being in expectation of a
drawbridge and when there was no drawbridge and he saw the carriage waiting in
the open street he dropped his daughters hand and clasped his head again
No crowd was about the door no people were discernible at any of the many
windows not even a chance passerby was in the street An unnatural silence and
desertion reigned there Only one soul was to be seen and that was Madame
Defarge who leaned against the doorpost knitting and saw nothing
The prisoner had got into a coach and his daughter had followed him when
Mr Lorrys feet were arrested on the step by his asking miserably for his
shoemaking tools and the unfinished shoes Madame Defarge immediately called to
her husband that she would get them and went knitting out of the lamplight
through the courtyard She quickly brought them down and handed them in and
immediately afterwards leaned against the doorpost knitting and saw nothing
Defarge got upon the box and gave the word To the Barrier The postilion
cracked his whip and they clattered away under the feeble overswinging lamps
Under the overswinging lamps swinging ever brighter in the better
streets and ever dimmer in the worse and by lighted shops gay crowds
illuminated coffeehouses and theatredoors to one of the city gates Soldiers
with lanterns at the guardhouse there »Your papers travellers« »See here
then Monsieur the Officer« said Defarge getting down and taking him gravely
apart »these are the papers of monsieur inside with the white head They were
consigned to me with him at the « He dropped his voice there was a flutter
among the military lanterns and one of them being handed into the coach by an
arm in uniform the eyes connected with the arm looked not an everyday or an
everynight look at monsieur with the white head It is well Forward from the
uniform Adieu from Defarge And so under a short grove of feebler and feebler
overswinging lamps out under the great grove of stars
Beneath that arch of unmoved and eternal lights some so remote from this
little earth that the learned tell us it is doubtful whether their rays have
even yet discovered it as a point in space where anything is suffered or done
the shadows of the night were broad and black All through the cold and restless
interval until dawn they once more whispered in the ears of Mr Jarvis Lorry
sitting opposite the buried man who had been dug out and wondering what subtle
powers were for ever lost to him and what were capable of restoration the old
inquiry
»I hope you care to be recalled to life«
And the old answer
»I cant say«
Book the Second
The Golden Thread
Chapter I
Five Years Later
Tellsons Bank by Temple Bar was an oldfashioned place even in the year one
thousand seven hundred and eighty It was very small very dark very ugly very
incommodious It was an oldfashioned place moreover in the moral attribute
that the partners in the House were proud of its smallness proud of its
darkness proud of its ugliness proud of its incommodiousness They were even
boastful of its eminence in those particulars and were fired by an express
conviction that if it were less objectionable it would be less respectable
This was no passive belief but an active weapon which they flashed at more
convenient places of business Tellsons they said wanted no elbowroom
Tellsons wanted no light Tellsons wanted no embellishment Noakes and Cos
might or Snooks Brothers might but Tellsons thank Heaven
Any one of these partners would have disinherited his son on the question of
rebuilding Tellsons In this respect the House was much on a par with the
Country which did very often disinherit its sons for suggesting improvements in
laws and customs that had long been highly objectionable but were only the more
respectable
Thus it had come to pass that Tellsons was the triumphant perfection of
inconvenience After bursting open a door of idiotic obstinacy with a weak
rattle in its throat you fell into Tellsons down two steps and came to your
senses in a miserable little shop with two little counters where the oldest of
men made your cheque shake as if the wind rustled it while they examined the
signature by the dingiest of windows which were always under a showerbath of
mud from Fleetstreet and which were made the dingier by their own iron bars
proper and the heavy shadow of Temple Bar If your business necessitated your
seeing the House you were put into a species of Condemned Hold at the back
where you meditated on a misspent life until the House came with its hands in
its pockets and you could hardly blink at it in the dismal twilight Your money
came out of or went into wormy old wooden drawers particles of which flew up
your nose and down your throat when they were opened and shut Your banknotes
had a musty odour as if they were fast decomposing into rags again Your plate
was stowed away among the neighbouring cesspools and evil communications
corrupted its good polish in a day or two Your deeds got into extemporised
strongrooms made of kitchens and sculleries and fretted all the fat out of
their parchments into the bankinghouse air Your lighter boxes of family papers
went upstairs into a Barmecide room that always had a great diningtable in it
and never had a dinner and where even in the year one thousand seven hundred
and eighty the first letters written to you by your old love or by your little
children were but newly released from the horror of being ogled through the
windows by the heads exposed on Temple Bar with an insensate brutality and
ferocity worthy of Abyssinia or Ashantee
But indeed at that time putting to death was a recipe much in vogue with
all trades and professions and not least of all with Tellsons Death is
Natures remedy for all things and why not Legislations Accordingly the
forger was put to Death the utterer of a bad note was put to Death the
unlawful opener of a letter was put to Death the purloiner of forty shillings
and sixpence was put to Death the holder of a horse at Tellsons door who made
off with it was put to Death the coiner of a bad shilling was put to Death
the sounders of threefourths of the notes in the whole gamut of Crime were put
to Death Not that it did the least good in the way of prevention it might
almost have been worth remarking that the fact was exactly the reverse but it
cleared off as to this world the trouble of each particular case and left
nothing else connected with it to be looked after Thus Tellsons in its day
like greater places of business its contemporaries had taken so many lives
that if the heads laid low before it had been ranged on Temple Bar instead of
being privately disposed of they would probably have excluded what little light
the ground floor had in a rather significant manner
Cramped in all kinds of dim cupboards and hutches at Tellsons the oldest
of men carried on the business gravely When they took a young man into
Tellsons London house they hid him somewhere till he was old They kept him in
a dark place like a cheese until he had the full Tellson flavour and
bluemould upon him Then only was he permitted to be seen spectacularly poring
over large books and casting his breeches and gaiters into the general weight
of the establishment
Outside Tellsons never by any means in it unless called in was an
oddjobman an occasional porter and messenger who served as the live sign of
the house He was never absent during business hours unless upon an errand and
then he was represented by his son a grisly urchin of twelve who was his
express image People understood that Tellsons in a stately way tolerated the
oddjobman The house had always tolerated some person in that capacity and
time and tide had drifted this person to the post His surname was Cruncher and
on the youthful occasion of his renouncing by proxy the works of darkness in
the easterly parish church of Houndsditch he had received the added appellation
of Jerry
The scene was Mr Crunchers private lodging in Hangingswordalley
Whitefriars the time halfpast seven of the clock on a windy March morning
Anno Domini seventeen hundred and eighty Mr Cruncher himself always spoke of
the year of our Lord as Anna Dominoes apparently under the impression that the
Christian era dated from the invention of a popular game by a lady who had
bestowed her name upon it
Mr Crunchers apartments were not in a savoury neighbourhood and were but
two in number even if a closet with a single pane of glass in it might be
counted as one But they were very decently kept Early as it was on the windy
March morning the room in which he lay abed was already scrubbed throughout
and between the cups and saucers arranged for breakfast and the lumbering deal
table a very clean white cloth was spread
Mr Cruncher reposed under a patchwork counterpane like a Harlequin at
home At first he slept heavily but by degrees began to roll and surge in
bed until he rose above the surface with his spiky hair looking as if it must
tear the sheets to ribbons At which juncture he exclaimed in a voice of dire
exasperation
»Bust me if she aint at it agin«
A woman of orderly and industrious appearance rose from her knees in a
corner with sufficient haste and trepidation to show that she was the person
referred to
»What« said Mr Cruncher looking out of bed for a boot »Youre at it
agin are you«
After hailing the morn with this second salutation he threw a boot at the
woman as a third It was a very muddy boot and may introduce the odd
circumstance connected with Mr Crunchers domestic economy that whereas he
often came home after banking hours with clean boots he often got up next
morning to find the same boots covered with clay
»What« said Mr Cruncher varying his apostrophe after missing his mark
»what are you up to Aggerawayter«
»I was only saying my prayers«
»Saying your prayers Youre a nice woman What do you mean by flopping
yourself down and praying agin me«
»I was not praying against you I was praying for you«
»You werent And if you were I wont be took the liberty with Here your
mothers a nice woman young Jerry going a praying agin your fathers
prosperity Youve got a dutiful mother you have my son Youve got a
religious mother you have my boy going and flopping herself down and praying
that the breadandbutter may be snatched out of the mouth of her only child«
Master Cruncher who was in his shirt took this very ill and turning to
his mother strongly deprecated any praying away of his personal board
»And what do you suppose you conceited female« said Mr Cruncher with
unconscious inconsistency »that the worth of your prayers may be Name the
price that you put your prayers at«
»They only come from the heart Jerry They are worth no more than that«
»Worth no more than that« repeated Mr Cruncher »They aint worth much
then Whether or no I wont be prayed agin I tell you I cant afford it Im
not a going to be made unlucky by your sneaking If you must go flopping
yourself down flop in favour of your husband and child and not in opposition
to em If I had had any but a unnatral wife and this poor boy had had any but
a unnatral mother I might have made some money last week instead of being
counterprayed and countermined and religiously circumwented into the worst of
luck Buuust me« said Mr Cruncher who all this time had been putting on
his clothes »if I aint what with piety and one blowed thing and another been
choused this last week into as bad luck as ever a poor devil of a honest
tradesman met with Young Jerry dress yourself my boy and while I clean my
boots keep a eye upon your mother now and then and if you see any signs of more
flopping give me a call For I tell you« here he addressed his wife once
more »I wont be gone agin in this manner I am as rickety as a hackneycoach
Im as sleepy as laudanum my lines is strained to that degree that I shouldnt
know if it wasnt for the pain in em which was me and which somebody else
yet Im none the better for it in pocket and its my suspicion that youve been
at it from morning to night to prevent me from being the better for it in
pocket and I wont put up with it Aggerawayter and what do you say now«
Growling in addition such phrases as »Ah Yes Youre religious too You
wouldnt put yourself in opposition to the interests of your husband and child
would you Not you« and throwing off other sarcastic sparks from the whirling
grindstone of his indignation Mr Cruncher betook himself to his bootcleaning
and his general preparation for business In the meantime his son whose head
was garnished with tenderer spikes and whose young eyes stood close by one
another as his fathers did kept the required watch upon his mother He
greatly disturbed that poor woman at intervals by darting out of his sleeping
closet where he made his toilet with a suppressed cry of »You are going to
flop mother Halloa father« and after raising this fictitious alarm
darting in again with an undutiful grin
Mr Crunchers temper was not at all improved when he came to his breakfast
He resented Mrs Crunchers saying grace with particular animosity
»Now Aggerawayter What are you up to At it agin«
His wife explained that she had merely asked a blessing
»Dont do it« said Mr Cruncher looking about as if he rather expected to
see the loaf disappear under the efficacy of his wifes petitions »I aint a
going to be blest out of house and home I wont have my wittles blest off my
table Keep still«
Exceedingly redeyed and grim as if he had been up all night at a party
which had taken anything but a convivial turn Jerry Cruncher worried his
breakfast rather than ate it growling over it like any fourfooted inmate of a
menagerie Towards nine oclock he smoothed his ruffled aspect and presenting
as respectful and businesslike an exterior as he could overlay his natural self
with issued forth to the occupation of the day
It could scarcely be called a trade in spite of his favourite description
of himself as a honest tradesman His stock consisted of a wooden stool made
out of a brokenbacked chair cut down which stool young Jerry walking at his
fathers side carried every morning to beneath the bankinghouse window that
was nearest Temple Bar where with the addition of the first handful of straw
that could be gleaned from any passing vehicle to keep the cold and wet from the
oddjobmans feet it formed the encampment for the day On this post of his
Mr Cruncher was as well known to Fleetstreet and the Temple as the Bar
itself and was almost as illlooking
Encamped at a quarter before nine in good time to touch his threecornered
hat to the oldest of men as they passed in to Tellsons Jerry took up his
station on this windy March morning with young Jerry standing by him when not
engaged in making forays through the Bar to inflict bodily and mental injuries
of an acute description on passing boys who were small enough for his amiable
purpose Father and son extremely like each other looking silently on at the
morning traffic in Fleetstreet with their two heads as near to one another as
the two eyes of each were bore a considerable resemblance to a pair of monkeys
The resemblance was not lessened by the accidental circumstance that the mature
Jerry bit and spat out straw while the twinkling eyes of the youthful Jerry
were as restlessly watchful of him as of everything else in Fleetstreet
The head of one of the regular indoor messengers attached to Tellsons
establishment was put through the door and the word was given
»Porter wanted«
»Hooray father Heres an early job to begin with«
Having thus given his parent God speed young Jerry seated himself on the
stool entered on his reversionary interest in the straw his father had been
chewing and cogitated
»Always rusty His fingers is always rusty« muttered young Jerry »Where
does my father get all that iron rust from He dont get no iron rust here«
Chapter II
A Sight
»You know the Old Bailey well no doubt« said one of the oldest of clerks to
Jerry the messenger
»Yees sir« returned Jerry in something of a dogged manner »I do know
the Bailey«
»Just so And you know Mr Lorry«
»I know Mr Lorry sir much better than I know the Bailey Much better«
said Jerry not unlike a reluctant witness at the establishment in question
»than I as a honest tradesman wish to know the Bailey«
»Very well Find the door where the witnesses go in and show the
doorkeeper this note for Mr Lorry He will then let you in«
»Into the court sir«
»Into the court«
Mr Crunchers eyes seemed to get a little closer to one another and to
interchange the inquiry »What do you think of this«
»Am I to wait in the court sir« he asked as the result of that
conference
»I am going to tell you The doorkeeper will pass the note to Mr Lorry
and do you make any gesture that will attract Mr Lorrys attention and show
him where you stand Then what you have to do is to remain there until he
wants you«
»Is that all sir«
»Thats all He wishes to have a messenger at hand This is to tell him you
are there«
As the ancient clerk deliberately folded and superscribed the note Mr
Cruncher after surveying him in silence until he came to the blottingpaper
stage remarked
»I suppose theyll be trying Forgeries this morning«
»Treason«
»Thats quartering« said Jerry »Barbarous«
»It is the law« remarked the ancient clerk turning his surprised
spectacles upon him »It is the law«
»Its hard in the law to spile a man I think Its hard enough to kill him
but its wery hard to spile him sir«
»Not at all« returned the ancient clerk »Speak well of the law Take care
of your chest and voice my good friend and leave the law to take care of
itself I give you that advice«
»Its the damp sir what settles on my chest and voice« said Jerry »I
leave you to judge what a damp way of earning a living mine is«
»Well well« said the old clerk »we all have our various ways of gaining a
livelihood Some of us have damp ways and some of us have dry ways Here is the
letter Go along«
Jerry took the letter and remarking to himself with less internal
deference than he made an outward show of You are a lean old one too made his
bow informed his son in passing of his destination and went his way
They hanged at Tyburn in those days so the street outside Newgate had not
obtained one infamous notoriety that has since attached to it But the gaol was
a vile place in which most kinds of debauchery and villainy were practised and
where dire diseases were bred that came into court with the prisoners and
sometimes rushed straight from the dock at my Lord Chief Justice himself and
pulled him off the bench It had more than once happened that the Judge in the
black cap pronounced his own doom as certainly as the prisoners and even died
before him For the rest the Old Bailey was famous as a kind of deadly
innyard from which pale travellers set out continually in carts and coaches
on a violent passage into the other world traversing some two miles and a half
of public street and road and shaming few good citizens if any So powerful is
use and so desirable to be good use in the beginning It was famous too for
the pillory a wise old institution that inflicted a punishment of which no one
could foresee the extent also for the whippingpost another dear old
institution very humanising and softening to behold in action also for
extensive transactions in bloodmoney another fragment of ancestral wisdom
systematically leading to the most frightful mercenary crimes that could be
committed under Heaven Altogether the Old Bailey at that date was a choice
illustration of the precept that Whatever is is right an aphorism that would
be as final as it is lazy did it not include the troublesome consequence that
nothing that ever was was wrong
Making his way through the tainted crowd dispersed up and down this hideous
scene of action with the skill of a man accustomed to make his way quietly the
messenger found out the door he sought and handed in his letter through a trap
in it For people then paid to see the play at the Old Bailey just as they paid
to see the play in Bedlam only the former entertainment was much the dearer
Therefore all the Old Bailey doors were well guarded except indeed the
social doors by which the criminals got there and those were always left wide
open
After some delay and demur the door grudgingly turned on its hinges a very
little way and allowed Mr Jerry Cruncher to squeeze himself into court
»Whats on« he asked in a whisper of the man he found himself next to
»Nothing yet«
»Whats coming on«
»The Treason case«
»The quartering one eh«
»Ah« returned the man with a relish »hell be drawn on a hurdle to be
half hanged and then hell be taken down and sliced before his own face and
then his inside will be taken out and burnt while he looks on and then his head
will be chopped off and hell be cut into quarters Thats the sentence«
»If hes found Guilty you mean to say« Jerry added by way of proviso
»Oh theyll find him guilty« said the other »Dont you be afraid of
that«
Mr Crunchers attention was here diverted to the doorkeeper whom he saw
making his way to Mr Lorry with the note in his hand Mr Lorry sat at a
table among the gentlemen in wigs not far from a wigged gentleman the
prisoners counsel who had a great bundle of papers before him and nearly
opposite another wigged gentleman with his hands in his pockets whose whole
attention when Mr Cruncher looked at him then or afterwards seemed to be
concentrated on the ceiling of the court After some gruff coughing and rubbing
of his chin and signing with his hand Jerry attracted the notice of Mr Lorry
who had stood up to look for him and who quietly nodded and sat down again
»Whats he got to do with the case« asked the man he had spoken with
»Blest if I know« said Jerry
»What have you got to do with it then if a person may inquire«
»Blest if I know that either« said Jerry
The entrance of the Judge and a consequent great stir and settling down in
the court stopped the dialogue Presently the dock became the central point of
interest Two gaolers who had been standing there went out and the prisoner
was brought in and put to the bar
Everybody present except the one wigged gentleman who looked at the
ceiling stared at him All the human breath in the place rolled at him like a
sea or a wind or a fire Eager faces strained round pillars and corners to
get a sight of him spectators in back rows stood up not to miss a hair of him
people on the floor of the court laid their hands on the shoulders of the
people before them to help themselves at anybodys cost to a view of him
stood atiptoe got upon ledges stood upon next to nothing to see every inch
of him Conspicuous among these latter like an animated bit of the spiked wall
of Newgate Jerry stood aiming at the prisoner the beery breath of a whet he
had taken as he came along and discharging it to mingle with the waves of other
beer and gin and tea and coffee and what not that flowed at him and
already broke upon the great windows behind him in an impure mist and rain
The object of all this staring and blaring was a young man of about
fiveandtwenty wellgrown and welllooking with a sunburnt cheek and a dark
eye His condition was that of a young gentleman He was plainly dressed in
black or very dark grey and his hair which was long and dark was gathered in
a ribbon at the back of his neck more to be out of his way than for ornament
As an emotion of the mind will express itself through any covering of the body
so the paleness which his situation engendered came through the brown upon his
cheek showing the soul to be stronger than the sun He was otherwise quite
selfpossessed bowed to the Judge and stood quiet
The sort of interest with which this man was stared and breathed at was not
a sort that elevated humanity Had he stood in peril of a less horrible sentence
had there been a chance of any one of its savage details being spared by
just so much would he have lost in his fascination The form that was to be
doomed to be so shamefully mangled was the sight the immortal creature that
was to be so butchered and torn asunder yielded the sensation Whatever gloss
the various spectators put upon the interest according to their several arts
and powers of selfdeceit the interest was at the root of it Ogreish
Silence in the court Charles Darnay had yesterday pleaded Not Guilty to an
indictment denouncing him with infinite jingle and jangle for that he was a
false traitor to our serene illustrious excellent and so forth prince our
Lord the King by reason of his having on divers occasions and by divers means
and ways assisted Lewis the French King in his wars against our said serene
illustrious excellent and so forth that was to say by coming and going
between the dominions of our said serene illustrious excellent and so forth
and those of the said French Lewis and wickedly falsely traitorously and
otherwise eviladverbiously revealing to the said French Lewis what forces our
said serene illustrious excellent and so forth had in preparation to send to
Canada and North America This much Jerry with his head becoming more and more
spiky as the law terms bristled it made out with huge satisfaction and so
arrived circuitously at the understanding that the aforesaid and over and over
again aforesaid Charles Darnay stood there before him upon his trial that the
jury were swearing in and that Mr AttorneyGeneral was making ready to speak
The accused who was and who knew he was being mentally hanged beheaded
and quartered by everybody there neither flinched from the situation nor
assumed any theatrical air in it He was quiet and attentive watched the
opening proceedings with a grave interest and stood with his hands resting on
the slab of wood before him so composedly that they had not displaced a leaf
of the herbs with which it was strewn The court was all bestrewn with herbs and
sprinkled with vinegar as a precaution against gaol air and gaol fever
Over the prisoners head there was a mirror to throw the light down upon
him Crowds of the wicked and the wretched had been reflected in it and had
passed from its surface and this earths together Haunted in a most ghastly
manner that abominable place would have been if the glass could ever have
rendered back its reflections as the ocean is one day to give up its dead Some
passing thought of the infamy and disgrace for which it had been reserved may
have struck the prisoners mind Be that as it may a change in his position
making him conscious of a bar of light across his face he looked up and when
he saw the glass his face flushed and his right hand pushed the herbs away
It happened that the action turned his face to that side of the court which
was on his left About on a level with his eyes there sat in that corner of
the Judges bench two persons upon whom his look immediately rested so
immediately and so much to the changing of his aspect that all the eyes that
were turned upon him turned to them
The spectators saw in the two figures a young lady of little more than
twenty and a gentleman who was evidently her father a man of a very remarkable
appearance in respect of the absolute whiteness of his hair and a certain
indescribable intensity of face not of an active kind but pondering and
selfcommuning When this expression was upon him he looked as if he were old
but when it was stirred and broken up as it was now in a moment on his
speaking to his daughter he became a handsome man not past the prime of life
His daughter had one of her hands drawn through his arm as she sat by him
and the other pressed upon it She had drawn close to him in her dread of the
scene and in her pity for the prisoner Her forehead had been strikingly
expressive of an engrossing terror and compassion that saw nothing but the peril
of the accused This had been so very noticeable so very powerfully and
naturally shown that starers who had had no pity for him were touched by her
and the whisper went about »Who are they«
Jerry the messenger who had made his own observations in his own manner
and who had been sucking the rust off his fingers in his absorption stretched
his neck to hear who they were The crowd about him had pressed and passed the
inquiry on to the nearest attendant and from him it had been more slowly
pressed and passed back at last it got to Jerry
»Witnesses«
»For which side«
»Against«
»Against what side«
»The prisoners«
The Judge whose eyes had gone in the general direction recalled them
leaned back in his seat and looked steadily at the man whose life was in his
hand as Mr AttorneyGeneral rose to spin the rope grind the axe and hammer
the nails into the scaffold
Chapter III
A Disappointment
Mr AttorneyGeneral had to inform the jury that the prisoner before them
though young in years was old in the treasonable practices which claimed the
forfeit of his life That this correspondence with the public enemy was not a
correspondence of today or of yesterday or even of last year or of the year
before That it was certain the prisoner had for longer than that been in the
habit of passing and repassing between France and England on secret business of
which he could give no honest account That if it were in the nature of
traitorous ways to thrive which happily it never was the real wickedness and
guilt of his business might have remained undiscovered That Providence
however had put it into the heart of a person who was beyond fear and beyond
reproach to ferret out the nature of the prisoners schemes and struck with
horror to disclose them to his Majestys Chief Secretary of State and most
honourable Privy Council That this patriot would be produced before them
That his position and attitude were on the whole sublime That he had been
the prisoners friend but at once in an auspicious and an evil hour detecting
his infamy had resolved to immolate the traitor he could no longer cherish in
his bosom on the sacred altar of his country That if statues were decreed in
Britain as in ancient Greece and Rome to public benefactors this shining
citizen would assuredly have had one That as they were not so decreed he
probably would not have one That Virtue as had been observed by the poets in
many passages which he well knew the jury would have word for word at the tips
of their tongues whereat the jurys countenances displayed a guilty
consciousness that they knew nothing about the passages was in a manner
contagious more especially the bright virtue known as patriotism or love of
country That the lofty example of this immaculate and unimpeachable witness
for the Crown to refer to whom however unworthily was an honour had
communicated itself to the prisoners servant and had engendered in him a holy
determination to examine his masters tabledrawers and pockets and secrete his
papers That he Mr AttorneyGeneral was prepared to hear some disparagement
attempted of this admirable servant but that in a general way he preferred
him to his Mr AttorneyGenerals brothers and sisters and honoured him more
than his Mr AttorneyGenerals father and mother That he called with
confidence on the jury to come and do likewise That the evidence of these two
witnesses coupled with the documents of their discovering that would be
produced would show the prisoner to have been furnished with lists of his
Majestys forces and of their disposition and preparation both by sea and
land and would leave no doubt that he had habitually conveyed such information
to a hostile power That these lists could not be proved to be in the
prisoners handwriting but that it was all the same that indeed it was
rather the better for the prosecution as showing the prisoner to be artful in
his precautions That the proof would go back five years and would show the
prisoner already engaged in these pernicious missions within a few weeks before
the date of the very first action fought between the British troops and the
Americans That for these reasons the jury being a loyal jury as he knew
they were and being a responsible jury as they knew they were must
positively find the prisoner Guilty and make an end of him whether they liked
it or not That they never could lay their heads upon their pillows that they
never could tolerate the idea of their wives laying their heads upon their
pillows that they never could endure the notion of their children laying their
heads upon their pillows in short that there never more could be for them or
theirs any laying of heads upon pillows at all unless the prisoners head was
taken off That head Mr AttorneyGeneral concluded by demanding of them in the
name of everything he could think of with a round turn in it and on the faith
of his solemn asseveration that he already considered the prisoner as good as
dead and gone
When the AttorneyGeneral ceased a buzz arose in the court as if a cloud of
great blueflies were swarming about the prisoner in anticipation of what he
was soon to become When toned down again the unimpeachable patriot appeared in
the witnessbox
Mr SolicitorGeneral then following his leaders lead examined the
patriot John Barsad gentleman by name The story of his pure soul was exactly
what Mr AttorneyGeneral had described it to be perhaps if it had a fault a
little too exactly Having released his noble bosom of its burden he would have
modestly withdrawn himself but that the wigged gentleman with the papers before
him sitting not far from Mr Lorry begged to ask him a few questions The
wigged gentleman sitting opposite still looking at the ceiling of the court
Had he ever been a spy himself No he scorned the base insinuation What
did he live upon His property Where was his property He didnt precisely
remember where it was What was it No business of anybodys Had he inherited
it Yes he had From whom Distant relation Very distant Rather Ever been in
prison Certainly not Never in a debtors prison Didnt see what that had to
do with it Never in a debtors prison Come once again Never Yes How many
times Two or three times Not five or six Perhaps Of what profession
Gentleman Ever been kicked Might have been Frequently No Ever kicked
downstairs Decidedly not once received a kick on the top of a staircase and
fell downstairs of his own accord Kicked on that occasion for cheating at dice
Something to that effect was said by the intoxicated liar who committed the
assault but it was not true Swear it was not true Positively Ever live by
cheating at play Never Ever live by play Not more than other gentlemen do
Ever borrow money of the prisoner Yes Ever pay him No Was not this intimacy
with the prisoner in reality a very slight one forced upon the prisoner in
coaches inns and packets No Sure he saw the prisoner with these lists
Certain Knew no more about the lists No Had not procured them himself for
instance No Expect to get anything by this evidence No Not in regular
government pay and employment to lay traps Oh dear no Or to do anything Oh
dear no Swear that Over and over again No motives but motives of sheer
patriotism None whatever
The virtuous servant Roger Cly swore his way through the case at a great
rate He had taken service with the prisoner in good faith and simplicity four
years ago He had asked the prisoner aboard the Calais packet if he wanted a
handy fellow and the prisoner had engaged him He had not asked the prisoner to
take the handy fellow as an act of charity never thought of such a thing He
began to have suspicions of the prisoner and to keep an eye upon him soon
afterwards In arranging his clothes while travelling he had seen similar
lists to these in the prisoners pockets over and over again He had taken
these lists from the drawer of the prisoners desk He had not put them there
first He had seen the prisoner show these identical lists to French gentlemen
at Calais and similar lists to French gentlemen both at Calais and Boulogne
He loved his country and couldnt bear it and had given information He had
never been suspected of stealing a silver teapot he had been maligned
respecting a mustardpot but it turned out to be only a plated one He had
known the last witness seven or eight years that was merely a coincidence He
didnt call it a particularly curious coincidence most coincidences were
curious Neither did he call it a curious coincidence that true patriotism was
his only motive too He was a true Briton and hoped there were many like him
The blueflies buzzed again and Mr AttorneyGeneral called Mr Jarvis
Lorry
»Mr Jarvis Lorry are you a clerk in Tellsons bank«
»I am«
»On a certain Friday night in November one thousand seven hundred and
seventyfive did business occasion you to travel between London and Dover by
the mail«
»It did«
»Were there any other passengers in the mail«
»Two«
»Did they alight on the road in the course of the night«
»They did«
»Mr Lorry look upon the prisoner Was he one of those two passengers«
»I cannot undertake to say that he was«
»Does he resemble either of these two passengers«
»Both were so wrapped up and the night was so dark and we were all so
reserved that I cannot undertake to say even that«
»Mr Lorry look again upon the prisoner Supposing him wrapped up as those
two passengers were is there anything in his bulk and stature to render it
unlikely that he was one of them«
»No«
»You will not swear Mr Lorry that he was not one of them«
»No«
»So at least you say he may have been one of them«
»Yes Except that I remember them both to have been like myself timorous
of highwaymen and the prisoner has not a timorous air«
»Did you ever see a counterfeit of timidity Mr Lorry«
»I certainly have seen that«
»Mr Lorry look once more upon the prisoner Have you seen him to your
certain knowledge before«
»I have«
»When«
»I was returning from France a few days afterwards and at Calais the
prisoner came on board the packetship in which I returned and made the voyage
with me«
»At what hour did he come on board«
»At a little after midnight«
»In the dead of the night Was he the only passenger who came on board at
that untimely hour«
»He happened to be the only one«
»Never mind about happening Mr Lorry He was the only passenger who came
on board in the dead of the night«
»He was«
»Were you travelling alone Mr Lorry or with any companion«
»With two companions A gentleman and lady They are here«
»They are here Had you any conversation with the prisoner«
»Hardly any The weather was stormy and the passage long and rough and I
lay on a sofa almost from shore to shore«
»Miss Manette«
The young lady to whom all eyes had been turned before and were now turned
again stood up where she had sat Her father rose with her and kept her hand
drawn through his arm
»Miss Manette look upon the prisoner«
To be confronted with such pity and such earnest youth and beauty was far
more trying to the accused than to be confronted with all the crowd Standing
as it were apart with her on the edge of his grave not all the staring
curiosity that looked on could for the moment nerve him to remain quite
still His hurried right hand parcelled out the herbs before him into imaginary
beds of flowers in a garden and his efforts to control and steady his breathing
shook the lips from which the colour rushed to his heart The buzz of the great
flies was loud again
»Miss Manette have you seen the prisoner before«
»Yes sir«
»Where«
»On board of the packetship just now referred to sir and on the same
occasion«
»You are the young lady just now referred to«
»O most unhappily I am«
The plaintive tone of her compassion merged into the less musical voice of
the Judge as he said something fiercely
»Answer the questions put to you and make no remark upon them«
»Miss Manette had you any conversation with the prisoner on that passage
across the Channel«
»Yes sir«
»Recall it«
In the midst of a profound stillness she faintly began
»When the gentleman came on board «
»Do you mean the prisoner« inquired the Judge knitting his brows
»Yes my Lord«
»Then say the prisoner«
»When the prisoner came on board he noticed that my father« turning her
eyes lovingly to him as he stood beside her »was much fatigued and in a very
weak state of health My father was so reduced that I was afraid to take him out
of the air and I had made a bed for him on the deck near the cabin steps and I
sat on the deck at his side to take care of him There were no other passengers
that night but we four The prisoner was so good as to beg permission to advise
me how I could shelter my father from the wind and weather better than I had
done I had not known how to do it well not understanding how the wind would
set when we were out of the harbour He did it for me He expressed great
gentleness and kindness for my fathers state and I am sure he felt it That
was the manner of our beginning to speak together«
»Let me interrupt you for a moment Had he come on board alone«
»No«
»How many were with him«
»Two French gentlemen«
»Had they conferred together«
»They had conferred together until the last moment when it was necessary
for the French gentlemen to be landed in their boat«
»Had any papers been handed about among them similar to these lists«
»Some papers had been handed about among them but I dont know what
papers«
»Like these in shape and size«
»Possibly but indeed I dont know although they stood whispering very near
to me because they stood at the top of the cabin steps to have the light of the
lamp that was hanging there it was a dull lamp and they spoke very low and I
did not hear what they said and saw only that they looked at papers«
»Now to the prisoners conversation Miss Manette«
»The prisoner was as open in his confidence with me which arose out of my
helpless situation as he was kind and good and useful to my father I hope«
bursting into tears »I may not repay him by doing him harm today«
Buzzing from the blueflies
»Miss Manette if the prisoner does not perfectly understand that you give
the evidence which it is your duty to give which you must give and which you
cannot escape from giving with great unwillingness he is the only person
present in that condition Please to go on«
»He told me that he was travelling on business of a delicate and difficult
nature which might get people into trouble and that he was therefore
travelling under an assumed name He said that this business had within a few
days taken him to France and might at intervals take him backwards and
forwards between France and England for a long time to come«
»Did he say anything about America Miss Manette Be particular«
»He tried to explain to me how that quarrel had arisen and he said that so
far as he could judge it was a wrong and foolish one on Englands part He
added in a jesting way that perhaps George Washington might gain almost as
great a name in history as George the Third But there was no harm in his way of
saying this it was said laughingly and to beguile the time«
Any strongly marked expression of face on the part of a chief actor in a
scene of great interest to whom many eyes are directed will be unconsciously
imitated by the spectators Her forehead was painfully anxious and intent as she
gave this evidence and in the pauses when she stopped for the Judge to write
it down watched its effect upon the counsel for and against Among the
lookerson there was the same expression in all quarters of the court insomuch
that a great majority of the foreheads there might have been mirrors reflecting
the witness when the Judge looked up from his notes to glare at that tremendous
heresy about George Washington
Mr AttorneyGeneral now signified to my Lord that he deemed it necessary
as a matter of precaution and form to call the young ladys father Doctor
Manette Who was called accordingly
»Doctor Manette look upon the prisoner Have you ever seen him before«
»Once When he called at my lodgings in London Some three years or three
years and a half ago«
»Can you identify him as your fellowpassenger on board the packet or speak
to his conversation with your daughter«
»Sir I can do neither«
»Is there any particular and special reason for your being unable to do
either«
He answered in a low voice »There is«
»Has it been your misfortune to undergo a long imprisonment without trial
or even accusation in your native country Doctor Manette«
He answered in a tone that went to every heart »A long imprisonment«
»Were you newly released on the occasion in question«
»They tell me so«
»Have you no remembrance of the occasion«
»None My mind is a blank from some time I cannot even say what time
when I employed myself in my captivity in making shoes to the time when I
found myself living in London with my dear daughter here She had become
familiar to me when a gracious God restored my faculties but I am quite
unable even to say how she had become familiar I have no remembrance of the
process«
Mr AttorneyGeneral sat down and the father and daughter sat down
together
A singular circumstance then arose in the case. The object in hand being to
show that the prisoner went down with some fellowplotter untracked in the
Dover mail on that Friday night in November five years ago and got out of the
mail in the night as a blind at a place where he did not remain but from
which he travelled back some dozen miles or more to a garrison and dockyard
and there collected information a witness was called to identify him as having
been at the precise time required in the coffeeroom of an hotel in that
garrisonanddockyard town waiting for another person The prisoners counsel
was crossexamining this witness with no result except that he had never seen
the prisoner on any other occasion when the wigged gentleman who had all this
time been looking at the ceiling of the court wrote a word or two on a little
piece of paper screwed it up and tossed it to him Opening this piece of paper
in the next pause the counsel looked with great attention and curiosity at the
prisoner
»You say again you are quite sure that it was the prisoner«
The witness was quite sure
»Did you ever see anybody very like the prisoner«
Not so like the witness said as that he could be mistaken
»Look well upon that gentleman my learned friend there« pointing to him
who had tossed the paper over »and then look well upon the prisoner How say
you Are they very like each other«
Allowing for my learned friends appearance being careless and slovenly if
not debauched they were sufficiently like each other to surprise not only the
witness but everybody present when they were thus brought into comparison My
Lord being prayed to bid my learned friend lay aside his wig and giving no very
gracious consent the likeness became much more remarkable My Lord inquired of
Mr Stryver the prisoners counsel whether they were next to try Mr Carton
name of my learned friend for treason But Mr Stryver replied to my Lord
no but he would ask the witness to tell him whether what happened once might
happen twice whether he would have been so confident if he had seen this
illustration of his rashness sooner whether he would be so confident having
seen it and more The upshot of which was to smash this witness like a
crockery vessel and shiver his part of the case to useless lumber
Mr Cruncher had by this time taken quite a lunch of rust off his fingers in
his following of the evidence He had now to attend while Mr Stryver fitted the
prisoners case on the jury like a compact suit of clothes showing them how
the patriot Barsad was a hired spy and traitor an unblushing trafficker in
blood and one of the greatest scoundrels upon earth since accursed Judas
which he certainly did look rather like How the virtuous servant Cly was his
friend and partner and was worthy to be how the watchful eyes of those forgers
and false swearers had rested on the prisoner as a victim because some family
affairs in France he being of French extraction did require his making those
passages across the Channel though what those affairs were a consideration
for others who were near and dear to him forbad him even for his life to
disclose How the evidence that had been warped and wrested from the young lady
whose anguish in giving it they had witnessed came to nothing involving the
mere little innocent gallantries and politenesses likely to pass between any
young gentleman and young lady so thrown together with the exception of that
reference to George Washington which was altogether too extravagant and
impossible to be regarded in any other light than as a monstrous joke How it
would be a weakness in the government to break down in this attempt to practise
for popularity on the lowest national antipathies and fears and therefore Mr
AttorneyGeneral had made the most of it how nevertheless it rested upon
nothing save that vile and infamous character of evidence too often disfiguring
such cases and of which the State Trials of this country were full But there
my Lord interposed with as grave a face as if it had not been true saying
that he could not sit upon that Bench and suffer those allusions
Mr Stryver then called his few witnesses and Mr Cruncher had next to
attend while Mr AttorneyGeneral turned the whole suit of clothes Mr Stryver
had fitted on the jury inside out showing how Barsad and Cly were even a
hundred times better than he had thought them and the prisoner a hundred times
worse Lastly came my Lord himself turning the suit of clothes now inside
out now outside in but on the whole decidedly trimming and shaping them into
graveclothes for the prisoner
And now the jury turned to consider and the great flies swarmed again
Mr Carton who had so long sat looking at the ceiling of the court changed
neither his place nor his attitude even in this excitement While his learned
friend Mr Stryver massing his papers before him whispered with those who sat
near and from time to time glanced anxiously at the jury while all the
spectators moved more or less and grouped themselves anew while even my Lord
himself arose from his seat and slowly paced up and down his platform not
unattended by a suspicion in the minds of the audience that his state was
feverish this one man sat leaning back with his torn gown half off him his
untidy wig put on just as it had happened to light on his head after its
removal his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the ceiling as they had been
all day Something especially reckless in his demeanour not only gave him a
disreputable look but so diminished the strong resemblance he undoubtedly bore
to the prisoner which his momentary earnestness when they were compared
together had strengthened that many of the lookerson taking note of him
now said to one another they would hardly have thought the two were so alike
Mr Cruncher made the observation to his next neighbour and added »Id hold
half a guinea that he dont get no lawwork to do Dont look like the sort of
one to get any do he«
Yet this Mr Carton took in more of the details of the scene than he
appeared to take in for now when Miss Manettes head dropped upon her fathers
breast he was the first to see it and to say audibly »Officer look to that
young lady Help the gentleman to take her out Dont you see she will fall«
There was much commiseration for her as she was removed and much sympathy
with her father It had evidently been a great distress to him to have the days
of his imprisonment recalled He had shown strong internal agitation when he was
questioned and that pondering or brooding look which made him old had been
upon him like a heavy cloud ever since As he passed out the jury who had
turned back and paused a moment spoke through their foreman
They were not agreed and wished to retire My Lord perhaps with George
Washington on his mind showed some surprise that they were not agreed but
signified his pleasure that they should retire under watch and ward and retired
himself The trial had lasted all day and the lamps in the court were now being
lighted It began to be rumoured that the jury would be out a long while The
spectators dropped off to get refreshment and the prisoner withdrew to the back
of the dock and sat down
Mr Lorry who had gone out when the young lady and her father went out now
reappeared and beckoned to Jerry who in the slackened interest could easily
get near him
»Jerry if you wish to take something to eat you can But keep in the way
You will be sure to hear when the jury come in Dont be a moment behind them
for I want you to take the verdict back to the bank You are the quickest
messenger I know and will get to Temple Bar long before I can«
Jerry had just enough forehead to knuckle and he knuckled it in
acknowledgment of this communication and a shilling Mr Carton came up at the
moment and touched Mr Lorry on the arm
»How is the young lady«
»She is greatly distressed but her father is comforting her and she feels
the better for being out of court«
»Ill tell the prisoner so It wont do for a respectable bank gentleman
like you to be seen speaking to him publicly you know«
Mr Lorry reddened as if he were conscious of having debated the point in
his mind and Mr Carton made his way to the outside of the bar The way out of
court lay in that direction and Jerry followed him all eyes ears and spikes
»Mr Darnay«
The prisoner came forward directly
»You will naturally be anxious to hear of the witness Miss Manette She
will do very well You have seen the worst of her agitation«
»I am deeply sorry to have been the cause of it Could you tell her so for
me with my fervent acknowledgments«
»Yes I could I will if you ask it«
Mr Cartons manner was so careless as to be almost insolent He stood half
turned from the prisoner lounging with his elbow against the bar
»I do ask it Accept my cordial thanks«
»What« said Carton still only half turned towards him »do you expect Mr
Darnay«
»The worst«
»Its the wisest thing to expect and the likeliest But I think their
withdrawing is in your favour«
Loitering on the way out of court not being allowed Jerry heard no more
but left them so like each other in feature so unlike each other in manner
standing side by side both reflected in the glass above them
An hour and a half limped heavily away in the thiefandrascal crowded
passages below even though assisted off with mutton pies and ale The hoarse
messenger uncomfortably seated on a form after taking that refection had
dropped into a doze when a loud murmur and a rapid tide of people setting up
the stairs that led to the court carried him along with them
»Jerry Jerry« Mr Lorry was already calling at the door when he got there
»Here sir Its a fight to get back again Here I am sir«
Mr Lorry handed him a paper through the throng »Quick Have you got it«
»Yes sir«
Hastily written on the paper was the word ACQUITTED
»If you had sent the message Recalled to Life again« muttered Jerry as
he turned »I should have known what you meant this time«
He had no opportunity of saying or so much as thinking anything else
until he was clear of the Old Bailey for the crowd came pouring out with a
vehemence that nearly took him off his legs and a loud buzz swept into the
street as if the baffled blueflies were dispersing in search of other carrion
Chapter IV
Congratulatory
From the dimlylighted passages of the court the last sediment of the human
stew that had been boiling there all day was straining off when Doctor
Manette Lucie Manette his daughter Mr Lorry the solicitor for the defence
and its counsel Mr Stryver stood gathered round Mr Charles Darnay just
released congratulating him on his escape from death
It would have been difficult by a far brighter light to recognise in Doctor
Manette intellectual of face and upright of bearing the shoemaker of the
garret in Paris Yet no one could have looked at him twice without looking
again even though the opportunity of observation had not extended to the
mournful cadence of his low grave voice and to the abstraction that overclouded
him fitfully without any apparent reason While one external cause and that a
reference to his long lingering agony would always as on the trial evoke
this condition from the depths of his soul it was also in its nature to arise
of itself and to draw a gloom over him as incomprehensible to those
unacquainted with his story as if they had seen the shadow of the actual
Bastille thrown upon him by a summer sun when the substance was three hundred
miles away
Only his daughter had the power of charming this black brooding from his
mind She was the golden thread that united him to a Past beyond his misery and
to a Present beyond his misery and the sound of her voice the light of her
face the touch of her hand had a strong beneficial influence with him almost
always Not absolutely always for she could recall some occasions on which her
power had failed but they were few and slight and she believed them over
Mr Darnay had kissed her hand fervently and gratefully and had turned to
Mr Stryver whom he warmly thanked Mr Stryver a man of little more than
thirty but looking twenty years older than he was stout loud red bluff and
free from any drawback of delicacy had a pushing way of shouldering himself
morally and physically into companies and conversations that argued well for
his shouldering his way up in life
He still had his wig and gown on and he said squaring himself at his late
client to that degree that he squeezed the innocent Mr Lorry clean out of the
group »I am glad to have brought you off with honour Mr Darnay It was an
infamous prosecution grossly infamous but not the less likely to succeed on
that account«
»You have laid me under an obligation to you for life in two senses« said
his late client taking his hand
»I have done my best for you Mr Darnay and my best is as good as another
mans I believe«
It clearly being incumbent on some one to say »Much better« Mr Lorry said
it perhaps not quite disinterestedly but with the interested object of
squeezing himself back again
»You think so« said Mr Stryver »Well you have been present all day and
you ought to know You are a man of business too«
»And as such« quoth Mr Lorry whom the counsel learned in the law had now
shouldered back into the group just as he had previously shouldered him out of
it »as such I will appeal to Doctor Manette to break up this conference and
order us all to our homes Miss Lucie looks ill Mr Darnay has had a terrible
day we are worn out«
»Speak for yourself Mr Lorry« said Stryver »I have a nights work to do
yet Speak for yourself«
»I speak for myself« answered Mr Lorry »and for Mr Darnay and for Miss
Lucie and Miss Lucie do you not think I may speak for us all« He asked her
the question pointedly and with a glance at her father
His face had become frozen as it were in a very curious look at Darnay an
intent look deepening into a frown of dislike and distrust not even unmixed
with fear With this strange expression on him his thoughts had wandered away
»My father« said Lucie softly laying her hand on his
He slowly shook the shadow off and turned to her
»Shall we go home my father«
With a long breath he answered »Yes«
The friends of the acquitted prisoner had dispersed under the impression
which he himself had originated that he would not be released that night The
lights were nearly all extinguished in the passages the iron gates were being
closed with a jar and a rattle and the dismal place was deserted until
tomorrow mornings interest of gallows pillory whippingpost and
brandingiron should repeople it Walking between her father and Mr Darnay
Lucie Manette passed into the open air A hackneycoach was called and the
father and daughter departed in it
Mr Stryver had left them in the passages to shoulder his way back to the
robingroom Another person who had not joined the group or interchanged a
word with any one of them but who had been leaning against the wall where its
shadow was darkest had silently strolled out after the rest and had looked on
until the coach drove away He now stepped up to where Mr Lorry and Mr Darnay
stood upon the pavement
»So Mr Lorry Men of business may speak to Mr Darnay now«
Nobody had made any acknowledgment of Mr Cartons part in the days
proceedings nobody had known of it He was unrobed and was none the better for
it in appearance
»If you knew what a conflict goes on in the business mind when the business
mind is divided between goodnatured impulse and business appearances you would
be amused Mr Darnay«
Mr Lorry reddened and said warmly »You have mentioned that before sir
We men of business who serve a House are not our own masters We have to think
of the House more than ourselves«
»I know I know« rejoined Mr Carton carelessly »Dont be nettled Mr
Lorry You are as good as another I have no doubt better I dare say«
»And indeed sir« pursued Mr Lorry not minding him »I really dont know
what you have to do with the matter If youll excuse me as very much your
elder for saying so I really dont know that it is your business«
»Business Bless you I have no business« said Mr Carton
»It is a pity you have not sir«
»I think so too«
»If you had« pursued Mr Lorry »perhaps you would attend to it«
»Lord love you no I shouldnt« said Mr Carton
»Well sir« cried Mr Lorry thoroughly heated by his indifference
»business is a very good thing and a very respectable thing And sir if
business imposes its restraints and its silences and impediments Mr Darnay as
a young gentleman of generosity knows how to make allowance for that
circumstance Mr Darnay good night God bless you sir I hope you have been
this day preserved for a prosperous and happy life Chair there«
Perhaps a little angry with himself as well as with the barrister Mr
Lorry bustled into the chair and was carried off to Tellsons Carton who
smelt of port wine and did not appear to be quite sober laughed then and
turned to Darnay
»This is a strange chance that throws you and me together This must be a
strange night to you standing alone here with your counterpart on these street
stones«
»I hardly seem yet« returned Charles Darnay »to belong to this world
again«
»I dont wonder at it its not so long since you were pretty far advanced
on your way to another You speak faintly«
»I begin to think I am faint«
»Then why the devil dont you dine I dined myself while those numskulls
were deliberating which world you should belong to this or some other Let me
show you the nearest tavern to dine well at«
Drawing his arm through his own he took him down Ludgatehill to
Fleetstreet and so up a covered way into a tavern Here they were shown
into a little room where Charles Darnay was soon recruiting his strength with a
good plain dinner and good wine while Carton sat opposite to him at the same
table with his separate bottle of port before him and his fully halfinsolent
manner upon him
»Do you feel yet that you belong to this terrestrial scheme again Mr
Darnay«
»I am frightfully confused regarding time and place but I am so far mended
as to feel that«
»It must be an immense satisfaction«
He said it bitterly and filled up his glass again which was a large one
»As to me the greatest desire I have is to forget that I belong to it It
has no good in it for me except wine like this nor I for it So we are not
much alike in that particular Indeed I begin to think we are not much alike in
any particular you and I«
Confused by the emotion of the day and feeling his being there with this
Double of coarse deportment to be like a dream Charles Darnay was at a loss
how to answer finally answered not at all
»Now your dinner is done« Carton presently said »why dont you call a
health Mr Darnay why dont you give your toast«
»What health What toast«
»Why its on the tip of your tongue It ought to be it must be Ill swear
its there«
»Miss Manette then«
»Miss Manette then«
Looking his companion full in the face while he drank the toast Carton
flung his glass over his shoulder against the wall where it shivered to pieces
then rang the bell and ordered in another
»Thats a fair young lady to hand to a coach in the dark Mr Darnay« he
said filling his new goblet
A slight frown and a laconic »Yes« were the answer
»Thats a fair young lady to be pitied by and wept for by How does it feel
Is it worth being tried for ones life to be the object of such sympathy and
compassion Mr Darnay«
Again Darnay answered not a word
»She was mightily pleased to have your message when I gave it her Not that
she showed she was pleased but I suppose she was«
The allusion served as a timely reminder to Darnay that this disagreeable
companion had of his own free will assisted him in the strait of the day He
turned the dialogue to that point and thanked him for it
»I neither want any thanks nor merit any« was the careless rejoinder »It
was nothing to do in the first place and I dont know why I did it in the
second Mr Darnay let me ask you a question«
»Willingly and a small return for your good offices«
»Do you think I particularly like you«
»Really Mr Carton« returned the other oddly disconcerted »I have not
asked myself the question«
»But ask yourself the question now«
»You have acted as if you do but I dont think you do«
»I dont think I do« said Carton »I begin to have a very good opinion of
your understanding«
»Nevertheless« pursued Darnay rising to ring the bell »there is nothing
in that I hope to prevent my calling the reckoning and our parting without
illblood on either side«
Carton rejoining »Nothing in life« Darnay rang »Do you call the whole
reckoning« said Carton On his answering in the affirmative »Then bring me
another pint of this same wine drawer and come and wake me at ten«
The bill being paid Charles Darnay rose and wished him goodnight Without
returning the wish Carton rose too with something of a threat of defiance in
his manner and said »A last word Mr Darnay you think I am drunk«
»I think you have been drinking Mr Carton«
»Think You know I have been drinking«
»Since I must say so I know it«
»Then you shall likewise know why I am a disappointed drudge sir I care
for no man on earth and no man on earth cares for me«
»Much to be regretted You might have used your talents better«
»May be so Mr Darnay may be not Dont let your sober face elate you
however you dont know what it may come to Good night«
When he was left alone this strange being took up a candle went to a glass
that hung against the wall and surveyed himself minutely in it
»Do you particularly like the man« he muttered at his own image »why
should you particularly like a man who resembles you There is nothing in you to
like you know that Ah confound you What a change you have made in yourself
A good reason for taking to a man that he shows you what you have fallen away
from and what you might have been Change places with him and would you have
been looked at by those blue eyes as he was and commiserated by that agitated
face as he was Come on and have it out in plain words You hate the fellow«
He resorted to his pint of wine for consolation drank it all in a few
minutes and fell asleep on his arms with his hair straggling over the table
and a long windingsheet in the candle dripping down upon him
Chapter V
The Jackal
Those were drinking days and most men drank hard So very great is the
improvement Time has brought about in such habits that a moderate statement of
the quantity of wine and punch which one man would swallow in the course of a
night without any detriment to his reputation as a perfect gentleman would
seem in these days a ridiculous exaggeration The learned profession of the
law was certainly not behind any other learned profession in its Bacchanalian
propensities neither was Mr Stryver already fast shouldering his way to a
large and lucrative practice behind his compeers in this particular any more
than in the drier parts of the legal race
A favourite at the Old Bailey and eke at the Sessions Mr Stryver had
begun cautiously to hew away the lower staves of the ladder on which he mounted
Sessions and Old Bailey had now to summon their favourite specially to their
longing arms and shouldering itself towards the visage of the Lord Chief
Justice in the Court of Kings Bench the florid countenance of Mr Stryver
might be daily seen bursting out of the bed of wigs like a great sunflower
pushing its way at the sun from among a rank gardenfull of flaring companions
It had once been noted at the Bar that while Mr Stryver was a glib man
and an unscrupulous and a ready and a bold he bad not that faculty of
extracting the essence from a heap of statements which is among the most
striking and necessary of the advocates accomplishments But a remarkable
improvement came upon him as to this The more business he got the greater his
power seemed to grow of getting at its pith and marrow and however late at
night he sat carousing with Sydney Carton he always had his points at his
fingers ends in the morning
Sydney Carton idlest and most unpromising of men was Stryvers great ally
What the two drank together between Hilary Term and Michaelmas might have
floated a kings ship Stryver never had a case in hand anywhere but Carton
was there with his hands in his pockets staring at the ceiling of the court
they went the same Circuit and even there they prolonged their usual orgies
late into the night and Carton was rumoured to be seen at broad day going home
stealthily and unsteadily to his lodgings like a dissipated cat At last it
began to get about among such as were interested in the matter that although
Sydney Carton would never be a lion he was an amazingly good jackal and that
he rendered suit and service to Stryver in that humble capacity
»Ten oclock sir« said the man at the tavern whom he had charged to wake
him »ten oclock sir«
»Whats the matter«
»Ten oclock sir«
»What do you mean Ten oclock at night«
»Yes sir Your honour told me to call you«
»Oh I remember Very well very well«
After a few dull efforts to get to sleep again which the man dexterously
combated by stirring the fire continuously for five minutes he got up tossed
his hat on and walked out He turned into the Temple and having revived
himself by twice pacing the pavements of Kings Benchwalk and Paperbuildings
turned into the Stryver chambers
The Stryver clerk who never assisted at these conferences had gone home
and the Stryver principal opened the door He had his slippers on and a loose
bedgown and his throat was bare for his greater ease He had that rather wild
strained seared marking about the eyes which may be observed in all free
livers of his class from the portrait of Jeffries downward and which can be
traced under various disguises of Art through the portraits of every Drinking
Age
»You are a little late Memory« said Stryver
»About the usual time it may be a quarter of an hour later«
They went into a dingy room lined with books and littered with papers where
there was a blazing fire A kettle steamed upon the hob and in the midst of the
wreck of papers a table shone with plenty of wine upon it and brandy and rum
and sugar and lemons
»You have had your bottle I perceive Sydney«
»Two tonight I think I have been dining with the days client or seeing
him dine its all one«
»That was a rare point Sydney that you brought to bear upon the
identification How did you come by it When did it strike you«
»I thought he was rather a handsome fellow and I thought I should have been
much the same sort of fellow if I had had any luck«
Mr Stryver laughed till he shook his precocious paunch
»You and your luck Sydney Get to work get to work«
Sullenly enough the jackal loosened his dress went into an adjoining room
and came back with a large jug of cold water a basin and a towel or two
Steeping the towels in the water and partially wringing them out he folded
them on his head in a manner hideous to behold sat down at the table and said
»Now I am ready«
»Not much boiling down to be done tonight Memory« said Mr Stryver
gaily as he looked among his papers
»How much«
»Only two sets of them«
»Give me the worst first«
»There they are Sydney Fire away«
The lion then composed himself on his back on a sofa on one side of the
drinkingtable while the jackal sat at his own paperbestrewn table proper on
the other side of it with the bottles and glasses ready to his hand Both
resorted to the drinkingtable without stint but each in a different way the
lion for the most part reclining with his hands in his waistband looking at
the fire or occasionally flirting with some lighter document the jackal with
knitted brows and intent face so deep in his task that his eyes did not even
follow the hand he stretched out for his glass which often groped about for a
minute or more before it found the glass for his lips Two or three times the
matter in hand became so knotty that the jackal found it imperative on him to
get up and steep his towels anew From these pilgrimages to the jug and basin
he returned with such eccentricities of damp headgear as no words can describe
which were made the more ludicrous by his anxious gravity
At length the jackal had got together a compact repast for the lion and
proceeded to offer it to him The lion took it with care and caution made his
selections from it and his remarks upon it and the jackal assisted both When
the repast was fully discussed the lion put his hands in his waistband again
and lay down to meditate The jackal then invigorated himself with a bumper for
his throttle and a fresh application to his head and applied himself to the
collection of a second meal this was administered to the lion in the same
manner and was not disposed of until the clocks struck three in the morning
»And now we have done Sydney fill a bumper of punch« said Mr Stryver
The jackal removed the towels from his head which had been steaming again
shook himself yawned shivered and complied
»You were very sound Sydney in the matter of those crown witnesses today
Every question told«
»I always am sound am I not«
»I dont gainsay it What has roughened your temper Put some punch to it
and smooth it again«
With a deprecatory grunt the jackal again complied
»The old Sydney Carton of old Shrewsbury School« said Stryver nodding his
head over him as he reviewed him in the present and the past »the old seesaw
Sydney Up one minute and down the next now in spirits and now in despondency«
»Ah« returned the other sighing »yes The same Sydney with the same
luck Even then I did exercises for other boys and seldom did my own«
»And why not«
»God knows It was my way I suppose«
He sat with his hands in his pockets and his legs stretched out before him
looking at the fire
»Carton« said his friend squaring himself at him with a bullying air as
if the firegrate had been the furnace in which sustained endeavour was forged
and the one delicate thing to be done for the old Sydney Carton of old
Shrewsbury School was to shoulder him into it »your way is and always was a
lame way You summon no energy and purpose Look at me«
»Oh botheration« returned Sydney with a lighter and more goodhumoured
laugh »dont you be moral«
»How have I done what I have done« said Stryver »how do I do what I do«
»Partly through paying me to help you I suppose But its not worth your
while to apostrophise me or the air about it what you want to do you do You
were always in the front rank and I was always behind«
»I had to get into the front rank I was not born there was I«
»I was not present at the ceremony but my opinion is you were« said
Carton At this he laughed again and they both laughed
»Before Shrewsbury and at Shrewsbury and ever since Shrewsbury« pursued
Carton »you have fallen into your rank and I have fallen into mine Even when
we were fellowstudents in the StudentQuarter of Paris picking up French and
French law and other French crumbs that we didnt get much good of you were
always somewhere and I was always nowhere«
»And whose fault was that«
»Upon my soul I am not sure that it was not yours You were always driving
and riving and shouldering and pressing to that restless degree that I had no
chance for my life but in rust and repose Its a gloomy thing however to talk
about ones own past with the day breaking Turn me in some other direction
before I go«
»Well then Pledge me to the pretty witness« said Stryver holding up his
glass »Are you turned in a pleasant direction«
Apparently not for he became gloomy again
»Pretty witness« he muttered looking down into his glass »I have had
enough of witnesses today and tonight whos your pretty witness«
»The picturesque doctors daughter Miss Manette«
»She pretty«
»Is she not«
»No«
»Why man alive she was the admiration of the whole Court«
»Rot the admiration of the whole Court Who made the Old Bailey a judge of
beauty She was a goldenhaired doll«
»Do you know Sydney« said Mr Stryver looking at him with sharp eyes and
slowly drawing a hand across his florid face »do you know I rather thought at
the time that you sympathised with the goldenhaired doll and were quick to
see what happened to the goldenhaired doll«
»Quick to see what happened If a girl doll or no doll swoons within a
yard or two of a mans nose he can see it without a perspectiveglass I pledge
you but I deny the beauty And now Ill have no more drink Ill get to bed«
When his host followed him out on the staircase with a candle to light him
down the stairs the day was coldly looking in through its grimy windows When
he got out of the house the air was cold and sad the dull sky overcast the
river dark and dim the whole scene like a lifeless desert And wreaths of dust
were spinning round and round before the morning blast as if the desertsand
had risen far away and the first spray of it in its advance had begun to
overwhelm the city
Waste forces within him and a desert all around this man stood still on
his way across a silent terrace and saw for a moment lying in the wilderness
before him a mirage of honourable ambition selfdenial and perseverance In
the fair city of this vision there were airy galleries from which the loves and
graces looked upon him gardens in which the fruits of life hung ripening
waters of Hope that sparkled in his sight A moment and it was gone Climbing
to a high chamber in a well of houses he threw himself down in his clothes on a
neglected bed and its pillow was wet with wasted tears
Sadly sadly the sun rose it rose upon no sadder sight than the man of
good abilities and good emotions incapable of their directed exercise
incapable of his own help and his own happiness sensible of the blight on him
and resigning himself to let it eat him away
Chapter VI
Hundreds of People
The quiet lodgings of Doctor Manette were in a quiet streetcorner not far from
Sohosquare On the afternoon of a certain fine Sunday when the waves of four
months had rolled over the trial for treason and carried it as to the public
interest and memory far out to sea Mr Jarvis Lorry walked along the sunny
streets from Clerkenwell where he lived on his way to dine with the Doctor
After several relapses into businessabsorption Mr Lorry had become the
Doctors friend and the quiet streetcorner was the sunny part of his life
On this certain fine Sunday Mr Lorry walked towards Soho early in the
afternoon for three reasons of habit Firstly because on fine Sundays he
often walked out before dinner with the Doctor and Lucie secondly because
on unfavourable Sundays he was accustomed to be with them as the family friend
talking reading looking out of window and generally getting through the day
thirdly because he happened to have his own little shrewd doubts to solve and
knew how the ways of the Doctors household pointed to that time as a likely
time for solving them
A quainter corner than the corner where the Doctor lived was not to be
found in London There was no way through it and the front windows of the
Doctors lodgings commanded a pleasant little vista of street that had a
congenial air of retirement on it There were few buildings then north of the
Oxfordroad and foresttrees flourished and wild flowers grew and the
hawthorn blossomed in the now vanished fields As a consequence country airs
circulated in Soho with vigorous freedom instead of languishing into the parish
like stray paupers without a settlement and there was many a good south wall
not far off on which the peaches ripened in their season
The summer light struck into the corner brilliantly in the earlier part of
the day but when the streets grew hot the corner was in shadow though not in
shadow so remote but that you could see beyond it into a glare of brightness It
was a cool spot staid but cheerful a wonderful place for echoes and a very
harbour from the raging streets
There ought to have been a tranquil bark in such an anchorage and there
was The Doctor occupied two floors of a large still house where several
callings purported to be pursued by day but whereof little was audible any day
and which was shunned by all of them at night In a building at the back
attainable by a courtyard where a planetree rustled its green leaves
churchorgans claimed to be made and silver to be chased and likewise gold to
be beaten by some mysterious giant who had a golden arm starting out of the wall
of the front hall as if he had beaten himself precious and menaced a similar
conversion of all visitors Very little of these trades or of a lonely lodger
rumoured to live upstairs or of a dim coachtrimming maker asserted to have a
countinghouse below was ever heard or seen Occasionally a stray workman
putting his coat on traversed the hall or a stranger peered about there or a
distant clink was heard across the courtyard or a thumb from the golden giant
These however were only the exceptions required to prove the rule that the
sparrows in the planetree behind the house and the echoes in the corner before
it had their own way from Sunday morning unto Saturday night
Doctor Manette received such patients here as his old reputation and its
revival in the floating whispers of his story brought him His scientific
knowledge and his vigilance and skill in conducting ingenious experiments
brought him otherwise into moderate request and he earned as much as he wanted
These things were within Mr Jarvis Lorrys knowledge thoughts and notice
when he rang the doorbell of the tranquil house in the corner on the fine
Sunday afternoon
»Doctor Manette at home«
Expected home
»Miss Lucie at home«
Expected home
»Miss Pross at home«
Possibly at home but of a certainty impossible for handmaid to anticipate
intentions of Miss Pross as to admission or denial of the fact
»As I am at home myself« said Mr Lorry »Ill go upstairs«
Although the Doctors daughter had known nothing of the country of her
birth she appeared to have innately derived from it that ability to make much
of little means which is one of its most useful and most agreeable
characteristics Simple as the furniture was it was set off by so many little
adornments of no value but for their taste and fancy that its effect was
delightful The disposition of everything in the rooms from the largest object
to the least the arrangement of colours the elegant variety and contrast
obtained by thrift in trifles by delicate hands clear eyes and good sense
were at once so pleasant in themselves and so expressive of their originator
that as Mr Lorry stood looking about him the very chairs and tables seemed to
ask him with something of that peculiar expression which he knew so well by
this time whether he approved
There were three rooms on a floor and the doors by which they communicated
being put open that the air might pass freely through them all Mr Lorry
smilingly observant of that fanciful resemblance which he detected all around
him walked from one to another The first was the best room and in it were
Lucies birds and flowers and books and desk and worktable and box of
watercolours the second was the Doctors consultingroom used also as the
diningroom the third changingly speckled by the rustle of the planetree in
the yard was the Doctors bedroom and there in a corner stood the disused
shoemakers bench and tray of tools much as it had stood on the fifth floor of
the dismal house by the wineshop in the suburb of Saint Antoine in Paris
»I wonder« said Mr Lorry pausing in his looking about »that he keeps
that reminder of his sufferings about him«
»And why wonder at that« was the abrupt inquiry that made him start
It proceeded from Miss Pross the wild red woman strong of hand whose
acquaintance he had first made at the Royal George Hotel at Dover and had since
improved
»I should have thought « Mr Lorry began
»Pooh Youd have thought« said Miss Pross and Mr Lorry left off
»How do you do« inquired that lady then sharply and yet as if to express
that she bore him no malice
»I am pretty well I thank you« answered Mr Lorry with meekness »how are
you«
»Nothing to boast of« said Miss Pross
»Indeed«
»Ah indeed« said Miss Pross »I am very much put out about my Ladybird«
»Indeed«
»For gracious sake say something else besides indeed or youll fidget me to
death« said Miss Pross whose character dissociated from stature was
shortness
»Really then« said Mr Lorry as an amendment
»Really is bad enough« returned Miss Pross »but better Yes I am very
much put out«
»May I ask the cause«
»I dont want dozens of people who are not at all worthy of Ladybird to
come here looking after her« said Miss Pross
»Do dozens come for that purpose«
»Hundreds« said Miss Pross
It was characteristic of this lady as of some other people before her time
and since that whenever her original proposition was questioned she
exaggerated it
»Dear me« said Mr Lorry as the safest remark he could think of
»I have lived with the darling or the darling has lived with me and paid
me for it which she certainly should never have done you may take your
affidavit if I could have afforded to keep either myself or her for nothing
since she was ten years old And its really very hard« said Miss Pross
Not seeing with precision what was very hard Mr Lorry shook his head
using that important part of himself as a sort of fairy cloak that would fit
anything
»All sorts of people who are not in the least degree worthy of the pet are
always turning up« said Miss Pross »When you began it «
»I began it Miss Pross«
»Didnt you Who brought her father to life«
»Oh If that was beginning it « said Mr Lorry
»It wasnt ending it I suppose I say when you began it it was hard
enough not that I have any fault to find with Doctor Manette except that he is
not worthy of such a daughter which is no imputation on him for it was not to
be expected that anybody should be under any circumstances But it really is
doubly and trebly hard to have crowds and multitudes of people turning up after
him I could have forgiven him to take Ladybirds affections away from me«
Mr Lorry knew Miss Pross to be very jealous but he also knew her by this
time to be beneath the surface of her eccentricity one of those unselfish
creatures found only among women who will for pure love and admiration
bind themselves willing slaves to youth when they have lost it to beauty that
they never had to accomplishments that they were never fortunate enough to
gain to bright hopes that never shone upon their own sombre lives He knew
enough of the world to know that there is nothing in it better than the faithful
service of the heart so rendered and so free from any mercenary taint he had
such an exalted respect for it that in the retributive arrangements made by his
own mind we all make such arrangements more or less he stationed Miss Pross
much nearer to the lower Angels than many ladies immeasurably better got up both
by Nature and Art who had balances at Tellsons
»There never was nor will be but one man worthy of Ladybird« said Miss
Pross »and that was my brother Solomon if he hadnt made a mistake in life«
Here again Mr Lorrys inquiries into Miss Prosss personal history had
established the fact that her brother Solomon was a heartless scoundrel who had
stripped her of everything she possessed as a stake to speculate with and had
abandoned her in her poverty for evermore with no touch of compunction Miss
Prosss fidelity of belief in Solomon deducting a mere trifle for this slight
mistake was quite a serious matter with Mr Lorry and had its weight in his
good opinion of her
»As we happen to be alone for the moment and are both people of business«
he said when they had got back to the drawingroom and had sat down there in
friendly relations »let me ask you does the Doctor in talking with Lucie
never refer to the shoemaking time yet«
»Never«
»And yet keeps that bench and those tools beside him«
»Ah« returned Miss Pross shaking her head »But I dont say he dont refer
to it within himself«
»Do you believe that he thinks of it much«
»I do« said Miss Pross
»Do you imagine « Mr Lorry had begun when Miss Pross took him up short
with
»Never imagine anything Have no imagination at all«
»I stand corrected do you suppose you go so far as to suppose
sometimes«
»Now and then« said Miss Pross
»Do you suppose« Mr Lorry went on with a laughing twinkle in his bright
eye as it looked kindly at her »that Doctor Manette has any theory of his own
preserved through all those years relative to the cause of his being so
oppressed perhaps even to the name of his oppressor«
»I dont suppose anything about it but what Ladybird tells me«
»And that is «
»That she thinks he has«
»Now dont be angry at my asking all these questions because I am a mere
dull man of business and you are a woman of business«
»Dull« Miss Pross inquired with placidity
Rather wishing his modest adjective away Mr Lorry replied »No no no
Surely not To return to business Is it not remarkable that Doctor Manette
unquestionably innocent of any crime as we are all well assured he is should
never touch upon that question I will not say with me though he had business
relations with me many years ago and we are now intimate I will say with the
fair daughter to whom he is so devotedly attached and who is so devotedly
attached to him Believe me Miss Pross I dont approach the topic with you
out of curiosity but out of zealous interest«
»Well To the best of my understanding and bads the best youll tell me«
said Miss Pross softened by the tone of the apology »he is afraid of the whole
subject«
»Afraid«
»Its plain enough I should think why he may be Its a dreadful
remembrance Besides that his loss of himself grew out of it Not knowing how
he lost himself or how he recovered himself he may never feel certain of not
losing himself again That alone wouldnt make the subject pleasant I should
think«
It was a profounder remark than Mr Lorry had looked for »True« said he
»and fearful to reflect upon Yet a doubt lurks in my mind Miss Pross whether
it is good for Doctor Manette to have that suppression always shut up within
him Indeed it is this doubt and the uneasiness it sometimes causes me that has
led me to our present confidence«
»Cant be helped« said Miss Pross shaking her head »Touch that string
and he instantly changes for the worse Better leave it alone In short must
leave it alone like or no like Sometimes he gets up in the dead of the night
and will be heard by us overhead there walking up and down walking up and
down in his room Ladybird has learnt to know then that his mind is walking up
and down walking up and down in his old prison She hurries to him and they
go on together walking up and down walking up and down until he is composed
But he never says a word of the true reason of his restlessness to her and she
finds it best not to hint at it to him In silence they go walking up and down
together walking up and down together till her love and company have brought
him to himself«
Notwithstanding Miss Prosss denial of her own imagination there was a
perception of the pain of being monotonously haunted by one sad idea in her
repetition of the phrase walking up and down which testified to her possessing
such a thing
The corner has been mentioned as a wonderful corner for echoes it had begun
to echo so resoundingly to the tread of coming feet that it seemed as though
the very mention of that weary pacing to and fro had set it going
»Here they are« said Miss Pross rising to break up the conference »and
now we shall have hundreds of people pretty soon«
It was such a curious corner in its acoustical properties such a peculiar
Ear of a place that as Mr Lorry stood at the open window looking for the
father and daughter whose steps he heard he fancied they would never approach
Not only would the echoes die away as though the steps had gone but echoes of
other steps that never came would be heard in their stead and would die away
for good when they seemed close at hand However father and daughter did at
last appear and Miss Pross was ready at the street door to receive them
Miss Pross was a pleasant sight albeit wild and red and grim taking off
her darlings bonnet when she came upstairs and touching it up with the ends of
her handkerchief and blowing the dust off it and folding her mantle ready for
laying by and smoothing her rich hair with as much pride as she could possibly
have taken in her own hair if she had been the vainest and handsomest of women
Her darling was a pleasant sight too embracing her and thanking her and
protesting against her taking so much trouble for her which last she only
dared to do playfully or Miss Pross sorely hurt would have retired to her own
chamber and cried The Doctor was a pleasant sight too looking on at them and
telling Miss Pross how she spoilt Lucie in accents and with eyes that had as
much spoiling in them as Miss Pross had and would have had more if it were
possible Mr Lorry was a pleasant sight too beaming at all this in his little
wig and thanking his bachelor stars for having lighted him in his declining
years to a Home But no Hundreds of people came to see the sights and Mr
Lorry looked in vain for the fulfilment of Miss Prosss prediction
Dinnertime and still no Hundreds of people In the arrangements of the
little household Miss Pross took charge of the lower regions and always
acquitted herself marvellously Her dinners of a very modest quality were so
well cooked and so well served and so neat in their contrivances half English
and half French that nothing could be better Miss Prosss friendship being of
the thoroughly practical kind she had ravaged Soho and the adjacent provinces
in search of impoverished French who tempted by shillings and halfcrowns
would impart culinary mysteries to her From these decayed sons and daughters of
Gaul she had acquired such wonderful arts that the woman and girl who formed
the staff of domestics regarded her as quite a Sorceress or Cinderellas
Godmother who would send out for a fowl a rabbit a vegetable or two from the
garden and change them into anything she pleased
On Sundays Miss Pross dined at the Doctors table but on other days
persisted in taking her meals at unknown periods either in the lower regions
or in her own room on the second floor a blue chamber to which no one but her
Ladybird ever gained admittance On this occasion Miss Pross responding to
Ladybirds pleasant face and pleasant efforts to please her unbent exceedingly
so the dinner was very pleasant too
It was an oppressive day and after dinner Lucie proposed that the wine
should be carried out under the planetree and they should sit there in the
air As everything turned upon her and revolved about her they went out under
the planetree and she carried the wine down for the special benefit of Mr
Lorry She had installed herself some time before as Mr Lorrys cupbearer
and while they sat under the planetree talking she kept his glass
replenished Mysterious backs and ends of houses peeped at them as they talked
and the planetree whispered to them in its own way above their heads
Still the Hundreds of people did not present themselves Mr Darnay
presented himself while they were sitting under the planetree but he was only
One
Doctor Manette received him kindly and so did Lucie But Miss Pross
suddenly became afflicted with a twitching in the head and body and retired
into the house She was not unfrequently the victim of this disorder and she
called it in familiar conversation a fit of the jerks
The Doctor was in his best condition and looked specially young The
resemblance between him and Lucie was very strong at such times and as they sat
side by side she leaning on his shoulder and he resting his arm on the back of
her chair it was very agreeable to trace the likeness
He had been talking all day on many subjects and with unusual vivacity
»Pray Doctor Manette« said Mr Darnay as they sat under the planetree and
he said it in the natural pursuit of the topic in hand which happened to be the
old buildings of London »have you seen much of the Tower«
»Lucie and I have been there but only casually We have seen enough of it
to know that it teems with interest little more«
»I have been there as you remember« said Darnay with a smile though
reddening a little angrily »in another character and not in a character that
gives facilities for seeing much of it They told me a curious thing when I was
there«
»What was that« Lucie asked
»In making some alterations the workmen came upon an old dungeon which had
been for many years built up and forgotten Every stone of its inner wall was
covered by inscriptions which had been carved by prisoners dates names
complaints and prayers Upon a corner stone in an angle of the wall one
prisoner who seemed to have gone to execution had cut as his last work three
letters They were done with some very poor instrument and hurriedly with an
unsteady hand At first they were read as DIC but on being more carefully
examined the last letter was found to be G There was no record or legend of
any prisoner with those initials and many fruitless guesses were made what the
name could have been At length it was suggested that the letters were not
initials but the complete word DIG The floor was examined very carefully
under the inscription and in the earth beneath a stone or tile or some
fragment of paving were found the ashes of a paper mingled with the ashes of a
small leathern case or bag What the unknown prisoner had written will never be
read but he had written something and hidden it away to keep it from the
gaoler«
»My father« exclaimed Lucie »you are ill«
He had suddenly started up with his hand to his head His manner and his
look quite terrified them all
»No my dear not ill There are large drops of rain falling and they made
me start We had better go in«
He recovered himself almost instantly Rain was really falling in large
drops and he showed the back of his hand with raindrops on it But he said
not a single word in reference to the discovery that had been told of and as
they went into the house the business eye of Mr Lorry either detected or
fancied it detected on his face as it turned towards Charles Darnay the same
singular look that had been upon it when it turned towards him in the passages
of the Court House
He recovered himself so quickly however that Mr Lorry had doubts of his
business eye The arm of the golden giant in the hall was not more steady than
he was when he stopped under it to remark to them that he was not yet proof
against slight surprises if he ever would be and that the rain had startled
him
Teatime and Miss Pross making tea with another fit of the jerks upon her
and yet no Hundreds of people Mr Carton had lounged in but he made only Two
The night was so very sultry that although they sat with doors and windows
open they were overpowered by heat When the teatable was done with they all
moved to one of the windows and looked out into the heavy twilight Lucie sat
by her father Darnay sat beside her Carton leaned against a window The
curtains were long and white and some of the thundergusts that whirled into
the corner caught them up to the ceiling and waved them like spectral wings
»The raindrops are still falling large heavy and few« said Doctor
Manette »It comes slowly«
»It comes surely« said Carton
They spoke low as people watching and waiting mostly do as people in a
dark room watching and waiting for Lightning always do
There was a great hurry in the streets of people speeding away to get
shelter before the storm broke the wonderful corner for echoes resounded with
the echoes of footsteps coming and going yet not a footstep was there
»A multitude of people and yet a solitude« said Darnay when they had
listened for a while
»Is it not impressive Mr Darnay« asked Lucie »Sometimes I have sat here
of an evening until I have fancied but even the shade of a foolish fancy
makes me shudder tonight when all is so black and solemn «
»Let us shudder too We may know what it is«
»It will seem nothing to you Such whims are only impressive as we originate
them I think they are not to be communicated I have sometimes sat alone here
of an evening listening until I have made the echoes out to be the echoes of
all the footsteps that are coming byandby into our lives«
»There is a great crowd coming one day into our lives if that be so«
Sydney Carton struck in in his moody way
The footsteps were incessant and the hurry of them became more and more
rapid The corner echoed and reechoed with the tread of feet some as it
seemed under the windows some as it seemed in the room some coming some
going some breaking off some stopping altogether all in the distant streets
and not one within sight
»Are all these footsteps destined to come to all of us Miss Manette or are
we to divide them among us«
»I dont know Mr Darnay I told you it was a foolish fancy but you asked
for it When I have yielded myself to it I have been alone and then I have
imagined them the footsteps of the people who are to come into my life and my
fathers«
»I take them into mine« said Carton »I ask no questions and make no
stipulations There is a great crowd bearing down upon us Miss Manette and I
see them by the Lightning« He added the last words after there had been a
vivid flash which had shown him lounging in the window
»And I hear them« he added again after a peal of thunder »Here they come
fast fierce and furious«
It was the rush and roar of rain that he typified and it stopped him for
no voice could be heard in it A memorable storm of thunder and lightning broke
with that sweep of water and there was not a moments interval in crash and
fire and rain until after the moon rose at midnight
The great bell of Saint Pauls was striking One in the cleared air when Mr
Lorry escorted by Jerry highbooted and bearing a lantern set forth on his
returnpassage to Clerkenwell There were solitary patches of road on the way
between Soho and Clerkenwell and Mr Lorry mindful of footpads always
retained Jerry for this service though it was usually performed a good two
hours earlier
»What a night it has been Almost a night Jerry« said Mr Lorry »to bring
the dead out of their graves«
»I never see the night myself master nor yet I dont expect to what
would do that« answered Jerry
»Good night Mr Carton« said the man of business »Good night Mr Darnay
Shall we ever see such a night again together«
Perhaps Perhaps see the great crowd of people with its rush and roar bearing
down upon them too
Chapter VII
Monseigneur in Town
Monseigneur one of the great lords in power at the Court held his fortnightly
reception in his grand hotel in Paris Monseigneur was in his inner room his
sanctuary of sanctuaries the Holiest of Holiests to the crowd of worshippers in
the suite of rooms without Monseigneur was about to take his chocolate
Monseigneur could swallow a great many things with ease and was by some few
sullen minds supposed to be rather rapidly swallowing France but his mornings
chocolate could not so much as get into the throat of Monseigneur without the
aid of four strong men besides the Cook
Yes It took four men all four ablaze with gorgeous decoration and the
Chief of them unable to exist with fewer than two gold watches in his pocket
emulative of the noble and chaste fashion set by Monseigneur to conduct the
happy chocolate to Monseigneurs lips One lacquey carried the chocolatepot
into the sacred presence a second milled and frothed the chocolate with the
little instrument he bore for that function a third presented the favoured
napkin a fourth he of the two gold watches poured the chocolate out It was
impossible for Monseigneur to dispense with one of these attendants on the
chocolate and hold his high place under the admiring Heavens Deep would have
been the blot upon his escutcheon if his chocolate had been ignobly waited on by
only three men he must have died of two
Monseigneur had been out at a little supper last night where the Comedy and
the Grand Opera were charmingly represented Monseigneur was out at a little
supper most nights with fascinating company So polite and so impressible was
Monseigneur that the Comedy and the Grand Opera had far more influence with him
in the tiresome articles of state affairs and state secrets than the needs of
all France A happy circumstance for France as the like always is for all
countries similarly favoured always was for England by way of example in
the regretted days of the merry Stuart who sold it
Monseigneur had one truly noble idea of general public business which was
to let everything go on in its own way of particular public business
Monseigneur had the other truly noble idea that it must all go his way tend to
his own power and pocket Of his pleasures general and particular Monseigneur
had the other truly noble idea that the world was made for them The text of
his order altered from the original by only a pronoun which is not much ran
»The earth and the fulness thereof are mine saith Monseigneur«
Yet Monseigneur had slowly found that vulgar embarrassments crept into his
affairs both private and public and he had as to both classes of affairs
allied himself perforce with a FarmerGeneral As to finances public because
Monseigneur could not make anything at all of them and must consequently let
them out to somebody who could as to finances private because FarmerGenerals
were rich and Monseigneur after generations of great luxury and expense was
growing poor Hence Monseigneur had taken his sister from a convent while there
was yet time to ward off the impending veil the cheapest garment she could
wear and had bestowed her as a prize upon a very rich FarmerGeneral poor in
family Which FarmerGeneral carrying an appropriate cane with a golden apple
on the top of it was now among the company in the outer rooms much prostrated
before by mankind always excepting superior mankind of the blood of
Monseigneur who his own wife included looked down upon him with the loftiest
contempt
A sumptuous man was the FarmerGeneral Thirty horses stood in his stables
twentyfour male domestics sat in his halls six bodywomen waited on his wife
As one who pretended to do nothing but plunder and forage where he could the
FarmerGeneral howsoever his matrimonial relations conduced to social morality
was at least the greatest reality among the personages who attended at the
hotel of Monseigneur that day
For the rooms though a beautiful scene to look at and adorned with every
device of decoration that the taste and skill of the time could achieve were
in truth not a sound business considered with any reference to the scarecrows
in the rags and nightcaps elsewhere and not so far off either but that the
watching towers of Notre Dame almost equidistant from the two extremes could
see them both they would have been an exceedingly uncomfortable business if
that could have been anybodys business at the house of Monseigneur Military
officers destitute of military knowledge naval officers with no idea of a ship
civil officers without a notion of affairs brazen ecclesiastics of the worst
world worldly with sensual eyes loose tongues and looser lives all totally
unfit for their several callings all lying horribly in pretending to belong to
them but all nearly or remotely of the order of Monseigneur and therefore
foisted on all public employments from which anything was to be got these were
to be told off by the score and the score People not immediately connected with
Monseigneur or the State yet equally unconnected with anything that was real
or with lives passed in travelling by any straight road to any true earthly end
were no less abundant Doctors who made great fortunes out of dainty remedies
for imaginary disorders that never existed smiled upon their courtly patients
in the antechambers of Monseigneur Projectors who had discovered every kind of
remedy for the little evils with which the State was touched except the remedy
of setting to work in earnest to root out a single sin poured their distracting
babble into any ears they could lay hold of at the reception of Monseigneur
Unbelieving Philosophers who were remodelling the world with words and making
cardtowers of Babel to scale the skies with talked with Unbelieving Chemists
who had an eye on the transmutation of metals at this wonderful gathering
accumulated by Monseigneur Exquisite gentlemen of the finest breeding which
was at that remarkable time and has been since to be known by its fruits of
indifference to every natural subject of human interest were in the most
exemplary state of exhaustion at the hotel of Monseigneur Such homes had these
various notabilities left behind them in the fine world of Paris that the spies
among the assembled devotees of Monseigneur forming a goodly half of the
polite company would have found it hard to discover among the angels of that
sphere one solitary wife who in her manners and appearance owned to being a
Mother Indeed except for the mere act of bringing a troublesome creature into
this world which does not go far towards the realisation of the name of mother
there was no such thing known to the fashion Peasant women kept the
unfashionable babies close and brought them up and charming grandmammas of
sixty dressed and supped as at twenty
The leprosy of unreality disfigured every human creature in attendance upon
Monseigneur In the outermost room were half a dozen exceptional people who had
had for a few years some vague misgiving in them that things in general were
going rather wrong As a promising way of setting them right half of the
halfdozen had become members of a fantastic sect of Convulsionists and were
even then considering within themselves whether they should foam rage roar
and turn cataleptic on the spot thereby setting up a highly intelligible
fingerpost to the Future for Monseigneurs guidance Besides these Dervishes
were other three who had rushed into another sect which mended matters with a
jargon about the Centre of Truth holding that Man had got out of the Centre of
Truth which did not need much demonstration but had not got out of the
Circumference and that he was to be kept from flying out of the Circumference
and was even to be shoved back into the Centre by fasting and seeing of
spirits Among these accordingly much discoursing with spirits went on and
it did a world of good which never became manifest
But the comfort was that all the company at the grand hotel of Monseigneur
were perfectly dressed If the Day of Judgment had only been ascertained to be a
dress day everybody there would have been eternally correct Such frizzling and
powdering and sticking up of hair such delicate complexions artificially
preserved and mended such gallant swords to look at and such delicate honour
to the sense of smell would surely keep anything going for ever and ever The
exquisite gentlemen of the finest breeding wore little pendent trinkets that
chinked as they languidly moved these golden fetters rang like precious little
bells and what with that ringing and with the rustle of silk and brocade and
fine linen there was a flutter in the air that fanned Saint Antoine and his
devouring hunger far away
Dress was the one unfailing talisman and charm used for keeping all things
in their places Everybody was dressed for a Fancy Ball that was never to leave
off From the Palace of the Tuileries through Monseigneur and the whole Court
through the Chambers the Tribunals of Justice and all society except the
scarecrows the Fancy Ball descended to the Common Executioner who in
pursuance of the charm was required to officiate frizzled powdered in a
goldlaced coat pumps and white silk stockings At the gallows and the wheel
the axe was a rarity Monsieur Paris as it was the episcopal mode among his
brother Professors of the provinces Monsieur Orleans and the rest to call
him presided in this dainty dress And who among the company at Monseigneurs
reception in that seventeen hundred and eightieth year of our Lord could
possibly doubt that a system rooted in a frizzled hangman powdered
goldlaced pumped and whitesilk stockinged would see the very stars out
Monseigneur having eased his four men of their burdens and taken his
chocolate caused the doors of the Holiest of Holiests to be thrown open and
issued forth Then what submission what cringing and fawning what servility
what abject humiliation As to bowing down in body and spirit nothing in that
way was left for Heaven which may have been one among other reasons why the
worshippers of Monseigneur never troubled it
Bestowing a word of promise here and a smile there a whisper on one happy
slave and a wave of the hand on another Monseigneur affably passed through his
rooms to the remote region of the Circumference of Truth There Monseigneur
turned and came back again and so in due course of time got himself shut up in
his sanctuary by the chocolate sprites and was seen no more
The show being over the flutter in the air became quite a little storm and
the precious little bells went ringing downstairs There was soon but one person
left of all the crowd and he with his hat under his arm and his snuffbox in
his hand slowly passed among the mirrors on his way out
»I devote you« said this person stopping at the last door on his way and
turning in the direction of the sanctuary »to the Devil«
With that he shook the snuff from his fingers as if he had shaken the dust
from his feet and quietly walked downstairs
He was a man of about sixty handsomely dressed haughty in manner and with
a face like a fine mask A face of a transparent paleness every feature in it
clearly defined one set expression on it The nose beautifully formed
otherwise was very slightly pinched at the top of each nostril In those two
compressions or dints the only little change that the face ever showed
resided They persisted in changing colour sometimes and they would be
occasionally dilated and contracted by something like a faint pulsation then
they gave a look of treachery and cruelty to the whole countenance Examined
with attention its capacity of helping such a look was to be found in the line
of the mouth and the lines of the orbits of the eyes being much too horizontal
and thin still in the effect the face made it was a handsome face and a
remarkable one
Its owner went downstairs into the courtyard got into his carriage and
drove away Not many people had talked with him at the reception he had stood
in a little space apart and Monseigneur might have been warmer in his manner
It appeared under the circumstances rather agreeable to him to see the common
people dispersed before his horses and often barely escaping from being run
down His man drove as if he were charging an enemy and the furious
recklessness of the man brought no check into the face or to the lips of the
master The complaint had sometimes made itself audible even in that deaf city
and dumb age that in the narrow streets without footways the fierce patrician
custom of hard driving endangered and maimed the mere vulgar in a barbarous
manner But few cared enough for that to think of it a second time and in
this matter as in all others the common wretches were left to get out of their
difficulties as they could
With a wild rattle and clatter and an inhuman abandonment of consideration
not easy to be understood in these days the carriage dashed through streets and
swept round corners with women screaming before it and men clutching each
other and clutching children out of its way At last swooping at a street
corner by a fountain one of its wheels came to a sickening little jolt and
there was a loud cry from a number of voices and the horses reared and plunged
But for the latter inconvenience the carriage probably would not have
stopped carriages were often known to drive on and leave their wounded behind
and why not But the frightened valet had got down in a hurry and there were
twenty hands at the horses bridles
»What has gone wrong« said Monsieur calmly looking out
A tall man in a nightcap had caught up a bundle from among the feet of the
horses and had laid it on the basement of the fountain and was down in the mud
and wet howling over it like a wild animal
»Pardon Monsieur the Marquis« said a ragged and submissive man »it is a
child«
»Why does he make that abominable noise Is it his child«
»Excuse me Monsieur the Marquis it is a pity yes«
The fountain was a little removed for the street opened where it was into
a space some ten or twelve yards square As the tall man suddenly got up from
the ground and came running at the carriage Monsieur the Marquis clapped his
hand for an instant on his swordhilt
»Killed« shrieked the man in wild desperation extending both arms at
their length above his head and staring at him »Dead«
The people closed round and looked at Monsieur the Marquis There was
nothing revealed by the many eyes that looked at him but watchfulness and
eagerness there was no visible menacing or anger Neither did the people say
anything after the first cry they had been silent and they remained so The
voice of the submissive man who had spoken was flat and tame in its extreme
submission Monsieur the Marquis ran his eyes over them all as if they had been
mere rats come out of their holes
He took out his purse
»It is extraordinary to me« said he »that you people cannot take care of
yourselves and your children One or the other of you is for ever in the way
How do I know what injury you have done my horses See Give him that«
He threw out a gold coin for the valet to pick up and all the heads craned
forward that all the eyes might look down at it as it fell The tall man called
out again with a most unearthly cry »Dead«
He was arrested by the quick arrival of another man for whom the rest made
way On seeing him the miserable creature fell upon his shoulder sobbing and
crying and pointing to the fountain where some women were stooping over the
motionless bundle and moving gently about it They were as silent however as
the men
»I know all I know all« said the last comer »Be a brave man my Gaspard
It is better for the poor little plaything to die so than to live It has died
in a moment without pain Could it have lived an hour as happily«
»You are a philosopher you there« said the Marquis smiling »How do they
call you«
»They call me Defarge«
»Of what trade«
»Monsieur the Marquis vendor of wine«
»Pick up that philosopher and vendor of wine« said the Marquis throwing
him another gold coin »and spend it as you will The horses there are they
right«
Without deigning to look at the assemblage a second time Monsieur the
Marquis leaned back in his seat and was just being driven away with the air of
a gentleman who had accidentally broken some common thing and had paid for it
and could afford to pay for it when his ease was suddenly disturbed by a coin
flying into his carriage and ringing on its floor
»Hold« said Monsieur the Marquis »Hold the horses Who threw that«
He looked to the spot where Defarge the vendor of wine had stood a moment
before but the wretched father was grovelling on his face on the pavement in
that spot and the figure that stood beside him was the figure of a dark stout
woman knitting
»You dogs« said the Marquis but smoothly and with an unchanged front
except as to the spots on his nose »I would ride over any of you very
willingly and exterminate you from the earth If I knew which rascal threw at
the carriage and if that brigand were sufficiently near it he should be
crushed under the wheels«
So cowed was their condition and so long and hard their experience of what
such a man could do to them within the law and beyond it that not a voice or
a hand or even an eye was raised Among the men not one But the woman who
stood knitting looked up steadily and looked the Marquis in the face It was
not for his dignity to notice it his contemptuous eyes passed over her and
over all the other rats and he leaned back in his seat again and gave the word
Go on
He was driven on and other carriages came whirling by in quick succession
the Minister the StateProjector the FarmerGeneral the Doctor the Lawyer
the Ecclesiastic the Grand Opera the Comedy the whole Fancy Ball in a bright
continuous flow came whirling by The rats had crept out of their holes to look
on and they remained looking on for hours soldiers and police often passing
between them and the spectacle and making a barrier behind which they slunk
and through which they peeped The father had long ago taken up his bundle and
hidden himself away with it when the women who had tended the bundle while it
lay on the base of the fountain sat there watching the running of the water and
the rolling of the Fancy Ball when the one woman who had stood conspicuous
knitting still knitted on with the steadfastness of Fate The water of the
fountain ran the swift river ran the day ran into evening so much life in the
city ran into death according to rule time and tide waited for no man the rats
were sleeping close together in their dark holes again the Fancy Ball was
lighted up at supper all things ran their course
Chapter VIII
Monseigneur in the Country
A beautiful landscape with the corn bright in it but not abundant Patches of
poor rye where corn should have been patches of poor peas and beans patches of
most coarse vegetable substitutes for wheat On inanimate nature as on the men
and women who cultivated it a prevalent tendency towards an appearance of
vegetating unwillingly a dejected disposition to give up and wither away
Monsieur the Marquis in his travelling carriage which might have been
lighter conducted by four posthorses and two postilions fagged up a steep
hill A blush on the countenance of Monsieur the Marquis was no impeachment of
his high breeding it was not from within it was occasioned by an external
circumstance beyond his control the setting suit
The sunset struck so brilliantly into the travelling carriage when it gained
the hilltop that its occupant was steeped in crimson »It will die out« said
Monsieur the Marquis glancing at his hands »directly«
In effect the sun was so low that it dipped at the moment When the heavy
drag had been adjusted to the wheel and the carriage slid down hill with a
cinderous smell in a cloud of dust the red glow departed quickly the sun and
the Marquis going down together there was no glow left when the drag was taken
off
But there remained a broken country bold and open a little village at the
bottom of the hill a broad sweep and rise beyond it a churchtower a
windmill a forest for the chase and a crag with a fortress on it used as a
prison Round upon all these darkening objects as the night drew on the Marquis
looked with the air of one who was coming near home
The village had its one poor street with its poor brewery poor tannery
poor tavern poor stableyard for relay of posthorses poor fountain all usual
poor appointments It had its poor people too All its people were poor and
many of them were sitting at their doors shredding spare onions and the like
for supper while many were at the fountain washing leaves and grasses and
any such small yieldings of the earth that could be eaten Expressive signs of
what made them poor were not wanting the tax for the state the tax for the
church the tax for the lord tax local and tax general were to be paid here
and to be paid there according to solemn inscription in the little village
until the wonder was that there was any village left unswallowed
Few children were to be seen and no dogs As to the men and women their
choice on earth was stated in the prospect Life on the lowest terms that could
sustain it down in the little village under the mill or captivity and Death in
the dominant prison on the crag
Heralded by a courier in advance and by the cracking of his postilions
whips which twined snakelike about their heads in the evening air as if he
came attended by the Furies Monsieur the Marquis drew up in his travelling
carriage at the postinghouse gate It was hard by the fountain and the
peasants suspended their operations to look at him He looked at them and saw
in them without knowing it the slow sure filing down of miseryworn face and
figure that was to make the meagreness of Frenchmen an English superstition
which should survive the truth through the best part of a hundred years
Monsieur the Marquis cast his eyes over the submissive faces that drooped
before him as the like of himself had drooped before Monseigneur of the Court
only the difference was that these faces drooped merely to suffer and not to
propitiate when a grizzled mender of the roads joined the group
»Bring me hither that fellow« said the Marquis to the courier
The fellow was brought cap in hand and the other fellows closed round to
look and listen in the manner of the people at the Paris fountain
»I passed you on the road«
»Monseigneur it is true I had the honour of being passed on the road«
»Coming up the hill and at the top of the hill both«
»Monseigneur it is true«
»What did you look at so fixedly«
»Monseigneur I looked at the man«
He stooped a little and with his tattered blue cap pointed under the
carriage All his fellows stooped to look under the carriage
»What man pig And why look there«
»Pardon Monseigneur he swung by the chain of the shoe the drag«
»Who« demanded the traveller
»Monseigneur the man«
»May the Devil carry away these idiots How do yon call the man You know
all the men of this part of the country Who was he«
»Your clemency Monseigneur He was not of this part of the country Of all
the days of my life I never saw him«
»Swinging by the chain To be suffocated«
»With your gracious permission that was the wonder of it Monseigneur His
head hanging over like this«
He turned himself sideways to the carriage and leaned back with his face
thrown up to the sky and his head hanging down then recovered himself fumbled
with his cap and made a bow
»What was he like«
»Monseigneur he was whiter than the miller All covered with dust white as
a spectre tall as a spectre«
The picture produced an immense sensation in the little crowd but all eyes
without comparing notes with other eyes looked at Monsieur the Marquis
Perhaps to observe whether he had any spectre on his conscience
»Truly you did well« said the Marquis felicitously sensible that such
vermin were not to ruffle him »to see a thief accompanying my carriage and not
open that great mouth of yours Bah Put him aside Monsieur Gabelle«
Monsieur Gabelle was the Postmaster and some other taxing functionary
united he had come out with great obsequiousness to assist at this examination
and had held the examined by the drapery of his arm in an official manner
»Bah Go aside« said Monsieur Gabelle
»Lay hands on this stranger if he seeks to lodge in your village tonight
and be sure that his business is honest Gabelle«
»Monseigneur I am flattered to devote myself to your orders«
»Did he run away fellow where is that Accursed«
The accursed was already under the carriage with some halfdozen particular
friends pointing out the chain with his blue cap Some halfdozen other
particular friends promptly hauled him out and presented him breathless to
Monsieur the Marquis
»Did the man run away Dolt when we stopped for the drag«
»Monseigneur he precipitated himself over the hillside head first as a
person plunges into the river«
»See to it Gabelle Go on«
The halfdozen who were peering at the chain were still among the wheels
like sheep the wheels turned so suddenly that they were lucky to save their
skins and bones they had very little else to save or they might not have been
so fortunate
The burst with which the carriage started out of the village and up the rise
beyond was soon checked by the steepness of the hill Gradually it subsided to
a footpace swinging and lumbering upward among the many sweet scents of a
summer night The postilions with a thousand gossamer gnats circling about them
in lieu of the Furies quietly mended the points to the lashes of their whips
the valet walked by the horses the courier was audible trotting on ahead into
the dim distance
At the steepest point of the hill there was a little burialground with a
Cross and a new large figure of Our Saviour on it it was a poor figure in wood
done by some inexperienced rustic carver but he had studied the figure from the
life his own life maybe for it was dreadfully spare and thin
To this distressful emblem of a great distress that had long been growing
worse and was not at its worst a woman was kneeling She turned her head as
the carriage came up to her rose quickly and presented herself at the
carriagedoor
»It is you Monseigneur Monseigneur a petition«
With an exclamation of impatience but with his unchangeable face
Monseigneur looked out
»How then What is it Always petitions«
»Monseigneur For the love of the great God My husband the forester«
»What of your husband the forester Always the same with you people He
cannot pay something«
»He has paid all Monseigneur He is dead«
»Well He is quiet Can I restore him to you«
»Alas no Monseigneur But he lies yonder under a little heap of poor
grass«
»Well«
»Monseigneur there are so many little heaps of poor grass«
»Again well«
She looked an old woman but was young Her manner was one of passionate
grief by turns she clasped her veinous and knotted hands together with wild
energy and laid one of them on the carriagedoor tenderly caressingly as if
it had been a human breast and could be expected to feel the appealing touch
»Monseigneur hear me Monseigneur hear my petition My husband died of
want so many die of want so many more will die of want«
»Again well Can I feed them«
»Monseigneur the good God knows but I dont ask it My petition is that a
morsel of stone or wood with my husbands name may be placed over him to show
where he lies Otherwise the place will be quickly forgotten it will never be
found when I am dead of the same malady I shall be laid under some other heap
of poor grass Monseigneur they are so many they increase so fast there is so
much want Monseigneur Monseigneur«
The valet had put her away from the door the carriage had broken into a
brisk trot the postilions had quickened the pace she was left far behind and
Monseigneur again escorted by the Furies was rapidly diminishing the league or
two of distance that remained between him and his château
The sweet scents of the summer night rose all around him and rose as the
rain falls impartially on the dusty ragged and toilworn group at the
fountain not far away to whom the mender of roads with the aid of the blue cap
without which he was nothing still enlarged upon his man like a spectre as
long as they could bear it By degrees as they could bear no more they dropped
off one by one and lights twinkled in little casements which lights as the
casements darkened and more stars came out seemed to have shot up into the sky
instead of having been extinguished
The shadow of a large highroofed house and of many overhanging trees was
upon Monsieur the Marquis by that time and the shadow was exchanged for the
light of a flambeau as his carriage stopped and the great door of his château
was opened to him
»Monsieur Charles whom I expect is he arrived from England«
»Monseigneur not yet«
Chapter IX
The Gorgons Head
It was a heavy mass of building that château of Monsieur the Marquis with a
large stone courtyard before it and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a
stone terrace before the principal door A stony business altogether with heavy
stone balustrades and stone urns and stone flowers and stone faces of men
and stone heads of lions in all directions As if the Gorgons head had
surveyed it when it was finished two centuries ago
Up the broad flight of shallow steps Monsieur the Marquis flambeau
preceded went from his carriage sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit
loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building
away among the trees All else was so quiet that the flambeau carried up the
steps and the other flambeau held at the great door burnt as if they were in a
close room of state instead of being in the open nightair Other sound than
the owls voice there was none save the falling of a fountain into its stone
basin for it was one of those dark nights that hold their breath by the hour
together and then heave a long low sigh and hold their breath again
The great door clanged behind him and Monsieur the Marquis crossed a hall
grim with certain old boarspears swords and knives of the chase grimmer with
certain heavy ridingrods and ridingwhips of which many a peasant gone to his
benefactor Death had felt the weight when his lord was angry
Avoiding the larger rooms which were dark and made fast for the night
Monsieur the Marquis with his flambeaubearer going on before went up the
staircase to a door in a corridor This thrown open admitted him to his own
private apartment of three rooms his bedchamber and two others High vaulted
rooms with cool uncarpeted floors great dogs upon the hearths for the burning
of wood in winter time and all luxuries befitting the state of a marquis in a
luxurious age and country The fashion of the last Louis but one of the line
that was never to break the fourteenth Louis was conspicuous in their rich
furniture but it was diversified by many objects that were illustrations of
old pages in the history of France
A suppertable was laid for two in the third of the rooms a round room in
one of the châteaus four extinguishertopped towers A small lofty room with
its window wide open and the wooden jalousieblinds closed so that the dark
night only showed in slight horizontal lines of black alternating with their
broad lines of stone colour
»My nephew« said the Marquis glancing at the supper preparation »they
said he was not arrived«
Nor was he but he had been expected with Monseigneur
»Ah It is not probable he will arrive tonight nevertheless leave the
table as it is I shall be ready in a quarter of an hour«
In a quarter of an hour Monseigneur was ready and sat down alone to his
sumptuous and choice supper His chair was opposite to the window and he had
taken his soup and was raising his glass of Bordeaux to his lips when he put
it down
»What is that« he calmly asked looking with attention at the horizontal
lines of black and stone colour
»Monseigneur That«
»Outside the blinds Open the blinds«
It was done
»Well«
»Monseigneur it is nothing The trees and the night are all that are here«
The servant who spoke had thrown the blinds wide had looked out into the
vacant darkness and stood with that blank behind him looking round for
instructions
»Good« said the imperturbable master »Close them again«
That was done too and the Marquis went on with his supper He was halfway
through it when he again stopped with his glass in his hand hearing the sound
of wheels It came on briskly and came up to the front of the château
Ask who is arrived
It was the nephew of Monseigneur He had been some few leagues behind
Monseigneur early in the afternoon He had diminished the distance rapidly but
not so rapidly as to come up with Monseigneur on the road He had heard of
Monseigneur at the postinghouses as being before him
He was to be told said Monseigneur that supper awaited him then and there
and that he was prayed to come to it In a little while he came He had been
known in England as Charles Darnay
Monseigneur received him in a courtly manner but they did not shake hands
»You left Paris yesterday sir« he said to Monseigneur as he took his seat
at table
»Yesterday And you«
»I come direct«
»From London«
»Yes«
»You have been a long time coming« said the Marquis with a smile
»On the contrary I come direct«
»Pardon me I mean not a long time on the journey a long time intending
the journey«
»I have been detained by« the nephew stopped a moment in his answer
»various business«
»Without doubt« said the polished uncle
So long as a servant was present no other words passed between them When
coffee had been served and they were alone together the nephew looking at the
uncle and meeting the eyes of the face that was like a fine mask opened a
conversation
»I have come back sir as you anticipate pursuing the object that took me
away It carried me into great and unexpected peril but it is a sacred object
and if it had carried me to death I hope it would have sustained me«
»Not to death« said the uncle »it is not necessary to say to death«
»I doubt sir« returned the nephew »whether if it had carried me to the
utmost brink of death you would have cared to stop me there«
The deepened marks in the nose and the lengthening of the fine straight
lines in the cruel face looked ominous as to that the uncle made a graceful
gesture of protest which was so clearly a slight form of good breeding that it
was not reassuring
»Indeed sir« pursued the nephew »for anything I know you may have
expressly worked to give a more suspicious appearance to the suspicious
circumstances that surrounded me«
»No no no« said the uncle pleasantly
»But however that may be« resumed the nephew glancing at him with deep
distrust »I know that your diplomacy would stop me by any means and would know
no scruple as to means«
»My friend I told you so« said the uncle with a fine pulsation in the two
marks »Do me the favour to recall that I told you so long ago«
»I recall it«
»Thank you« said the Marquis very sweetly indeed
His tone lingered in the air almost like the tone of a musical instrument
»In effect sir« pursued the nephew »I believe it to be at once your bad
fortune and my good fortune that has kept me out of a prison in France here«
»I do not quite understand« returned the uncle sipping his coffee »Dare I
ask you to explain«
»I believe that if you were not in disgrace with the Court and had not been
overshadowed by that cloud for years past a letter de cachet would have sent me
to some fortress indefinitely«
»It is possible« said the uncle with great calmness »For the honour of
the family I could even resolve to incommode you to that extent Pray excuse
me«
»I perceive that happily for me the Reception of the day before yesterday
was as usual a cold one« observed the nephew
»I would not say happily my friend« returned the uncle with refined
politeness »I would not be sure of that A good opportunity for consideration
surrounded by the advantages of solitude might influence your destiny to far
greater advantage than you influence it for yourself But it is useless to
discuss the question I am as you say at a disadvantage These little
instruments of correction these gentle aids to the power and honour of
families these slight favours that might so incommode you are only to be
obtained now by interest and importunity They are sought by so many and they
are granted comparatively to so few It used not to be so but France in all
such things is changed for the worse Our not remote ancestors held the right of
life and death over the surrounding vulgar From this room many such dogs have
been taken out to be hanged in the next room my bedroom one fellow to our
knowledge was poniarded on the spot for professing some insolent delicacy
respecting his daughter his daughter We have lost many privileges a new
philosophy has become the mode and the assertion of our station in these days
might I do not go so far as to say would but might cause us real
inconvenience All very bad very bad«
The Marquis took a gentle little pinch of snuff and shook his head as
elegantly despondent as he could becomingly be of a country still containing
himself that great means of regeneration
»We have so asserted our station both in the old time and in the modern
time also« said the nephew gloomily »that I believe our name to be more
detested than any name in France«
»Let us hope so« said the uncle »Detestation of the high is the
involuntary homage of the low«
»There is not« pursued the nephew in his former tone »a face I can look
at in all this country round about us which looks at me with any deference on
it but the dark deference of fear and slavery«
»A compliment« said the Marquis »to the grandeur of the family merited by
the manner in which the family has sustained its grandeur Hah« And he took
another gentle little pinch of snuff and lightly crossed his legs
But when his nephew leaning an elbow on the table covered his eyes
thoughtfully and dejectedly with his hand the fine mask looked at him sideways
with a stronger concentration of keenness closeness and dislike than was
comportable with its wearers assumption of indifference
»Repression is the only lasting philosophy The dark deference of fear and
slavery my friend« observed the Marquis »will keep the dogs obedient to the
whip as long as this roof« looking up to it »shuts out the sky«
That might not be so long as the Marquis supposed If a picture of the
chateau as it was to be a very few years hence and of fifty like it as they too
were to be a very few years hence could have been shown to him that night he
might have been at a loss to claim his own from the ghastly firecharred
plunderwrecked ruins As for the roof he vaunted he might have found that
shutting out the sky in a new way to wit for ever from the eyes of the
bodies into which its lead was fired out of the barrels of a hundred thousand
muskets
»Meanwhile« said the Marquis »I will preserve the honour and repose of the
family if you will not But you must be fatigued Shall we terminate our
conference for the night«
»A moment more«
»An hour if you please«
»Sir« said the nephew »we have done wrong and are reaping the fruits of
wrong«
»We have done wrong« repeated the Marquis with an inquiring smile and
delicately pointing first to his nephew then to himself
»Our family our honourable family whose honour is of so much account to
both of us in such different ways Even in my fathers time we did a world of
wrong injuring every human creature who came between us and our pleasure
whatever it was Why need I speak of my fathers time when it is equally yours
Can I separate my fathers twinbrother joint inheritor and next successor
from himself«
»Death has done that« said the Marquis
»And has left me« answered the nephew »bound to a system that is frightful
to me responsible for it but powerless in it seeking to execute the last
request of my dear mothers lips and obey the last look of my dear mothers
eyes which implored me to have mercy and to redress and tortured by seeking
assistance and power in vain«
»Seeking them from me my nephew« said the Marquis touching him on the
breast with his forefinger they were now standing by the hearth »you will
for ever seek them in vain be assured«
Every fine straight line in the clear whiteness of his face was cruelly
craftily and closely compressed while he stood looking quietly at his nephew
with his snuffbox in his hand Once again he touched him on the breast as
though his finger were the fine point of a small sword with which in delicate
finesse he ran him through the body and said
»My friend I will die perpetuating the system under which I have lived«
When he had said it he took a culminating pinch of snuff and put his box
in his pocket
»Better to be a rational creature« he added then after ringing a small
bell on the table »and accept your natural destiny But you are lost Monsieur
Charles I see«
»This property and France are lost to me« said the nephew sadly »I
renounce them«
»Are they both yours to renounce France may be but is the property It is
scarcely worth mentioning but is it yet«
»I had no intention in the words I used to claim it yet If it passed to
me from you tomorrow «
»Which I have the vanity to hope is not probable«
» or twenty years hence «
»You do me too much honour« said the Marquis »still I prefer that
supposition«
» I would abandon if and live otherwise and elsewhere It is little to
relinquish What is it but a wilderness of misery and ruin«
»Hah« said the Marquis glancing round the luxurious room
»To the eye it is fair enough here but seen in its integrity under the
sky and by the daylight it is a crumbling tower of waste mismanagement
extortion debt mortgage oppression hunger nakedness and suffering«
»Hah« said the Marquis again in a wellsatisfied manner
»If it ever becomes mine it shall be put into some hands better qualified
to free it slowly if such a thing is possible from the weight that drags it
down so that the miserable people who cannot leave it and who have been long
wrung to the last point of endurance may in another generation suffer less
but it is not for me There is a curse on it and on all this land«
»And you« said the uncle »Forgive my curiosity do you under your new
philosophy graciously intend to live«
»I must do to live what others of my countrymen even with nobility at
their backs may have to do some day work«
»In England for example«
»Yes The family honour sir is safe from me in this country The family
name can suffer from me in no other for I bear it in no other«
The ringing of the bell had caused the adjoining bedchamber to be lighted
It now shone brightly through the door of communication The Marquis looked
that way and listened for the retreating step of his valet
»England is very attractive to you seeing how indifferently you have
prospered there« he observed then turning his calm face to his nephew with a
smile
»I have already said that for my prospering there I am sensible I may be
indebted to you sir For the rest it is my Refuge«
»They say those boastful English that it is the Refuge of many You know a
compatriot who has found a Refuge there A Doctor«
»Yes«
»With a daughter«
»Yes«
»Yes« said the Marquis »You are fatigued Good night«
As he bent his head in his most courtly manner there was a secrecy in his
smiling face and he conveyed an air of mystery to those words which struck the
eyes and ears of his nephew forcibly At the same time the thin straight lines
of the setting of the eyes and the thin straight lips and the markings in the
nose curved with a sarcasm that looked handsomely diabolic
»Yes« repeated the Marquis »A Doctor with a daughter Yes So commences
the new philosophy You are fatigued Good night«
It would have been of as much avail to interrogate any stone face outside
the château as to interrogate that face of his The nephew looked at him in
vain in passing on to the door
»Good night« said the uncle »I look to the pleasure of seeing you again in
the morning Good repose Light Monsieur my nephew to his chamber there And
burn Monsieur my nephew in his bed if you will« he added to himself before he
rang his little bell again and summoned his valet to his own bedroom
The valet come and gone Monsieur the Marquis walked to and fro in his loose
chamberrobe to prepare himself gently for sleep that hot still night
Rustling about the room his softlyslippered feet making no noise on the floor
he moved like a refined tiger looked like some enchanted marquis of the
impenitently wicked sort in story whose periodical change into tiger form was
either just going off or just coming on
He moved from end to end of his voluptuous bedroom looking again at the
scraps of the days journey that came unbidden into his mind the slow toil up
the hill at sunset the setting sun the descent the mill the prison on the
crag the little village in the hollow the peasants at the fountain and the
mender of roads with his blue cap pointing out the chain under the carriage
That fountain suggested the Paris fountain the little bundle lying on the step
the women bending over it and the tall man with his arms up crying »Dead«
»I am cool now« said Monsieur the Marquis »and may go to bed«
So leaving only one light burning on the large hearth he let his thin
gauze curtains fall around him and heard the night break its silence with a
long sigh as he composed himself to sleep
The stone faces on the outer walls stared blindly at the black night for
three heavy hours for three heavy hours the horses in the stables rattled at
their racks the dogs barked and the owl made a noise with very little
resemblance in it to the noise conventionally assigned to the owl by menpoets
But it is the obstinate custom of such creatures hardly ever to say what is set
down for them
For three heavy hours the stone faces of the château lion and human
stared blindly at the night Dead darkness lay on all the landscape dead
darkness added its own hush to the hushing dust on all the roads The
burialplace had got to the pass that its little heaps of poor grass were
undistinguishable from one another; the figure on the Cross might have come
down for anything that could be seen of it In the village taxers and taxed
were fast asleep Dreaming perhaps of banquets as the starved usually do and
of ease and rest as the driven slave and the yoked ox may its lean inhabitants
slept soundly and were fed and freed
The fountain in the village flowed unseen and unheard and the fountain at
the château dropped unseen and unheard both melting away like the minutes
that were falling from the spring of Time through three dark hours Then the
grey water of both began to be ghostly in the light and the eyes of the stone
faces of the château were opened
Lighter and lighter until at last the sun touched the tops of the still
trees and poured its radiance over the hill In the glow the water of the
château fountain seemed to turn to blood and the stone faces crimsoned The
carol of the birds was loud and high and on the weatherbeaten sill of the
great window of the bedchamber of Monsieur the Marquis one little bird sang its
sweetest song with all its might At this the nearest stone face seemed to
stare amazed and with open mouth and dropped underjaw looked awestricken
Now the sun was full up and movement began in the village Casement
windows opened crazy doors were unbarred and people came forth shivering
chilled as yet by the new sweet air Then began the rarely lightened toil of
the day among the village population Some to the fountain some to the
fields men and women here to dig and delve men and women there to see to the
poor live stock and lead the bony cows out to such pasture as could be found
by the roadside In the church and at the Cross a kneeling figure or two
attendant on the latter prayers the led cow trying for a breakfast among the
weeds at its foot
The château awoke later as became its quality but awoke gradually and
surely First the lonely boarspears and knives of the chase had been reddened
as of old then had gleamed trenchant in the morning sunshine now doors and
windows were thrown open horses in their stables looked round over their
shoulders at the light and freshness pouring in at doorways leaves sparkled and
rustled at irongrated windows dogs pulled hard at their chains and reared
impatient to be loosed
All these trivial incidents belonged to the routine of life and the return
of morning Surely not so the ringing of the great bell of the château nor the
running up and down the stairs nor the hurried figures on the terrace nor the
booting and tramping here and there and everywhere nor the quick saddling of
horses and riding away
What winds conveyed this hurry to the grizzled mender of roads already at
work on the hilltop beyond the village with his days dinner not much to
carry lying in a bundle that it was worth no crows while to peck at on a heap
of stones Had the birds carrying some grains of it to a distance dropped one
over him as they sow chance seeds Whether or no the mender of roads ran on
the sultry morning as if for his life down the hill kneehigh in dust and
never stopped till he got to the fountain
All the people of the village were at the fountain standing about in their
depressed manner and whispering low but showing no other emotions than grim
curiosity and surprise The led cows hastily brought in and tethered to
anything that would hold them were looking stupidly on or lying down chewing
the cud of nothing particularly repaying their trouble which they had picked up
in their interrupted saunter Some of the people of the château and some of
those of the postinghouse and all the taxing authorities were armed more or
less and were crowded on the other side of the little street in a purposeless
way that was highly fraught with nothing Already the mender of roads had
penetrated into the midst of a group of fifty particular friends and was
smiting himself in the breast with his blue cap What did all this portend and
what portended the swift hoistingup of Monsieur Gabelle behind a servant on
horseback and the conveying away of the said Gabelle doubleladen though the
horse was at a gallop like a new version of the German ballad of Leonora
It portended that there was one stone face too many up at the château
The Gorgon had surveyed the building again in the night and had added the
one stone face wanting the stone face for which it had waited through about two
hundred years
It lay back on the pillow of Monsieur the Marquis It was like a fine mask
suddenly startled made angry and petrified Driven home into the heart of the
stone figure attached to it was a knife Round its hilt was a frill of paper
on which was scrawled
»Drive him fast to his tomb This from JACQUES«
Chapter X
Two Promises
More months to the number of twelve had come and gone and Mr Charles Darnay
was established in England as a higher teacher of the French language who was
conversant with French literature In this age he would have been a Professor
in that age he was a Tutor He read with young men who could find any leisure
and interest for the study of a living tongue spoken all over the world and he
cultivated a taste for its stores of knowledge and fancy He could write of
them besides in sound English and render them into sound English Such
masters were not at that time easily found Princes that had been and Kings
that were to be were not yet of the Teacher class and no ruined nobility had
dropped out of Tellsons ledgers to turn cooks and carpenters As a tutor
whose attainments made the students way unusually pleasant and profitable and
as an elegant translator who brought something to his work besides mere
dictionary knowledge young Mr Darnay soon became known and encouraged He was
well acquainted moreover with the circumstances of his country and those were
of evergrowing interest So with great perseverance and untiring industry he
prospered
In London he had expected neither to walk on pavements of gold nor to lie
on beds of roses if he had had any such exalted expectation he would not have
prospered He had expected labour and he found it and did it and made the
best of it In this his prosperity consisted
A certain portion of his time was passed at Cambridge where he read with
undergraduates as a sort of tolerated smuggler who drove a contraband trade in
European languages instead of conveying Greek and Latin through the
Customhouse The rest of his time he passed in London
Now from the days when it was always summer in Eden to these days when it
is mostly winter in fallen latitudes the world of a man has invariably gone one
way Charles Darnays way the way of the love of a woman
He had loved Lucie Manette from the hour of his danger He had never heard a
sound so sweet and dear as the sound of her compassionate voice he had never
seen a face so tenderly beautiful as hers when it was confronted with his own
on the edge of the grave that had been dug for him But he had not yet spoken
to her on the subject the assassination at the deserted château far away beyond
the heaving water and the long long dusty roads the solid stone château
which had itself become the mere mist of a dream had been done a year and he
had never yet by so much as a single spoken word disclosed to her the state of
his heart
That he had his reasons for this he knew full well It was again a summer
day when lately arrived in London from his college occupation he turned into
the quiet corner in Soho bent on seeking an opportunity of opening his mind to
Doctor Manette It was the close of the summer day and he knew Lucie to be out
with Miss Pross
He found the Doctor reading in his armchair at a window The energy which
had at once supported him under his old sufferings and aggravated their
sharpness had been gradually restored to him He was now a very energetic man
indeed with great firmness of purpose strength of resolution and vigour of
action In his recovered energy he was sometimes a little fitful and sudden as
he had at first been in the exercise of his other recovered faculties but this
had never been frequently observable and had grown more and more rare
He studied much slept little sustained a great deal of fatigue with ease
and was equably cheerful To him now entered Charles Darnay at sight of whom
he laid aside his book and held out his hand
»Charles Darnay I rejoice to see you We have been counting on your return
these three or four days past Mr Stryver and Sydney Carton were both here
yesterday and both made you out to be more than due«
»I am obliged to them for their interest in the matter« he answered a
little coldly as to them though very warmly as to the Doctor »Miss Manette «
»Is well« said the Doctor as he stopped short »and your return will
delight us all She has gone out on some household matters but will soon be
home«
»Doctor Manette I knew she was from home I took the opportunity of her
being from home to beg to speak to you«
There was a blank silence
»Yes« said the Doctor with evident constraint »Bring your chair here and
speak on«
He complied as to the chair but appeared to find the speaking on less easy
»I have had the happiness Doctor Manette of being so intimate here« so he
at length began »for some year and a half that I hope the topic on which I am
about to touch may not «
He was stayed by the Doctors putting out his hand to stop him When he had
kept it so a little while he said drawing it back
»Is Lucie the topic«
»She is«
»It is hard for me to speak of her it any time It is very hard for me to
hear her spoken of in that tone of yours Charles Darnay«
»It is a tone of fervent admiration true homage and deep love Doctor
Manette« he said deferentially
There was another blank silence before her father rejoined
»I believe it I do you justice I believe it«
His constraint was so manifest and it was so manifest too that it
originated in an unwillingness to approach the subject that Charles Darnay
hesitated
»Shall I go on sir«
Another blank
»Yes go on«
»You anticipate what I would say though you cannot know how earnestly I say
it how earnestly I feel it without knowing my secret heart and the hopes and
fears and anxieties with which it has long been laden Dear Doctor Manette I
love your daughter fondly dearly disinterestedly devotedly If ever there
were love in the world I love her You have loved yourself let your old love
speak for me«
The Doctor sat with his face turned away and his eyes bent on the ground
At the last words he stretched out his hand again hurriedly and cried
»Not that sir Let that be I adjure you do not recall that«
His cry was so like a cry of actual pain that it rang in Charles Darnays
ears long after he had ceased He motioned with the hand he had extended and it
seemed to be an appeal to Darnay to pause The latter so received it and
remained silent
»I ask your pardon« said the Doctor in a subdued tone after some moments
»I do not doubt your loving Lucie you may be satisfied of it«
He turned towards him in his chair but did not look at him or raise his
eyes His chin dropped upon his hand and his white hair overshadowed his face
»Have you spoken to Lucie«
»No«
»Nor written«
»Never«
»It would be ungenerous to affect not to know that your selfdenial is to be
referred to your consideration for her father Her father thanks you«
He offered his hand but his eyes did not go with it
»I know« said Darnay respectfully »how can I fail to know Doctor
Manette I who have seen you together from day to day that between you and Miss
Manette there is an affection so unusual so touching so belonging to the
circumstances in which it has been nurtured that it can have few parallels
even in the tenderness between a father and child I know Dr Manette how can
I fail to know that mingled with the affection and duty of a daughter who has
become a woman there is in her heart towards you all the love and reliance
of infancy itself I know that as in her childhood she had no parent so she is
now devoted to you with all the constancy and fervour of her present years and
character united to the trustfulness and attachment of the early days in which
you were lost to her I know perfectly well that if you had been restored to her
from the world beyond this life you could hardly be invested in her sight
with a more sacred character than that in which you are always with her I know
that when she is clinging to you the hands of baby girl and woman all in
one are round your neck I know that in loving you she sees and loves her
mother at her own age sees and loves you at my age loves her mother
brokenhearted loves you through your dreadful trial and in your blessed
restoration I have known this night and day since I have known you in your
home«
Her father sat silent with his face bent down His breathing was a little
quickened but he repressed all other signs of agitation
»Dear Doctor Manette always knowing this always seeing her and you with
this hallowed light about you I have forborne and forborne as long as it was
in the nature of man to do it I have felt and do even now feel that to bring
my love even mine between you is to touch your history with something not
quite so good as itself But I love her Heaven is my witness that I love her«
»I believe it« answered her father mournfully »I have thought so before
now I believe it«
»But do not believe« said Darnay upon whose ear the mournful voice struck
with a reproachful sound »that if my fortune were so cast as that being one
day so happy as to make her my wife I must at any time put any separation
between her and you I could or would breathe a word of what I now say Besides
that I should know it to be hopeless I should know it to be a baseness If I
had any such possibility even at a remote distance of years harboured in my
thoughts and hidden in my heart if it ever had been there if it ever could
be there I could not now touch this honoured hand«
He laid his own upon it as he spoke
»No dear Doctor Manette Like you a voluntary exile from France like you
driven from it by its distractions oppressions and miseries like you
striving to live away from it by my own exertions and trusting in a happier
future I look only to sharing your fortunes sharing your life and home and
being faithful to you to the death Not to divide with Lucie her privilege as
your child companion and friend but to come in aid of it and bind her closer
to you if such a thing can be«
His touch still lingered on her fathers hand Answering the touch for a
moment but not coldly her father rested his hands upon the arms of his chair
and looked up for the first time since the beginning of the conference A
struggle was evidently in his face a struggle with that occasional look which
had a tendency in it to dark doubt and dread
»You speak so feelingly and so manfully Charles Darnay that I thank you
with all my heart and will open all my heart or nearly so Have you any
reason to believe that Lucie loves you«
»None As yet none«
»Is it the immediate object of this confidence that you may at once
ascertain that with my knowledge«
»Not even so I might not have the hopefulness to do it for weeks I might
mistaken or not mistaken have that hopefulness tomorrow«
»Do you seek any guidance from me«
»I ask none sir But I have thought it possible that you might have it in
your power if you should deem it right to give me some«
»Do you seek any promise from me«
»I do seek that«
»What is it«
»I well understand that without you I could have no hope I well
understand that even if Miss Manette held me at this moment in her innocent
heart do not think I have the presumption to assume so much I could retain
no place in it against her love for her father«
»If that be so do you see what on the other hand is involved in it«
»I understand equally well that a word from her father in any suitors
favour would outweigh herself and all the world For which reason Doctor
Manette« said Darnay modestly but firmly »I would not ask that word to save
my life«
»I am sure of it Charles Darnay mysteries arise out of close love as well
as out of wide division in the former case they are subtle and delicate and
difficult to penetrate My daughter Lucie is in this one respect such a
mystery to me I can make no guess at the state of her heart«
»May I ask sir if you think she is « As he hesitated her father supplied
the rest
»Is sought by any other suitor«
»It is what I meant to say«
Her father considered a little before he answered
»You have seen Mr Carton here yourself Mr Stryver is here too
occasionally If it be at all it can only be by one of these«
»Or both« said Darnay
»I had not thought of both I should not think either likely You want a
promise from me Tell me what it is«
»It is that if Miss Manette should bring to you at any time on her own
part such a confidence as I have ventured to lay before you you will bear
testimony to what I have said and to your belief in it I hope you may be able
to think so well of me as to urge no influence against me I say nothing more
of my stake in this this is what I ask The condition on which I ask it and
which you have an undoubted right to require I will observe immediately«
»I give the promise« said the Doctor »without any condition I believe
your object to be purely and truthfully as you have stated it I believe your
intention is to perpetuate and not to weaken the ties between me and my other
and far dearer self If she should ever tell me that you are essential to her
perfect happiness I will give her to you If there were Charles Darnay if
there were «
The young man had taken his hand gratefully their hands were joined as the
Doctor spoke
» any fancies any reasons any apprehensions anything whatsoever new or
old against the man she really loved the direct responsibility thereof not
lying on his head they should all be obliterated for her sake She is
everything to me more to me than suffering more to me than wrong more to me
Well This is idle talk«
So strange was the way in which he faded into silence and so strange his
fixed look when he had ceased to speak that Darnay felt his own hand turn cold
in the hand that slowly released and dropped it
»You said something to me« said Doctor Manette breaking into a smile
»What was it you said to me«
He was at a loss how to answer until he remembered having spoken of a
condition Relieved as his mind reverted to that he answered
»Your confidence in me ought to be returned with full confidence on my part
My present name though but slightly changed from my mothers is not as you
will remember my own I wish to tell you what that is and why I am in
England«
»Stop« said the Doctor of Beauvais
»I wish it that I may the better deserve your confidence and have no
secret from you«
»Stop«
For an instant the Doctor even had his two hands at his ears for another
instant even had his two hands laid on Darnays lips
»Tell me when I ask you not now If your suit should prosper if Lucie
should love you you shall tell me on your marriage morning Do you promise«
»Willingly«
»Give me your hand She will be home directly and it is better she should
not see us together tonight Go God bless you«
It was dark when Charles Darnay left him and it was an hour later and
darker when Lucie came home she hurried into the room alone for Miss Pross
had gone straight upstairs and was surprised to find his readingchair empty
»My father« she called to him »Father dear«
Nothing was said in answer but she heard a low hammering sound in his
bedroom Passing lightly across the intermediate room she looked in at his door
and came running back frightened crying to herself with her blood all chilled
»What shall I do What shall I do«
Her uncertainty lasted but a moment she hurried back and tapped at his
door and softly called to him The noise ceased at the sound of her voice and
he presently came out to her and they walked up and down together for a long
time
She came down from her bed to look at him in his sleep that night He slept
heavily and his tray of shoemaking tools and his old unfinished work were all
as usual
Chapter XI
A Companion Picture
»Sydney« said Mr Stryver on that selfsame night or morning to his jackal
»mix another bowl of punch I have something to say to you«
Sydney had been working double tides that night and the night before and
the night before that and a good many nights in succession making a grand
clearance among Mr Stryvers papers before the setting in of the long vacation
The clearance was effected at last the Stryver arrears were handsomely fetched
up everything was got rid of until November should come with its fogs
atmospheric and fogs legal and bring grist to the mill again
Sydney was none the livelier and none the soberer for so much application
It had taken a deal of extra wettowelling to pull him through the night a
correspondingly extra quantity of wine had preceded the towelling and he was in
a very damaged condition as he now pulled his turban off and threw it into the
basin in which he had steeped it at intervals for the last six hours
»Are you mixing that other bowl of punch« said Stryver the portly with his
hands in his waistband glancing round from the sofa where he lay on his back
»I am«
»Now look here I am going to tell you something that will rather surprise
you and that perhaps will make you think me not quite as shrewd as you usually
do think me I intend to marry«
»Do you«
»Yes And not for money What do you say now«
»I dont feel disposed to say much Who is she«
»Guess«
»Do I know her«
»Guess«
»I am not going to guess at five oclock in the morning with my brains
frying and sputtering in my head If you want me to guess you must ask me to
dinner«
»Well then Ill tell you« said Stryver coming slowly into a sitting
posture »Sydney I rather despair of making myself intelligible to you because
you are such an insensible dog«
»And you« returned Sydney busy concocting the punch »are such a sensitive
and poetical spirit«
»Come« rejoined Stryver laughing boastfully »though I dont prefer any
claim to being the soul of Romance for I hope I know better still I am a
tenderer sort of fellow than you«
»You are a luckier if you mean that«
»I dont mean that I mean I am a man of more more «
»Say gallantry while you are about it« suggested Carton
»Well Ill say gallantry My meaning is that I am a man« said Stryver
inflating himself at his friend as he made the punch »who cares more to be
agreeable who takes more pains to be agreeable who knows better how to be
agreeable in a womans society than you do«
»Go on« said Sydney Carton
»No but before I go on« said Stryver shaking his head in his bullying
way »Ill have this out with you Youve been at Dr Manettes house as much as
I have or more than I have Why I have been ashamed of your moroseness there
Your manners have been of that silent and sullen and hangdog kind that upon
my life and soul I have been ashamed of you Sydney«
»It should be very beneficial to a man in your practice at the bar to be
ashamed of anything« returned Sydney »you ought to be much obliged to me«
»You shall not get off in that way« rejoined Stryver shouldering the
rejoinder at him »no Sydney its my duty to tell you and I tell you to your
face to do you good that you are a devilish illconditioned fellow in that
sort of society You are a disagreeable fellow«
Sydney drank a bumper of the punch he had made and laughed
»Look at me« said Stryver squaring himself »I have less need to make
myself agreeable than you have being more independent in circumstances Why do
I do it«
»I never saw you do it yet« muttered Carton
»I do it because its politic I do it on principle And look at me I get
on«
»You dont get on with your account of your matrimonial intentions«
answered Carton with a careless air »I wish you would keep to that As to me
will you never understand that I am incorrigible«
He asked the question with some appearance of scorn
»You have no business to be incorrigible« was his friends answer
delivered in no very soothing tone
»I have no business to be at all that I know of« said Sydney Carton »Who
is the lady«
»Now dont let my announcement of the name make you uncomfortable Sydney«
said Mr Stryver preparing him with ostentatious friendliness for the
disclosure he was about to make »because I know you dont mean half you say
and if you meant it all it would be of no importance I make this little
preface because you once mentioned the young lady to me in slighting terms«
»I did«
»Certainly and in these chambers«
Sydney Carton looked at his punch and looked at his complacent friend drank
his punch and looked at his complacent friend
»You made mention of the young lady as a goldenhaired doll The young lady
is Miss Manette If you had been a fellow of any sensitiveness or delicacy of
feeling in that kind of way Sydney I might have been a little resentful of
your employing such a designation but you are not You want that sense
altogether therefore I am no more annoyed when I think of the expression than
I should be annoyed by a mans opinion of a picture of mine who had no eye for
pictures or of a piece of music of mine who had no ear for music«
Sydney Carton drank the punch at a great rate drank it by bumpers looking
at his friend
»Now you know all about it Syd« said Mr Stryver »I dont care about
fortune she is a charming creature and I have made up my mind to please
myself on the whole I think I can afford to please myself She will have in me
a man already pretty well off and a rapidly rising man and a man of some
distinction it is a piece of good fortune for her but she is worthy of good
fortune Are you astonished«
Carton still drinking the punch rejoined »Why should I be astonished«
»You approve«
Carton still drinking the punch rejoined »Why should I not approve«
»Well« said his friend Stryver »you take it more easily than I fancied you
would and are less mercenary on my behalf than I thought you would be though
to be sure you know well enough by this time that your ancient chum is a man of
a pretty strong will Yes Sydney I have had enough of this style of life with
no other as a change from it I feel that it is a pleasant thing for a man to
have a home when he feels inclined to go to it when he doesnt he can stay
away and I feel that Miss Manette will tell well in any station and will
always do me credit So I have made up my mind And now Sydney old boy I want
to say a word to you about your prospects You are in a bad way you know you
really are in a bad way You dont know the value of money you live hard
youll knock up one of these days and be ill and poor you really ought to
think about a nurse«
The prosperous patronage with which he said it made him look twice as big
as he was and four times as offensive
»Now let me recommend you« pursued Stryver »to look it in the face I
have looked it in the face in my different way look it in the face you in
your different way Marry Provide somebody to take care of you Never mind your
having no enjoyment of womens society nor understanding of it nor tact for
it Find out somebody Find out some respectable woman with a little property
somebody in the landlady way or lodgingletting way and marry her against a
rainy day Thats the kind of thing for you Now think of it Sydney«
»Ill think of it« said Sydney
Chapter XII
The Fellow of Delicacy
Mr Stryver having made up his mind to that magnanimous bestowal of good
fortune on the Doctors daughter resolved to make her happiness known to her
before he left town for the Long Vacation After some mental debating of the
point he came to the conclusion that it would be as well to get all the
preliminaries done with and they could then arrange at their leisure whether he
should give her his hand a week or two before Michaelmas Term or in the little
Christmas vacation between it and Hilary
As to the strength of his case he had not a doubt about it but clearly saw
his way to the verdict Argued with the jury on substantial worldly grounds
the only grounds ever worth taking into account it was a plain case and had
not a weak spot in it He called himself for the plaintiff there was no getting
over his evidence the counsel for the defendant threw up his brief and the
jury did not even turn to consider After trying it Stryver CJ was
satisfied that no plainer case could be
Accordingly Mr Stryver inaugurated the Long Vacation with a formal
proposal to take Miss Manette to Vauxhall Gardens that failing to Ranelagh
that unaccountably failing too it behoved him to present himself in Soho and
there declare his noble mind
Towards Soho therefore Mr Stryver shouldered his way from the Temple
while the bloom of the Long Vacations infancy was still upon it Anybody who
had seen him projecting himself into Soho while he was yet on Saint Dunstans
side of Temple Bar bursting in his fullblown way along the pavement to the
jostlement of all weaker people might have seen how safe and strong he was
His way taking him past Tellsons and he both banking at Tellsons and
knowing Mr Lorry as the intimate friend of the Manettes it entered Mr
Stryvers mind to enter the bank and reveal to Mr Lorry the brightness of the
Soho horizon So he pushed open the door with the weak rattle in its throat
stumbled down the two steps got past the two ancient cashiers and shouldered
himself info the musty back closet where Mr Lorry sat at great books ruled for
figures with perpendicular iron bars to his window as if that were ruled for
figures too and everything under the clouds were a sum
»Halloa« said Mr Stryver »How do you do I hope you are well«
It was Stryvers grand peculiarity that he always seemed too big for any
place or space He was so much too big for Tellsons that old clerks in
distant corners looked up with looks of remonstrance as though he squeezed them
against the wall The House itself magnificently reading the paper quite in the
faroff perspective lowered displeased as if the Stryver head had been butted
into its responsible waistcoat
The discreet Mr Lorry said in a sample tone of the voice he would
recommend under the circumstances »How do you do Mr Stryver How do you do
sir« and shook hands There was a peculiarity in his manner of shaking hands
always to be seen in any clerk at Tellsons who shook hands with a customer when
the House pervaded the air He shook in a selfabnegating way as one who shook
for Tellson and Co
»Can I do anything for you Mr Stryver« asked Mr Lorry in his business
character
»Why no thank you this is a private visit to yourself Mr Lorry I have
come for a private word«
»Oh indeed« said Mr Lorry bending down his ear while his eye strayed to
the House afar off
»I am going« said Mr Stryver leaning his arms confidentially on the desk
whereupon although it was a large double one there appeared to be not half
desk enough for him »I am going to make an offer of myself in marriage to your
agreeable little friend Miss Manette Mr Lorry«
»Oh dear me« cried Mr Lorry rubbing his chin and looking at his visitor
dubiously
»Oh dear me sir« repeated Stryver drawing back »Oh dear you sir What
may your meaning be Mr Lorry«
»My meaning« answered the man of business »is of course friendly and
appreciative and that it does you the greatest credit and in short my
meaning is everything you could desire But really you know Mr Stryver «
Mr Lorry paused and shook his head at him in the oddest manner as if he were
compelled against his will to add internally »you know there really is so much
too much of you«
»Well« said Stryver slapping the desk with his contentious hand opening
his eyes wider and taking a long breath »if I understand you Mr Lorry Ill
be hanged«
Mr Lorry adjusted his little wig at both ears as a means towards that end
and bit the feather of a pen
»Dn it all sir« said Stryver staring at him »am I not eligible«
»Oh dear yes Yes Oh yes youre eligible« said Mr Lorry »If you say
eligible you are eligible«
»Am I not prosperous« asked Stryver
»Oh if you come to prosperous you are prosperous« said Mr Lorry
»And advancing«
»If you come to advancing you know« said Mr Lorry delighted to be able
to make another admission »nobody can doubt that«
»Then what on earth is your meaning Mr Lorry« demanded Stryver
perceptibly crestfallen
»Well I Were you going there now« asked Mr Lorry
»Straight« said Stryver with a plump of his fist on the desk
»Then I think I wouldnt if I was you«
»Why« said Stryver »Now Ill put you in a corner« forensically shaking a
forefinger at him »You are a man of business and bound to have a reason State
your reason Why wouldnt you go«
»Because« said Mr Lorry »I wouldnt go on such an object without having
some cause to believe that I should succeed«
»Dn ME« cried Stryver »but this beats everything«
Mr Lorry glanced at the distant House and glanced at the angry Stryver
»Heres a man of business a man of years a man of experience in a
Bank« said Stryver »and having summed up three leading reasons for complete
success he says theres no reason at all Says it with his head on« Mr
Stryver remarked upon the peculiarity as if it would have been infinitely less
remarkable if he had said it with his head off
»When I speak of success I speak of success with the young lady and when I
speak of causes and reasons to make success probable I speak of causes and
reasons that will tell as such with the young lady The young lady my good
sir« said Mr Lorry mildly tapping the Stryver arm »the young lady The young
lady goes before all«
»Then you mean to tell me Mr Lorry« said Stryver squaring his elbows
»that it is your deliberate opinion that the young lady at present in question
is a mincing Fool«
»Not exactly so I mean to tell you Mr Stryver« said Mr Lorry
reddening »that I will hear no disrespectful word of that young lady from any
lips and that if I knew any man which I hope I do not whose taste was so
coarse and whose temper was so overbearing that he could not restrain himself
from speaking disrespectfully of that young lady at this desk not even
Tellsons should prevent my giving him a piece of my mind«
The necessity of being angry in a suppressed tone had put Mr Stryvers
bloodvessels into a dangerous state when it was his turn to be angry Mr
Lorrys veins methodical as their courses could usually be were in no better
state now it was his turn
»That is what I mean to tell you sir« said Mr Lorry »Pray let there be
no mistake about it«
Mr Stryver sucked the end of a ruler for a little while and then stood
hitting a tune out of his teeth with it which probably gave him the toothache
He broke the awkward silence by saying
»This is something new to me Mr Lorry You deliberately advise me not to
go up to Soho and offer myself myself Stryver of the Kings Bench bar«
»Do you ask me for my advice Mr Stryver«
»Yes I do«
»Very good Then I give it and you have repeated it correctly«
»And all I can say of it is« laughed Stryver with a vexed laugh »that this
ha ha beats everything past present and to come«
»Now understand me« pursued Mr Lorry »As a man of business I am not
justified in saying anything about this matter for as a man of business I
know nothing of it But as an old fellow who has carried Miss Manette in his
arms who is the trusted friend of Miss Manette and of her father too and who
has a great affection for them both I have spoken The confidence is not of my
seeking recollect Now you think I may not be right«
»Not I« said Stryver whistling »I cant undertake to find third parties
in common sense I can only find it for myself I suppose sense in certain
quarters you suppose mincing breadandbutter nonsense Its new to me but you
are right I dare say«
»What I suppose Mr Stryver I claim to characterise for myself And
understand me sir« said Mr Lorry quickly flushing again »I will not not
even at Tellsons have it characterised for me by any gentleman breathing«
»There I beg your pardon« said Stryver
»Granted Thank you Well Mr Stryver I was about to say it might be
painful to you to find yourself mistaken it might be painful to Doctor Manette
to have the task of being explicit with you it might be very painful to Miss
Manette to have the task of being explicit with you You know the terms upon
which I have the honour and happiness to stand with the family If you please
committing you in no way representing you in no way I will undertake to
correct my advice by the exercise of a little new observation and judgment
expressly brought to bear upon it If you should then be dissatisfied with it
you can but test its soundness for yourself if on the other hand you should
be satisfied with it and it should be what it now is it may spare all sides
what is best spared What do you say«
»How long would you keep me in town«
»Oh It is only a question of a few hours I could go to Soho in the
evening and come to your chambers afterwards«
»Then I say yes« said Stryver »I wont go up there now I am not so hot
upon it as that comes to I say yes and I shall expect you to look in tonight
Good morning«
Then Mr Stryver turned and burst out of the Bank causing such a concussion
of air on his passage through that to stand up against it bowing behind the two
counters required the utmost remaining strength of the two ancient clerks
Those venerable and feeble persons were always seen by the public in the act of
bowing and were popularly believed when they had bowed a customer out still
to keep on bowing in the empty office until they bowed another customer in
The barrister was keen enough to divine that the banker would not have gone
so far in his expression of opinion on any less solid ground than moral
certainty Unprepared as he was for the large pill he had to swallow he got it
down »And now« said Mr Stryver shaking his forensic forefinger at the Temple
in general when it was down »my way out of this is to put you all in the
wrong«
It was a bit of the art of an Old Bailey tactician in which he found great
relief »You shall not put me in the wrong young lady« said Mr Stryver »Ill
do that for you«
Accordingly when Mr Lorry called that night as late as ten oclock Mr
Stryver among a quantity of books and papers littered out for the purpose
seemed to have nothing less on his mind than the subject of the morning He even
showed surprise when he saw Mr Lorry and was altogether in an absent and
preoccupied state
»Well« said that goodnatured emissary after a full halfhour of bootless
attempts to bring him round to the question »I have been to Soho«
»To Soho« repeated Mr Stryver coldly »Oh to be sure What am I thinking
of«
»And I have no doubt« said Mr Lorry »that I was right in the conversation
we had My opinion is confirmed and I reiterate my advice«
»I assure you« returned Mr Stryver in the friendliest way »that I am
sorry for it on your account and sorry for it on the poor fathers account I
know this must always be a sore subject with the family let us say no more
about it«
»I dont understand you« said Mr Lorry
»I dare say not« rejoined Stryver nodding his head in a smoothing and
final way »no matter no matter«
»But it does matter« Mr Lorry urged
»No it doesnt I assure you it doesnt Having supposed that there was
sense where there is no sense and a laudable ambition where there is not a
laudable ambition I am well out of my mistake and no harm is done Young women
have committed similar follies often before and have repented them in poverty
and obscurity often before In an unselfish aspect I am sorry that the thing is
dropped because it would have been a bad thing for me in a worldly point of
view in a selfish aspect I am glad that the thing has dropped because it
would have been a bad thing for me in a worldly point of view it is hardly
necessary to say I could have gained nothing by it There is no harm at all
done I have not proposed to the young lady and between ourselves I am by no
means certain on reflection that I ever should have committed myself to that
extent Mr Lorry you cannot control the mincing vanities and giddinesses of
emptyheaded girls you must not expect to do it or you will always be
disappointed Now pray say no more about it I tell you I regret it on account
of others but I am satisfied on my own account And I am really very much
obliged to you for allowing me to sound you and for giving me your advice you
know the young lady better than I do you were right it never would have done«
Mr Lorry was so taken aback that he looked quite stupidly at Mr Stryver
shouldering him towards the door with an appearance of showering generosity
forbearance and goodwill on his erring head »Make the best of it my dear
sir« said Stryver »say no more about it thank you again for allowing me to
sound you good night«
Mr Lorry was out in the night before he knew where he was Mr Stryver was
lying back on his sofa winking at his ceiling
Chapter XIII
The Fellow of No Delicacy
If Sydney Carton ever shone anywhere he certainly never shone in the house of
Doctor Manette He had been there often during a whole year and had always
been the same moody and morose lounger there When he cared to talk he talked
well but the cloud of caring for nothing which overshadowed him with such a
fatal darkness was very rarely pierced by the light within him
And yet he did care something for the streets that environed that house and
for the senseless stones that made their pavements Many a night he vaguely and
unhappily wandered there when wine had brought no transitory gladness to him
many a dreary daybreak revealed his solitary figure lingering there and still
lingering there when the first beams of the sun brought into strong relief
removed beauties of architecture in spires of churches and lofty buildings as
perhaps the quiet time brought some sense of better things else forgotten and
unattainable into his mind Of late the neglected bed in the Temple Court had
known him more scantily than ever and often when he had thrown himself upon it
no longer than a few minutes he had got up again and haunted that
neighbourhood
On a day in August when Mr Stryver after notifying to his jackal that he
had thought better of that marrying matter had carried his delicacy into
Devonshire and when the sight and scent of flowers in the City streets had some
waifs of goodness in them for the worst of health for the sickliest and of
youth for the oldest Sydneys feet still trod those stones From being
irresolute and purposeless his feet became animated by an intention and in
the working out of that intention they took him to the Doctors door
He was shown upstairs and found Lucie at her work alone She had never
been quite at her ease with him and received him with some little embarrassment
as he seated himself near her table But looking up at his face in the
interchange of the first few commonplaces she observed a change in it
»I fear you are not well Mr Carton«
»No But the life I lead Miss Manette is not conducive to health What is
to be expected of or by such profligates«
»Is it not forgive me I have begun the question on my lips a pity to
live no better life«
»God knows it is a shame«
»Then why not change it«
Looking gently at him again she was surprised and saddened to see that
there were tears in his eyes There were tears in his voice too as he answered
»It is too late for that I shall never be better than I am I shall sink
lower and be worse«
He leaned an elbow on her table and covered his eyes with his hand The
table trembled in the silence that followed
She had never seen him softened and was much distressed He knew her to be
so without looking at her and said
»Pray forgive me Miss Manette I break down before the knowledge of what I
want to say to you Will you hear me«
»If it will do you any good Mr Carton if it would make you happier it
would make me very glad«
»God bless you for your sweet compassion«
He unshaded his face after a little while and spoke steadily
»Dont be afraid to hear me Dont shrink from anything I say I am like one
who died young All my life might have been«
»No Mr Carton I am sure that the best part of it might still be I am
sure that you might be much much worthier of yourself«
»Say of you Miss Manette and although I know better although in the
mystery of my own wretched heart I know better I shall never forget it«
She was pale and trembling He came to her relief with a fixed despair of
himself which made the interview unlike any other that could have been holden
»If it had been possible Miss Manette that you could have returned the
love of the man you see before you selfflung away wasted drunken poor
creature of misuse as you know him to be he would have been conscious this
day and hour in spite of his happiness that he would bring you to misery
bring you to sorrow and repentance blight you disgrace you pull you down with
him I know very well that you can have no tenderness for me I ask for none I
am even thankful that it cannot be«
»Without it can I not save you Mr Carton Can I not recall you forgive
me again to a better course Can I in no way repay your confidence I know
this is a confidence« she modestly said after a little hesitation and in
earnest tears »I know you would say this to no one else Can I turn it to no
good account for yourself Mr Carton«
He shook his head
»To none No Miss Manette to none If you will hear me through a very
little more all you can ever do for me is done I wish you to know that you
have been the last dream of my soul In my degradation I have not been so
degraded but that the sight of you with your father and of this home made such
a home by you has stirred old shadows that I thought had died out of me Since
I knew you I have been troubled by a remorse that I thought would never
reproach me again and have heard whispers from old voices impelling me upward
that I thought were silent for ever I have had unformed ideas of striving
afresh beginning anew shaking off sloth and sensuality and fighting out the
abandoned fight A dream all a dream that ends in nothing and leaves the
sleeper where he lay down but I wish you to know that you inspired it«
»Will nothing of it remain O Mr Carton think again Try again«
»No Miss Manette all through it I have known myself to be quite
undeserving And yet I have had the weakness and have still the weakness to
wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me heap of ashes that I
am into fire a fire however inseparable in its nature from myself
quickening nothing lighting nothing doing no service idly burning away«
»Since it is my misfortune Mr Carton to have made you more unhappy than
you were before you knew me «
»Dont say that Miss Manette for you would have reclaimed me if anything
could You will not be the cause of my becoming worse«
»Since the state of your mind that you describe is at all events
attributable to some influence of mine this is what I mean if I can make it
plain can I use no influence to serve you Have I no power for good with you
at all«
»The utmost good that I am capable of now Miss Manette I have come here to
realise Let me carry through the rest of my misdirected life the remembrance
that I opened my heart to you last of all the world and that there was
something left in me at this time which you could deplore and pity«
»Which I entreated you to believe again and again most fervently with all
my heart was capable of better things Mr Carton«
»Entreat me to believe it no more Miss Manette I have proved myself and I
know better I distress you I draw fast to an end Will you let me believe
when I recall this day that the last confidence of my life was reposed in your
pure and innocent breast and that it lies there alone and will be shared by no
one«
»If that will be a consolation to you yes«
»Not even by the dearest one ever to be known to you«
»Mr Carton« she answered after an agitated pause »the secret is yours
not mine and I promise to respect it«
»Thank you And again God bless you«
He put her hand to his lip and moved towards the door
»Be under no apprehension Miss Manette of my ever resuming this
conversation by so much as a passing word I will never refer to it again If I
were dead that could not be surer than it is henceforth In the hour of my
death I shall hold sacred the one good remembrance and shall thank and bless
you for it that my last avowal of myself was made to you and that my name
and faults and miseries were gently carried in your heart May it otherwise be
light and happy«
He was so unlike what he had ever shown himself to be and it was so sad to
think how much he had thrown away and how much he every day kept down and
perverted that Lucie Manette wept mournfully for him as he stood looking back
at her
»Be comforted« he said »I am not worth such feeling Miss Manette An hour
or two hence and the low companions and low habits that I scorn but yield to
will render me less worth such tears as those than any wretch who creeps along
the streets Be comforted But within myself I shall always be towards you
what I am now though outwardly I shall be what you have heretofore seen me The
last supplication but one I make to you is that you will believe this of me«
»I will Mr Carton«
»My last supplication of all is this and with it I will relieve you of a
visitor with whom I well know you have nothing in unison and between whom and
you there is an impassable space It is useless to say it I know but it rises
out of my soul For you and for any dear to you I would do anything If my
career were of that better kind that there was any opportunity or capacity of
sacrifice in it I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to
you Try to hold me in your mind at some quiet times as ardent and sincere in
this one thing The time will come the time will not be long in coming when
new ties will be formed about you ties that will bind you yet more tenderly
and strongly to the home you so adorn the dearest ties that will ever grace
and gladden you O Miss Manette when the little picture of a happy fathers
face looks up in yours when you see your own bright beauty springing up anew at
your feet think now and then that there is a man who would give his life to
keep a life you love beside you«
He said »Farewell« said a last »God bless you« and left her
Chapter XIV
The Honest Tradesman
To the eyes of Mr Jeremiah Cruncher sitting on his stool in Fleet Street with
his grisly urchin beside him a vast number and variety of objects in movement
were every day presented Who could sit upon anything in Fleet Street during the
busy hours of the day and not be dazed and deafened by two immense processions
one ever tending westward with the sun the other ever tending eastward from the
sun both ever tending to the plains beyond the range of red and purple where
the sun goes down
With his straw in his mouth Mr Cruncher sat watching the two streams like
the heathen rustic who has for several centuries been on duty watching one
stream saving that Jerry had no expectation of their ever running dry Nor
would it have been an expectation of a hopeful kind since a small part of his
income was derived from the pilotage of timid women mostly of a full habit and
past the middle term of life from Tellsons side of the tides to the opposite
shore Brief as such companionship was in every separate instance Mr Cruncher
never failed to become so interested in the lady as to express a strong desire
to have the honour of drinking her very good health And it was from the gifts
bestowed upon him towards the execution of this benevolent purpose that he
recruited his finances as just now observed
Time was when a poet sat upon a stool in a public place and mused in the
sight of men Mr Cruncher sitting on a stool in a public place but not being
a poet mused as little as possible and looked about him
It fell out that he was thus engaged in a season when crowds were few and
belated women few and when his affairs in general were so unprosperous as to
awaken a strong suspicion in his breast that Mrs Cruncher must have been
flopping in some pointed manner when an unusual concourse pouring down Fleet
Street westward attracted his attention Looking that way Mr Cruncher made
out that some kind of funeral was coming along and that there was popular
objection to this funeral which engendered uproar
»Young Jerry« said Mr Cruncher turning to his offspring »its a
buryin«
»Hooroar father« cried Young Jerry
The young gentleman uttered this exultant sound with mysterious
significance The elder gentleman took the cry so ill that he watched his
opportunity and smote the young gentleman on the ear
»What dye mean What are you hooroaring at What do you want to conwey to
your own father you young Rip This boy is a getting too many for me« said Mr
Cruncher surveying him »Him and his hooroars Dont let me hear no more of
you or you shall feel some more of me Dye hear«
»I warnt doing no harm« Young Jerry protested rubbing his cheek
»Drop it then« said Mr Cruncher »I wont have none of your no harms Get
atop of that there seat and look at the crowd«
His son obeyed and the crowd approached they were bawling and hissing
round a dingy hearse and dingy mourning coach in which mourning coach there was
only one mourner dressed in the dingy trappings that were considered essential
to the dignity of the position The position appeared by no means to please him
however with an increasing rabble surrounding the coach deriding him making
grimaces at him and incessantly groaning and calling out »Yah Spies Tst
Yaha Spies« with many compliments too numerous and forcible to repeat
Funerals had at all times a remarkable attraction for Mr Cruncher he
always pricked up his senses and became excited when a funeral passed
Tellsons Naturally therefore a funeral with this uncommon attendance excited
him greatly and he asked of the first man who ran against him
»What is it brother Whats it about«
»I dont know« said the man »Spies Yaha Tst Spies«
He asked another man »Who is it«
»I dont know« returned the man clapping his hands to his mouth
nevertheless and vociferating in a surprising heat and with the greatest
ardour »Spies Yaha Tst tst Spiies«
At length a person better informed on the merits of the case tumbled
against him and from this person he learned that the funeral was the funeral of
one Roger Cly
»Was He a spy« asked Mr Cruncher
»Old Bailey spy« returned his informant »Yaha Tst Yah Old Bailey
Spiiies«
»Why to be sure« exclaimed Jerry recalling the Trial at which he had
assisted »Ive seen him Dead is he«
»Dead as mutton« returned the other »and cant be too dead Have em out
there Spies Pull em out there Spies«
The idea was so acceptable in the prevalent absence of any idea that the
crowd caught it up with eagerness and loudly repeating the suggestion to have
em out and to pull em out mobbed the two vehicles so closely that they came
to a stop On the crowds opening the coach doors the one mourner scuffled out
of himself and was in their hands for a moment but he was so alert and made
such good use of his time that in another moment he was scouring away up a
bystreet after shedding his cloak hat long hatband white
pockethandkerchief and other symbolical tears
These the people tore to pieces and scattered far and wide with great
enjoyment while the tradesmen hurriedly shut up their shops for a crowd in
those times stopped at nothing and was a monster much dreaded They had already
got the length of opening the hearse to take the coffin out when some brighter
genius proposed instead its being escorted to its destination amidst general
rejoicing Practical suggestions being much needed this suggestion too was
received with acclamation and the coach was immediately filled with eight
inside and a dozen out while as many people got on the roof of the hearse as
could by any exercise of ingenuity stick upon it Among the first of these
volunteers was Jerry Cruncher himself who modestly concealed his spiky head
from the observation of Tellsons in the further corner of the mourning coach
The officiating undertakers made some protest against these changes in the
ceremonies but the river being alarmingly near and several voices remarking
on the efficacy of cold immersion in bringing refractory members of the
profession to reason the protest was faint and brief The remodelled procession
started with a chimneysweep driving the hearse advised by the regular
driver who was perched beside him under close inspection for the purpose
and with a pieman also attended by his cabinet minister driving the mourning
coach A bearleader a popular street character of the time was impressed as
an additional ornament before the cavalcade had gone far down the Strand and
his bear who was black and very mangy gave quite an Undertaking air to that
part of the procession in which he walked
Thus with beerdrinking pipesmoking songroaring and infinite
caricaturing of woe the disorderly procession went its way recruiting at every
step and all the shops shutting up before it Its destination was the old
church of Saint Pancras far off in the fields It got there in course of time
insisted on pouring into the burialground finally accomplished the interment
of the deceased Roger Cly in its own way and highly to its own satisfaction
The dead man disposed of and the crowd being under the necessity of
providing some other entertainment for itself another brighter genius or
perhaps the same conceived the humour of impeaching casual passersby as Old
Bailey spies and wreaking vengeance on them Chase was given to some scores of
inoffensive persons who had never been near the Old Bailey in their lives in
the realisation of this fancy and they were roughly hustled and maltreated The
transition to the sport of windowbreaking and thence to the plundering of
publichouses was easy and natural At last after several hours when sundry
summerhouses had been pulled down and some arearailings had been torn up to
arm the more belligerent spirits a rumour got about that the Guards were
coming Before this rumour the crowd gradually melted away and perhaps the
Guards came and perhaps they never came and this was the usual progress of a
mob
Mr Cruncher did not assist at the closing sports but had remained behind
in the churchyard to confer and condole with the undertakers The place had a
soothing influence on him He procured a pipe from a neighbouring publichouse
and smoked it looking in at the railings and maturely considering the spot
»Jerry« said Mr Cruncher apostrophising himself in his usual way »you
see that there Cly that day and you see with your own eyes that he was a young
un and a straight made un«
Having smoked his pipe out and ruminated a little longer he turned himself
about that he might appear before the hour of closing on his station at
Tellsons Whether his meditations on mortality had touched his liver or
whether his general health had been previously at all amiss or whether he
desired to show a little attention to an eminent man is not so much to the
purpose as that he made a short call upon his medical adviser a distinguished
surgeon on his way back
Young Jerry relieved his father with dutiful interest and reported No job
in his absence The bank closed the ancient clerks came out the usual watch
was set and Mr Cruncher and his son went home to tea
»Now I tell you where it is« said Mr Cruncher to his wife on entering
»If as a honest tradesman my wenturs goes wrong tonight I shall make sure
that youve been praying again me and I shall work you for it just the same as
if I seen you do it«
The dejected Mrs Cruncher shook her head
»Why youre at it afore my face« said Mr Cruncher with signs of angry
apprehension
»I am saying nothing«
»Well then dont meditate nothing You might as well flop as meditate You
may as well go again me one way as another Drop it altogether«
»Yes Jerry«
»Yes Jerry« repeated Mr Cruncher sitting down to tea »Ah It is yes
Jerry Thats about it You may say yes Jerry«
Mr Cruncher had no particular meaning in these sulky corroborations but
made use of them as people not unfrequently do to express general ironical
dissatisfaction
»You and your yes Jerry« said Mr Cruncher taking a bite out of his
breadandbutter and seeming to help it down with a large invisible oyster out
of his saucer »Ah I think so I believe you«
»You are going out tonight« asked his decent wife when he took another
bite
»Yes I am«
»May I go with you father« asked his son briskly
»No you maynt Im a going as your mother knows a fishing Thats
where Im going to Going a fishing«
»Your fishingrod gets rayther rusty dont it father«
»Never you mind«
»Shall you bring any fish home father«
»If I dont youll have short commons tomorrow« returned that gentleman
shaking his head »thats questions enough for you I aint a going out till
youve been long abed«
He devoted himself during the remainder of the evening to keeping a most
vigilant watch on Mrs Cruncher and sullenly holding her in conversation that
she might be prevented from meditating any petitions to his disadvantage With
this view he urged his son to hold her in conversation also and led the
unfortunate woman a hard life by dwelling on any causes of complaint he could
bring against her rather than he would leave her for a moment to her own
reflections The devoutest person could have rendered no greater homage to the
efficacy of an honest prayer than he did in this distrust of his wife It was as
if a professed unbeliever in ghosts should be frightened by a ghost story
»And mind you« said Mr Cruncher »No games tomorrow If I as a honest
tradesman succeed in providing a jinte of meat or two none of your not
touching of it and sticking to bread If I as a honest tradesman am able to
provide a little beer none of your declaring on water When you go to Rome do
as Rome does Rome will be a ugly customer to you if you dont Im your Rome
you know«
Then he began grumbling again
»With your flying into the face of your own wittles and drink I dont know
how scarce you maynt make the wittles and drink here by your flopping tricks
and your unfeeling conduct Look at your boy he is yourn aint he Hes as
thin as a lath Do you call yourself a mother and not know that a mothers
first duty is to blow her boy out«
This touched Young Jerry on a tender place who adjured his mother to
perform her first duty and whatever else she did or neglected above all
things to lay especial stress on the discharge of that maternal function so
affectingly and delicately indicated by his other parent
Thus the evening wore away with the Cruncher family until Young Jerry was
ordered to bed and his mother laid under similar injunctions obeyed them Mr
Cruncher beguiled the earlier watches of the night with solitary pipes and did
not start upon his excursion until nearly one oclock Towards that small and
ghostly hour he rose up from his chair took a key out of his pocket opened a
locked cupboard and brought forth a sack a crowbar of convenient size a rope
and chain and other fishing tackle of that nature Disposing these articles
about him in skilful manner he bestowed a parting defiance on Mrs Cruncher
extinguished the light and went out
Young Jerry who had only made a feint of undressing when he went to bed
was not long after his father Under cover of the darkness he followed out of
the room followed down the stairs followed down the court followed out into
the streets He was in no uneasiness concerning his getting into the house
again for it was full of lodgers and the door stood ajar all night
Impelled by a laudable ambition to study the art and mystery of his fathers
honest calling Young Jerry keeping as close to housefronts walls and
doorways as his eyes were close to one another held his honoured parent in
view The honoured parent steering Northward had not gone far when he was
joined by another disciple of Izaak Walton and the two trudged on together
Within half an hour from the first starting they were beyond the winking
lamps and the more than winking watchmen and were out upon a lonely road
Another fisherman was picked up here and that so silently that if Young Jerry
had been superstitious he might have supposed the second follower of the gentle
craft to have all of a sudden split himself into two
The three went on and Young Jerry went on until the three stopped under a
bank overhanging the road Upon the top of the bank was a low brick wall
surmounted by an iron railing In the shadow of bank and wall the three turned
out of the road and up a blind lane of which the wall there risen to some
eight or ten feet high formed one side Crouching down in a corner peeping up
the lane the next object that Young Jerry saw was the form of his honoured
parent pretty well defined against a watery and clouded moon nimbly scaling an
iron gate He was soon over and then the second fisherman got over and then
the third They all dropped softly on the ground within the gate and lay there
a little listening perhaps Then they moved away on their hands and knees
It was now Young Jerrys turn to approach the gate which he did holding
his breath Crouching down again in a corner there and looking in he made out
the three fishermen creeping through some rank grass and all the gravestones in
the churchyard it was a large churchyard that they were in looking on like
ghosts in white while the church tower itself looked on like the ghost of a
monstrous giant They did not creep far before they stopped and stood upright
And then they began to fish
They fished with a spade at first Presently the honoured parent appeared
to be adjusting some instrument like a great corkscrew Whatever tools they
worked with they worked hard until the awful striking of the church clock so
terrified Young Jerry that he made off with his hair as stiff as his fathers
But his longcherished desire to know more about these matters not only
stopped him in his running away but lured him back again They were still
fishing perseveringly when he peeped in at the gate for the second time but
now they seemed to have got a bite There was a screwing and complaining sound
down below and their bent figures were strained as if by a weight By slow
degrees the weight broke away the earth upon it and came to the surface Young
Jerry very well knew what it would be but when he saw it and saw his honoured
parent about to wrench it open he was so frightened being new to the sight
that he made off again and never stopped until he had run a mile or more
He would not have stopped then for anything less necessary than breath it
being a spectral sort of race that he ran and one highly desirable to get to
the end of He had a strong idea that the coffin he had seen was running after
him and pictured as hopping on behind him bolt upright upon its narrow end
always on the point of overtaking him and hopping on at his side perhaps
taking his arm it was a pursuer to shun It was an inconsistent and ubiquitous
fiend too for while it was making the whole night behind him dreadful he
darted out into the roadway to avoid dark alleys fearful of its coming hopping
out of them like a dropsical boysKite without tail and wings It hid in
doorways too rubbing its horrible shoulders against doors and drawing them up
to its ears as if it were laughing It got into shadows on the road and lay
cunningly on its back to trip him up All this time it was incessantly hopping
on behind and gaining on him so that when the boy got to his own door he had
reason for being half dead And even then it would not leave him but followed
him upstairs with a bump on every stair scrambled into bed with him and
bumped down dead and heavy on his breast when he fell asleep
From his oppressed slumber Young Jerry in his closet was awakened after
daybreak and before sunrise by the presence of his father in the family room
Something had gone wrong with him at least so Young Jerry inferred from the
circumstance of his holding Mrs Cruncher by the ears and knocking the back of
her head against the headboard of the bed
»I told you I would« said Mr Cruncher »and I did«
»Jerry Jerry Jerry« his wife implored
»You oppose yourself to the profit of the business« said Jerry »and me and
my partners suffer You was to honour and obey why the devil dont you«
»I try to be a good wife Jerry« the poor woman protested with tears
»Is it being a good wife to oppose your husbands business Is it honouring
your husband to dishonour his business Is it obeying your husband to disobey
him on the wital subject of his business«
»You hadnt taken to the dreadful business then Jerry«
»Its enough for you« retorted Mr Cruncher »to be the wife of a honest
tradesman and not to occupy your female mind with calculations when he took to
his trade or when he didnt A honouring and obeying wife would let his trade
alone altogether Call yourself a religious woman If youre a religious woman
give me a irreligious one You have no more natral sense of duty than the bed
of this here Thames river has of a pile and similarly it must be knocked into
you«
The altercation was conducted in a low tone of voice and terminated in the
honest tradesmans kicking off his claysoiled boots and lying down at his
length on the floor After taking a timid peep at him lying on his back with
his rusty hands under his head for a pillow his son lay down too and fell
asleep again
There was no fish for breakfast and not much of anything else Mr Cruncher
was out of spirits and out of temper and kept an iron potlid by him as a
projectile for the correction of Mrs Cruncher in case he should observe any
symptoms of her saying Grace He was brushed and washed at the usual hour and
set off with his son to pursue his ostensible calling
Young Jerry walking with the stool under his arm at his fathers side along
sunny and crowded Fleet Street was a very different Young Jerry from him of the
previous night running home through darkness and solitude from his grim
pursuer His cunning was fresh with the day and his qualms were gone with the
night in which particulars it is not improbable that he had compeers in Fleet
Street and the City of London that fine morning
»Father« said Young Jerry as they walked along taking care to keep at
arms length and to have the stool well between them »whats a
ResurrectionMan«
Mr Cruncher came to a stop on the pavement before he answered »How should
I know«
»I thought you knowed everything father« said the artless boy
»Hem Well« returned Mr Cruncher going on again and lifting off his hat
to give his spikes free play »hes a tradesman«
»Whats his goods father« asked the brisk Young Jerry
»His goods« said Mr Cruncher after turning it over in his mind »is a
branch of Scientific goods«
»Persons bodies aint it father« asked the lively boy
»I believe it is something of that sort« said Mr Cruncher
»Oh father I should so like to be a ResurrectionMan when Im quite growed
up«
Mr Cruncher was soothed but shook his head in a dubious and moral way »It
depends upon how you dewelop your talents Be careful to dewelop your talents
and never to say no more than you can help to nobody and theres no telling at
the present time what you may not come to be fit for« As Young Jerry thus
encouraged went on a few yards in advance to plant the stool in the shadow of
the Bar Mr Cruncher added to himself »Jerry you honest tradesman theres
hopes wot that boy will yet be a blessing to you and a recompense to you for
his mother«
Chapter XV
Knitting
There had been earlier drinking than usual in the wineshop of Monsieur Defarge
As early as six oclock in the morning sallow faces peeping through its barred
windows had descried other faces within bending over measures of wine Monsieur
Defarge sold a very thin wine at the best of times but it would seem to have
been an unusually thin wine that he sold at this time A sour wine moreover or
a souring for its influence on the mood of those who drank it was to make them
gloomy No vivacious Bacchanalian flame leaped out of the pressed grape of
Monsieur Defarge but a smouldering fire that burnt in the dark lay hidden in
the dregs of it
This had been the third morning in succession on which there had been early
drinking at the wineshop of Monsieur Defarge It had begun on Monday and here
was Wednesday come There had been more of early brooding than drinking for
many men had listened and whispered and slunk about there from the time of the
opening of the door who could not have laid a piece of money on the counter to
save their souls These were to the full as interested in the place however as
if they could have commanded whole barrels of wine and they glided from seat to
seat and from corner to corner swallowing talk in lieu of drink with greedy
looks
Notwithstanding an unusual flow of company the master of the wineshop was
not visible He was not missed for nobody who crossed the threshold looked for
him nobody asked for him nobody wondered to see only Madame Defarge in her
seat presiding over the distribution of wine with a bowl of battered small
coins before her as much defaced and beaten out of their original impress as
the small coinage of humanity from whose ragged pockets they had come
A suspended interest and a prevalent absence of mind were perhaps observed
by the spies who looked in at the wineshop as they looked in at every place
high and low from the kings palace to the criminals gaol Games at cards
languished players at dominoes musingly built towers with them drinkers drew
figures on the tables with spilt drops of wine Madame Defarge herself picked
out the pattern on her sleeve with her toothpick and saw and heard something
inaudible and invisible a long way off
Thus Saint Antoine in this vinous feature of his until midday It was high
noontide when two dusty men passed through his streets and under his swinging
lamps of whom one was Monsieur Defarge the other a mender of roads in a blue
cap All adust and athirst the two entered the wineshop Their arrival had
lighted a kind of fire in the breast of Saint Antoine fast spreading as they
came along which stirred and flickered in flames of faces at most doors and
windows Yet no one had followed them and no man spoke when they entered the
wineshop though the eyes of every man there were turned upon them
»Good day gentlemen« said Monsieur Defarge
It may have been a signal for loosening the general tongue It elicited an
answering chorus of »Good day«
»It is bad weather gentlemen« said Defarge shaking his head
Upon which every man looked at his neighbour and then all cast down their
eyes and sat silent Except one man who got up and went out
»My wife« said Defarge aloud addressing Madame Defarge »I have travelled
certain leagues with this good mender of roads called Jacques I met him by
accident a day and halfs journey out of Paris He is a good child this
mender of roads called Jacques Give him to drink my wife«
A second man got up and went out Madame Defarge set wine before the mender
of roads called Jacques who doffed his blue cap to the company and drank In
the breast of his blouse he carried some coarse dark bread he ate of this
between whiles and sat munching and drinking near Madame Defarges counter A
third man got up and went out
Defarge refreshed himself with a draught of wine but he took less than
was given to the stranger as being himself a man to whom it was no rarity and
stood waiting until the countryman had made his breakfast He looked at no one
present and no one now looked at him not even Madame Defarge who had taken up
her knitting and was at work
»Have you finished your repast friend« he asked in due season
»Yes thank you«
»Come then You shall see the apartment that I told you you could occupy
It will suit you to a marvel«
Out of the wineshop into the street out of the street into a courtyard
out of the courtyard up a steep staircase out of the staircase into a garret
formerly the garret where a whitehaired man sat on a low bench stooping
forward and very busy making shoes
No whitehaired man was there now but the three men were there who had
gone out of the wineshop singly And between them and the whitehaired man afar
off was the one small link that they had once looked in at him through the
chinks in the wall
Defarge closed the door carefully and spoke in a subdued voice
»Jacques One Jacques Two Jacques Three This is the witness encountered by
appointment by me Jacques Four He will tell you all Speak Jacques Five«
The mender of roads blue cap in hand wiped his swarthy forehead with it
and said »Where shall I commence monsieur«
»Commence« was Monsieur Defarges not unreasonable reply »at the
commencement«
»I saw him then messieurs« began the mender of roads »a year ago this
running summer underneath the carriage of the Marquis hanging by the chain
Behold the manner of it I leaving my work on the road the sun going to bed
the carriage of the Marquis slowly ascending the hill he hanging by the chain
like this«
Again the mender of roads went through the whole performance in which he
ought to have been perfect by that time seeing that it had been the infallible
resource and indispensable entertainment of his village during a whole year
Jacques One struck in and asked if he had ever seen the man before
»Never« answered the mender of roads recovering his perpendicular
Jacques Three demanded how he afterwards recognised him then
»By his tall figure« said the mender of roads softly and with his finger
at his nose »When Monsieur the Marquis demands that evening Say what is he
like I make response Tall as a spectre«
»You should have said short as a dwarf« returned Jacques Two
»But what did I know The deed was not then accomplished neither did he
confide in me Observe Under those circumstances even I do not offer my
testimony Monsieur the Marquis indicates me with his finger standing near our
little fountain and says To me Bring that rascal My faith messieurs I
offer nothing«
»He is right there Jacques« murmured Defarge to him who had interrupted
»Go on«
»Good« said the mender of roads with an air of mystery »The tall man is
lost and he is sought how many months Nine ten eleven«
»No matter the number« said Defarge »He is well hidden but at last he is
unluckily found Go on«
»I am again at work upon the hillside and the sun is again about to go to
bed I am collecting my tools to descend to my cottage down in the village
below where it is already dark when I raise my eyes and see coming over the
hill six soldiers In the midst of them is a tall man with his arms bound tied
to his sides like this«
With the aid of his indispensable cap he represented a man with his elbows
bound fast at his hips with cords that were knotted behind him
»I stand aside messieurs by my heap of stones to see the soldiers and
their prisoner pass for it is a solitary road that where any spectacle is
well worth looking at and at first as they approach I see no more than that
they are six soldiers with a tall man bound and that they are almost black to
my sight except on the side of the sun going to bed where they have a red
edge messieurs Also I see that their long shadows are on the hollow ridge on
the opposite side of the road and are on the hill above it and are like the
shadows of giants Also I see that they are covered with dust and that the
dust moves with them as they come tramp tramp But when they advance quite
near to me I recognise the tall man and he recognises me Ah but he would be
well content to precipitate himself over the hillside once again as on the
evening when he and I first encountered close to the same spot«
He described it as if he were there and it was evident that he saw it
vividly perhaps he had not seen much in his life
»I do not show the soldiers that I recognise the tall man he does not show
the soldiers that he recognises me we do it and we know it with our eyes
Come on says the chief of that company pointing to the village bring him fast
to his tomb and they bring him faster I follow His arms are swelled because
of being bound so tight his wooden shoes are large and clumsy and he is lame
Because he is lame and consequently slow they drive him with their guns like
this«
He imitated the action of a mans being impelled forward by the buttends of
muskets
»As they descend the hill like madmen running a race he falls They laugh
and pick him up again His face is bleeding and covered with dust but he cannot
touch it thereupon they laugh again They bring him into the village all the
village runs to look they take him past the mill and up to the prison all the
village sees the prison gate open in the darkness of the night and swallow him
like this«
He opened his mouth as wide as he could and shut it with a sounding snap of
his teeth Observant of his unwillingness to mar the effect by opening it again
Defarge said »Go on Jacques«
»All the village« pursued the mender of roads on tiptoe and in a low
voice »withdraws all the village whispers by the fountain all the village
sleeps all the village dreams of that unhappy one within the locks and bars of
the prison on the crag and never to come out of it except to perish In the
morning with my tools upon my shoulder eating my morsel of black bread as I
go I make a circuit by the prison on my way to my work There I see him high
up behind the bars of a lofty iron cage bloody and dusty as last night
looking through He has no hand free to wave to me I dare not call to him he
regards me like a dead man«
Defarge and the three glanced darkly at one another The looks of all of
them were dark repressed and revengeful as they listened to the countrymans
story the manner of all of them while it was secret was authoritative too
They had the air of a rough tribunal Jacques One and Two sitting on the old
palletbed each with his chin resting on his hand and his eyes intent on the
roadmender Jacques Three equally intent on one knee behind them with his
agitated hand always gliding over the network of fine nerves about his mouth and
nose Defarge standing between them and the narrator whom he had stationed in
the light of the window by turns looking from him to them and from them to
him
»Go on Jacques« said Defarge
»He remains up there in his iron cage some days The village looks at him by
stealth for it is afraid But it always looks up from a distance at the
prison on the crag and in the evening when the work of the day is achieved and
it assembles to gossip at the fountain all faces are turned towards the prison
Formerly they were turned towards the postinghouse now they are turned
towards the prison They whisper at the fountain that although condemned to
death he will not be executed they say that petitions have been presented in
Paris showing that he was enraged and made mad by the death of his child they
say that a petition has been presented to the King himself What do I know It
is possible Perhaps yes perhaps no«
»Listen then Jacques« Number One of that name sternly interposed »Know
that a petition was presented to the King and Queen All here yourself
excepted saw the King take it in his carriage in the street sitting beside
the Queen It is Defarge whom you see here who at the hazard of his life
darted out before the horses with the petition in his hand«
»And once again listen Jacques« said the kneeling Number Three his
fingers ever wandering over and over those fine nerves with a strikingly greedy
air as if he hungered for something that was neither food nor drink »the
guard horse and foot surrounded the petitioner and struck him blows You
hear«
»I hear messieurs«
»Go on then« said Defarge
»Again on the other hand they whisper at the fountain« resumed the
countryman »that he is brought down into our country to be executed on the
spot and that he will very certainly be executed They even whisper that
because he has slain Monseigneur and because Monseigneur was the father of his
tenants serfs what you will he will be executed as a parricide One old
man says at the fountain that his right hand armed with the knife will be
burnt off before his face that into wounds which will be made in his arms his
breast and his legs there will be poured boiling oil melted lead hot resin
wax and sulphur finally that he will be torn limb from limb by four strong
horses That old man says all this was actually done to a prisoner who made an
attempt on the life of the late King Louis Fifteen But how do I know if he
lies I am not a scholar«
»Listen once again then Jacques« said the man with the restless hand and
the craving air »The name of that prisoner was Damiens and it was all done in
open day in the open streets of this city of Paris and nothing was more
noticed in the vast concourse that saw it done than the crowd of ladies of
quality and fashion who were full of eager attention to the last to the last
Jacques prolonged until nightfall when he had lost two legs and an arm and
still breathed And it was done why how old are you«
»Thirtyfive« said the mender of roads who looked sixty
»It was done when you were more than ten years old you might have seen it«
»Enough« said Defarge with grim impatience »Long live the Devil Go on«
»Well Some whisper this some whisper that they speak of nothing else
even the fountain appears to fall to that tune At length on Sunday night when
all the village is asleep come soldiers winding down from the prison and
their guns ring on the stones of the little street Workmen dig workmen hammer
soldiers laugh and sing in the morning by the fountain there is raised a
gallows forty feet high poisoning the water«
The mender of roads looked through rather than at the low ceiling and
pointed as if he saw the gallows somewhere in the sky
»All work is stopped all assemble there nobody leads the cows out the
cows are there with the rest At midday the roll of drums Soldiers have
marched into the prison in the night and he is in the midst of many soldiers
He is bound as before and in his mouth there is a gag tied so with a tight
string making him look almost as if he laughed« He suggested it by creasing
his face with his two thumbs from the corners of his mouth to his ears »On the
top of the gallows is fixed the knife blade upwards with its point in the air
He is hanged there forty feet high and is left hanging poisoning the water«
They looked at one another as he used his blue cap to wipe his face on
which the perspiration had started afresh while he recalled the spectacle
»It is frightful messieurs How can the women and the children draw water
Who can gossip of an evening under that shadow Under it have I said When I
left the village Monday evening as the sun was going to bed and looked back
from the hill the shadow struck across the church across the mill across the
prison seemed to strike across the earth messieurs to where the sky rests
upon it«
The hungry man gnawed one of his fingers as he looked at the other three
and his finger quivered with the craving that was on him
»Thats all messieurs I left at sunset as I had been warned to do and I
walked on that night and half next day until I met as I was warned I should
this comrade With him I came on now riding and now walking through the rest
of yesterday and through last night And here you see me«
After a gloomy silence the first Jacques said »Good You have acted and
recounted faithfully Will you wait for us a little outside the door«
»Very willingly« said the mender of roads Whom Defarge escorted to the top
of the stairs and leaving seated there returned
The three had risen and their heads were together when he came back to the
garret
»How say you Jacques« demanded Number One »To be registered«
»To be registered as doomed to destruction« returned Defarge
»Magnificent« croaked the man with the craving
»The château and all the race« inquired the first
»The château and all the race« returned Defarge »Extermination«
The hungry man repeated in a rapturous croak »Magnificent« and began
gnawing another finger
»Are you sure« asked Jacques Two of Defarge »that no embarrassment can
arise from our manner of keeping the register Without doubt it is safe for no
one beyond ourselves can decipher it but shall we always be able to decipher it
or I ought to say will she«
»Jacques« returned Defarge drawing himself up »if madame my wife
undertook to keep the register in her memory alone she would not lose a word of
it not a syllable of it Knitted in her own stitches and her own symbols it
will always be as plain to her as the sun Confide in Madame Defarge It would
be easier for the weakest poltroon that lives to erase himself from existence
than to erase one letter of his name or crimes from the knitted register of
Madame Defarge«
There was a murmur of confidence and approval and then the man who
hungered asked »Is this rustic to be sent back soon I hope so He is very
simple is he not a little dangerous«
»He knows nothing« said Defarge »at least nothing more than would easily
elevate himself to a gallows of the same height I charge myself with him let
him remain with me I will take care of him and set him on his road He wishes
to see the fine world the King the Queen and Court let him see them on
Sunday«
»What« exclaimed the hungry man staring »Is it a good sign that he
wishes to see Royalty and Nobility«
»Jacques« said Defarge »judiciously show a cat milk if you wish her to
thirst for it Judiciously show a dog his natural prey if you wish him to bring
it down one day«
Nothing more was said and the mender of roads being found already dozing
on the topmost stair was advised to lay himself down on the palletbed and take
some rest He needed no persuasion and was soon asleep
Worse quarters than Defarges wineshop could easily have been found in
Paris for a provincial slave of that degree Saving for a mysterious dread of
madame by which he was constantly haunted his life was very new and agreeable
But madame sat all day at her counter so expressly unconscious of him and so
particularly determined not to perceive that his being there had any connexion
with anything below the surface that he shook in his wooden shoes whenever his
eye lighted on her For he contended with himself that it was impossible to
foresee what that lady might pretend next and he felt assured that if she
should take it into her brightly ornamented head to pretend that she had seen
him do a murder and afterwards flay the victim she would infallibly go through
with it until the play was played out
Therefore when Sunday came the mender of roads was not enchanted though
he said he was to find that madame was to accompany monsieur and himself to
Versailles It was additionally disconcerting to have madame knitting all the
way there in a public conveyance it was additionally disconcerting yet to
have madame in the crowd in the afternoon still with her knitting in her hands
as the crowd waited to see the carriage of the King and Queen
»You work hard madame« said a man near her
»Yes« answered Madame Defarge »I have a good deal to do«
»What do you make madame«
»Many things«
»For instance «
»For instance« returned Madame Defarge composedly »shrouds«
The man moved a little further away as soon as he could and the mender of
roads fanned himself with his blue cap feeling it mightily close and
oppressive If he needed a King and Queen to restore him he was fortunate in
having his remedy at hand for soon the largefaced King and the fairfaced
Queen came in their golden coach attended by the shining Bulls Eye of their
Court a glittering multitude of laughing ladies and fine lords and in jewels
and silks and powder and splendour and elegantly spurning figures and handsomely
disdainful faces of both sexes the mender of roads bathed himself so much to
his temporary intoxication that he cried Long live the King Long live the
Queen Long live everybody and everything as if he had never heard of
ubiquitous Jacques in his time Then there were gardens courtyards terraces
fountains green banks more King and Queen more Bulls Eye more lords and
ladies more Long live they all until he absolutely wept with sentiment During
the whole of this scene which lasted some three hours he had plenty of
shouting and weeping and sentimental company and throughout Defarge held him by
the collar as if to restrain him from flying at the objects of his brief
devotion and tearing them to pieces
»Bravo« said Defarge clapping him on the back when it was over like a
patron »you are a good boy«
The mender of roads was now coming to himself and was mistrustful of having
made a mistake in his late demonstrations but no
»You are the fellow we want« said Defarge in his ear »you make these
fools believe that it will last for ever Then they are the more insolent and
it is the nearer ended«
»Hey« cried the mender of roads reflectively »thats true«
»These fools know nothing While they despise your breath and would stop it
for ever and ever in you or in a hundred like you rather than in one of their
own horses or dogs they only know what your breath tells them Let it deceive
them then a little longer it cannot deceive them too much«
Madame Defarge looked superciliously at the client and nodded in
confirmation
»As to you« said she »you would shout and shed tears for anything if it
made a show and a noise Say Would you not«
»Truly madame I think so For the moment«
»If you were shown a great heap of dolls and were set upon them to pluck
them to pieces and despoil them for your own advantage you would pick out the
richest and gayest Say Would you not«
»Truly yes madame«
»Yes And if you were shown a flock of birds unable to fly and were set
upon them to strip them of their feathers for your own advantage you would set
upon the birds of the finest feathers would you not«
»It is true madame«
»You have seen both dolls and birds today« said Madame Defarge with a
wave of her hand towards the place where they had last been apparent »now go
home«
Chapter XVI
Still Knitting
Madame Defarge and monsieur her husband returned amicably to the bosom of Saint
Antoine while a speck in a blue cap toiled through the darkness and through
the dust and down the weary miles of avenue by the wayside slowly tending
towards that point of the compass where the château of Monsieur the Marquis now
in his grave listened to the whispering trees Such ample leisure had the stone
faces now for listening to the trees and to the fountain that the few village
scarecrows who in their quest for herbs to eat and fragments of dead stick to
burn strayed within sight of the great stone courtyard and terrace staircase
had it borne in upon their starved fancy that the expression of the faces was
altered A rumour just lived in the village had a faint and bare existence
there as its people had that when the knife struck home the faces changed
from faces of pride to faces of anger and pain also that when that dangling
figure was hauled up forty feet above the fountain they changed again and bore
a cruel look of being avenged which they would henceforth bear for ever In the
stone face over the great window of the bed where the murder was done two fine
dints were pointed out in the sculptured nose which everybody recognised and
which nobody had seen of old and on the scarce occasions when two or three
ragged peasants emerged from the crowd to take a hurried peep at Monsieur the
Marquis petrified a skinny finger would not have pointed to it for a minute
before they all started away among the moss and leaves like the more fortunate
hares who could find a living there
Château and hut stone face and dangling figure the red stain on the stone
floor and the pure water in the village well thousands of acres of land a
whole province of France all France itself lay under the night sky
concentrated into a faint hairbreadth line So does a whole world with all its
greatnesses and littlenesses lie in a twinkling star And as mere human
knowledge can split a ray of light and analyse the manner of its composition
so sublimer intelligences may read in the feeble shining of this earth of ours
every thought and act every vice and virtue of every responsible creature on
it
The Defarges husband and wife came lumbering under the starlight in their
public vehicle to that gate of Paris whereunto their journey naturally tended
There was the usual stoppage at the barrier guardhouse and the usual lanterns
came glancing forth for the usual examination and inquiry Monsieur Defarge
alighted knowing one or two of the soldiery there and one of the police The
latter he was intimate with and affectionately embraced
When Saint Antoine had again enfolded the Defarges in his dusky wings and
they having finally alighted near the Saints boundaries were picking their
way on foot through the black mud and offal of his streets Madame Defarge spoke
to her husband
»Say then my friend what did Jacques of the police tell thee«
»Very little tonight but all he knows There is another spy commissioned
for our quarter There may be many more for all that he can say but he knows
of one«
»Eh well« said Madame Defarge raising her eyebrows with a cool business
air »It is necessary to register him How do they call that man«
»He is English«
»So much the better His name«
»Barsad« said Defarge making it French by pronunciation But he had been
so careful to get it accurately that he then spelt it with perfect correctness
»Barsad« repeated madame »Good Christian name«
»John«
»John Barsad« repeated madame after murmuring it once to herself »Good
His appearance is it known«
»Age about forty years height about five feet nine black hair
complexion dark generally rather handsome visage eyes dark face thin long
and sallow nose aquiline but not straight having a peculiar inclination
towards the left cheek expression therefore sinister«
»Eh my faith It is a portrait« said madame laughing »He shall be
registered tomorrow«
They turned into the wineshop which was closed for it was midnight and
where Madame Defarge immediately took her post at her desk counted the small
moneys that had been taken during her absence examined the stock went through
the entries in the book made other entries of her own checked the serving man
in every possible way and finally dismissed him to bed Then she turned out the
contents of the bowl of money for the second time and began knotting them up in
her handkerchief in a chain of separate knots for safe keeping through the
night All this while Defarge with his pipe in his mouth walked up and down
complacently admiring but never interfering in which condition indeed as to
the business and his domestic affairs he walked up and down through life
The night was hot and the shop close shut and surrounded by so foul a
neighbourhood was illsmelling Monsieur Defarges olfactory sense was by no
means delicate but the stock of wine smelt much stronger than it ever tasted
and so did the stock of rum and brandy and aniseed He whiffed the compound of
scents away as he put down his smokedout pipe
»You are fatigued« said madame raising her glance as she knotted the
money »There are only the usual odours«
»I am a little tired« her husband acknowledged
»You are a little depressed too« said madame whose quick eyes had never
been so intent on the accounts but they had had a ray or two for him »Oh the
men the men«
»But my dear« began Defarge
»But my dear« repeated madame nodding firmly »but my dear You are faint
of heart tonight my dear«
»Well then« said Defarge as if a thought were wrung out of his breast
»it is a long time«
»It is a long time« repeated his wife »and when is it not a long time
Vengeance and retribution require a long time it is the rule«
»It does not take a long time to strike a man with Lightning« said Defarge
»How long« demanded madame composedly »does it take to make and store the
lightning Tell me«
Defarge raised his head thoughtfully as if there were something in that
too
»It does not take a long time« said madame »for an earthquake to swallow a
town Eh well Tell me how long it takes to prepare the earthquake«
»A long time I suppose« said Defarge
»But when it is ready it takes place and grinds to pieces everything
before it In the meantime it is always preparing though it is not seen or
heard That is your consolation Keep it«
She tied a knot with flashing eyes as if it throttled a foe
»I tell thee« said madame extending her right hand for emphasis »that
although it is a long time on the road it is on the road and coming I tell
thee it never retreats and never stops I tell thee it is always advancing
Look around and consider the lives of all the world that we know consider the
faces of all the world that we know consider the rage and discontent to which
the Jacquerie addresses itself with more and more of certainty every hour Can
such things last Bah I mock you«
»My brave wife« returned Defarge standing before her with his head a
little bent and his hands clasped at his back like a docile and attentive
pupil before his catechist »I do not question all this But it has lasted a
long time and it is possible you know well my wife it is possible that it
may not come during our lives«
»Eh well How then« demanded madame tying another knot as if there were
another enemy strangled
»Well« said Defarge with a halfcomplaining and halfapologetic shrug »We
shall not see the triumph«
»We shall have helped it« returned madame with her extended hand in strong
action »Nothing that we do is done in vain I believe with all my soul that
we shall see the triumph But even if not even if I knew certainly not show me
the neck of an aristocrat and tyrant and still I would «
Then madame with her teeth set tied a very terrible knot indeed
»Hold« cried Defarge reddening a little as if he felt charged with
cowardice »I too my dear will stop at nothing«
»Yes But it is your weakness that you sometimes need to see your victim and
your opportunity to sustain you Sustain yourself without that When the time
comes let loose a tiger and a devil but wait for the time with the tiger and
the devil chained not shown yet always ready«
Madame enforced the conclusion of this piece of advice by striking her
little counter with her chain of money as if she knocked its brains out and
then gathering the heavy handkerchief under her arm in a serene manner and
observing that it was time to go to bed
Next noontide saw the admirable woman in her usual place in the wineshop
knitting away assiduously A rose lay beside her and if she now and then
glanced at the flower it was with no infraction of her usual preoccupied air
There were a few customers drinking or not drinking standing or seated
sprinkled about The day was very hot and heaps of flies who were extending
their inquisitive and adventurous perquisitions into all the glutinous little
glasses near madame fell dead at the bottom Their decease made no impression
on the other flies out promenading who looked at them in the coolest manner as
if they themselves were elephants or something as far removed until they met
the same fate Curious to consider how heedless flies are perhaps they
thought as much at Court that sunny summer day
A figure entering at the door threw a shadow on Madame Defarge which she
felt to be a new one She laid down her knitting and began to pin her rose in
her headdress before she looked at the figure
It was curious The moment Madame Defarge took up the rose the customers
ceased talking and began gradually to drop out of the wineshop
»Good day madame« said the newcomer
»Good day monsieur«
She said it aloud but added to herself as she resumed her knitting »Hah
Good day age about forty height about five feet nine black hair generally
rather handsome visage complexion dark eyes dark thin long and sallow face
aquiline nose but not straight having a peculiar inclination towards the left
cheek which imparts a sinister expression Good day one and all«
»Have the goodness to give me a little glass of old cognac and a mouthful
of cool fresh water madame«
Madame complied with a polite air
»Marvellous cognac this madame«
It was the first time it had ever been so complimented and Madame Defarge
knew enough of its antecedents to know better She said however that the
cognac was flattered and took up her knitting The visitor watched her fingers
for a few moments and took the opportunity of observing the place in general
»You knit with great skill madame«
»I am accustomed to it«
»A pretty pattern too«
»You think so« said madame looking at him with a smile
»Decidedly May one ask what it is for«
»Pastime« said madame still looking at him with a smile while her fingers
moved nimbly
»Not for use«
»That depends I may find a use for it one day If I do well« said
madame drawing a breath and nodding her head with a stern kind of coquetry
»Ill use it«
It was remarkable but the taste of Saint Antoine seemed to be decidedly
opposed to a rose on the headdress of Madame Defarge Two men had entered
separately and had been about to order drink when catching sight of that
novelty they faltered made a pretence of looking about as if for some friend
who was not there and went away Nor of those who had been there when this
visitor entered was there one left They had all dropped off The spy had kept
his eyes open but had been able to detect no sign They had lounged away in a
povertystricken purposeless accidental manner quite natural and
unimpeachable
»JOHN« thought madame checking off her work as her fingers knitted and
her eyes looked at the stranger »Stay long enough and I shall knit BARSAD
before you go«
»You have a husband madame«
»I have«
»Children«
»No children«
»Business seems bad«
»Business is very bad the people are so poor«
»Ah the unfortunate miserable people So oppressed too as you say«
»As you say« madame retorted correcting him and deftly knitting an extra
something into his name that boded him no good
»Pardon me certainly it was I who said so but you naturally think so Of
course«
»I think« returned madame in a high voice »I and my husband have enough
to do to keep this wineshop open without thinking All we think here is how
to live That is the subject we think of and it gives us from morning to
night enough to think about without embarrassing our heads concerning others
I think for others No no«
The spy who was there to pick up any crumbs he could find or make did not
allow his baffled state to express itself in his sinister face but stood with
an air of gossiping gallantry leaning his elbow on Madame Defarges little
counter and occasionally sipping his cognac
»A bad business this madame of Gaspards execution Ah the poor Gaspard«
With a sigh of great compassion
»My faith« returned madame coolly and lightly »if people use knives for
such purposes they have to pay for it He knew beforehand what the price of his
luxury was he has paid the price«
»I believe« said the spy dropping his soft voice to a tone that invited
confidence and expressing an injured revolutionary susceptibility in every
muscle of his wicked face »I believe there is much compassion and anger in this
neighbourhood touching the poor fellow Between ourselves«
»Is there« asked madame vacantly
»Is there not«
» Here is my husband« said Madame Defarge
As the keeper of the wineshop entered at the door the spy saluted him by
touching his hat and saying with an engaging smile »Good day Jacques«
Defarge stopped short and stared at him
»Good day Jacques« the spy repeated with not quite so much confidence or
quite so easy a smile under the stare
»You deceive yourself monsieur« returned the keeper of the wineshop »You
mistake me for another That is not my name I am Ernest Defarge«
»It is all the same« said the spy airily but discomfited too »good day«
»Good day« answered Defarge drily
»I was saying to madame with whom I had the pleasure of chatting when you
entered that they tell me there is and no wonder much sympathy and anger
in Saint Antoine touching the unhappy fate of poor Gaspard«
»No one has told me so« said Defarge shaking his head »I know nothing of
it«
Having said it he passed behind the little counter and stood with his hand
on the back of his wifes chair looking over that barrier at the person to whom
they were both opposed and whom either of them would have shot with the
greatest satisfaction
The spy well used to his business did not change his unconscious attitude
but drained his little glass of cognac took a sip of fresh water and asked for
another glass of cognac Madame Defarge poured it out for him took to her
knitting again and hummed a little song over it
»You seem to know this quarter well that is to say better than I do«
observed Defarge
»Not at all but I hope to know it better I am so profoundly interested in
its miserable inhabitants«
»Hah« muttered Defarge
»The pleasure of conversing with you Monsieur Defarge recalls to me«
pursued the spy »that I have the honour of cherishing some interesting
associations with your name«
»Indeed« said Defarge with much indifference
»Yes indeed When Dr Manette was released you his old domestic had the
charge of him I know He was delivered to you You see I am informed of the
circumstances«
»Such is the fact certainly« said Defarge He had had it conveyed to him
in an accidental touch of his wifes elbow as she knitted and warbled that he
would do best to answer but always with brevity
»It was to you« said the spy »that his daughter came and it was from your
care that his daughter took him accompanied by a neat brown monsieur how is he
called in a little wig Lorry of the bank of Tellson and Company over to
England«
»Such is the fact« repeated Defarge
»Very interesting remembrances« said the spy »I have known Dr Manette and
his daughter in England«
»Yes« said Defarge
»You dont hear much about them now« said the spy
»No« said Defarge
»In effect« madame struck in looking up from her work and her little song
»we never hear about them We received the news of their safe arrival and
perhaps another letter or perhaps two but since then they have gradually
taken their road in life we ours and we have held no correspondence«
»Perfectly so madame« replied the spy »She is going to be married«
»Going« echoed madame »She was pretty enough to have been married long
ago You English are cold it seems to me«
»Oh You know I am English«
»I perceive your tongue is« returned madame »and what the tongue is I
suppose the man is«
He did not take the identification as a compliment but he made the best of
it and turned it off with a laugh After sipping his cognac to the end he
added
»Yes Miss Manette is going to be married But not to an Englishman to one
who like herself is French by birth And speaking of Gaspard ah poor
Gaspard It was cruel cruel it is a curious thing that she is going to marry
the nephew of Monsieur the Marquis for whom Gaspard was exalted to that height
of so many feet in other words, the present Marquis But he lives unknown in
England he is no Marquis there he is Mr Charles Darnay DAulnais is the name
of his mothers family«
Madame Defarge knitted steadily but the intelligence had a palpable effect
upon her husband Do what he would behind the little counter as to the
striking of a light and the lighting of his pipe he was troubled and his hand
was not trustworthy The spy would have been no spy if he had failed to see it
or to record it in his mind
Having made at least this one hit whatever it might prove to be worth
and no customers coming in to help him to any other Mr Barsad paid for what he
had drunk and took his leave taking occasion to say in a genteel manner
before he departed that he looked forward to the pleasure of seeing Monsieur
and Madame Defarge again For some minutes after he had emerged into the outer
presence of Saint Antoine the husband and wife remained exactly as he had left
them lest he should come back
»Can it be true« said Defarge in a low voice looking down at his wife as
he stood smoking with his hand on the back of her chair »what he has said of
Maamselle Manette«
»As he has said it« returned madame lifting her eyebrows a little »it is
probably false But it may be true«
»If it is « Defarge began and stopped
»If it is« repeated his wife
» And if it does come while we live to see it triumph I hope for her
sake Destiny will keep her husband out of France«
»Her husbands destiny« said Madame Defarge with her usual composure
»will take him where he is to go and will lead him to the end that is to end
him That is all I know«
»But it is very strange now at least is it not very strange« said
Defarge rather pleading with his wife to induce her to admit it »that after
all our sympathy for Monsieur her father and herself her husbands name should
be proscribed under your hand at this moment by the side of that infernal dogs
who has just left us«
»Stranger things than that will happen when it does come« answered madame
»I have them both here of a certainty and they are both here for their merits
that is enough«
She rolled up her knitting when she had said those words and presently took
the rose out of the handkerchief that was wound about her head Either Saint
Antoine had an instinctive sense that the objectionable decoration was gone or
Saint Antoine was on the watch for its disappearance howbeit the Saint took
courage to lounge in very shortly afterwards and the wineshop recovered its
habitual aspect
In the evening at which season of all others Saint Antoine turned himself
inside out and sat on doorsteps and windowledges and came to the corners of
vile streets and courts for a breath of air Madame Defarge with her work in
her hand was accustomed to pass from place to place and from group to group a
Missionary there were many like her such as the world will do well never to
breed again All the women knitted They knitted worthless things but the
mechanical work was a mechanical substitute for eating and drinking the hands
moved for the jaws and the digestive apparatus if the bony fingers had been
still the stomachs would have been more faminepinched
But as the fingers went the eyes went and the thoughts And as Madame
Defarge moved on from group to group all three went quicker and fiercer among
every little knot of women that she had spoken with and left behind
Her husband smoked at his door looking after her with admiration »A great
woman« said he »a strong woman a grand woman a frightfully grand woman«
Darkness closed around and then came the ringing of church bells and the
distant beating of the military drums in the Palace CourtYard as the women sat
knitting knitting Darkness encompassed them Another darkness was closing in
as surely when the church bells then ringing pleasantly in many an airy
steeple over France should be melted into thundering cannon when the military
drums should be beating to drown a wretched voice that night allpotent as the
voice of Power and Plenty Freedom and Life So much was closing in about the
women who sat knitting knitting that they their very selves were closing in
around a structure yet unbuilt where they were to sit knitting knitting
counting dropping heads
Chapter XVII
One Night
Never did the sun go down with a brighter glory on the quiet corner in Soho
than one memorable evening when the Doctor and his daughter sat under the
planetree together Never did the moon rise with a milder radiance over great
London than on that night when it found them still seated under the tree and
shone upon their faces through its leaves
Lucie was to be married tomorrow She had reserved this last evening for
her father and they sat alone under the planetree
»You are happy my dear father«
»Quite my child«
They had said little though they had been there a long time When it was
yet light enough to work and read she had neither engaged herself in her usual
work nor had she read to him She had employed herself in both ways at his
side under the tree many and many a time but this time was not quite like any
other and nothing could make it so
»And I am very happy tonight dear father I am deeply happy in the love
that Heaven has so blessed my love for Charles and Charless love for me
But if my life were not to be still consecrated to you or if my marriage were
so arranged as that it would part us even by the length of a few of these
streets I should be more unhappy and selfreproachful now than I can tell you
Even as it is «
Even as it was she could not command her voice
In the sad moonlight she clasped him by the neck and laid her face upon
his breast In the moonlight which is always sad as the light of the sun itself
is as the light called human life is at its coming and its going
»Dearest dear Can you tell me this last time that you feel quite quite
sure no new affections of mine and no new duties of mine will ever interpose
between us I know it well but do you know it In your own heart do you feel
quite certain«
Her father answered with a cheerful firmness of conviction he could
scarcely have assumed »Quite sure my darling More than that« he added as he
tenderly kissed her »my future is far brighter Lucie seen through your
marriage than it could have been nay than it ever was without it«
»If I could hope that my father «
»Believe it love Indeed it is so Consider how natural and how plain it
is my dear that it should be so You devoted and young cannot fully
appreciate the anxiety I have felt that your life should not be wasted «
She moved her hand towards his lips but he took it in his and repeated the
word
» wasted my child should not be wasted struck aside from the natural
order of things for my sake Your unselfishness cannot entirely comprehend how
much my mind has gone on this but only ask yourself how could my happiness be
perfect while yours was incomplete«
»If I had never seen Charles my father I should have been quite happy with
you«
He smiled at her unconscious admission that she would have been unhappy
without Charles having seen him and replied
»My child you did see him and it is Charles If it had not been Charles
it would have been another Or if it had been no other I should have been the
cause and then the dark part of my life would have cast its shadow beyond
myself and would have fallen on you«
It was the first time except at the trial of her ever hearing him refer to
the period of his suffering It gave her a strange and new sensation while his
words were in her ears and she remembered it long afterwards
»See« said the Doctor of Beauvais raising his hand towards the moon »I
have looked at her from my prisonwindow when I could not bear her light I
have looked at her when it has been such torture to me to think of her shining
upon what I had lost that I have beaten my head against my prisonwalls I have
looked at her in a state so dull and lethargic that I have thought of nothing
but the number of horizontal lines I could draw across her at the full and the
number of perpendicular lines with which I could intersect them« He added in
his inward and pondering manner as he looked at the moon »It was twenty either
way I remember and the twentieth was difficult to squeeze in«
The strange thrill with which she heard him go back to that time deepened
as he dwelt upon it but there was nothing to shock her in the manner of his
reference He only seemed to contrast his present cheerfulness and felicity with
the dire endurance that was over
»I have looked at her speculating thousands of times upon the unborn child
from whom I had been rent Whether it was alive Whether it had been born alive
or the poor mothers shock had killed it Whether it was a son who would some
day avenge his father There was a time in my imprisonment when my desire for
vengeance was unbearable Whether it was a son who would never know his
fathers story who might even live to weigh the possibility of his fathers
having disappeared of his own will and act Whether it was a daughter who would
grow to be a woman«
She drew closer to him and kissed his cheek and his hand
»I have pictured my daughter to myself as perfectly forgetful of me
rather altogether ignorant of me and unconscious of me I have cast up the
years of her age year after year I have seen her married to a man who knew
nothing of my fate I have altogether perished from the remembrance of the
living and in the next generation my place was a blank«
»My father Even to hear that you had such thoughts of a daughter who never
existed strikes to my heart as if I had been that child«
»You Lucie It is out of the consolation and restoration you have brought
to me that these remembrances arise and pass between us and the moon on this
last night What did I say just now«
»She knew nothing of you She cared nothing for you«
»So But on other moonlight nights when the sadness and the silence have
touched me in a different way have affected me with something as like a
sorrowful sense of peace as any emotion that had pain for its foundations could
I have imagined her as coming to me in my cell and leading me out into the
freedom beyond the fortress I have seen her image in the moonlight often as I
now see you except that I never held her in my arms it stood between the
little grated window and the door But you understand that that was not the
child I am speaking of«
»The figure was not the the image the fancy«
»No That was another thing It stood before my disturbed sense of sight
but it never moved The phantom that my mind pursued was another and more real
child Of her outward appearance I know no more than that she was like her
mother The other had that likeness too as you have but was not the same
Can you follow me Lucie Hardly I think I doubt you must have been a solitary
prisoner to understand these perplexed distinctions«
His collected and calm manner could not prevent her blood from running cold
as he thus tried to anatomise his old condition
»In that more peaceful state I have imagined her in the moonlight coming
to me and taking me out to show me that the home of her married life was full of
her loving remembrance of her lost father My picture was in her room and I was
in her prayers Her life was active cheerful useful but my poor history
pervaded it all«
»I was that child my father I was not half so good but in my love that
was I«
»And she showed me her children« said the Doctor of Beauvais »and they had
heard of me and had been taught to pity me When they passed a prison of the
State they kept far from its frowning walls and looked up at its bars and
spoke in whispers She could never deliver me I imagined that she always
brought me back after showing me such things But then blessed with the relief
of tears I fell upon my knees and blessed her«
»I am that child I hope my father O my dear my dear will you bless me
as fervently tomorrow«
»Lucie I recall these old troubles in the reason that I have tonight for
loving you better than words can tell and thanking God for my great happiness
My thoughts when they were wildest never rose near the happiness that I have
known with you and that we have before us«
He embraced her solemnly commended her to Heaven and humbly thanked Heaven
for having bestowed her on him Byandby they went into the house
There was no one bidden to the marriage but Mr Lorry there was even to be
no bridesmaid but the gaunt Miss Pross The marriage was to make no change in
their place of residence they had been able to extend it by taking to
themselves the upper rooms formerly belonging to the apocryphal invisible
lodger and they desired nothing more
Doctor Manette was very cheerful at the little supper They were only three
at table and Miss Pross made the third He regretted that Charles was not
there was more than half disposed to object to the loving little plot that kept
him away and drank to him affectionately
So the time came for him to bid Lucie good night and they separated But
in the stillness of the third hour of the morning Lucie came downstairs again
and stole into his room not free from unshaped fears beforehand
All things however were in their places all was quiet and he lay asleep
his white hair picturesque on the untroubled pillow and his hands lying quiet
on the coverlet She put her needless candle in the shadow at a distance crept
up to his bed and put her lips to his then leaned over him and looked at
him
Into his handsome face the bitter waters of captivity had worn but he
covered up their tracks with a determination so strong that he held the mastery
of them even in his sleep A more remarkable face in its quiet resolute and
guarded struggle with an unseen assailant was not to be beheld in all the wide
dominions of sleep that night
She timidly laid her hand on his dear breast and put up a prayer that she
might ever be as true to him as her love aspired to be and as his sorrows
deserved Then she withdrew her hand and kissed his lips once more and went
away So the sunrise came and the shadows of the leaves of the planetree
moved upon his face as softly as her lips had moved in praying for him
Chapter XVIII
Nine Days
The marriageday was shining brightly and they were ready outside the closed
door of the Doctors room where he was speaking with Charles Darnay They were
ready to go to church the beautiful bride Mr Lorry and Miss Pross to whom
the event through a gradual process of reconcilement to the inevitable would
have been one of absolute bliss but for the yet lingering consideration that
her brother Solomon should have been the bridegroom
»And so« said Mr Lorry who could not sufficiently admire the bride and
who had been moving round her to take in every point of her quiet pretty dress
»and so it was for this my sweet Lucie that I brought you across the Channel
such a baby Lord bless me How little I thought what I was doing How lightly I
valued the obligation I was conferring on my friend Mr Charles«
»You didnt mean it« remarked the matteroffact Miss Pross »and therefore
how could you know it Nonsense«
»Really Well but dont cry« said the gentle Mr Lorry
»I am not crying« said Miss Pross »you are«
»I my Pross« By this time Mr Lorry dared to be pleasant with her on
occasion
»You were just now I saw you do it and I dont wonder at it Such a
present of plate as you have made em is enough to bring tears into anybodys
eyes Theres not a fork or a spoon in the collection« said Miss Pross »that I
didnt cry over last night after the box came till I couldnt see it«
»I am highly gratified« said Mr Lorry »though upon my honour I had no
intention of rendering those trifling articles of remembrance invisible to any
one Dear me This is an occasion that makes a man speculate on all he has lost
Dear dear dear To think that there might have been a Mrs Lorry any time
these fifty years almost«
»Not at all« From Miss Pross
»You think there never might have been a Mrs Lorry« asked the gentleman of
that name
»Pooh« rejoined Miss Pross »you were a bachelor in your cradle«
»Well« observed Mr Lorry beamingly adjusting his little wig »that seems
probable too«
»And you were cut out for a bachelor« pursued Miss Pross »before you were
put in your cradle«
»Then I think« said Mr Lorry »that I was very unhandsomely dealt with
and that I ought to have had a voice in the selection of my pattern Enough
Now my dear Lucie« drawing his arm soothingly round her waist »I hear them
moving in the next room and Miss Pross and I as two formal folks of business
are anxious not to lose the final opportunity of saying something to you that
you wish to hear You leave your good father my dear in hands as earnest and
as loving as your own he shall be taken every conceivable care of during the
next fortnight while you are in Warwickshire and thereabouts even Tellsons
shall go to the wall comparatively speaking before him And when at the
fortnights end he comes to join you and your beloved husband on your other
fortnights trip in Wales you shall say that we have sent him to you in the
best health and in the happiest frame Now I hear Somebodys step coming to the
door Let me kiss my dear girl with an oldfashioned bachelor blessing before
Somebody comes to claim his own«
For a moment he held the fair face from him to look at the wellremembered
expression on the forehead and then laid the bright golden hair against his
little brown wig with a genuine tenderness and delicacy which if such things
be oldfashioned were as old as Adam
The door of the Doctors room opened and he came out with Charles Darnay
He was so deadly pale which had not been the case when they went in together
that no vestige of colour was to be seen in his face But in the composure of
his manner he was unaltered except that to the shrewd glance of Mr Lorry it
disclosed some shadowy indication that the old air of avoidance and dread had
lately passed over him like a cold wind
He gave his arm to his daughter and took her downstairs to the chariot
which Mr Lorry had hired in honour of the day The rest followed in another
carriage and soon in a neighbouring church where no strange eyes looked on
Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette were happily married
Besides the glancing tears that shone among the smiles of the little group
when it was done some diamonds very bright and sparkling glanced on the
brides hand which were newly released from the dark obscurity of one of Mr
Lorrys pockets They returned home to breakfast and all went well and in due
course the golden hair that had mingled with the poor shoemakers white locks in
the Paris garret were mingled with them again in the morning sunlight on the
threshold of the door at parting
It was a hard parting though it was not for long But her father cheered
her and said at last gently disengaging himself from her enfolding arms »Take
her Charles She is yours«
And her agitated hand waved to them from a chaise window and she was gone
The corner being out of the way of the idle and curious and the
preparations having been very simple and few the Doctor Mr Lorry and Miss
Pross were left quite alone It was when they turned into the welcome shade of
the cool old hall that Mr Lorry observed a great change to have come over the
Doctor as if the golden arm uplifted there had struck him a poisoned blow
He had naturally repressed much and some revulsion might have been expected
in him when the occasion for repression was gone But it was the old scared
lost look that troubled Mr Lorry and through his absent manner of clasping his
head and drearily wandering away into his own room when they got upstairs Mr
Lorry was reminded of Defarge the wineshop keeper and the starlight ride
»I think« he whispered to Miss Pross after anxious consideration »I think
we had best not speak to him just now or at all disturb him I must look in at
Tellsons so I will go there at once and come back presently Then we will
take him a ride into the country and dine there and all will be well«
It was easier for Mr Lorry to look in at Tellsons than to look out of
Tellsons He was detained two hours When he came back he ascended the old
staircase alone having asked no question of the servant going thus into the
Doctors rooms he was stopped by a low sound of knocking
»Good God« he said with a start »Whats that«
Miss Pross with a terrified face was at his ear »O me O me All is
lost« cried she wringing her hands »What is to be told to Ladybird He
doesnt know me and is making shoes«
Mr Lorry said what he could to calm her and went himself into the Doctors
room The bench was turned towards the light as it had been when he had seen
the shoemaker at his work before and his head was bent down and he was very
busy
»Doctor Manette My dear friend Doctor Manette«
The Doctor looked at him for a moment half inquiringly half as if he were
angry at being spoken to and bent over his work again
He had laid aside his coat and waistcoat his shirt was open at the throat
as it used to be when he did that work and even the old haggard faded surface
of face had come back to him He worked hard impatiently as if in some sense
of having been interrupted
Mr Lorry glanced at the work in his hand and observed that it was a shoe
of the old size and shape He took up another that was lying by him and asked
what it was
»A young ladys walking shoe« he muttered without looking up »It ought to
have been finished long ago Let it be«
»But Doctor Manette Look at me«
He obeyed in the old mechanically submissive manner without pausing in his
work
»You know me my dear friend Think again This is not your proper
occupation Think dear friend«
Nothing would induce him to speak more He looked up for an instant at a
time when he was requested to do so but no persuasion would extract a word
from him He worked and worked and worked in silence and words fell on him
as they would have fallen on an echoless wall or on the air The only ray of
hope that Mr Lorry could discover was that he sometimes furtively looked up
without being asked In that there seemed a faint expression of curiosity or
perplexity as though he were trying to reconcile some doubts in his mind
Two things at once impressed themselves on Mr Lorry as important above all
others the first that this must be kept secret from Lucie the second that it
must be kept secret from all who knew him In conjunction with Miss Pross he
took immediate steps towards the latter precaution by giving out that the
Doctor was not well and required a few days of complete rest In aid of the
kind deception to be practised on his daughter Miss Pross was to write
describing his having been called away professionally and referring to an
imaginary letter of two or three hurried lines in his own hand represented to
have been addressed to her by the same post
These measures advisable to be taken in any case Mr Lorry took in the
hope of his coming to himself If that should happen soon he kept another
course in reserve which was to have a certain opinion that he thought the
best on the Doctors case
In the hope of his recovery and of resort to this third course being
thereby rendered practicable Mr Lorry resolved to watch him attentively with
as little appearance as possible of doing so He therefore made arrangements to
absent himself from Tellsons for the first time in his life and took his post
by the window in the same room
He was not long in discovering that it was worse than useless to speak to
him since on being pressed he became worried He abandoned that attempt on
the first day and resolved merely to keep himself always before him as a
silent protest against the delusion into which he had fallen or was falling He
remained therefore in his seat near the window reading and writing and
expressing in as many pleasant and natural ways as he could think of that it
was a free place
Doctor Manette took what was given him to eat and drink and worked on that
first day until it was too dark to see worked on half an hour after Mr
Lorry could not have seen for his life to read or write When he put his tools
aside as useless until morning Mr Lorry rose and said to him
»Will you go out«
He looked down at the floor on either side of him in the old manner looked
up in the old manner and repeated in the old low voice
»Out«
»Yes for a walk with me Why not«
He made no effort to say why not and said not a word more But Mr Lorry
thought he saw as he leaned forward on his bench in the dusk with his elbows
on his knees and his head in his hands that he was in some misty way asking
himself »Why not« The sagacity of the man of business perceived an advantage
here and determined to hold it
Miss Pross and he divided the night into two watches and observed him at
intervals from the adjoining room He paced up and down for a long time before
he lay down but when he did finally lay himself down he fell asleep In the
morning he was up betimes and went straight to his bench and to work
On this second day Mr Lorry saluted him cheerfully by his name and spoke
to him on topics that had been of late familiar to them He returned no reply
but it was evident that he heard what was said and that he thought about it
however confusedly This encouraged Mr Lorry to have Miss Pross in with her
work several times during the day at those times they quietly spoke of Lucie
and of her father then present precisely in the usual manner and as if there
were nothing amiss This was done without any demonstrative accompaniment not
long enough or often enough to harass him and it lightened Mr Lorrys
friendly heart to believe that he looked up oftener and that he appeared to be
stirred by some perception of inconsistencies surrounding him
When it fell dark again Mr Lorry asked him as before
»Dear Doctor will you go out«
As before he repeated »Out«
»Yes for a walk with me Why not«
This time Mr Lorry feigned to go out when he could extract no answer from
him and after remaining absent for an hour returned In the meanwhile the
Doctor had removed to the seat in the window and had sat there looking down at
the planetree but on Mr Lorrys return he slipped away to his bench
The time went very slowly on and Mr Lorrys hope darkened and his heart
grew heavier again and grew yet heavier and heavier every day The third day
came and went the fourth the fifth Five days six days seven days eight
days nine days
With a hope ever darkening and with a heart always growing heavier and
heavier Mr Lorry passed through this anxious time The secret was well kept
and Lucie was unconscious and happy but he could not fail to observe that the
shoemaker whose hand had been a little out at first was growing dreadfully
skilful and that he had never been so intent on his work and that his hands
had never been so nimble and expert as in the dusk of the ninth evening
Chapter XIX
An Opinion
Worn out by anxious watching Mr Lorry fell asleep at his post On the tenth
morning of his suspense he was startled by the shining of the sun into the room
where a heavy slumber had overtaken him when it was dark night
He rubbed his eyes and roused himself but he doubted when he had done so
whether he was not still asleep For going to the door of the Doctors room and
looking in he perceived that the shoemakers bench and tools were put aside
again and that the Doctor himself sat reading at the window He was in his
usual morning dress and his face which Mr Lorry could distinctly see though
still very pale was calmly studious and attentive
Even when he had satisfied himself that he was awake Mr Lorry felt giddily
uncertain for some few moments whether the late shoemaking might not be a
disturbed dream of his own for did not his eyes show him his friend before him
in his accustomed clothing and aspect and employed as usual and was there any
sign within their range that the change of which he had so strong an impression
had actually happened
It was but the inquiry of his first confusion and astonishment the answer
being obvious If the impression were not produced by a real corresponding and
sufficient cause how came he Jarvis Lorry there How came he to have fallen
asleep in his clothes on the sofa in Dr Manettes consultingroom and to be
debating these points outside the Doctors bedroom door in the early morning
Within a few minutes Miss Pross stood whispering at his side If he had had
any particle of doubt left her talk would of necessity have resolved it but he
was by that time clearheaded and had none He advised that they should let the
time go by until the regular breakfasthour and should then meet the Doctor as
if nothing unusual had occurred If he appeared to be in his customary state of
mind Mr Lorry would then cautiously proceed to seek direction and guidance
from the opinion he had been in his anxiety so anxious to obtain
Miss Pross submitting herself to his judgment the scheme was worked out
with care Having abundance of time for his usual methodical toilette Mr Lorry
presented himself at the breakfasthour in his usual white linen and with his
usual neat leg The Doctor was summoned in the usual way and came to breakfast
So far as it was possible to comprehend him without overstepping those
delicate and gradual approaches which Mr Lorry felt to be the only safe
advance he at first supposed that his daughters marriage had taken place
yesterday An incidental allusion purposely thrown out to the day of the week
and the day of the month set him thinking and counting and evidently made him
uneasy In all other respects however he was so composedly himself that Mr
Lorry determined to have the aid he sought And that aid was his own
Therefore when the breakfast was done and cleared away and he and the
Doctor were left together Mr Lorry said feelingly
»My dear Manette I am anxious to have your opinion in confidence on a
very curious case in which I am deeply interested that is to say it is very
curious to me perhaps to your better information it may be less so«
Glancing at his hands which were discoloured by his late work the Doctor
looked troubled and listened attentively He had already glanced at his hands
more than once
»Doctor Manette« said Mr Lorry touching him affectionately on the arm
»the case is the case of a particularly dear friend of mine Pray give your mind
to it and advise me well for his sake and above all for his daughters his
daughters my dear Manette«
»If I understand« said the Doctor in a subdued tone »some mental shock
«
»Yes«
»Be explicit« said the Doctor »Spare no detail«
Mr Lorry saw that they understood one another and proceeded
»My dear Manette it is the case of an old and a prolonged shock of great
acuteness and severity to the affections the feelings the the as you
express it the mind The mind It is the case of a shock under which the
sufferer was borne down one cannot say for how long because I believe he
cannot calculate the time himself and there are no other means of getting at
it It is the case of a shock from which the sufferer recovered by a process
that he cannot trace himself as I once heard him publicly relate in a striking
manner It is the case of a shock from which he has recovered so completely as
to be a highly intelligent man capable of close application of mind and great
exertion of body and of constantly making fresh additions to his stock of
knowledge which was already very large But unfortunately there has been«
he paused and took a deep breath »a slight relapse«
The Doctor in a low voice asked »Of how long duration«
»Nine days and nights«
»How did it show itself I infer« glancing at his hands again »in the
resumption of some old pursuit connected with the shock«
»That is the fact«
»Now did you ever see him« asked the Doctor distinctly and collectedly
though in the same low voice »engaged in that pursuit originally«
»Once«
»And when the relapse fell on him was he in most respects or in all
respects as he was then«
»I think in all respects«
»You spoke of his daughter Does his daughter know of the relapse«
»No It has been kept from her and I hope will always be kept from her It
is known only to myself and to one other who may be trusted«
The Doctor grasped his hand and murmured »That was very kind That was
very thoughtful« Mr Lorry grasped his hand in return and neither of the two
spoke for a little while
»Now my dear Manette« said Mr Lorry at length in his most considerate
and most affectionate way »I am a mere man of business and unfit to cope with
such intricate and difficult matters I do not possess the kind of information
necessary I do not possess the kind of intelligence I want guiding There is
no man in this world on whom I could so rely for right guidance as on you Tell
me how does this relapse come about Is there danger of another Could a
repetition of it be prevented How should a repetition of it be treated How
does it come about at all What can I do for my friend No man ever can have
been more desirous in his heart to serve a friend than I am to serve mine if I
knew how But I dont know how to originate in such a case If your sagacity
knowledge and experience could put me on the right track I might be able to
do so much unenlightened and undirected I can do so little Pray discuss it
with me pray enable me to see it a little more clearly and teach me how to be
a little more useful«
Doctor Manette sat meditating after these earnest words were spoken and Mr
Lorry did not press him
»I think it probable« said the Doctor breaking silence with an effort
»that the relapse you have described my dear friend was not quite unforeseen
by its subject«
»Was it dreaded by him« Mr Lorry ventured to ask
»Very much« He said it with an involuntary shudder
»You have no idea how such an apprehension weighs on the sufferers mind
and how difficult how almost impossible it is for him to force himself to
utter a word upon the topic that oppresses him«
»Would he« asked Mr Lorry »be sensibly relieved if he could prevail upon
himself to impart that secret brooding to any one when it is on him«
»I think so But it is as I have told you next to impossible I even
believe it in some cases to be quite impossible«
»Now« said Mr Lorry gently laying his hand on the Doctors arm again
after a short silence on both sides »to what would you refer this attack«
»I believe« returned Doctor Manette »that there had been a strong and
extraordinary revival of the train of thought and remembrance that was the first
cause of the malady Some intense associations of a most distressing nature were
vividly recalled I think It is probable that there had long been a dread
lurking in his mind that those associations would be recalled say under
certain circumstances say on a particular occasion He tried to prepare
himself in vain perhaps the effort to prepare himself made him less able to
bear it«
»Would he remember what took place in the relapse« asked Mr Lorry with
natural hesitation
The Doctor looked desolately round the room shook his head and answered
in a low voice »Not at all«
»Now as to the future« hinted Mr Lorry
»As to the future« said the Doctor recovering firmness »I should have
great hope As it pleased Heaven in its mercy to restore him so soon I should
have great hope He yielding under the pressure of a complicated something
long dreaded and long vaguely foreseen and contended against and recovering
after the cloud had burst and passed I should hope that the worst was over«
»Well well Thats good comfort I am thankful« said Mr Lorry
»I am thankful« repeated the Doctor bending his head with reverence
»There are two other points« said Mr Lorry »on which I am anxious to be
instructed I may go on«
»You cannot do your friend a better service« The Doctor gave him his hand
»To the first then He is of a studious habit and unusually energetic he
applies himself with great ardour to the acquisition of professional knowledge
to the conducting of experiments to many things Now does he do too much«
»I think not It may be the character of his mind to be always in singular
need of occupation That may be in part natural to it in part the result of
affliction The less it was occupied with healthy things the more it would be
in danger of turning in the unhealthy direction He may have observed himself
and made the discovery«
»You are sure that he is not under too great a strain«
»I think I am quite sure of it«
»My dear Manette if he were overworked now «
»My dear Lorry I doubt if that could easily be There has been a violent
stress in one direction and it needs a counterweight«
»Excuse me as a persistent man of business Assuming for a moment that he
was overworked it would show itself in some renewal of this disorder«
»I do not think so I do not think« said Doctor Manette with the firmness
of selfconviction »that anything but the one train of association would renew
it I think that henceforth nothing but some extraordinary jarring of that
chord could renew it After what has happened and after his recovery I find it
difficult to imagine any such violent sounding of that string again I trust
and I almost believe that the circumstances likely to renew it are exhausted«
He spoke with the diffidence of a man who knew how slight a thing would
overset the delicate organisation of the mind, and yet with the confidence of a
man who had slowly won his assurance out of personal endurance and distress It
was not for his friend to abate that confidence He professed himself more
relieved and encouraged than he really was and approached his second and last
point He felt it to be the most difficult of all but remembering his old
Sunday morning conversation with Miss Pross and remembering what he had seen in
the last nine days he knew that he must face it
»The occupation resumed under the influence of this passing affliction so
happily recovered from« said Mr Lorry clearing his throat »we will call
Blacksmiths work Blacksmiths work We will say to put a case and for the
sake of illustration that he had been used in his bad time to work at a
little forge We will say that he was unexpectedly found at his forge again Is
it not a pity that he should keep it by him«
The Doctor shaded his forehead with his hand and beat his foot nervously on
the ground
»He has always kept it by him« said Mr Lorry with an anxious look at his
friend »Now would it not be better that he should let it go«
Still the Doctor with shaded forehead beat his foot nervously on the
ground
»You do not find it easy to advise me« said Mr Lorry »I quite understand
it to be a nice question And yet I think « And there he shook his head and
stopped
»You see« said Doctor Manette turning to him after an uneasy pause »it is
very hard to explain consistently the innermost workings of this poor mans
mind He once yearned so frightfully for that occupation and it was so welcome
when it came no doubt it relieved his pain so much by substituting the
perplexity of the fingers for the perplexity of the brain and by substituting
as he became more practised the ingenuity of the hands for the ingenuity of
the mental torture that he has never been able to bear the thought of putting
it quite out of his reach Even now when I believe he is more hopeful of
himself than he has ever been and even speaks of himself with a kind of
confidence the idea that he might need that old employment and not find it
gives him a sudden sense of terror like that which one may fancy strikes to the
heart of a lost child«
He looked like his illustration as he raised his eyes to Mr Lorrys face
»But may not mind I ask for information as a plodding man of business
who only deals with such material objects as guineas shillings and banknotes
may not the retention of the thing involve the retention of the idea If the
thing were gone my dear Manette might not the fear go with it In short is it
not a concession to the misgiving to keep the forge«
There was another silence
»You see too« said the Doctor tremulously »it is such an old companion«
»I would not keep it« said Mr Lorry shaking his head for he gained in
firmness as he saw the Doctor disquieted »I would recommend him to sacrifice
it I only want your authority I am sure it does no good Come Give me your
authority like a dear good man For his daughters sake my dear Manette«
Very strange to see what a struggle there was within him
»In her name then let it be done I sanction it But I would not take it
away while he was present Let it be removed when he is not there let him miss
his old companion after an absence«
Mr Lorry readily engaged for that and the conference was ended They
passed the day in the country and the Doctor was quite restored On the three
following days he remained perfectly well and on the fourteenth day he went
away to join Lucie and her husband The precaution that had been taken to
account for his silence Mr Lorry had previously explained to him and he had
written to Lucie in accordance with it and she had no suspicions
On the night of the day on which he left the house Mr Lorry went into his
room with a chopper saw chisel and hammer attended by Miss Pross carrying a
light There with closed doors and in a mysterious and guilty manner Mr
Lorry hacked the shoemakers bench to pieces while Miss Pross held the candle
as if she were assisting at a murder for which indeed in her grimness she
was no unsuitable figure The burning of the body previously reduced to pieces
convenient for the purpose was commenced without delay in the kitchen fire and
the tools shoes and leather were buried in the garden So wicked do
destruction and secrecy appear to honest minds that Mr Lorry and Miss Pross
while engaged in the commission of their deed and in the removal of its traces
almost felt and almost looked like accomplices in a horrible crime
Chapter XX
A Plea
When the newlymarried pair came home the first person who appeared to offer
his congratulations was Sydney Carton They had not been at home many hours
when he presented himself He was not improved in habits or in looks or in
manner but there was a certain rugged air of fidelity about him which was new
to the observation of Charles Darnay
He watched his opportunity of taking Darnay aside into a window and of
speaking to him when no one overheard
»Mr Darnay« said Carton »I wish we might be friends«
»We are already friends I hope«
»You are good enough to say so as a fashion of speech but I dont mean
any fashion of speech Indeed when I say I wish we might be friends I scarcely
mean quite that either«
Charles Darnay as was natural asked him in all goodhumour and
goodfellowship what he did mean
»Upon my life« said Carton smiling »I find that easier to comprehend in
my own mind than to convey to yours However let me try You remember a
certain famous occasion when I was more drunk than than usual«
»I remember a certain famous occasion when you forced me to confess that you
had been drinking«
»I remember it too The curse of those occasions is heavy upon me for I
always remember them I hope it may be taken into account one day when all days
are at an end for me Dont be alarmed I am not going to preach«
»I am not at all alarmed Earnestness in you is anything but alarming to
me«
»Ah« said Carton with a careless wave of his hand as if he waved that
away »On the drunken occasion in question one of a large number as you know
I was insufferable about liking you and not liking you I wish you would forget
it«
»I forgot it long ago«
»Fashion of speech again But Mr Darnay oblivion is not so easy to me as
you represent it to be to you I have by no means forgotten it and a light
answer does not help me to forget it«
»If it was a light answer« returned Darnay »I beg your forgiveness for it
I had no other object than to turn a slight thing which to my surprise seems
to trouble you too much aside I declare to you on the faith of a gentleman
that I have long dismissed it from my mind Good Heaven what was there to
dismiss Have I had nothing more important to remember in the great service you
rendered me that day«
»As to the great service« said Carton »I am bound to avow to you when you
speak of it in that way that it was mere professional claptrap I dont know
that I cared what became of you when I rendered it Mind I say when I
rendered it I am speaking of the past«
»You make light of the obligation« returned Darnay »but I will not quarrel
with your light answer«
»Genuine truth Mr Darnay trust me I have gone aside from my purpose I
was speaking about our being friends Now you know me you know I am incapable
of all the higher and better flights of men If you doubt it ask Stryver and
hell tell you so«
»I prefer to form my own opinion without the aid of his«
»Well At any rate you know me as a dissolute dog who has never done any
good and never will«
»I dont know that you never will«
»But I do and you must take my word for it Well If you could endure to
have such a worthless fellow and a fellow of such indifferent reputation
coming and going at odd times I should ask that I might be permitted to come
and go as a privileged person here that I might be regarded as an useless and
I would add if it were not for the resemblance I detected between you and me
an unornamental piece of furniture tolerated for its old service and taken no
notice of I doubt if I should abuse the permission It is a hundred to one if I
should avail myself of it four times in a year It would satisfy me I dare say
to know that I had it«
»Will you try«
»That is another way of saying that I am placed on the footing I have
indicated I thank you Darnay I may use that freedom with your name«
»I think so Carton by this time«
They shook hands upon it and Sydney turned away Within a minute
afterwards he was to all outward appearance as unsubstantial as ever
When he was gone and in the course of an evening passed with Miss Pross
the Doctor and Mr Lorry Charles Darnay made some mention of this conversation
in general terms and spoke of Sydney Carton as a problem of carelessness and
recklessness He spoke of him in short not bitterly or meaning to bear hard
upon him but as anybody might who saw him as he showed himself
He had no idea that this could dwell in the thoughts of his fair young wife
but when he afterwards joined her in their own rooms he found her waiting for
him with the old pretty lifting of the forehead strongly marked
»We are thoughtful tonight« said Darnay drawing his arm about her
»Yes dearest Charles« with her hands on his breast and the inquiring and
attentive expression fixed upon him »we are rather thoughtful tonight for we
have something on our mind tonight«
»What is it my Lucie«
»Will you promise not to press one question on me if I beg you not to ask
it«
»Will I promise What will I not promise to my Love«
What indeed with his hand putting aside the golden hair from the cheek
and his other hand against the heart that beat for him
»I think Charles poor Mr Carton deserves more consideration and respect
than you expressed for him tonight«
»Indeed my own Why so«
»That is what you are not to ask me But I think I know he does«
»If you know it it is enough What would you have me do my Life«
»I would ask you dearest to be very generous with him always and very
lenient on his faults when he is not by I would ask you to believe that he has
a heart he very very seldom reveals and that there are deep wounds in it My
dear I have seen it bleeding«
»It is a painful reflection to me« said Charles Darnay quite astounded
»that I should have done him any wrong I never thought this of him«
»My husband it is so I fear he is not to be reclaimed there is scarcely a
hope that anything in his character or fortunes is reparable now But I am sure
that he is capable of good things gentle things even magnanimous things«
She looked so beautiful in the purity of her faith in this lost man that
her husband could have looked at her as she was for hours
»And O my dearest Love« she urged clinging nearer to him laying her head
upon his breast and raising her eyes to his »remember how strong we are in our
happiness and how weak he is in his misery«
The supplication touched him home »I will always remember it dear Heart I
will remember it as long as I live«
He bent over the golden head and put the rosy lips to his and folded her
in his arms If one forlorn wanderer then pacing the dark streets could have
heard her innocent disclosure and could have seen the drops of pity kissed away
by her husband from the soft blue eyes so loving of that husband he might have
cried to the night and the words would not have parted from his lips for the
first time
»God bless her for her sweet compassion«
Chapter XXI
Echoing Footsteps
A wonderful corner for echoes it has been remarked that corner where the
Doctor lived Ever busily winding the golden thread which bound her husband and
her father and herself and her old directress and companion in a life of
quiet bliss Lucie sat in the still house in the tranquilly resounding corner
listening to the echoing footsteps of years
At first there were times though she was a perfectly happy young wife
when her work would slowly fall from her hands and her eyes would be dimmed
For there was something coming in the echoes something light afar off and
scarcely audible yet that stirred her heart too much Fluttering hopes and
doubts hope of a love as yet unknown to her doubts of her remaining upon
earth to enjoy that new delight divided her breast Among the echoes then
there would arise the sound of footsteps at her own early grave and thoughts of
the husband who would be left so desolate and who would mourn for her so much
swelled to her eyes and broke like waves
That time passed and her little Lucie lay on her bosom Then among the
advancing echoes there was the tread of her tiny feet and the sound of her
prattling words Let greater echoes resound as they would the young mother at
the cradle side could always hear those coming They came and the shady house
was sunny with a childs laugh and the Divine friend of children to whom in
her trouble she had confided hers seemed to take her child in His arms as He
took the child of old and made it a sacred joy to her
Ever busily winding the golden thread that bound them all together weaving
the service of her happy influence through the tissue of all their lives and
making it predominate nowhere Lucie heard in the echoes of years none but
friendly and soothing sounds Her husbands step was strong and prosperous among
them her fathers firm and equal Lo Miss Pross in harness of string
awakening the echoes as an unruly charger whipcorrected snorting and pawing
the earth under the planetree in the garden
Even when there were sounds of sorrow among the rest they were not harsh
nor cruel Even when golden hair like her own lay in a halo on a pillow round
the worn face of a little boy and he said with a radiant smile »Dear papa and
mamma I am very sorry to leave you both and to leave my pretty sister but I
am called and I must go« those were not tears all of agony that wetted his
young mothers cheek as the spirit departed from her embrace that had been
entrusted to it Suffer them and forbid them not They see my Fathers face O
Father blessed words
Thus the rustling of an Angels wings got blended with the other echoes
and they were not wholly of earth but had in them that breath of Heaven Sighs
of the winds that blew over a little gardentomb were mingled with them also
and both were audible to Lucie in a hushed murmur like the breathing of a
summer sea asleep upon a sandy shore as the little Lucie comically studious
at the task of the morning or dressing a doll at her mothers footstool
chattered in the tongues of the Two Cities that were blended in her life
The echoes rarely answered to the actual tread of Sydney Carton Some
halfdozen times a year at most he claimed his privilege of coming in
uninvited and would sit among them through the evening as he had once done
often He never came there heated with wine And one other thing regarding him
was whispered in the echoes which has been whispered by all true echoes for
ages and ages
No man ever really loved a woman lost her and knew her with a blameless
though an unchanged mind when she was a wife and a mother but her children had
a strange sympathy with him an instinctive delicacy of pity for him What fine
hidden sensibilities are touched in such a case no echoes tell but it is so
and it was so here Carton was the first stranger to whom little Lucie held out
her chubby arms and he kept his place with her as she grew The little boy had
spoken of him almost at the last »Poor Carton Kiss him for me«
Mr Stryver shouldered his way through the law like some great engine
forcing itself through turbid water and dragged his useful friend in his wake
like a boat towed astern As the boat so favoured is usually in a rough plight
and mostly under water so Sydney had a swamped life of it But easy and
strong custom unhappily so much easier and stronger in him than any stimulating
sense of desert or disgrace made it the life he was to lead and he no more
thought of emerging from his state of lions jackal than any real jackal may be
supposed to think of rising to be a lion Stryver was rich had married a florid
widow with property and three boys who had nothing particularly shining about
them but the straight hair of their dumpling heads
These three young gentlemen Mr Stryver exuding patronage of the most
offensive quality from every pore had walked before him like three sheep to the
quiet corner in Soho and had offered as pupils to Lucies husband delicately
saying »Halloa here are three lumps of breadandcheese towards your
matrimonial picnic Darnay« The polite rejection of the three lumps of
breadandcheese had quite bloated Mr Stryver with indignation which he
afterwards turned to account in the training of the young gentlemen by
directing them to beware of the pride of Beggars like that tutorfellow He was
also in the habit of declaiming to Mrs Stryver over his fullbodied wine on
the arts Mrs Darnay had once put in practice to catch him and on the
diamondcutdiamond arts in himself madam which had rendered him not to be
caught Some of his Kings Bench familiars who were occasionally parties to the
fullbodied wine and the lie excused him for the latter by saying that he had
told it so often that he believed it himself which is surely such an
incorrigible aggravation of an originally bad offence as to justify any such
offenders being carried off to some suitably retired spot and there hanged out
of the way
These were among the echoes to which Lucie sometimes pensive sometimes
amused and laughing listened in the echoing corner until her little daughter
was six years old How near to her heart the echoes of her childs tread came
and those of her own dear fathers always active and selfpossessed and those
of her dear husbands need not be told Nor how the lightest echo of their
united home directed by herself with such a wise and elegant thrift that it was
more abundant than any waste was music to her Nor how there were echoes all
about her sweet in her ears of the many times her father had told her that he
found her more devoted to him married if that could be than single and of the
many times her husband had said to her that no cares and duties seemed to divide
her love for him or her help to him and asked her »What is the magic secret my
darling of your being everything to all of us as if there were only one of us
yet never seeming to be hurried or to have too much to do«
But there were other echoes from a distance that rumbled menacingly in
the corner all through this space of time And it was now about little Lucies
sixth birthday that they began to have an awful sound as of a great storm in
France with a dreadful sea rising
On a night in midJuly one thousand seven hundred and eightynine Mr
Lorry came in late from Tellsons and sat himself down by Lucie and her
husband in the dark window It was a hot wild night and they were all three
reminded of the old Sunday night when they had looked at the lightning from the
same place
»I began to think« said Mr Lorry pushing his brown wig back »that I
should have to pass the night at Tellsons We have been so full of business all
day that we have not known what to do first or which way to turn There is
such an uneasiness in Paris that we have actually a run of confidence upon us
Our customers over there seem not to be able to confide their property to us
fast enough There is positively a mania among some of them for sending it to
England«
»That has a bad look« said Darnay
»A bad look you say my dear Darnay Yes but we dont know what reason
there is in it People are so unreasonable Some of us at Tellsons are getting
old and we really cant be troubled out of the ordinary course without due
occasion«
»Still« said Darnay »you know how gloomy and threatening the sky is«
»I know that to be sure« assented Mr Lorry trying to persuade himself
that his sweet temper was soured and that he grumbled »but I am determined to
be peevish after my long days botheration Where is Manette«
»Here he is« said the Doctor entering the dark room at the moment
»I am quite glad you are at home for these hurries and forebodings by which
I have been surrounded all day long have made me nervous without reason You
are not going out I hope«
»No I am going to play backgammon with you if you like« said the Doctor
»I dont think I do like if I may speak my mind I am not fit to be pitted
against you tonight Is the teaboard still there Lucie I cant see«
»Of course it has been kept for you«
»Thank ye my dear The precious child is safe in bed«
»And sleeping soundly«
»Thats right all safe and well I dont know why anything should be
otherwise than safe and well here thank God but I have been so put out all
day and I am not as young as I was My tea my dear Thank ye Now come and
take your place in the circle and let us sit quiet and hear the echoes about
which you have your theory«
»Not a theory it was a fancy«
»A fancy then my wise pet« said Mr Lorry patting her hand »They are
very numerous and very loud though are they not Only hear them«
Headlong mad and dangerous footsteps to force their way into anybodys life
footsteps not easily made clean again if once stained red the footsteps raging
in Saint Antoine afar off as the little circle sat in the dark London window
Saint Antoine had been that morning a vast dusky mass of scarecrows
heaving to and fro with frequent gleams of light above the billowy heads where
steel blades and bayonets shone in the sun A tremendous roar arose from the
throat of Saint Antoine and a forest of naked arms struggled in the air like
shrivelled branches of trees in a winter wind all the fingers convulsively
clutching at every weapon or semblance of a weapon that was thrown up from the
depths below no matter how far off
Who gave them out whence they last came where they began through what
agency they crookedly quivered and jerked scores at a time over the heads of
the crowd like a kind of lightning no eye in the throng could have told but
muskets were being distributed so were cartridges powder and ball bars of
iron and wood knives axes pikes every weapon that distracted ingenuity could
discover or devise People who could lay hold of nothing else set themselves
with bleeding hands to force stones and bricks out of their places in walls
Every pulse and heart in Saint Antoine was on highfever strain and at
highfever heat Every living creature there held life as of no account and was
demented with a passionate readiness to sacrifice it
As a whirlpool of boiling waters has a centre point so all this raging
circled round Defarges wineshop and every human drop in the caldron had a
tendency to be sucked towards the vortex where Defarge himself already begrimed
with gunpowder and sweat issued orders issued arms thrust this man back
dragged this man forward disarmed one to arm another laboured and strove in
the thickest of the uproar
»Keep near to me Jacques Three« cried Defarge »and do you Jacques One
and Two separate and put yourselves at the head of as many of these patriots as
you can Where is my wife«
»Eh well Here you see me« said madame composed as ever but not knitting
today Madames resolute right hand was occupied with an axe in place of the
usual softer implements and in her girdle were a pistol and a cruel knife
»Where do you go my wife«
»I go« said madame »with you at present You shall see me at the head of
women byandby«
»Come then« cried Defarge in a resounding voice »Patriots and friends
we are ready The Bastille«
With a roar that sounded as if all the breath in France had been shaped into
the detested word the living sea rose wave on wave depth on depth and
overflowed the city to that point Alarmbells ringing drums beating the sea
raging and thundering on its new beach the attack begun
Deep ditches double drawbridge massive stone walls eight great towers
cannon muskets fire and smoke Through the fire and through the smoke in the
fire and in the smoke for the sea cast him up against a cannon and on the
instant he became a cannonier Defarge of the wineshop worked like a manful
soldier Two fierce hours
Deep ditch single drawbridge massive stone walls eight great towers
cannon muskets fire and smoke One drawbridge down »Work comrades all work
Work Jacques One Jacques Two Jacques One Thousand Jacques Two Thousand
Jacques FiveandTwenty Thousand in the name of all the Angels or the Devils
which you prefer work« Thus Defarge of the wineshop still at his gun which
had long grown hot
»To me women« cried madame his wife »What We can kill as well as the men
when the place is taken« And to her with a shrill thirsty cry trooping women
variously armed but all armed alike in hunger and revenge
Cannon muskets fire and smoke but still the deep ditch the single
drawbridge the massive stone walls and the eight great towers Slight
displacements of the raging sea made by the falling wounded Flashing weapons
blazing torches smoking waggonloads of wet straw hard work at neighbouring
barricades in all directions shrieks volleys execrations bravery without
stint boom smash and rattle and the furious sounding of the living sea but
still the deep ditch and the single drawbridge and the massive stone walls
and the eight great towers and still Defarge of the wineshop at his gun grown
doubly hot by the service of Four fierce hours
A white flag from within the fortress and a parley this dimly perceptible
through the raging storm nothing audible in it suddenly the sea rose
immeasurably wider and higher and swept Defarge of the wineshop over the
lowered drawbridge past the massive stone outer walls in among the eight great
towers surrendered
So resistless was the force of the ocean bearing him on that even to draw
his breath or turn his head was as impracticable as if he had been struggling in
the surf at the South Sea until he was landed in the outer courtyard of the
Bastille There against an angle of a wall he made a struggle to look about
him Jacques Three was nearly at his side Madame Defarge still heading some of
her women was visible in the inner distance and her knife was in her hand
Everywhere was tumult exultation deafening and maniacal bewilderment
astounding noise yet furious dumbshow
»The Prisoners«
»The Records«
»The secret cells«
»The instruments of torture«
»The Prisoners«
Of all these cries and ten thousand incoherencies »The Prisoners« was the
cry most taken up by the sea that rushed in as if there were an eternity of
people as well as of time and space When the foremost billows rolled past
bearing the prison officers with them and threatening them all with instant
death if any secret nook remained undisclosed Defarge laid his strong hand on
the breast of one of these men a man with a grey head who had a lighted torch
in his hand separated him from the rest and got him between himself and the
wall
»Show me the North Tower« said Defarge »Quick«
»I will faithfully« replied the man »if you will come with me But there
is no one there«
»What is the meaning of One Hundred and Five North Tower« asked Defarge
»Quick«
»The meaning monsieur«
»Does it mean a captive or a place of captivity Or do you mean that I
shall strike you dead«
»Kill him« croaked Jacques Three who had come close up
»Monsieur it is a cell«
»Show it me«
»Pass this way then«
Jacques Three with his usual craving on him and evidently disappointed by
the dialogue taking a turn that did not seem to promise bloodshed held by
Defarges arm as he held by the turnkeys Their three heads had been close
together during this brief discourse and it had been as much as they could do
to hear one another even then so tremendous was the noise of the living ocean
in its irruption into the Fortress and its inundation of the courts and
passages and staircases All around outside too it beat the walls with a deep
hoarse roar from which occasionally some partial shouts of tumult broke and
leaped into the air like spray
Through gloomy vaults where the light of day had never shone past hideous
doors of dark dens and cages down cavernous flights of steps and again up
steep rugged ascents of stone and brick more like dry waterfalls than
staircases Defarge the turnkey and Jacques Three linked hand and arm went
with all the speed they could make Here and there especially at first the
inundation started on them and swept by but when they had done descending and
were winding and climbing up a tower they were alone Hemmed in here by the
massive thickness of walls and arches the storm within the fortress and without
was only audible to them in a dull subdued way as if the noise out of which
they had come had almost destroyed their sense of hearing
The turnkey stopped at a low door put a key in a clashing lock swung the
door slowly open and said as they all bent their heads and passed in
»One hundred and five North Tower«
There was a small heavilygrated unglazed window high in the wall with a
stone screen before it so that the sky could be only seen by stooping low and
looking up There was a small chimney heavily barred across a few feet within
There was a heap of old feathery woodashes on the hearth There was a stool
and table and a straw bed There were the four blackened walls and a rusted
iron ring in one of them
»Pass that torch slowly along these walls that I may see them« said
Defarge to the turnkey
The man obeyed and Defarge followed the light closely with his eyes
»Stop Look here Jacques«
»A M« croaked Jacques Three as he read greedily
»Alexandre Manette« said Defarge in his ear following the letters with his
swart forefinger deeply engrained with gunpowder »And here he wrote a poor
physician And it was he without doubt who scratched a calendar on this stone
What is that in your hand A crowbar Give it me«
He had still the linstock of his gun in his own hand He made a sudden
exchange of the two instruments and turning on the wormeaten stool and table
beat them to pieces in a few blows
»Hold the light higher« he said wrathfully to the turnkey »Look among
those fragments with care Jacques And see Here is my knife« throwing it to
him »rip open that bed and search the straw Hold the light higher you«
With a menacing look at the turnkey he crawled upon the hearth and peering
up the chimney struck and prised at its sides with the crowbar and worked at
the iron grating across it In a few minutes some mortar and dust came dropping
down which he averted his face to avoid and in it and in the old woodashes
and in a crevice in the chimney into which his weapon had slipped or wrought
itself he groped with a cautious touch
»Nothing in the wood and nothing in the straw Jacques«
»Nothing«
»Let us collect them together in the middle of the cell So Light them
you«
The turnkey fired the little pile which blazed high and hot Stooping again
to come out at the lowarched door they left it burning and retraced their way
to the courtyard seeming to recover their sense of hearing as they came down
until they were in the raging flood once more
They found it surging and tossing in quest of Defarge himself Saint
Antoine was clamorous to have its wineshop keeper foremost in the guard upon
the governor who had defended the Bastille and shot the people Otherwise the
governor would not be marched to the Hôtel de Ville for judgment Otherwise the
governor would escape and the peoples blood suddenly of some value after
many years of worthlessness be unavenged
In the howling universe of passion and contention that seemed to encompass
this grim old officer conspicuous in his grey coat and red decoration there was
but one quite steady figure and that was a womans »See there is my husband«
she cried pointing him out »See Defarge« She stood immovable close to the
grim old officer and remained immovable close to him remained immovable close
to him through the streets as Defarge and the rest bore him along remained
immovable close to him when he was got near his destination and began to be
struck at from behind remained immovable close to him when the longgathering
rain of stabs and blows fell heavy was so close to him when he dropped dead
under it that suddenly animated she put her foot upon his neck and with her
cruel knife long ready hewed off his head
The hour was come when Saint Antoine was to execute his horrible idea of
hoisting up men for lamps to show what he could be and do Saint Antoines blood
was up and the blood of tyranny and domination by the iron hand was down down
on the steps of the Hôtel de Ville where the governors body lay down on the
sole of the shoe of Madame Defarge where she had trodden on the body to steady
it for mutilation »Lower the lamp yonder« cried Saint Antoine after glaring
round for a new means of death »here is one of his soldiers to be left on
guard« The swinging sentinel was posted and the sea rushed on
The sea of black and threatening waters and of destructive upheaving of
wave against wave whose depths were yet unfathomed and whose forces were yet
unknown The remorseless sea of turbulently swaying shapes voices of vengeance
and faces hardened in the furnaces of suffering until the touch of pity could
make no mark on them
But in the ocean of faces where every fierce and furious expression was in
vivid life there were two groups of faces each seven in number so fixedly
contrasting with the rest that never did sea roll which bore more memorable
wrecks with it Seven faces of prisoners suddenly released by the storm that
had burst their tomb were carried high overhead all scared all lost all
wondering and amazed as if the Last Day were come and those who rejoiced
around them were lost spirits Other seven faces there were carried higher
seven dead faces whose drooping eyelids and halfseen eyes awaited the Last
Day Impassive faces yet with a suspended not an abolished expression on
them faces rather in a fearful pause as having yet to raise the dropped lids
of the eyes and bear witness with the bloodless lips »THOU DIDST IT«
Seven prisoners released seven gory heads on pikes the keys of the
accursed fortress of the eight strong towers some discovered letters and other
memorials of prisoners of old time long dead of broken hearts such and
suchlike the loudly echoing footsteps of Saint Antoine escort through the
Paris streets in midJuly one thousand seven hundred and eightynine Now
Heaven defeat the fancy of Lucie Darnay and keep these feet far out of her
life For they are headlong mad and dangerous and in the years so long after
the breaking of the cask at Defarges wineshop door they are not easily
purified when once stained red
Chapter XXII
The Sea Still Rises
Haggard Saint Antoine had had only one exultant week in which to soften his
modicum of hard and bitter bread to such extent as he could with the relish of
fraternal embraces and congratulations when Madame Defarge sat at her counter
as usual presiding over the customers Madame Defarge wore no rose in her head
for the great brotherhood of Spies had become even in one short week extremely
chary of trusting themselves to the saints mercies The lamps across his
streets had a portentously elastic swing with them
Madame Defarge with her arms folded sat in the morning light and heat
contemplating the wineshop and the street In both there were several knots of
loungers squalid and miserable but now with a manifest sense of power
enthroned on their distress The raggedest nightcap awry on the wretchedest
head had this crooked significance in it »I know how hard it has grown for me
the wearer of this to support life in myself but do you know how easy it has
grown for me the wearer of this to destroy life in you« Every lean bare arm
that had been without work before had this work always ready for it now that
it could strike The fingers of the knitting women were vicious with the
experience that they could tear There was a change in the appearance of Saint
Antoine the image had been hammering into this for hundreds of years and the
last finishing blows had told mightily on the expression
Madame Defarge sat observing it with such suppressed approval as was to be
desired in the leader of the Saint Antoine women One of her sisterhood knitted
beside her The short rather plump wife of a starved grocer and the mother of
two children withal this lieutenant had already earned the complimentary name
of The Vengeance
»Hark« said The Vengeance »Listen then Who comes«
As if a train of powder laid from the outermost bound of the Saint Antoine
Quarter to the wineshop door had been suddenly fired a fastspreading murmur
came rushing along
»It is Defarge« said madame »Silence patriots«
Defarge came in breathless pulled off a red cap he wore and looked around
him »Listen everywhere« said madame again »Listen to him« Defarge stood
panting against a background of eager eyes and open mouths formed outside the
door all those within the wineshop had sprung to their feet
»Say then my husband What is it«
»News from the other world«
»How then« cried madame contemptuously »The other world«
»Does everybody here recall old Foulon who told the famished people that
they might eat grass and who died and went to Hell«
»Everybody« from all throats
»The news is of him He is among us«
»Among us« from the universal throat again »And dead«
»Not dead He feared us so much and with reason that he caused himself
to be represented as dead and had a grand mockfuneral But they have found him
alive hiding in the country and have brought him in I have seen him but now
on his way to the Hôtel de Ville a prisoner I have said that he had reason to
fear us Say all Had he reason«
Wretched old sinner of more than threescore years and ten if he had never
known it yet he would have known it in his heart of hearts if he could have
heard the answering cry
A moment of profound silence followed Defarge and his wife looked
steadfastly at one another The Vengeance stooped and the jar of a drum was
heard as she moved it at her feet behind the counter
»Patriots« said Defarge in a determined voice »are we ready«
Instantly Madame Defarges knife was in her girdle the drum was beating in
the streets as if it and a drummer had flown together by magic and The
Vengeance uttering terrific shrieks and flinging her arms about her head like
all the forty Furies at once was tearing from house to house rousing the
women
The men were terrible in the bloodyminded anger with which they looked
from windows caught up what arms they had and came pouring down into the
streets but the women were a sight to chill the boldest From such household
occupations as their bare poverty yielded from their children from their aged
and their sick crouching on the bare ground famished and naked they ran out
with streaming hair urging one another and themselves to madness with the
wildest cries and actions Villain Foulon taken my sister Old Foulon taken my
mother Miscreant Foulon taken my daughter Then a score of others ran into
the midst of these beating their breasts tearing their hair and screaming
Foulon alive Foulon who told the starving people they might eat grass Foulon
who told my old father that he might eat grass when I had no bread to give him
Foulon who told my baby it might suck grass when these breasts were dry with
want O mother of God this Foulon O Heaven our suffering Hear me my dead
baby and my withered father I swear on my knees on these stones to avenge you
on Foulon Husbands and brothers and young men Give us the blood of Foulon
Give us the head of Foulon Give us the heart of Foulon Give us the body and
soul of Foulon Rend Foulon to pieces and dig him into the ground that grass
may grow from him With these cries numbers of the women lashed into blind
frenzy whirled about striking and tearing at their own friends until they
dropped into a passionate swoon and were only saved by the men belonging to
them from being trampled under foot
Nevertheless not a moment was lost not a moment This Foulon was at the
Hôtel de Ville and might be loosed Never if Saint Antoine knew his own
sufferings insults and wrongs Armed men and women flocked out of the Quarter
so fast and drew even these last dregs after them with such a force of suction
that within a quarter of an hour there was not a human creature in Saint
Antoines bosom but a few old crones and the wailing children
No They were all by that time choking the Hall of Examination where this
old man ugly and wicked was and overflowing into the adjacent open space and
streets The Defarges husband and wife The Vengeance and Jacques Three were
in the first press and at no great distance from him in the Hall
»See« cried madame pointing with her knife »See the old villain bound
with ropes That was well done to tie a bunch of grass upon his back Ha ha
That was well done Let him eat it now« Madame put her knife under her arm and
clapped her hands as at a play
The people immediately behind Madame Defarge explaining the cause of her
satisfaction to those behind them and those again explaining to others and
those to others the neighbouring streets resounded with the clapping of hands
Similarly during two or three hours of drawl and the winnowing of many bushels
of words Madame Defarges frequent expressions of impatience were taken up
with marvellous quickness at a distance the more readily because certain men
who had by some wonderful exercise of agility climbed up the external
architecture to look in from the windows knew Madame Defarge well and acted as
a telegraph between her and the crowd outside the building
At length the sun rose so high that it struck a kindly ray as of hope or
protection directly down upon the old prisoners head The favour was too much
to bear in an instant the barrier of dust and chaff that had stood surprisingly
long went to the winds and Saint Antoine had got him
It was known directly to the furthest confines of the crowd Defarge had
but sprung over a railing and a table and folded the miserable wretch in a
deadly embrace Madame Defarge had but followed and turned her hand in one of
the ropes with which he was tied The Vengeance and Jacques Three were not yet
up with them and the men at the windows had not yet swooped into the Hall like
birds of prey from their high perches when the cry seemed to go up all over
the city »Bring him out Bring him to the lamp«
Down and up and head foremost on the steps of the building now on his
knees now on his feet now on his back dragged and struck at and stifled
by the bunches of grass and straw that were thrust into his face by hundreds of
hands torn bruised panting bleeding yet always entreating and beseeching
for mercy now full of vehement agony of action with a small clear space about
him as the people drew one another back that they might see now a log of dead
wood drawn through a forest of legs he was hauled to the nearest street corner
where one of the fatal lamps swung and there Madame Defarge let him go as a
cat might have done to a mouse and silently and composedly looked at him while
they made ready and while he besought her the women passionately screeching at
him all the time and the men sternly calling out to have him killed with grass
in his mouth Once he went aloft and the rope broke and they caught him
shrieking twice he went aloft and the rope broke and they caught him
shrieking then the rope was merciful and held him and his head was soon upon
a pike with grass enough in the mouth for all Saint Antoine to dance at the
sight of
Nor was this the end of the days bad work for Saint Antoine so shouted and
danced his angry blood up that it boiled again on hearing when the day closed
in that the soninlaw of the despatched another of the peoples enemies and
insulters was coming into Paris under a guard five hundred strong in cavalry
alone Saint Antoine wrote his crimes on flaring sheets of paper seized him
would have torn him out of the breast of an army to bear Foulon company set
his head and heart on pikes and carried the three spoils of the day in
Wolfprocession through the streets
Not before dark night did the men and women come back to the children
wailing and breadless Then the miserable bakers shops were beset by long
files of them patiently waiting to buy bad bread and while they waited with
stomachs faint and empty they beguiled the time by embracing one another on the
triumphs of the day and achieving them again in gossip Gradually these
strings of ragged people shortened and frayed away and then poor lights began
to shine in high windows and slender fires were made in the streets at which
neighbours cooked in common afterwards supping at their doors
Scanty and insufficient suppers those and innocent of meat as of most
other sauce to wretched bread Yet human fellowship infused some nourishment
into the flinty viands and struck some sparks of cheerfulness out of them
Fathers and mothers who had had their full share in the worst of the day played
gently with their meagre children and lovers with such a world around them and
before them loved and hoped
It was almost morning when Defarges wineshop parted with its last knot of
customers and Monsieur Defarge said to madame his wife in husky tones while
fastening the door
»At last it is come my dear«
»Eh well« returned madame »Almost«
Saint Antoine slept the Defarges slept even The Vengeance slept with her
starved grocer and the drum was at rest The drums was the only voice in Saint
Antoine that blood and hurry had not changed The Vengeance as custodian of the
drum could have wakened him up and had the same speech out of him as before the
Bastille fell or old Foulon was seized not so with the hoarse tones of the men
and women in Saint Antoines bosom
Chapter XXIII
Fire Rises
There was a change on the village where the fountain fell and where the mender
of roads went forth daily to hammer out of the stones on the highway such
morsels of bread as might serve for patches to hold his poor ignorant soul and
his poor reduced body together The prison on the crag was not so dominant as of
yore there were soldiers to guard it but not many there were officers to
guard the soldiers but not one of them knew what his men would do beyond
this that it would probably not be what he was ordered
Far and wide lay a ruined country yielding nothing but desolation Every
green leaf every blade of grass and blade of grain was as shrivelled and poor
as the miserable people Everything was bowed down dejected oppressed and
broken Habitations fences domesticated animals men women children and the
soil that bore them all worn out
Monseigneur often a most worthy individual gentleman was a national
blessing gave a chivalrous tone to things was a polite example of luxurious
and shining life and a great deal more to equal purpose nevertheless
Monseigneur as a class had somehow or other brought things to this Strange
that Creation designed expressly for Monseigneur should be so soon wrung dry
and squeezed out There must be something shortsighted in the eternal
arrangements surely Thus it was however and the last drop of blood having
been extracted from the flints and the last screw of the rack having been
turned so often that its purchase crumbled and it now turned and turned with
nothing to bite Monseigneur began to run away from a phenomenon so low and
unaccountable
But this was not the change on the village and on many a village like it
For scores of years gone by Monseigneur had squeezed it and wrung it and had
seldom graced it with his presence except for the pleasures of the chase now
found in hunting the people now found in hunting the beasts for whose
preservation Monseigneur made edifying spaces of barbarous and barren
wilderness No The change consisted in the appearance of strange faces of low
caste rather than in the disappearance of the highcaste chiseled and
otherwise beatified and beatifying features of Monseigneur
For in these times as the mender of roads worked solitary in the dust
not often troubling himself to reflect that dust he was and to dust he must
return being for the most part too much occupied in thinking how little he had
for supper and how much more he would eat if he had it in these times as he
raised his eyes from his lonely labour and viewed the prospect he would see
some rough figure approaching on foot the like of which was once a rarity in
those parts but was now a frequent presence As it advanced the mender of
roads would discern without surprise that it was a shaggyhaired man of almost
barbarian aspect tall in wooden shoes that were clumsy even to the eyes of a
mender of roads grim rough swart steeped in the mud and dust of many
highways dank with the marshy moisture of many low grounds sprinkled with the
thorns and leaves and moss of many byways through woods
Such a man came upon him like a ghost at noon in the July weather as he
sat on his heap of stones under a bank taking such shelter as he could get from
a shower of hail
The man looked at him looked at the village in the hollow at the mill and
at the prison on the crag When he had identified these objects in what
benighted mind he had he said in a dialect that was just intelligible
»How goes it Jacques«
»All well Jacques«
»Touch then«
They joined hands and the man sat down on the heap of stones
»No dinner«
»Nothing but supper now« said the mender of roads with a hungry face
»It is the fashion« growled the man »I meet no dinner anywhere«
He took out a blackened pipe filled it lighted it with flint and steel
pulled at it until it was in a bright glow then suddenly held it from him and
dropped something into it from between his finger and thumb that blazed and
went out in a puff of smoke
Touch then It was the turn of the mender of roads to say it this time
after observing these operations They again joined hands
»Tonight« said the mender of roads
»Tonight« said the man putting the pipe in his mouth
»Where«
»Here«
He and the mender of roads sat on the heap of stones looking silently at one
another with the hail driving in between them like a pigmy charge of bayonets
until the sky began to clear over the village
»Show me« said the traveller then moving to the brow of the hill
»See« returned the mender of roads with extended finger »You go down
here and straight through the street and past the fountain «
»To the Devil with all that« interrupted the other rolling his eye over
the landscape »I go through no streets and past no fountains Well«
»Well About two leagues beyond the summit of that hill above the village«
»Good When do you cease to work«
»At sunset«
»Will you wake me before departing I have walked two nights without
resting Let me finish my pipe and I shall sleep like a child Will you wake
me«
»Surely«
The wayfarer smoked his pipe out put it in his breast slipped off his
great wooden shoes and lay down on his back on the heap of stones He was fast
asleep directly
As the roadmender plied his dusty labour and the hailclouds rolling
away revealed bright bars and streaks of sky which were responded to by silver
gleams upon the landscape the little man who wore a red cap now in place of
his blue one seemed fascinated by the figure on the heap of stones His eyes
were so often turned towards it that he used his tools mechanically and one
would have said to very poor account The bronze face the shaggy black hair
and beard the coarse woollen red cap the rough medley dress of homespun stuff
and hairy skins of beasts the powerful frame attenuated by spare living and
the sullen and desperate compression of the lips in sleep inspired the mender
of roads with awe The traveller had travelled far and his feet were footsore
and his ankles chafed and bleeding his great shoes stuffed with leaves and
grass had been heavy to drag over the many long leagues and his clothes were
chafed into holes as he himself was into sores Stooping down beside him the
roadmender tried to get a peep at secret weapons in his breast or where not
but in vain for he slept with his arms crossed upon him and set as resolutely
as his lips Fortified towns with their stockades guardhouses gates
trenches and drawbridges seemed to the mender of roads to be so much air as
against this figure And when he lifted his eyes from it to the horizon and
looked around he saw in his small fancy similar figures stopped by no
obstacle tending to centres all over France
The man slept on indifferent to showers of hail and intervals of
brightness to sunshine on his face and shadow to the pattering lumps of dull
ice on his body and the diamonds into which the sun changed them until the sun
was low in the west and the sky was glowing Then the mender of roads having
got his tools together and all things ready to go down into the village roused
him
»Good« said the sleeper rising on his elbow »Two leagues beyond the
summit of the hill«
»About«
»About Good«
The mender of roads went home with the dust going on before him according
to the set of the wind and was soon at the fountain squeezing himself in among
the lean kine brought there to drink and appearing even to whisper to them in
his whispering to all the village When the village had taken its poor supper
it did not creep to bed as it usually did but came out of doors again and
remained there A curious contagion of whispering was upon it and also when it
gathered together at the fountain in the dark another curious contagion of
looking expectantly at the sky in one direction only Monsieur Gabelle chief
functionary of the place became uneasy went out on his housetop alone and
looked in that direction too glanced down from behind his chimneys at the
darkening faces by the fountain below and sent word to the sacristan who kept
the keys of the church that there might be need to ring the tocsin byandby
The night deepened The trees environing the old château keeping its
solitary state apart moved in a rising wind as though they threatened the pile
of building massive and dark in the gloom Up the two terrace flights of steps
the rain ran wildly and beat at the great door like a swift messenger rousing
those within uneasy rushes of wind went through the hall among the old spears
and knives and passed lamenting up the stairs and shook the curtains of the
bed where the last Marquis had slept East West North and South through the
woods four heavytreading unkempt figures crushed the high grass and cracked
the branches striding on cautiously to come together in the courtyard Four
lights broke out there and moved away in different directions and all was
black again
But not for long Presently the château began to make itself strangely
visible by some light of its own, as though it were growing luminous Then a
flickering streak played behind the architecture of the front picking out
transparent places and showing where balustrades arches and windows were
Then it soared higher and grew broader and brighter Soon from a score of the
great windows flames burst forth and the stone faces awakened stared out of
fire
A faint murmur arose about the house from the few people who were left
there and there was a saddling of a horse and riding away There was spurring
and splashing through the darkness and bridle was drawn in the space by the
village fountain and the horse in a foam stood at Monsieur Gabelles door
»Help Gabelle Help every one« The tocsin rang impatiently but other help
if that were any there was none The mender of roads and two hundred and
fifty particular friends stood with folded arms at the fountain looking at the
pillar of fire in the sky »It must be forty feet high« said they grimly and
never moved
The rider from the château and the horse in a foam clattered away through
the village and galloped up the stony steep to the prison on the crag At the
gate a group of officers were looking at the fire removed from them a group
of soldiers »Help gentlemenofficers The château is on fire valuable objects
may be saved from the flames by timely aid Help help« The officers looked
towards the soldiers who looked at the fire gave no orders and answered with
shrugs and biting of lips »It must burn«
As the rider rattled down the hill again and through the street the village
was illuminating The mender of roads and the two hundred and fifty particular
friends inspired as one man and woman by the idea of lighting up had darted
into their houses and were putting candles in every dull little pane of glass
The general scarcity of everything occasioned candles to be borrowed in a
rather peremptory manner of Monsieur Gabelle and in a moment of reluctance and
hesitation on that functionarys part the mender of roads once so submissive
to authority had remarked that carriages were good to make bonfires with and
that posthorses would roast
The château was left to itself to flame and burn In the roaring and raging
of the conflagration a redhot wind driving straight from the infernal
regions seemed to be blowing the edifice away With the rising and falling of
the blaze the stone faces showed as if they were in torment When great masses
of stone and timber fell the face with the two dints in the nose became
obscured anon struggled out of the smoke again as if it were the face of the
cruel Marquis burning at the stake and contending with the fire
The château burned the nearest trees laid hold of by the fire scorched
and shrivelled trees at a distance fired by the four fierce figures begirt
the blazing edifice with a new forest of smoke Molten lead and iron boiled in
the marble basin of the fountain the water ran dry the extinguisher tops of
the towers vanished like ice before the heat and trickled down into four rugged
wells of flame Great rents and splits branched out in the solid walls like
crystallisation stupefied birds wheeled about and dropped into the furnace
four fierce figures trudged away East West North and South along the night
roads guided by the beacon they had lighted towards their next destination
The illuminated village had seized hold of the tocsin and abolishing the
lawful ringer rang for joy
Not only that but the village lightheaded with famine fire and
bellringing and bethinking itself that Monsieur Gabelle had to do with the
collection of rent and taxes though it was but a small instalment of taxes
and no rent at all that Gabelle had got in those latter days became impatient
for an interview with him and surrounding his house summoned him to come
forth for personal conference Whereupon Monsieur Gabelle did heavily bar his
door and retire to hold counsel with himself The result of that conference
was that Gabelle again withdrew himself to his housetop behind his stack of
chimneys this time resolved if his door were broken in he was a small
Southern man of retaliative temperament to pitch himself head foremost over
the parapet and crush a man or two below
Probably Monsieur Gabelle passed a long night up there with the distant
château for fire and candle and the beating at his door combined with the
joyringing for music not to mention his having an illomened lamp slung
across the road before his postinghouse gate which the village showed a lively
inclination to displace in his favour A trying suspense to be passing a whole
summer night on the brink of the black ocean ready to take that plunge into it
upon which Monsieur Gabelle had resolved But the friendly dawn appearing at
last and the rushcandles of the village guttering out the people happily
dispersed and Monsieur Gabelle came down bringing his life with him for that
while
Within a hundred miles and in the light of other fires there were other
functionaries less fortunate that night and other nights whom the rising sun
found hanging across oncepeaceful streets where they had been born and bred
also there were other villagers and townspeople less fortunate than the mender
of roads and his fellows upon whom the functionaries and soldiery turned with
success and whom they strung up in their turn But the fierce figures were
steadily wending East West North and South be that as it would and
whosoever hung fire burned The altitude of the gallows that would turn to
water and quench it no functionary by any stretch of mathematics was able to
calculate successfully
Chapter XXIV
Drawn to the Loadstone Rock
In such risings of fire and risings of sea the firm earth shaken by the rushes
of an angry ocean which had now no ebb but was always on the flow higher and
higher to the terror and wonder of the beholders on the shore three years of
tempest were consumed Three more birthdays of little Lucie had been woven by
the golden thread into the peaceful tissue of the life of her home
Many a night and many a day had its inmates listened to the echoes in the
corner with hearts that failed them when they heard the thronging feet For
the footsteps had become to their minds as the footsteps of a people tumultuous
under a red flag and with their country declared in danger changed into wild
beasts by terrible enchantment long persisted in
Monseigneur as a class had dissociated himself from the phenomenon of his
not being appreciated of his being so little wanted in France as to incur
considerable danger of receiving his dismissal from it and this life together
Like the fabled rustic who raised the Devil with infinite pains and was so
terrified at the sight of him that he could ask the Enemy no question but
immediately fled so Monseigneur after boldly reading the Lords Prayer
backwards for a great number of years and performing many other potent spells
for compelling the Evil One no sooner beheld him in his terrors than he took to
his noble heels
The shining Bulls Eye of the Court was gone or it would have been the mark
for a hurricane of national bullets It had never been a good eye to see with
had long had the mote in it of Lucifers pride Sardanapaluss luxury and a
moles blindness but it had dropped out and was gone The Court from that
exclusive inner circle to its outermost rotten ring of intrigue corruption and
dissimulation was all gone together Royalty was gone had been besieged in its
Palace and suspended when the last tidings came over
The August of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninetytwo was come
and Monseigneur was by this time scattered far and wide
As was natural the headquarters and great gatheringplace of Monseigneur
in London was Tellsons Bank Spirits are supposed to haunt the places where
their bodies most resorted and Monseigneur without a guinea haunted the spot
where his guineas used to be Moreover it was the spot to which such French
intelligence as was most to be relied upon came quickest Again Tellsons was
a munificent house and extended great liberality to old customers who had
fallen from their high estate Again those nobles who had seen the coming storm
in time and anticipating plunder or confiscation had made provident
remittances to Tellsons were always to be heard of there by their needy
brethren To which it must be added that every newcomer from France reported
himself and his tidings at Tellsons almost as a matter of course For such
variety of reasons Tellsons was at that time as to French intelligence a
kind of High Exchange and this was so well known to the public and the
inquiries made there were in consequence so numerous that Tellsons sometimes
wrote the latest news out in a line or so and posted it in the Bank windows for
all who ran through Temple Bar to read
On a steaming misty afternoon Mr Lorry sat at his desk and Charles
Darnay stood leaning on it talking with him in a low voice The penitential den
once set apart for interviews with the House was now the newsExchange and was
filled to overflowing It was within half an hour or so of the time of closing
»But although you are the youngest man that ever lived« said Charles
Darnay rather hesitating »I must still suggest to you «
»I understand That I am too old« said Mr Lorry
»Unsettled weather a long journey uncertain means of travelling a
disorganised country a city that may not be even safe for you«
»My dear Charles« said Mr Lorry with cheerful confidence »you touch some
of the reasons for my going not for my staying away It is safe enough for me
nobody will care to interfere with an old fellow of hard upon fourscore when
there are so many people there much better worth interfering with As to its
being a disorganised city if it were not a disorganised city there would be no
occasion to send somebody from our House here to our House there who knows the
city and the business of old and is in Tellsons confidence As to the
uncertain travelling the long journey and the winter weather if I were not
prepared to submit myself to a few inconveniences for the sake of Tellsons
after all these years who ought to be«
»I wish I were going myself« said Charles Darnay somewhat restlessly and
like one thinking aloud
»Indeed You are a pretty fellow to object and advise« exclaimed Mr Lorry
»You wish you were going yourself And you a Frenchman born You are a wise
counsellor«
»My dear Mr Lorry it is because I am a Frenchman born that the thought
which I did not mean to utter here however has passed through my mind often
One cannot help thinking having had some sympathy for the miserable people and
having abandoned something to them« he spoke here in his former thoughtful
manner »that one might be listened to and might have the power to persuade to
some restraint Only last night after you had left us when I was talking to
Lucie «
»When you were talking to Lucie« Mr Lorry repeated »Yes I wonder you are
not ashamed to mention the name of Lucie Wishing you were going to France at
this time of day«
»However I am not going« said Charles Darnay with a smile »It is more to
the purpose that you say you are«
»And I am in plain reality The truth is my dear Charles« Mr Lorry
glanced at the distant House and lowered his voice »you can have no conception
of the difficulty with which our business is transacted and of the peril in
which our books and papers over yonder are involved The Lord above knows what
the compromising consequences would be to numbers of people if some of our
documents were seized or destroyed and they might be at any time you know
for who can say that Paris is not set afire today or sacked tomorrow Now a
judicious selection from these with the least possible delay and the burying of
them or otherwise getting of them out of harms way is within the power
without loss of precious time of scarcely any one but myself if any one And
shall I hang back when Tellsons knows this and says this Tellsons whose
bread I have eaten these sixty years because I am a little stiff about the
joints Why I am a boy sir to half a dozen old codgers here«
»How I admire the gallantry of your youthful spirit Mr Lorry«
»Tut Nonsense sir And my dear Charles« said Mr Lorry glancing at
the House again »you are to remember that getting things out of Paris at this
present time no matter what things is next to an impossibility Papers and
precious matters were this very day brought to us here I speak in strict
confidence it is not businesslike to whisper it even to you by the
strangest bearers you can imagine every one of whom had his head hanging on by
a single hair as he passed the Barriers At another time our parcels would come
and go as easily as in businesslike Old England but now everything is
stopped«
»And do you really go tonight«
»I really go tonight for the case has become too pressing to admit of
delay«
»And do you take no one with you«
»All sorts of people have been proposed to me but I will have nothing to
say to any of them I intend to take Jerry Jerry has been my bodyguard on
Sunday nights for a long time past and I am used to him Nobody will suspect
Jerry of being anything but an English bulldog or of having any design in his
head but to fly at anybody who touches his master«
»I must say again that I heartily admire your gallantry and youthfulness«
»I must say again nonsense nonsense When I have executed this little
commission I shall perhaps accept Tellsons proposal to retire and live at my
ease Time enough then to think about growing old«
This dialogue had taken place at Mr Lorrys usual desk with Monseigneur
swarming within a yard or two of it boastful of what he would do to avenge
himself on the rascalpeople before long It was too much the way of Monseigneur
under his reverses as a refugee and it was much too much the way of native
British orthodoxy to talk of this terrible Revolution as if it were the one
only harvest ever known under the skies that had not been sown as if nothing
had ever been done or omitted to be done that had led to it as if observers
of the wretched millions in France and of the misused and perverted resources
that should have made them prosperous had not seen it inevitably coming years
before and had not in plain words recorded what they saw Such vapouring
combined with the extravagant plots of Monseigneur for the restoration of a
state of things that had utterly exhausted itself and worn out Heaven and earth
as well as itself was hard to be endured without some remonstrance by any sane
man who knew the truth And it was such vapouring all about his ears like a
troublesome confusion of blood in his own head added to a latent uneasiness in
his mind which had already made Charles Darnay restless and which still kept
him so
Among the talkers was Stryver of the Kings Bench Bar far on his way to
state promotion and therefore loud on the theme broaching to Monseigneur
his devices for blowing the people up and exterminating them from the face of
the earth and doing without them and for accomplishing many similar objects
akin in their nature to the abolition of eagles by sprinkling salt on the tails
of the race Him Darnay heard with a particular feeling of objection and
Darnay stood divided between going away that he might hear no more and
remaining to interpose his word when the thing that was to be went on to shape
itself out
The House approached Mr Lorry and laying a soiled and unopened letter
before him asked if he had yet discovered any traces of the person to whom it
was addressed The House laid the letter down so close to Darnay that he saw the
direction the more quickly because it was his own right name The address
turned into English ran
»Very pressing To Monsieur heretofore the Marquis St Evrémonde of France
Confided to the cares of Messrs Tellson and Co Bankers London England«
On the marriage morning Dr Manette had made it his one urgent and express
request to Charles Darnay that the secret of this name should be unless he
the Doctor dissolved the obligation kept inviolate between them Nobody else
knew it to be his name his own wife had no suspicion of the fact Mr Lorry
could have none
»No« said Mr Lorry in reply to the House »I have referred it I think
to everybody now here and no one can tell me where this gentleman is to be
found«
The hands of the clock verging upon the hour of closing the Bank there was
a general set of the current of talkers past Mr Lorrys desk He held the
letter out inquiringly and Monseigneur looked at it in the person of this
plotting and indignant refugee and Monseigneur looked at it in the person of
that plotting and indignant refugee and This That and The Other all had
something disparaging to say in French or in English concerning the Marquis
who was not to be found
»Nephew I believe but in any case degenerate successor of the polished
Marquis who was murdered« said one »Happy to say I never knew him«
»A craven who abandoned his post« said another this Monseigneur had been
got out of Paris legs uppermost and half suffocated in a load of hay »some
years ago«
»Infected with the new doctrines« said a third eyeing the direction
through his glass in passing »set himself in opposition to the last Marquis
abandoned the estates when he inherited them and left them to the ruffian herd
They will recompense him now I hope as he deserves«
»Hey« cried the blatant Stryver »Did he though Is that the sort of
fellow Let us look at his infamous name Dn the fellow«
Darnay unable to restrain himself any longer touched Mr Stryver on the
shoulder and said
»I know the fellow«
»Do you by Jupiter« said Stryver »I am sorry for it«
»Why«
»Why Mr Darnay Dye hear what he did Dont ask why in these times«
»But I do ask why«
»Then I tell you again Mr Darnay I am sorry for it I am sorry to hear
you putting any such extraordinary questions Here is a fellow who infected by
the most pestilent and blasphemous code of devilry that ever was known
abandoned his property to the vilest scum of the earth that ever did murder by
wholesale and you ask me why I am sorry that a man who instructs youth knows
him Well but Ill answer you I am sorry because I believe there is
contamination in such a scoundrel Thats why«
Mindful of the secret Darnay with great difficulty checked himself and
said »You may not understand the gentleman«
»I understand how to put you in a corner Mr Darnay« said Bully Stryver
»and Ill do it If this fellow is a gentleman I dont understand him You may
tell him so with my compliments You may also tell him from me that after
abandoning his worldly goods and position to this butcherly mob I wonder he is
not at the head of them But no gentlemen« said Stryver looking all round
and snapping his fingers »I know something of human nature and I tell you that
youll never find a fellow like this fellow trusting himself to the mercies of
such precious protégés No gentlemen hell always show em a clean pair of
heels very early in the scuffle and sneak away«
With those words and a final snap of his fingers Mr Stryver shouldered
himself into Fleetstreet amidst the general approbation of his hearers Mr
Lorry and Charles Darnay were left alone at the desk in the general departure
from the Bank
»Will you take charge of the letter« said Mr Lorry »You know where to
deliver it«
»I do«
»Will you undertake to explain that we suppose it to have been addressed
here on the chance of our knowing where to forward it and that it has been
here some time«
»I will do so Do you start for Paris from here«
»From here at eight«
»I will come back to see you off«
Very ill at ease with himself and with Stryver and most other men Darnay
made the best of his way into the quiet of the Temple opened the letter and
read it These were its contents
»Prison of the Abbaye Paris
June 21 1792
Monsieur heretofore the Marquis
After having long been in danger of my life at the hands of the
village I have been seized with great violence and indignity and
brought a long journey on foot to Paris On the road I have suffered a
great deal Nor is that all my house has been destroyed razed to the
ground
The crime for which I am imprisoned Monsieur heretofore the
Marquis and for which I shall be summoned before the tribunal and
shall lose my life without your so generous help is they tell me
treason against the majesty of the people in that I have acted against
them for an emigrant It is in vain I represent that I have acted for
them and not against according to your commands It is in vain I
represent that before the sequestration of emigrant property I had
remitted the imposts they had ceased to pay that I had collected no
rent that I had had recourse to no process The only response is that
I have acted for an emigrant and where is that emigrant
Ah most gracious Monsieur heretofore the Marquis where is that
emigrant I cry in my sleep where is he I demand of Heaven will he not
come to deliver me No answer Ah Monsieur heretofore the Marquis I
send my desolate cry across the sea hoping it may perhaps reach your
ears through the great bank of Tilson known at Paris
For the love of Heaven of justice of generosity of the honour of
your noble name I supplicate you Monsieur heretofore the Marquis to
succour and release me My fault is that I have been true to you Oh
Monsieur heretofore the Marquis I pray you be you true to me
From this prison here of horror whence I every hour tend nearer and
nearer to destruction I send you Monsieur heretofore the Marquis the
assurance of my dolorous and unhappy service
Your afflicted
GABELLE«
The latent uneasiness in Darnays mind was roused to vigorous life by this
letter The peril of an old servant and a good one whose only crime was
fidelity to himself and his family stared him so reproachfully in the face
that as he walked to and fro in the Temple considering what to do he almost
hid his face from the passersby
He knew very well that in his horror of the deed which had culminated the
bad deeds and bad reputation of the old family house in his resentful
suspicions of his uncle and in the aversion with which his conscience regarded
the crumbling fabric that he was supposed to uphold he had acted imperfectly
He knew very well that in his love for Lucie his renunciation of his social
place though by no means new to his own mind had been hurried and incomplete
He knew that he ought to have systematically worked it out and supervised it
and that he had meant to do it and that it had never been done
The happiness of his own chosen English home the necessity of being always
actively employed the swift changes and troubles of the time which had followed
on one another so fast that the events of this week annihilated the immature
plans of last week and the events of the week following made all new again he
knew very well that to the force of these circumstances he had yielded not
without disquiet but still without continuous and accumulating resistance That
he had watched the times for a time of action and that they had shifted and
struggled until the time had gone by and the nobility were trooping from France
by every highway and byway and their property was in course of confiscation and
destruction and their very names were blotting out was as well known to
himself as it could be to any new authority in France that might impeach him for
it
But he had oppressed no man he had imprisoned no man he was so far from
having harshly exacted payment of his dues that he had relinquished them of his
own will thrown himself on a world with no favour in it won his own private
place there and earned his own bread Monsieur Gabelle had held the
impoverished and involved estate on written instructions to spare the people
to give them what little there was to give such fuel as the heavy creditors
would let them have in the winter and such produce as could be saved from the
same grip in the summer and no doubt he had put the fact in plea and proof
for his own safety so that it could not but appear now
This favoured the desperate resolution Charles Darnay had begun to make
that he would go to Paris
Yes Like the mariner in the old story the winds and streams had driven him
within the influence of the Loadstone Rock and it was drawing him to itself
and he must go Everything that arose before his mind drifted him on faster and
faster more and more steadily to the terrible attraction His latent
uneasiness had been that bad aims were being worked out in his own unhappy land
by bad instruments and that he who could not fail to know that he was better
than they was not there trying to do something to stay bloodshed and assert
the claims of mercy and humanity With this uneasiness half stifled and half
reproaching him he had been brought to the pointed comparison of himself with
the brave old gentleman in whom duty was so strong upon that comparison
injurious to himself had instantly followed the sneers of Monseigneur which
had stung him bitterly and those of Stryver which above all were coarse and
galling for old reasons Upon those had followed Gabelles letter the appeal
of an innocent prisoner in danger of death to his justice honour and good
name
His resolution was made He must go to Paris
Yes The Loadstone Rock was drawing him and he must sail on until he
struck He knew of no rock he saw hardly any danger The intention with which
he had done what he had done even although he had left it incomplete presented
it before him in an aspect that would be gratefully acknowledged in France on
his presenting himself to assert it Then that glorious vision of doing good
which is so often the sanguine mirage of so many good minds arose before him
and he even saw himself in the illusion with some influence to guide this raging
Revolution that was running so fearfully wild
As he walked to and fro with his resolution made he considered that neither
Lucie nor her father must know of it until he was gone Lucie should be spared
the pain of separation and her father always reluctant to turn his thoughts
towards the dangerous ground of old should come to the knowledge of the step
as a step taken and not in the balance of suspense and doubt How much of the
incompleteness of his situation was referable to her father through the painful
anxiety to avoid reviving old associations of France in his mind he did not
discuss with himself But that circumstance too had had its influence in his
course
He walked to and fro with thoughts very busy until it was time to return
to Tellsons and take leave of Mr Lorry As soon as he arrived in Paris he
would present himself to this old friend but he must say nothing of his
intention now
A carriage with posthorses was ready at the Bank door and Jerry was booted
and equipped
»I have delivered that letter« said Charles Darnay to Mr Lorry »I would
not consent to your being charged with any written answer but perhaps you will
take a verbal one«
»That I will and readily« said Mr Lorry »if it is not dangerous«
»Not at all Though it is to a prisoner in the Abbaye«
»What is his name« said Mr Lorry with his open pocketbook in his hand
»Gabelle«
»Gabelle And what is the message to the unfortunate Gabelle in prison«
»Simply that he has received the letter and will come«
»Any time mentioned«
»He will start upon his journey tomorrow night«
»Any person mentioned«
»No«
He helped Mr Lorry to wrap himself in a number of coats and cloaks and
went out with him from the warm atmosphere of the old Bank into the misty air
of Fleetstreet »My love to Lucie and to little Lucie« said Mr Lorry at
parting »and take precious care of them till I come back« Charles Darnay shook
his head and doubtfully smiled as the carriage rolled away
That night it was the fourteenth of August he sat up late and wrote two
fervent letters one was to Lucie explaining the strong obligation he was under
to go to Paris and showing her at length the reasons that he had for feeling
confident that he could become involved in no personal danger there the other
was to the Doctor confiding Lucie and their dear child to his care and
dwelling on the same topics with the strongest assurances To both he wrote
that he would despatch letters in proof of his safety immediately after his
arrival
It was a hard day that day of being among them with the first reservation
of their joint lives on his mind It was a hard matter to preserve the innocent
deceit of which they were profoundly unsuspicious But an affectionate glance
at his wife so happy and busy made him resolute not to tell her what impended
he had been half moved to do it so strange it was to him to act in anything
without her quiet aid and the day passed quickly away Early in the evening he
embraced her and her scarcely less dear namesake pretending that he would
return byandby an imaginary engagement took him out and he had secreted a
valise of clothes ready and so he emerged into the heavy mist of the heavy
streets with a heavier heart
The unseen force was drawing him fast to itself now and all the tides and
winds were setting straight and strong towards it He left his two letters with
a trusty porter to be delivered half an hour before midnight and no sooner
took horse for Dover and began his journey »For the love of Heaven of
justice of generosity of the honour of your noble name« was the poor
prisoners cry with which he strengthened his sinking heart as he left all that
was dear on earth behind him and floated away for the Loadstone Rock
Book the Third
The Track of a Storm
Chapter I
In Secret
The traveller fared slowly on his way who fared towards Paris from England in
the autumn of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninetytwo More than
enough of bad roads bad equipages and bad horses he would have encountered to
delay him though the fallen and unfortunate King of France had been upon his
throne in all his glory but the changed times were fraught with other
obstacles than these Every towngate and village taxinghouse had its band of
citizenpatriots with their national muskets in a most explosive state of
readiness who stopped all comers and goers crossquestioned them inspected
their papers looked for their names in lists of their own turned them back or
sent them on or stopped them and laid them in hold as their capricious
judgment or fancy deemed best for the dawning Republic One and Indivisible of
Liberty Equality Fraternity or Death
A very few French leagues of his journey were accomplished when Charles
Darnay began to perceive that for him along these country roads there was no
hope of return until he should have been declared a good citizen at Paris
Whatever might befall now he must on to his journeys end Not a mean village
closed upon him not a common barrier dropped across the road behind him but he
knew it to be another iron door in the series that was barred between him and
England The universal watchfulness so encompassed him that if he had been
taken in a net or were being forwarded to his destination in a cage he could
not have felt his freedom more completely gone
This universal watchfulness not only stopped him on the highway twenty times
in a stage but retarded his progress twenty times in a day by riding after him
and taking him back riding before him and stopping him by anticipation riding
with him and keeping him in charge He had been days upon his journey in France
alone when he went to bed tired out in a little town on the high road still a
long way from Paris
Nothing but the production of the afflicted Gabelles letter from his prison
of the Abbaye would have got him on so far His difficulty at the guardhouse in
this small place had been such that he felt his journey to have come to a
crisis And he was therefore as little surprised as a man could be to find
himself awakened at the small inn to which he had been remitted until morning
in the middle of the night
Awakened by a timid local functionary and three armed patriots in rough red
caps and with pipes in their mouths who sat down on the bed
»Emigrant« said the functionary »I am going to send you on to Paris under
an escort«
»Citizen I desire nothing more than to get to Paris though I could
dispense with the escort«
»Silence« growled a redcap striking at the coverlet with the buttend of
his musket »Peace aristocrat«
»It is as the good patriot says« observed the timid functionary »You are
an aristocrat and must have an escort and must pay for it«
»I have no choice« said Charles Darnay
»Choice Listen to him« cried the same scowling redcap »As if it was not
a favour to be protected from the lampiron«
»It is always as the good patriot says« observed the functionary »Rise and
dress yourself emigrant«
Darnay complied and was taken back to the guardhouse where other patriots
in rough red caps were smoking drinking and sleeping by a watchfire Here he
paid a heavy price for his escort and hence he started with it on the wet wet
roads at three oclock in the morning
The escort were two mounted patriots in red caps and tricoloured cockades
armed with national muskets and sabres who rode one on either side of him The
escorted governed his own horse but a loose line was attached to his bridle
the end of which one of the patriots kept girded round his wrist In this state
they set forth with the sharp rain driving in their faces clattering at a heavy
dragoon trot over the uneven town pavement and out upon the miredeep roads In
this state they traversed without change except of horses and pace all the
miredeep leagues that lay between them and the capital
They travelled in the night halting an hour or two after daybreak and
lying by until the twilight fell The escort were so wretchedly clothed that
they twisted straw round their bare legs and thatched their ragged shoulders to
keep the wet off Apart from the personal discomfort of being so attended and
apart from such considerations of present danger as arose from one of the
patriots being chronically drunk and carrying his musket very recklessly
Charles Darnay did not allow the restraint that was laid upon him to awaken any
serious fears in his breast for he reasoned with himself that it could have no
reference to the merits of an individual case that was not yet stated and of
representations confirmable by the prisoner in the Abbaye that were not yet
made
But when they came to the town of Beauvais which they did at eventide
when the streets were filled with people he could not conceal from himself
that the aspect of affairs was very alarming An ominous crowd gathered to see
him dismount at the postingyard and many voices called out loudly »Down with
the emigrant«
He stopped in the act of swinging himself out of his saddle and resuming
it as his safest place said
»Emigrant my friends Do you not see me here in France of my own will«
»You are a cursed emigrant« cried a farrier making at him in a furious
manner through the press hammer in hand »and you are a cursed aristocrat«
The postmaster interposed himself between this man and the riders bridle
at which he was evidently making and soothingly said »Let him be let him
be He will be judged at Paris«
»Judged« repeated the farrier swinging his hammer »Ay and condemned as a
traitor« At this the crowd roared approval
Checking the postmaster who was for turning his horses head to the yard
the drunken patriot sat composedly in his saddle looking on with the line
round his wrist Darnay said as soon as he could make his voice heard
»Friends you deceive yourselves or you are deceived I am not a traitor«
»He lies« cried the smith »He is a traitor since the decree His life is
forfeit to the people His cursed life is not his own«
At the instant when Darnay saw a rush in the eyes of the crowd which
another instant would have brought upon him the postmaster turned his horse
into the yard the escort rode in close upon his horses flanks and the
postmaster shut and barred the crazy double gates The farrier struck a blow
upon them with his hammer and the crowd groaned but no more was done
»What is this decree that the smith spoke of« Darnay asked the postmaster
when he had thanked him and stood beside him in the yard
»Truly a decree for selling the property of emigrants«
»When passed«
»On the fourteenth«
»The day I left England«
»Everybody says it is but one of several and that there will be others if
there are not already banishing all emigrants and condemning all to death who
return That is what he meant when he said your life was not your own«
»But there are no such decrees yet«
»What do I know« said the postmaster shrugging his shoulders »there may
be or there will be It is all the same What would you have«
They rested on some straw in a loft until the middle of the night and then
rode forward again when all the town was asleep Among the many wild changes
observable on familiar things which made this wild ride unreal not the least
was the seeming rarity of sleep After long and lonely spurring over dreary
roads they would come to a cluster of poor cottages not steeped in darkness
but all glittering with lights and would find the people in a ghostly manner
in the dead of the night circling hand in hand round a shrivelled tree of
Liberty or all drawn up together singing a Liberty song Happily however
there was sleep in Beauvais that night to help them out of it and they passed
on once more into solitude and loneliness jingling through the untimely cold
and wet among impoverished fields that had yielded no fruits of the earth that
year diversified by the blackened remains of burnt houses and by the sudden
emergence from ambuscade and sharp reining up across their way of patriot
patrols on the watch on all the roads
Daylight at last found them before the wall of Paris The barrier was closed
and strongly guarded when they rode up to it
»Where are the papers of this prisoner« demanded a resolutelooking man in
authority who was summoned out by the guard
Naturally struck by the disagreeable word Charles Darnay requested the
speaker to take notice that he was a free traveller and French citizen in
charge of an escort which the disturbed state of the country had imposed upon
him and which he had paid for
»Where« repeated the same personage without taking any heed of him
whatever »are the papers of this prisoner«
The drunken patriot had them in his cap and produced them Casting his eyes
over Gabelles letter the same personage in authority showed some disorder and
surprise and looked at Darnay with a close attention
He left escort and escorted without saying a word however and went into
the guardroom meanwhile they sat upon their horses outside the gate Looking
about him while in this state of suspense Charles Darnay observed that the gate
was held by a mixed guard of soldiers and patriots the latter far outnumbering
the former and that while ingress into the city for peasants carts bringing in
supplies and for similar traffic and traffickers was easy enough egress even
for the homeliest people was very difficult A numerous medley of men and
women not to mention beasts and vehicles of various sorts was waiting to issue
forth but the previous identification was so strict that they filtered
through the barrier very slowly Some of these people knew their turn for
examination to be so far off that they lay down on the ground to sleep or
smoke while others talked together or loitered about The red cap and
tricolour cockade were universal both among men and women
When he had sat in his saddle some halfhour taking note of these things
Darnay found himself confronted by the same man in authority who directed the
guard to open the barrier Then he delivered to the escort drunk and sober a
receipt for the escorted and requested him to dismount He did so and the two
patriots leading his tired horse turned and rode away without entering the
city
He accompanied his conductor into a guardroom smelling of common wine and
tobacco where certain soldiers and patriots asleep and awake drunk and sober
and in various neutral states between sleeping and waking drunkenness and
sobriety were standing and lying about The light in the guardhouse half
derived from the waning oillamps of the night and half from the overcast day
was in a correspondingly uncertain condition Some registers were lying open on
a desk and an officer of a coarse dark aspect presided over these
»Citizen Defarge« said he to Darnays conductor as he took a slip of paper
to write on »Is this the emigrant Evrémonde«
»This is the man«
»Your age Evrémonde«
»Thirtyseven«
»Married Evrémonde«
»Yes«
»Where married«
»In England«
»Without doubt Where is your wife Evrémonde«
»In England«
»Without doubt You are consigned Evrémonde to the prison of La Force«
»Just Heaven« exclaimed Darnay »Under what law and for what offence«
The officer looked up from his slip of paper for a moment
»We have new laws Evrémonde and new offences since you were here« He
said it with a hard smile and went on writing
»I entreat you to observe that I have come here voluntarily in response to
that written appeal of a fellowcountryman which lies before you I demand no
more than the opportunity to do so without delay Is not that my right«
»Emigrants have no rights Evrémonde« was the stolid reply The officer
wrote until he had finished read over to himself what he had written sanded
it and handed it to Defarge with the words In secret
Defarge motioned with the paper to the prisoner that he must accompany him
The prisoner obeyed and a guard of two armed patriots attended them
»Is it you« said Defarge in a low voice as they went down the guardhouse
steps and turned into Paris »who married the daughter of Doctor Manette once a
prisoner in the Bastille that is no more«
»Yes« replied Darnay looking at him with surprise
»My name is Defarge and I keep a wineshop in the Quarter Saint Antoine
Possibly you have heard of me«
»My wife came to your house to reclaim her father Yes«
The word wife seemed to serve as a gloomy reminder to Defarge to say with
sudden impatience »In the name of that sharp female newlyborn and called La
Guillotine why did you come to France«
»You heard me say why a minute ago Do you not believe it is the truth«
»A bad truth for you« said Defarge speaking with knitted brows and
looking straight before him
»Indeed I am lost here All here is so unprecedented so changed so sudden
and unfair that I am absolutely lost Will you render me a little help«
»None« Defarge spoke always looking straight before him
»Will you answer me a single question«
»Perhaps According to its nature You can say what it is«
»In this prison that I am going to so unjustly shall I have some free
communication with the world outside«
»You will see«
»I am not to be buried there prejudged and without any means of presenting
my case«
»You will see But what then Other people have been similarly buried in
worse prisons before now«
»But never by me Citizen Defarge«
Defarge glanced darkly at him for answer and walked on in a steady and set
silence The deeper he sank into this silence the fainter hope there was or
so Darnay thought of his softening in any slight degree He therefore made
haste to say
»It is of the utmost importance to me you know Citizen even better than
I of how much importance that I should be able to communicate to Mr Lorry of
Tellsons Bank an English gentleman who is now in Paris the simple fact
without comment that I have been thrown into the prison of La Force Will you
cause that to be done for me«
»I will do« Defarge doggedly rejoined »nothing for you My duty is to my
country and the People I am the sworn servant of both against you I will do
nothing for you«
Charles Darnay felt it hopeless to entreat him further and his pride was
touched besides As they walked on in silence he could not but see how used the
people were to the spectacle of prisoners passing along the streets The very
children scarcely noticed him A few passers turned their heads and a few shook
their fingers at him as an aristocrat otherwise that a man in good clothes
should be going to prison was no more remarkable than that a labourer in
working clothes should be going to work In one narrow dark and dirty street
through which they passed an excited orator mounted on a stool was addressing
an excited audience on the crimes against the people of the king and the royal
family The few words that he caught from this mans lips first made it known
to Charles Darnay that the king was in prison and that the foreign ambassadors
had one and all left Paris On the road except at Beauvais he had heard
absolutely nothing The escort and the universal watchfulness had completely
isolated him
That he had fallen among far greater dangers than those which had developed
themselves when he left England he of course knew now That perils had
thickened about him fast and might thicken faster and faster yet he of course
knew now He could not but admit to himself that he might not have made this
journey if he could have foreseen the events of a few days And yet his
misgivings were not so dark as imagined by the light of this later time they
would appear Troubled as the future was it was the unknown future and in its
obscurity there was ignorant hope The horrible massacre days and nights long
which within a few rounds of the clock was to set a great mark of blood upon
the blessed garnering time of harvest was as far out of his knowledge as if it
had been a hundred thousand years away The sharp female newlyborn and called
La Guillotine was hardly known to him or to the generality of people by name
The frightful deeds that were to be soon done were probably unimagined at that
time in the brains of the doers How could they have a place in the shadowy
conceptions of a gentle mind
Of unjust treatment in detention and hardship and in cruel separation from
his wife and child he foreshadowed the likelihood or the certainty but
beyond this he dreaded nothing distinctly With this on his mind which was
enough to carry into a dreary prison courtyard he arrived at the prison of La
Force
A man with a bloated face opened the strong wicket to whom Defarge
presented »The Emigrant Evrémonde«
»What the Devil How many more of them« exclaimed the man with the bloated
face
Defarge took his receipt without noticing the exclamation and withdrew
with his two fellowpatriots
»What the Devil I say again« exclaimed the gaoler left with his wife
»How many more«
The gaolers wife being provided with no answer to the question merely
replied »One must have patience my dear« Three turnkeys who entered
responsive to a bell she rang echoed the sentiment and one added »For the
love of Liberty« which sounded in that place like an inappropriate conclusion
The prison of La Force was a gloomy prison dark and filthy and with a
horrible smell of foul sleep in it Extraordinary how soon the noisome flavour
of imprisoned sleep becomes manifest in all such places that are ill cared for
»In secret too« grumbled the gaoler looking at the written paper »As if
I was not already full to bursting«
He stuck the paper on a file in an illhumour and Charles Darnay awaited
his further pleasure for half an hour sometimes pacing to and fro in the
strong arched room sometimes resting on a stone seat in either case detained
to be imprinted on the memory of the chief and his subordinates
»Come« said the chief at length taking up his keys »come with me
emigrant«
Through the dismal prison twilight his new charge accompanied him by
corridor and staircase many doors clanging and locking behind them until they
came into a large low vaulted chamber crowded with prisoners of both sexes
The women were seated at a long table reading and writing knitting sewing
and embroidering the men were for the most part standing behind their chairs
or lingering up and down the room
In the instinctive association of prisoners with shameful crime and
disgrace the newcomer recoiled from this company But the crowning unreality
of his long unreal ride was their all at once rising to receive him with
every refinement of manner known to the time and with all the engaging graces
and courtesies of life
So strangely clouded were these refinements by the prison manners and gloom
so spectral did they become in the inappropriate squalor and misery through
which they were seen that Charles Darnay seemed to stand in a company of the
dead Ghosts all The ghost of beauty the ghost of stateliness the ghost of
elegance the ghost of pride the ghost of frivolity the ghost of wit the
ghost of youth the ghost of age all waiting their dismissal from the desolate
shore all turning on him eyes that were changed by the death they had died in
coming there
It struck him motionless The gaoler standing at his side and the other
gaolers moving about who would have been well enough as to appearance in the
ordinary exercise of their functions looked so extravagantly coarse contrasted
with sorrowing mothers and blooming daughters who were there with the
apparitions of the coquette the young beauty and the mature woman delicately
bred that the inversion of all experience and likelihood which the scene of
shadows presented was heightened to its utmost Surely ghosts all Surely the
long unreal ride some progress of disease that had brought him to these gloomy
shades
»In the name of the assembled companions in misfortune« said a gentleman of
courtly appearance and address coming forward »I have the honour of giving you
welcome to La Force and of condoling with you on the calamity that has brought
you among us May it soon terminate happily It would be an impertinence
elsewhere but it is not so here to ask your name and condition«
Charles Darnay roused himself and gave the required information in words
as suitable as he could find
»But I hope« said the gentleman following the chief gaoler with his eyes
who moved across the room »that you are not in secret«
»I do not understand the meaning of the term but I have heard them say so«
»Ah what a pity We so much regret it But take courage several members of
our society have been in secret at first and it has lasted but a short time«
Then he added raising his voice »I grieve to inform the society in secret«
There was a murmur of commiseration as Charles Darnay crossed the room to a
grated door where the gaoler awaited him and many voices among which the
soft and compassionate voices of women were conspicuous gave him good wishes
and encouragement He turned at the grated door to render the thanks of his
heart it closed under the gaolers hand and the apparitions vanished from his
sight for ever
The wicket opened on a stone staircase leading upward When they had
ascended forty steps the prisoner of half an hour already counted them the
gaoler opened a low black door and they passed into a solitary cell It struck
cold and damp but was not dark
»Yours« said the gaoler
»Why am I confined alone«
»How do I know«
»I can buy pen ink and paper«
»Such are not my orders You will be visited and can ask then At present
you may buy your food and nothing more«
There were in the cell a chair a table and a straw mattress As the
gaoler made a general inspection of these objects and of the four walls before
going out a wandering fancy wandered through the mind of the prisoner leaning
against the wall opposite to him that this gaoler was so unwholesomely bloated
both in face and person as to look like a man who had been drowned and filled
with water When the gaoler was gone he thought in the same wandering way »Now
am I left as if I were dead« Stopping then to look down at the mattress he
turned from it with a sick feeling and thought »And here in these crawling
creatures is the first condition of the body after death«
»Five paces by four and a half five paces by four and a half five paces by
four and a half« The prisoner walked to and fro in his cell counting its
measurement and the roar of the city arose like muffled drums with a wild swell
of voices added to them He made shoes he made shoes he made shoes The
prisoner counted the measurement again and paced faster to draw his mind with
him from that latter repetition »The ghosts that vanished when the wicket
closed There was one among them the appearance of a lady dressed in black who
was leaning in the embrasure of a window and she had a light shining upon her
golden hair and she looked like Let us ride on again for Gods sake
through the illuminated villages with the people all awake He made
shoes he made shoes he made shoes Five paces by four and a half«
With such scraps tossing and rolling upward from the depths of his mind the
prisoner walked faster and faster obstinately counting and counting and the
roar of the city changed to this extent that it still rolled in like muffled
drums but with the wail of voices that he knew in the swell that rose above
them
Chapter II
The Grindstone
Tellsons Bank established in the Saint Germain Quarter of Paris was in a wing
of a large house approached by a courtyard and shut off from the street by a
high wall and a strong gate The house belonged to a great nobleman who had
lived in it until he made a flight from the troubles in his own cooks dress
and got across the borders A mere beast of the chase flying from hunters he
was still in his metempsychosis no other than the same Monseigneur the
preparation of whose chocolate for whose lips had once occupied three strong men
besides the cook in question
Monseigneur gone and the three strong men absolving themselves from the sin
of having drawn his high wages by being more than ready and willing to cut his
throat on the altar of the dawning Republic one and indivisible of Liberty
Equality Fraternity or Death Monseigneurs house had been first sequestrated
and then confiscated For all things moved so fast and decree followed decree
with that fierce precipitation that now upon the third night of the autumn
month of September patriot emissaries of the law were in possession of
Monseigneurs house and had marked it with the tricolour and were drinking
brandy in its state apartments
A place of business in London like Tellsons place of business in Paris
would soon have driven the House out of its mind and into the Gazette For what
would staid British responsibility and respectability have said to orangetrees
in boxes in a Bank courtyard and even to a Cupid over the counter Yet such
things were Tellsons had whitewashed the Cupid but he was still to be seen on
the ceiling in the coolest linen aiming as he very often does at money from
morning to night Bankruptcy must inevitably have come of this young Pagan in
Lombardstreet London and also of a curtained alcove in the rear of the
immortal boy and also of a lookingglass let into the wall and also of clerks
not at all old who danced in public on the slightest provocation Yet a French
Tellsons could get on with these things exceedingly well and as long as the
times held together no man had taken fright at them and drawn out his money
What money would be drawn out of Tellsons henceforth and what would lie
there lost and forgotten what plate and jewels would tarnish in Tellsons
hidingplaces while the depositors rusted in prisons and when they should have
violently perished how many accounts with Tellsons never to be balanced in
this world must be carried over into the next no man could have said that
night any more than Mr Jarvis Lorry could though he thought heavily of these
questions He sat by a newlylighted wood fire the blighted and unfruitful year
was prematurely cold and on his honest and courageous face there was a deeper
shade than the pendent lamp could throw or any object in the room distortedly
reflect a shade of horror
He occupied rooms in the Bank in his fidelity to the House of which he had
grown to be a part like strong rootivy It chanced that they derived a kind of
security from the patriotic occupation of the main building but the
truehearted old gentleman never calculated about that All such circumstances
were indifferent to him so that he did his duty On the opposite side of the
courtyard under a colonnade was extensive standing for carriages where
indeed some carriages of Monseigneur yet stood Against two of the pillars were
fastened two great flaring flambeaux and in the light of these standing out in
the open air was a large grindstone a roughly mounted thing which appeared to
have hurriedly been brought there from some neighbouring smithy or other
workshop Rising and looking out of window at these harmless objects Mr Lorry
shivered and retired to his seat by the fire He had opened not only the glass
window but the lattice blind outside it and he had closed both again and he
shivered through his frame
From the streets beyond the high wall and the strong gate there came the
usual night hum of the city with now and then an indescribable ring in it
weird and unearthly as if some unwonted sounds of a terrible nature were going
up to Heaven
»Thank God« said Mr Lorry clasping his hands »that no one near and dear
to me is in this dreadful town tonight May He have mercy on all who are in
danger«
Soon afterwards the bell at the great gate sounded and he thought »They
have come back« and sat listening But there was no loud irruption into the
courtyard as he had expected and he heard the gate clash again and all was
quiet
The nervousness and dread that were upon him inspired that vague uneasiness
respecting the Bank which a great change would naturally awaken with such
feelings roused It was well guarded and he got up to go among the trusty
people who were watching it when his door suddenly opened and two figures
rushed in at sight of which he fell back in amazement
Lucie and her father Lucie with her arms stretched out to him and with
that old look of earnestness so concentrated and intensified that it seemed as
though it had been stamped upon her face expressly to give force and power to it
in this one passage of her life
»What is this« cried Mr Lorry breathless and confused »What is the
matter Lucie Manette What has happened What has brought you here What is
it«
With the look fixed upon him in her paleness and wildness she panted out
in his arms imploringly »O my dear friend My husband«
»Your husband Lucie«
»Charles«
»What of Charles«
»Here«
»Here in Paris«
»Has been here some days three or four I dont know how many I cant
collect my thoughts An errand of generosity brought him here unknown to us he
was stopped at the barrier and sent to prison«
The old man uttered an irrepressible cry Almost at the same moment the
bell of the great gate rang again and a loud noise of feet and voices came
pouring into the courtyard
»What is that noise« said the Doctor turning towards the window
»Dont look« cried Mr Lorry »Dont look out Manette for your life
dont touch the blind«
The Doctor turned with his hand upon the fastening of the window and said
with a cool bold smile
»My dear friend I have a charmed life in this city I have been a Bastille
prisoner There is no patriot in Paris in Paris In France who knowing me
to have been a prisoner in the Bastille would touch me except to overwhelm me
with embraces or carry me in triumph My old pain has given me a power that has
brought us through the barrier and gained us news of Charles there and brought
us here I knew it would be so I knew I could help Charles out of all danger I
told Lucie so What is that noise« His hand was again upon the window
»Dont look« cried Mr Lorry absolutely desperate »No Lucie my dear
nor you« He got his arm round her and held her »Dont be so terrified my
love I solemnly swear to you that I know of no harm having happened to Charles
that I had no suspicion even of his being in this fatal place What prison is he
in«
»La Force«
»La Force Lucie my child if ever you were brave and serviceable in your
life and you were always both you will compose yourself now to do exactly
as I bid you for more depends upon it than you can think or I can say There
is no help for you in any action on your part tonight you cannot possibly stir
out I say this because what I must bid you to do for Charless sake is the
hardest thing to do of all You must instantly be obedient still and quiet
You must let me put you in a room at the back here You must leave your father
and me alone for two minutes and as there are Life and Death in the world you
must not delay«
»I will be submissive to you I see in your face that you know I can do
nothing else than this I know you are true«
The old man kissed her and hurried her into his room and turned the key
then came hurrying back to the Doctor and opened the window and partly opened
the blind and put his hand upon the Doctors arm and looked out with him into
the courtyard
Looked out upon a throng of men and women not enough in number or near
enough to fill the courtyard not more than forty or fifty in all The people
in possession of the house had let them in at the gate and they had rushed in
to work at the grindstone it had evidently been set up there for their purpose
as in a convenient and retired spot
But such awful workers and such awful work
The grindstone had a double handle and turning at it madly were two men
whose faces as their long hair flapped back when the whirlings of the
grindstone brought their faces up were more horrible and cruel than the visages
of the wildest savages in their most barbarous disguise False eyebrows and
false moustaches were stuck upon them and their hideous countenances were all
bloody and sweaty and all awry with howling and all staring and glaring with
beastly excitement and want of sleep As these ruffians turned and turned their
matted locks now flung forward over their eyes now flung backward over their
necks some women held wine to their mouths that they might drink and what with
dropping blood and what with dropping wine and what with the stream of sparks
struck out of the stone all their wicked atmosphere seemed gore and fire The
eye could not detect one creature in the group free from the smear of blood
Shouldering one another to get next at the sharpeningstone were men stripped
to the waist with the stain all over their limbs and bodies men in all sorts
of rags with the stain upon those rags men devilishly set off with spoils of
womens lace and silk and ribbon with the stain dyeing those trifles through
and through Hatchets knives bayonets swords all brought to be sharpened
were all red with it Some of the hacked swords were tied to the wrists of those
who carried them with strips of linen and fragments of dress ligatures various
in kind but all deep of the one colour And as the frantic wielders of these
weapons snatched them from the stream of sparks and tore away into the streets
the same red hue was red in their frenzied eyes eyes which any unbrutalised
beholder would have given twenty years of life to petrify with a welldirected
gun
All this was seen in a moment as the vision of a drowning man or of any
human creature at any very great pass could see a world if it were there They
drew back from the window and the Doctor looked for explanation in his friends
ashy face
»They are« Mr Lorry whispered the words glancing fearfully round at the
locked room »murdering the prisoners If you are sure of what you say if you
really have the power you think you have as I believe you have make yourself
known to these devils and get taken to La Force It may be too late I dont
know but let it not be a minute later«
Doctor Manette pressed his hand hastened bareheaded out of the room and
was in the courtyard when Mr Lorry regained the blind
His streaming white hair his remarkable face and the impetuous confidence
of his manner as he put the weapons aside like water carried him in an instant
to the heart of the concourse at the stone For a few moments there was a pause
and a hurry and a murmur and the unintelligible sound of his voice and then
Mr Lorry saw him surrounded by all and in the midst of a line of twenty men
long all linked shoulder to shoulder and hand to shoulder hurried out with
cries of »Live the Bastille prisoner Help for the Bastille prisoners kindred
in La Force Room for the Bastille prisoner in front there Save the prisoner
Evrémonde at La Force« and a thousand answering shouts
He closed the lattice again with a fluttering heart closed the window and
the curtain hastened to Lucie and told her that her father was assisted by the
people and gone in search of her husband He found her child and Miss Pross
with her but it never occurred to him to be surprised by their appearance
until a long time afterwards when he sat watching them in such quiet as the
night knew
Lucie had by that time fallen into a stupor on the floor at his feet
clinging to his hand Miss Pross had laid the child down on his own bed and her
head had gradually fallen on the pillow beside her pretty charge O the long
long night with the moans of the poor wife And O the long long night with no
return of her father and no tidings
Twice more in the darkness the bell at the great gate sounded and the
irruption was repeated and the grindstone whirled and spluttered »What is it«
cried Lucie affrighted »Hush The soldiers swords are sharpened there« said
Mr Lorry »The place is national property now and used as a kind of armoury
my love«
Twice more in all but the last spell of work was feeble and fitful Soon
afterwards the day began to dawn and he softly detached himself from the
clasping hand and cautiously looked out again A man so besmeared that he
might have been a sorely wounded soldier creeping back to consciousness on a
field of slain was rising from the pavement by the side of the grindstone and
looking about him with a vacant air Shortly this wornout murderer descried in
the imperfect light one of the carriages of Monseigneur and staggering to that
gorgeous vehicle climbed in at the door and shut himself up to take his rest
on its dainty cushions
The great grindstone Earth had turned when Mr Lorry looked out again and
the sun was red on the courtyard But the lesser grindstone stood alone there
in the calm morning air with a red upon it that the sun had never given and
would never take away
Chapter III
The Shadow
One of the first considerations which arose in the business mind of Mr Lorry
when business hours came round was this that he had no right to imperil
Tellsons by sheltering the wife of an emigrant prisoner under the Bank roof
His own possessions safety life he would have hazarded for Lucie and her
child without a moments demur but the great trust he held was not his own
and as to that business charge he was a strict man of business
At first his mind reverted to Defarge and he thought of finding out the
wineshop again and taking counsel with its master in reference to the safest
dwellingplace in the distracted state of the city But the same consideration
that suggested him repudiated him he lived in the most violent Quarter and
doubtless was influential there and deep in its dangerous workings
Noon coming and the Doctor not returning and every minutes delay tending
to compromise Tellsons Mr Lorry advised with Lucie She said that her father
had spoken of hiring a lodging for a short term in that Quarter near the
Bankinghouse As there was no business objection to this and as he foresaw
that even if it were all well with Charles and he were to be released he could
not hope to leave the city Mr Lorry went out in quest of such a lodging and
found a suitable one high up in a removed bystreet where the closed blinds in
all the other windows of a high melancholy square of buildings marked deserted
homes
To this lodging he at once removed Lucie and her child and Miss Pross
giving them what comfort he could and much more than he had himself He left
Jerry with them as a figure to fill a doorway that would bear considerable
knocking on the head and returned to his own occupations A disturbed and
doleful mind he brought to bear upon them and slowly and heavily the day lagged
on with him
It wore itself out and wore him out with it until the Bank closed He was
again alone in his room of the previous night considering what to do next when
he heard a foot upon the stair In a few moments a man stood in his presence
who with a keenly observant look at him addressed him by his name
»Your servant« said Mr Lorry »Do you know me«
He was a strongly made man with dark curling hair from fortyfive to fifty
years of age For answer he repeated without any change of emphasis the words
»Do you know me«
»I have seen you somewhere«
»Perhaps at my wineshop«
Much interested and agitated Mr Lorry said »You come from Doctor
Manette«
»Yes I come from Doctor Manette«
»And what says he What does he send me«
Defarge gave into his anxious hand an open scrap of paper It bore the
words in the Doctors writing
»Charles is safe but I cannot safely leave this place yet I have
obtained the favour that the bearer has a short note from Charles to his
wife Let the bearer see his wife«
It was dated from La Force within an hour
»Will you accompany me« said Mr Lorry joyfully relieved after reading
this note aloud »to where his wife resides«
»Yes« returned Defarge
Scarcely noticing as yet in what a curiously reserved and mechanical way
Defarge spoke Mr Lorry put on his hat and they went down into the courtyard
There they found two women one knitting
»Madame Defarge surely« said Mr Lorry who had left her in exactly the
same attitude some seventeen years ago
»It is she« observed her husband
»Does madame go with us« inquired Mr Lorry seeing that she moved as they
moved
»Yes That she may be able to recognise the faces and know the persons It
is for their safety«
Beginning to be struck by Defarges manner Mr Lorry looked dubiously at
him and led the way Both the women followed the second woman being The
Vengeance
They passed through the intervening streets as quickly as they might
ascended the staircase of the new domicile were admitted by Jerry and found
Lucie weeping alone She was thrown into a transport by the tidings Mr Lorry
gave her of her husband and clasped the hand that delivered his note little
thinking what it had been doing near him in the night and might but for a
chance have done to him
»Dearest Take courage I am well and your father has influence
around me You cannot answer this Kiss our child for me«
That was all the writing It was so much however to her who received it that
she turned from Defarge to his wife and kissed one of the hands that knitted
It was a passionate loving thankful womanly action but the hand made no
response dropped cold and heavy and took to its knitting again
There was something in its touch that gave Lucie a check She stopped in the
act of putting the note in her bosom and with her hands yet at her neck
looked terrified at Madame Defarge Madame Defarge met the lifted eyebrows and
forehead with a cold impassive stare
»My dear« said Mr Lorry striking in to explain »there are frequent
risings in the streets and although it is not likely they will ever trouble
you Madame Defarge wishes to see those whom she has the power to protect at
such times to the end that she may know them that she may identify them I
believe« said Mr Lorry rather halting in his reassuring words as the stony
manner of all the three impressed itself upon him more and more »I state the
case Citizen Defarge«
Defarge looked gloomily at his wife and gave no other answer than a gruff
sound of acquiescence
»You had better Lucie« said Mr Lorry doing all he could to propitiate
by tone and manner »have the dear child here and our good Pross Our good
Pross Defarge is an English lady and knows no French«
The lady in question whose rooted conviction that she was more than a match
for any foreigner was not to be shaken by distress and danger appeared with
folded arms and observed in English to The Vengeance whom her eyes first
encountered »Well I am sure Boldface I hope you are pretty well« She also
bestowed a British cough on Madame Defarge but neither of the two took much
heed of her
»Is that his child« said Madame Defarge stopping in her work for the first
time and pointing her knittingneedle at little Lucie as if it were the finger
of Fate
»Yes madame« answered Mr Lorry »this is our poor prisoners darling
daughter and only child«
The shadow attendant on Madame Defarge and her party seemed to fall so
threatening and dark on the child that her mother instinctively kneeled on the
ground beside her and held her to her breast The shadow attendant on Madame
Defarge and her party seemed then to fall threatening and dark on both the
mother and the child
»It is enough my husband« said Madame Defarge »I have seen them We may
go«
But the suppressed manner had enough of menace in it not visible and
presented but indistinct and withheld to alarm Lucie into saying as she laid
her appealing hand on Madame Defarges dress
»You will be good to my poor husband You will do him no harm You will help
me to see him if you can«
»Your husband is not my business here« returned Madame Defarge looking
down at her with perfect composure »It is the daughter of your father who is my
business here«
»For my sake then be merciful to my husband For my childs sake She will
put her hands together and pray you to be merciful We are more afraid of you
than of these others«
Madame Defarge received it as a compliment and looked at her husband
Defarge who had been uneasily biting his thumbnail and looking at her
collected his face into a sterner expression
»What is it that your husband says in that little letter« asked Madame
Defarge with a lowering smile »Influence he says something touching
influence«
»That my father« said Lucie hurriedly taking the paper from her breast
but with her alarmed eyes on her questioner and not on it »has much influence
around him«
»Surely it will release him« said Madame Defarge »Let it do so«
»As a wife and mother« cried Lucie most earnestly »I implore you to have
pity on me and not to exercise any power that you possess against my innocent
husband but to use it in his behalf O sisterwoman think of me As a wife and
mother«
Madame Defarge looked coldly as ever at the suppliant and said turning
to her friend The Vengeance
»The wives and mothers we have been used to see since we were as little as
this child and much less have not been greatly considered We have known their
husbands and fathers laid in prison and kept from them often enough All our
lives we have seen our sisterwomen suffer in themselves and in their
children poverty nakedness hunger thirst sickness misery oppression and
neglect of all kinds«
»We have seen nothing else« returned The Vengeance
»We have borne this a long time« said Madame Defarge turning her eyes
again upon Lucie »Judge you Is it likely that the trouble of one wife and
mother would be much to us now«
She resumed her knitting and went out The Vengeance followed Defarge went
last and closed the door
»Courage my dear Lucie« said Mr Lorry as he raised her »Courage
courage So far all goes well with us much much better than it has of late
gone with many poor souls Cheer up and have a thankful heart«
»I am not thankless I hope but that dreadful woman seems to throw a shadow
on me and on all my hopes«
»Tut tut« said Mr Lorry »what is this despondency in the brave little
breast A shadow indeed No substance in it Lucie«
But the shadow of the manner of these Defarges was dark upon himself for
all that and in his secret mind it troubled him greatly
Chapter IV
Calm in Storm
Doctor Manette did not return until the morning of the fourth day of his
absence So much of what had happened in that dreadful time as could be kept
from the knowledge of Lucie was so well concealed from her that not until long
afterwards when France and she were far apart did she know that eleven hundred
defenceless prisoners of both sexes and all ages had been killed by the
populace that four days and nights had been darkened by this deed of horror
and that the air around her had been tainted by the slain She only knew that
there had been an attack upon the prisons that all political prisoners had been
in danger and that some had been dragged out by the crowd and murdered
To Mr Lorry the Doctor communicated under an injunction of secrecy on
which he had no need to dwell that the crowd had taken him through a scene of
carnage to the prison of La Force That in the prison he had found a
selfappointed Tribunal sitting before which the prisoners were brought singly
and by which they were rapidly ordered to be put forth to be massacred or to be
released or in a few cases to be sent back to their cells That presented by
his conductors to this Tribunal he had announced himself by name and profession
as having been for eighteen years a secret and unaccused prisoner in the
Bastille that one of the body so sitting in judgment had risen and identified
him and that this man was Defarge
That hereupon he had ascertained through the registers on the table that
his soninlaw was among the living prisoners and had pleaded hard to the
Tribunal of whom some members were asleep and some awake some dirty with
murder and some clean some sober and some not for his life and liberty That
in the first frantic greetings lavished on himself as a notable sufferer under
the overthrown system it had been accorded to him to have Charles Darnay
brought before the lawless Court and examined That he seemed on the point of
being at once released when the tide in his favour met with some unexplained
check not intelligible to the Doctor which led to a few words of secret
conference That the man sitting as President had then informed Doctor Manette
that the prisoner must remain in custody but should for his sake be held
inviolate in safe custody That immediately on a signal the prisoner was
removed to the interior of the prison again but that he the Doctor had then
so strongly pleaded for permission to remain and assure himself that his son
was through no malice or mischance delivered to the concourse whose murderous
yells outside the gate had often drowned the proceedings that he had obtained
the permission and had remained in that Hall of Blood until the danger was
over
The sights he had seen there with brief snatches of food and sleep by
intervals shall remain untold The mad joy over the prisoners who were saved
had astounded him scarcely less than the mad ferocity against those who were cut
to pieces One prisoner there was he said who had been discharged into the
street free but at whom a mistaken savage had thrust a pike as he passed out
Being besought to go to him and dress the wound the Doctor had passed out at
the same gate and had found him in the arms of a company of Samaritans who
were seated on the bodies of their victims With an inconsistency as monstrous
as anything in this awful nightmare they had helped the healer and tended the
wounded man with the gentlest solicitude had made a litter for him and
escorted him carefully from the spot had then caught up their weapons and
plunged anew into a butchery so dreadful that the Doctor had covered his eyes
with his hands and swooned away in the midst of it
As Mr Lorry received these confidences and as he watched the face of his
friend now sixtytwo years of age a misgiving arose within him that such dread
experiences would revive the old danger But he had never seen his friend in
his present aspect he had never at all known him in his present character For
the first time the Doctor felt now that his suffering was strength and power
For the first time he felt that in that sharp fire he had slowly forged the
iron which could break the prison door of his daughters husband and deliver
him »It all tended to a good end my friend it was not mere waste and ruin As
my beloved child was helpful in restoring me to myself I will be helpful now in
restoring the dearest part of herself to her by the aid of Heaven I will do
it« Thus Doctor Manette And when Jarvis Lorry saw the kindled eyes the
resolute face the calm strong look and bearing of the man whose life always
seemed to him to have been stopped like a clock for so many years and then
set going again with an energy which had lain dormant during the cessation of
its usefulness he believed
Greater things than the Doctor had at that time to contend with would have
yielded before his persevering purpose While he kept himself in his place as a
physician whose business was with all degrees of mankind bond and free rich
and poor bad and good he used his personal influence so wisely that he was
soon the inspecting physician of three prisons and among them of La Force He
could now assure Lucie that her husband was no longer confined alone but was
mixed with the general body of prisoners he saw her husband weekly and brought
sweet messages to her straight from his lips sometimes her husband himself
sent a letter to her though never by the Doctors hand but she was not
permitted to write to him for among the many wild suspicions of plots in the
prisons the wildest of all pointed at emigrants who were known to have made
friends or permanent connections abroad
This new life of the Doctors was an anxious life no doubt still the
sagacious Mr Lorry saw that there was a new sustaining pride in it Nothing
unbecoming tinged the pride it was a natural and worthy one but he observed it
as a curiosity The Doctor knew that up to that time his imprisonment had been
associated in the minds of his daughter and his friend with his personal
affliction deprivation and weakness Now that this was changed and he knew
himself to be invested through that old trial with forces to which they both
looked for Charless ultimate safety and deliverance he became so far exalted
by the change that he took the lead and direction and required them as the
weak to trust to him as the strong The preceding relative positions of himself
and Lucie were reversed yet only as the liveliest gratitude and affection could
reverse them for he could have had no pride but in rendering some service to
her who had rendered so much to him »All curious to see« thought Mr Lorry in
his amiably shrewd way »but all natural and right so take the lead my dear
friend and keep it it couldnt be in better hands«
But though the Doctor tried hard and never ceased trying to get Charles
Darnay set at liberty or at least to get him brought to trial the public
current of the time set too strong and fast for him The new era began the king
was tried doomed and beheaded the Republic of Liberty Equality Fraternity
or Death declared for victory or death against the world in arms the black
flag waved night and day from the great towers of Notre Dame three hundred
thousand men summoned to rise against the tyrants of the earth rose from all
the varying soils of France as if the dragons teeth had been sown broadcast
and had yielded fruit equally on hill and plain on rock in gravel and
alluvial mud under the bright sky of the South and under the clouds of the
North in fell and forest in the vineyards and the olivegrounds and among the
cropped grass and the stubble of the corn along the fruitful banks of the broad
rivers and in the sand of the seashore What private solicitude could rear
itself against the deluge of the Year One of Liberty the deluge rising from
below not falling from above and with the windows of Heaven shut not opened
There was no pause no pity no peace no interval of relenting rest no
measurement of time Though days and nights circled as regularly as when time
was young and the evening and morning were the first day other count of time
there was none Hold of it was lost in the raging fever of a nation as it is in
the fever of one patient Now breaking the unnatural silence of a whole city
the executioner showed the people the head of the king and now it seemed
almost in the same breath the head of his fair wife which had had eight weary
months of imprisoned widowhood and misery to turn it grey
And yet observing the strange law of contradiction which obtains in all
such cases the time was long while it flamed by so fast A revolutionary
tribunal in the capital and forty or fifty thousand revolutionary committees
all over the land a law of the Suspected which struck away all security for
liberty or life and delivered over any good and innocent person to any bad and
guilty one prisons gorged with people who had committed no offence and could
obtain no hearing these things became the established order and nature of
appointed things and seemed to be ancient usage before they were many weeks
old Above all one hideous figure grew as familiar as if it had been before the
general gaze from the foundations of the world the figure of the sharp female
called La Guillotine
It was the popular theme for jests it was the best cure for headache it
infallibly prevented the hair from turning grey it imparted a peculiar delicacy
to the complexion it was the National Razor which shaved close who kissed La
Guillotine looked through the little window and sneezed into the sack It was
the sign of the regeneration of the human race It superseded the Cross Models
of it were worn on breasts from which the Cross was discarded and it was bowed
down to and believed in where the Cross was denied
It sheared off heads so many that it and the ground it most polluted were
a rotten red It was taken to pieces like a toypuzzle for a young Devil and
was put together again when the occasion wanted it It hushed the eloquent
struck down the powerful abolished the beautiful and good Twentytwo friends
of high public mark twentyone living and one dead it had lopped the heads
off in one morning in as many minutes The name of the strong man of Old
Scripture had descended to the chief functionary who worked it but so armed
he was stronger than his namesake and blinder and tore away the gates of Gods
own Temple every day
Among these terrors and the brood belonging to them the Doctor walked with
a steady head confident in his power cautiously persistent in his end never
doubting that he would save Lucies husband at last Yet the current of the time
swept by so strong and deep and carried the time away so fiercely that
Charles had lain in prison one year and three months when the Doctor was thus
steady and confident So much more wicked and distracted had the Revolution
grown in that December month that the rivers of the South were encumbered with
the bodies of the violently drowned by night and prisoners were shot in lines
and squares under the southern wintry sun Still the Doctor walked among the
terrors with a steady head No man better known than he in Paris at that day
no man in a stranger situation Silent humane indispensable in hospital and
prison using his art equally among assassins and victims he was a man apart
In the exercise of his skill the appearance and the story of the Bastille
Captive removed him from all other men He was not suspected or brought in
question any more than if he had indeed been recalled to life some eighteen
years before or were a Spirit moving among mortals
Chapter V
The WoodSawyer
One year and three months During all that time Lucie was never sure from hour
to hour but that the Guillotine would strike off her husbands head next day
Every day through the stony streets the tumbrils now jolted heavily filled
with Condemned Lovely girls bright women brownhaired blackhaired and
grey youths stalwart men and old gentle born and peasant born all red wine
for La Guillotine all daily brought into light from the dark cellars of the
loathsome prisons and carried to her through the street to slake her devouring
thirst Liberty equality fraternity or death the last much the easiest to
bestow O Guillotine
If the suddenness of her calamity and the whirling wheels of the time had
stunned the Doctors daughter into awaiting the result in idle despair it would
but have been with her as it was with many But from the hour when she had
taken the white head to her fresh young bosom in the garret of Saint Antoine
she had been true to her duties She was truest to them in the season of trial
as all the quietly loyal and good will always be
As soon as they were established in their new residence and her father had
entered on the routine of his avocations she arranged the little household as
exactly as if her husband had been there Everything had its appointed place and
its appointed time Little Lucie she taught as regularly as if they had all
been united in their English home The slight devices with which she cheated
herself into the show of a belief that they would soon be reunited the little
preparations for his speedy return the setting aside of his chair and his books
these and the solemn prayer at night for one dear prisoner especially among
the many unhappy souls in prison and the shadow of death were almost the only
outspoken reliefs of her heavy mind
She did not greatly alter in appearance The plain dark dresses akin to
mourning dresses which she and her child wore were as neat and as well
attended to as the brighter clothes of happy days She lost her colour and the
old and intent expression was a constant not an occasional thing otherwise
she remained very pretty and comely Sometimes at night on kissing her father
she would burst into the grief she had repressed all day and would say that her
sole reliance under Heaven was on him He always resolutely answered »Nothing
can happen to him without my knowledge and I know that I can save him Lucie«
They had not made the round of their changed life many weeks when her
father said to her on coming home one evening
»My dear there is an upper window in the prison to which Charles can
sometimes gain access at three in the afternoon When he can get to it which
depends on many uncertainties and incidents he might see you in the street he
thinks if you stood in a certain place that I can show you But you will not be
able to see him my poor child and even if you could it would be unsafe for
you to make a sign of recognition«
»O show me the place my father and I will go there every day«
From that time in all weathers she waited there two hours As the clock
struck two she was there and at four she turned resignedly away When it was
not too wet or inclement for her child to be with her they went together at
other times she was alone but she never missed a single day
It was the dark and dirty corner of a small winding street The hovel of a
cutter of wood into lengths for burning was the only house at that end all
else was wall On the third day of her being there he noticed her
»Good day citizeness«
»Good day citizen«
This mode of address was now prescribed by decree It had been established
voluntarily some time ago among the more thorough patriots but was now law
for everybody
»Walking here again citizeness«
»You see me citizen«
The woodsawyer who was a little man with a redundancy of gesture he had
once been a mender of roads cast a glance at the prison pointed at the
prison and putting his ten fingers before his face to represent bars peeped
through them jocosely
»But its not my business« said he And went on sawing his wood
Next day he was looking out for her and accosted her the moment she
appeared
»What Walking here again citizeness«
»Yes citizen«
»Ah A child too Your mother is it not my little citizeness«
»Do I say yes mamma« whispered little Lucie drawing close to her
»Yes dearest«
»Yes citizen«
»Ah But its not my business My work is my business See my saw I call it
my Little Guillotine La la la La la la And off his head comes«
The billet fell as he spoke and he threw it into a basket
»I call myself the Samson of the firewood guillotine See here again Loo
loo loo Loo loo loo And off her head comes Now a child Tickle tickle
Pickle pickle And off its head comes All the family«
Lucie shuddered as he threw two more billets into his basket but it was
impossible to be there while the woodsawyer was at work and not be in his
sight Thenceforth to secure his good will she always spoke to him first and
often gave him drinkmoney which he readily received
He was an inquisitive fellow and sometimes when she had quite forgotten him
in gazing at the prison roof and grates and in lifting her heart up to her
husband she would come to herself to find him looking at her with his knee on
his bench and his saw stopped in its work »But its not my business« he would
generally say at those times and would briskly fall to his sawing again
In all weathers in the snow and frost of winter in the bitter winds of
spring in the hot sunshine of summer in the rains of autumn and again in the
snow and frost of winter Lucie passed two hours of every day at this place and
every day on leaving it she kissed the prison wall Her husband saw her so she
learned from her father it might be once in five or six times it might be
twice or thrice running it might be not for a week or a fortnight together It
was enough that he could and did see her when the chances served and on that
possibility she would have waited out the day seven days a week
These occupations brought her round to the December month wherein her
father walked among the terrors with a steady head On a lightlysnowing
afternoon she arrived at the usual corner It was a day of some wild rejoicing
and a festival She had seen the houses as she came along decorated with
little pikes and with little red caps stuck upon them also with tricoloured
ribbons also with the standard inscription tricoloured letters were the
favourite Republic One and Indivisible Liberty Equality Fraternity or
Death
The miserable shop of the woodsawyer was so small that its whole surface
furnished very indifferent space for this legend He had got somebody to scrawl
it up for him however who had squeezed Death in with most inappropriate
difficulty On his housetop he displayed pike and cap as a good citizen must
and in a window he had stationed his saw inscribed as his Little Sainte
Guillotine for the great sharp female was by that time popularly canonised
His shop was shut and he was not there which was a relief to Lucie and left
her quite alone
But he was not far off for presently she heard a troubled movement and a
shouting coming along which filled her with fear A moment afterwards and a
throng of people came pouring round the corner by the prison wall in the midst
of whom was the woodsawyer hand in hand with The Vengeance There could not be
fewer than five hundred people and they were dancing like five thousand demons
There was no other music than their own singing They danced to the popular
Revolution song keeping a ferocious time that was like a gnashing of teeth in
unison Men and women danced together women danced together men danced
together as hazard had brought them together At first they were a mere storm
of coarse red caps and coarse woollen rags but as they filled the place and
stopped to dance about Lucie some ghastly apparition of a dancefigure gone
raving mad arose among them They advanced retreated struck at one anothers
hands clutched at one anothers heads spun round alone caught one another and
spun round in pairs until many of them dropped While those were down the rest
linked hand in hand and all spun round together then the ring broke and in
separate rings of two and four they turned and turned until they all stopped at
once began again struck clutched and tore and then reversed the spin and
all spun round another way Suddenly they stopped again paused struck out the
time afresh formed into lines the width of the public way and with their
heads low down and their hands high up swooped screaming off No fight could
have been half so terrible as this dance It was so emphatically a fallen sport
a something once innocent delivered over to all devilry a healthy pastime
changed into a means of angering the blood bewildering the senses and steeling
the heart Such grace as was visible in it made it the uglier showing how
warped and perverted all things good by nature were become The maidenly bosom
bared to this the pretty almostchilds head thus distracted the delicate foot
mincing in this slough of blood and dirt were types of the disjointed time
This was the Carmagnole As it passed leaving Lucie frightened and
bewildered in the doorway of the woodsawyers house the feathery snow fell as
quietly and lay as white and soft as if it had never been
»O my father« for he stood before her when she lifted up the eyes she had
momentarily darkened with her hand »such a cruel bad sight«
»I know my dear I know I have seen it many times Dont be frightened
Not one of them would harm you«
»I am not frightened for myself my father But when I think of my husband
and the mercies of these people «
»We will set him above their mercies very soon I left him climbing to the
window and I came to tell you There is no one here to see You may kiss your
hand towards that highest shelving roof«
»I do so father and I send him my Soul with it«
»You cannot see him my poor dear«
»No father« said Lucie yearning and weeping as she kissed her hand »no«
A footstep in the snow Madame Defarge I salute you citizeness from the
Doctor I salute you citizen This in passing Nothing more Madame Defarge
gone like a shadow over the white road
»Give me your arm my love Pass from here with an air of cheerfulness and
courage for his sake That was well done« they had left the spot »it shall
not be in vain Charles is summoned for tomorrow«
»For tomorrow«
»There is no time to lose I am well prepared but there are precautions to
be taken that could not be taken until he was actually summoned before the
Tribunal He has not received the notice yet but I know that he will presently
be summoned for tomorrow and removed to the Conciergerie I have timely
information You are not afraid«
She could scarcely answer »I trust in you«
»Do so implicitly Your suspense is nearly ended my darling he shall be
restored to you within a few hours I have encompassed him with every
protection I must see Lorry«
He stopped There was a heavy lumbering of wheels within hearing They both
knew too well what it meant One Two Three Three tumbrils faring away with
their dread loads over the hushing snow
»I must see Lorry« the Doctor repeated turning her another way
The staunch old gentleman was still in his trust had never left it He and
his books were in frequent requisition as to property confiscated and made
national What he could save for the owners he saved No better man living to
hold fast by what Tellsonss had in keeping and to hold his peace
A murky red and yellow sky and a rising mist from the Seine denoted the
approach of darkness It was almost dark when they arrived at the Bank The
stately residence of Monseigneur was altogether blighted and deserted Above a
heap of dust and ashes in the court ran the letters National Property
Republic One and Indivisible Liberty Equality Fraternity or Death
Who could that be with Mr Lorry the owner of the ridingcoat upon the
chair who must not be seen From whom newly arrived did he come out agitated
and surprised to take his favourite in his arms To whom did he appear to
repeat her faltering words when raising his voice and turning his head towards
the door of the room from which he had issued he said »Removed to the
Conciergerie and summoned for tomorrow«
Chapter VI
Triumph
The dread Tribunal of five Judges Public Prosecutor and determined Jury sat
every day Their lists went forth every evening and were read out by the
gaolers of the various prisons to their prisoners The standard gaolerjoke was
»Come out and listen to the Evening Paper you inside there«
»Charles Evrémonde called Darnay«
So at last began the Evening Paper at La Force
When a name was called its owner stepped apart into a spot reserved for
those who were announced as being thus fatally recorded Charles Evrémonde
called Darnay had reason to know the usage he had seen hundreds pass away so
His bloated gaoler who wore spectacles to read with glanced over them to
assure himself that he had taken his place and went through the list making a
similar short pause at each name There were twentythree names but only twenty
were responded to for one of the prisoners so summoned had died in gaol and
been forgotten and two had already been guillotined and forgotten The list was
read in the vaulted chamber where Darnay had seen the associated prisoners on
the night of his arrival Every one of those had perished in the massacre every
human creature he had since cared for and parted with had died on the scaffold
There were hurried words of farewell and kindness but the parting was soon
over It was the incident of every day and the society of La Force were engaged
in the preparation of some games of forfeits and a little concert for that
evening They crowded to the grates and shed tears there but twenty places in
the projected entertainments had to be refilled and the time was at best
short to the lockup hour when the common rooms and corridors would be
delivered over to the great dogs who kept watch there through the night The
prisoners were far from insensible or unfeeling their ways arose out of the
condition of the time Similarly though with a subtle difference a species of
fervour or intoxication known without doubt to have led some persons to brave
the guillotine unnecessarily and to die by it was not mere boastfulness but a
wild infection of the wildly shaken public mind In seasons of pestilence some
of us will have a secret attraction to the disease a terrible passing
inclination to die of it And all of us have like wonders hidden in our breasts
only needing circumstances to evoke them
The passage to the Conciergerie was short and dark the night in its
verminhaunted cells was long and cold Next day fifteen prisoners were put to
the bar before Charles Darnays name was called All the fifteen were condemned
and the trials of the whole occupied an hour and a half
Charles Evrémonde called Darnay was at length arraigned
His judges sat upon the Bench in feathered hats but the rough red cap and
tricoloured cockade was the headdress otherwise prevailing Looking at the Jury
and the turbulent audience he might have thought that the usual order of things
was reversed and that the felons were trying the honest men The lowest
cruelest and worst populace of a city never without its quantity of low
cruel and bad were the directing spirits of the scene noisily commenting
applauding disapproving anticipating and precipitating the result without a
check Of the men the greater part were armed in various ways of the women
some wore knives some daggers some ate and drank as they looked on many
knitted Among these last was one with a spare piece of knitting under her arm
as she worked She was in a front row by the side of a man whom he had never
seen since his arrival at the Barrier but whom he directly remembered as
Defarge He noticed that she once or twice whispered in his ear and that she
seemed to be his wife but what he most noticed in the two figures was that
although they were posted as close to himself as they could be they never
looked towards him They seemed to be waiting for something with a dogged
determination and they looked at the Jury but at nothing else Under the
President sat Doctor Manette in his usual quiet dress As well as the prisoner
could see he and Mr Lorry were the only men there unconnected with the
Tribunal who wore their usual clothes and had not assumed the coarse garb of
the Carmagnole
Charles Evrémonde called Darnay was accused by the public prosecutor as an
emigrant whose life was forfeit to the Republic under the decree which
banished all emigrants on pain of Death It was nothing that the decree bore
date since his return to France There he was and there was the decree he had
been taken in France and his head was demanded
»Take off his head« cried the audience »An enemy to the Republic«
The President rang his bell to silence those cries and asked the prisoner
whether it was not true that he had lived many years in England
Undoubtedly it was
Was he not an emigrant then What did he call himself
Not an emigrant he hoped within the sense and spirit of the law
Why not the President desired to know
Because he had voluntarily relinquished a title that was distasteful to him
and a station that was distasteful to him and had left his country he
submitted before the word emigrant in the present acceptation by the Tribunal
was in use to live by his own industry in England rather than on the industry
of the overladen people of France
What proof had he of this
He handed in the names of two witnesses Théophile Gabelle and Alexandre
Manette
But he had married in England the President reminded him
True but not an English woman
A citizeness of France
Yes By birth
Her name and family
»Lucie Manette only daughter of Doctor Manette the good physician who sits
there«
This answer had a happy effect upon the audience Cries in exaltation of the
wellknown good physician rent the hall So capriciously were the people moved
that tears immediately rolled down several ferocious countenances which had been
glaring at the prisoner a moment before as if with impatience to pluck him out
into the streets and kill him
On these few steps of his dangerous way Charles Darnay had set his foot
according to Doctor Manettes reiterated instructions The same cautious counsel
directed every step that lay before him and had prepared every inch of his
road
The President asked why had he returned to France when he did and not
sooner
He had not returned sooner he replied simply because he had no means of
living in France save those he had resigned whereas in England he lived by
giving instruction in the French language and literature He had returned when
he did on the pressing and written entreaty of a French citizen who
represented that his life was endangered by his absence He had come back to
save a citizens life and to bear his testimony at whatever personal hazard
to the truth Was that criminal in the eyes of the Republic
The populace cried enthusiastically »No« and the President rang his bell
to quiet them Which it did not for they continued to cry »No« until they left
off of their own will
The President required the name of that citizen The accused explained that
the citizen was his first witness He also referred with confidence to the
citizens letter which had been taken from him at the Barrier but which he did
not doubt would be found among the papers then before the President
The Doctor had taken care that it should be there had assured him that it
would be there and at this stage of the proceedings it was produced and read
Citizen Gabelle was called to confirm it and did so Citizen Gabelle hinted
with infinite delicacy and politeness that in the pressure of business imposed
on the Tribunal by the multitude of enemies of the Republic with which it had to
deal he had been slightly overlooked in his prison of the Abbaye in fact had
rather passed out of the Tribunals patriotic remembrance until three days
ago when he had been summoned before it and had been set at liberty on the
Jurys declaring themselves satisfied that the accusation against him was
answered as to himself by the surrender of the citizen Evrémonde called
Darnay
Doctor Manette was next questioned His high personal popularity and the
clearness of his answers made a great impression but as he proceeded as he
showed that the Accused was his first friend on his release from his long
imprisonment that the accused had remained in England always faithful and
devoted to his daughter and himself in their exile that so far from being in
favour with the Aristocrat government there he had actually been tried for his
life by it as the foe of England and friend of the United States as he
brought these circumstances into view with the greatest discretion and with the
straightforward force of truth and earnestness the Jury and the populace became
one At last when he appealed by name to Monsieur Lorry an English gentleman
then and there present who like himself had been a witness on that English
trial and could corroborate his account of it the Jury declared that they had
heard enough and that they were ready with their votes if the President were
content to receive them
At every vote the Jurymen voted aloud and individually the populace set
up a shout of applause All the voices were in the prisoners favour and the
President declared him free
Then began one of those extraordinary scenes with which the populace
sometimes gratified their fickleness or their better impulses towards
generosity and mercy or which they regarded as some setoff against their
swollen account of cruel rage No man can decide now to which of these motives
such extraordinary scenes were referable it is probable to a blending of all
the three with the second predominating No sooner was the acquittal
pronounced than tears were shed as freely as blood at another time and such
fraternal embraces were bestowed upon the prisoner by as many of both sexes as
could rush at him that after his long and unwholesome confinement he was in
danger of fainting from exhaustion none the less because he knew very well
that the very same people carried by another current would have rushed at him
with the very same intensity to rend him to pieces and strew him over the
streets
His removal to make way for other accused persons who were to be tried
rescued him from these caresses for the moment Five were to be tried together
next as enemies of the Republic forasmuch as they had not assisted it by word
or deed So quick was the Tribunal to compensate itself and the nation for a
chance lost that these five came down to him before he left the place
condemned to die within twentyfour hours The first of them told him so with
the customary prison sign of Death a raised finger and they all added in
words »Long live the Republic«
The five had had it is true no audience to lengthen their proceedings for
when he and Doctor Manette emerged from the gate there was a great crowd about
it in which there seemed to be every face he had seen in Court except two
for which he looked in vain On his coming out the concourse made at him anew
weeping embracing and shouting all by turns and all together until the very
tide of the river on the bank of which the mad scene was acted seemed to run
mad like the people on the shore
They put him into a great chair they had among them and which they had
taken either out of the Court itself or one of its rooms or passages Over the
chair they had thrown a red flag and to the back of it they had bound a pike
with a red cap on its top In this car of triumph not even the Doctors
entreaties could prevent his being carried to his home on mens shoulders with
a confused sea of red caps heaving about him and casting up to sight from the
stormy deep such wrecks of faces that he more than once misdoubted his mind
being in confusion and that he was in the tumbril on his way to the Guillotine
In wild dreamlike procession embracing whom they met and pointing him out
they carried him on Reddening the snowy streets with the prevailing Republican
colour in winding and tramping through them as they had reddened them below
the snow with a deeper dye they carried him thus into the courtyard of the
building where he lived Her father had gone on before to prepare her and when
her husband stood upon his feet she dropped insensible in his arms
As he held her to his heart and turned her beautiful head between his face
and the brawling crowd so that his tears and her lips might come together
unseen a few of the people fell to dancing Instantly all the rest fell to
dancing and the courtyard overflowed with the Carmagnole Then they elevated
into the vacant chair a young woman from the crowd to be carried as the Goddess
of Liberty and then swelling and overflowing out into the adjacent streets and
along the rivers bank and over the bridge the Carmagnole absorbed them every
one and whirled them away
After grasping the Doctors hand as he stood victorious and proud before
him after grasping the hand of Mr Lorry who came panting in breathless from
his struggle against the waterspout of the Carmagnole after kissing little
Lucie who was lifted up to clasp her arms round his neck and after embracing
the ever zealous and faithful Pross who lifted her he took his wife in his
arms and carried her up to their rooms
»Lucie My own I am safe«
»O dearest Charles let me thank God for this on my knees as I have prayed
to Him«
They all reverently bowed their heads and hearts When she was again in his
arms he said to her
»And now speak to your father dearest No other man in all this France
could have done what he has done for me«
She laid her head upon her fathers breast as she had laid his poor head on
her own breast long long ago He was happy in the return he had made her he
was recompensed for his suffering he was proud of his strength »You must not
be weak my darling« he remonstrated »dont tremble so I have saved him«
Chapter VII
A Knock at the Door
»I have saved him« It was not another of the dreams in which he had often come
back he was really here And yet his wife trembled and a vague but heavy fear
was upon her
All the air around was so thick and dark the people were so passionately
revengeful and fitful the innocent were so constantly put to death on vague
suspicion and black malice it was so impossible to forget that many as
blameless as her husband and as dear to others as he was to her every day
shared the fate from which he had been clutched that her heart could not be as
lightened of its load as she felt it ought to be The shadows of the wintry
afternoon were beginning to fall and even now the dreadful carts were rolling
through the streets Her mind pursued them looking for him among the Condemned
and then she clung closer to his real presence and trembled more
Her father cheering her showed a compassionate superiority to this womans
weakness which was wonderful to see No garret no shoemaking no One Hundred
and Five North Tower now He had accomplished the task he had set himself his
promise was redeemed he had saved Charles Let them all lean upon him
Their housekeeping was of a very frugal kind not only because that was the
safest way of life involving the least offence to the people but because they
were not rich and Charles throughout his imprisonment had had to pay heavily
for his bad food and for his guard and towards the living of the poorer
prisoners Partly on this account and partly to avoid a domestic spy they kept
no servant the citizen and citizeness who acted as porters at the courtyard
gate rendered them occasional service and Jerry almost wholly transferred to
them by Mr Lorry had become their daily retainer and had his bed there every
night
It was an ordinance of the Republic One and Indivisible of Liberty
Equality Fraternity or Death that on the door or doorpost of every house the
name of every inmate must be legibly inscribed in letters of a certain size at
a certain convenient height from the ground Mr Jerry Crunchers name
therefore duly embellished the doorpost down below and as the afternoon
shadows deepened the owner of that name himself appeared from overlooking a
painter whom Doctor Manette had employed to add to the list the name of Charles
Evrémonde called Darnay
In the universal fear and distrust that darkened the time all the usual
harmless ways of life were changed In the Doctors little household as in very
many others the articles of daily consumption that were wanted were purchased
every evening in small quantities and at various small shops To avoid
attracting notice and to give as little occasion as possible for talk and envy
was the general desire
For some months past Miss Pross and Mr Cruncher had discharged the office
of purveyors the former carrying the money the latter the basket Every
afternoon at about the time when the public lamps were lighted they fared forth
on this duty and made and brought home such purchases as were needful Although
Miss Pross through her long association with a French family might have known
as much of their language as of her own if she had had a mind she had no mind
in that direction consequently she knew no more of that nonsense as she was
pleased to call it than Mr Cruncher did So her manner of marketing was to
plump a nounsubstantive at the head of a shopkeeper without any introduction in
the nature of an article and if it happened not to be the name of the thing
she wanted to look round for that thing lay hold of it and hold on by it
until the bargain was concluded She always made a bargain for it by holding
up as a statement of its just price one finger less than the merchant held up
whatever his number might be
»Now Mr Cruncher« said Miss Pross whose eyes were red with felicity »if
you are ready I am«
Jerry hoarsely professed himself at Miss Prosss service He had worn all
his rust off long ago but nothing would file his spiky head down
»Theres all manner of things wanted« said Miss Pross »and we shall have a
precious time of it We want wine among the rest Nice toasts these Redheads
will be drinking wherever we buy it«
»It will be much the same to your knowledge miss I should think« retorted
Jerry »whether they drink your health or the Old Uns«
»Whos he« said Miss Pross
Mr Cruncher with some diffidence explained himself as meaning »Old
Nicks«
»Ha« said Miss Pross »it doesnt need an interpreter to explain the
meaning of these creatures They have but one and its Midnight Murder and
Mischief«
»Hush dear Pray pray be cautious« cried Lucie
»Yes yes yes Ill be cautious« said Miss Pross »but I may say among
ourselves that I do hope there will be no oniony and tobaccoey smotherings in
the form of embracings all round going on in the streets Now Ladybird never
you stir from that fire till I come back Take care of the dear husband you have
recovered and dont move your pretty head from his shoulder as you have it now
till you see me again May I ask a question Doctor Manette before I go«
»I think you may take that liberty« the Doctor answered smiling
»For gracious sake dont talk about Liberty we have quite enough of that«
said Miss Pross
»Hush dear Again« Lucie remonstrated
»Well my sweet« said Miss Pross nodding her head emphatically »the short
and the long of it is that I am a subject of His Most Gracious Majesty King
George the Third« Miss Pross curtseyed at the name »and as such my maxim is
Confound their politics Frustrate their knavish tricks On him our hopes we
fix God save the King«
Mr Cruncher in an access of loyalty growlingly repeated the words after
Miss Pross like somebody at church
»I am glad you have so much of the Englishman in you though I wish you had
never taken that cold in your voice« said Miss Pross approvingly »But the
question Doctor Manette Is there« it was the good creatures way to affect
to make light of anything that was a great anxiety with them all and to come at
it in this chance manner »is there any prospect yet of our getting out of
this place«
»I fear not yet It would be dangerous for Charles yet«
»Heighhohum« said Miss Pross cheerfully repressing a sigh as she glanced
at her darlings golden hair in the light of the fire »then we must have
patience and wait thats all We must hold up our heads and fight low as my
brother Solomon used to say Now Mr Cruncher Dont you move Ladybird«
They went out leaving Lucie and her husband her father and the child by
a bright fire Mr Lorry was expected back presently from the Banking House
Miss Pross had lighted the lamp but had put it aside in a corner that they
might enjoy the firelight undisturbed Little Lucie sat by her grandfather with
her hands clasped through his arm and he in a tone not rising much above a
whisper began to tell her a story of a great and powerful Fairy who had opened
a prisonwall and let out a captive who had once done the Fairy a service All
was subdued and quiet and Lucie was more at ease than she had been
»What is that« she cried all at once
»My dear« said her father stopping in his story and laying his hand on
hers »command yourself What a disordered state you are in The least thing
nothing startles you You your fathers daughter«
»I thought my father« said Lucie excusing herself with a pale face and
in a faltering voice »that I heard strange feet upon the stairs«
»My love the staircase is as still as Death«
As he said the word a blow was struck upon the door
»Oh father father What can this be Hide Charles Save him«
»My child« said the Doctor rising and laying his hand upon her shoulder
»I have saved him What weakness is this my dear Let me go to the door«
He took the lamp in his hand crossed the two intervening outer rooms and
opened it A rude clattering of feet over the floor and four rough men in red
caps armed with sabres and pistols entered the room
»The Citizen Evrémonde called Darnay« said the first
»Who seeks him« answered Darnay
»I seek him We seek him I know you Evrémonde I saw you before the
Tribunal today You are again the prisoner of the Republic«
The four surrounded him where he stood with his wife and child clinging to
him
»Tell me how and why am I again a prisoner«
»It is enough that you return straight to the Conciergerie and will know
tomorrow You are summoned for tomorrow«
Dr Manette whom this visitation had so turned into stone that he stood
with the lamp in his hand as if he were a statue made to hold it moved after
these words were spoken put the lamp down and confronting the speaker and
taking him not ungently by the loose front of his red woollen shirt said
»You know him you have said Do you know me«
»Yes I know you Citizen Doctor«
»We all know you Citizen Doctor« said the other three
He looked abstractedly from one to another and said in a lower voice
after a pause
»Will you answer his question to me then How does this happen«
»Citizen Doctor« said the first reluctantly »he has been denounced to the
Section of Saint Antoine This citizen« pointing out the second who had
entered »is from Saint Antoine«
The citizen here indicated nodded his head and added
»He is accused by Saint Antoine«
»Of what« asked the Doctor
»Citizen Doctor« said the first with his former reluctance »ask no more
If the Republic demands sacrifices from you without doubt you as a good patriot
will be happy to make them The Republic goes before all The People is supreme
Evrémonde we are pressed«
»One word« the Doctor entreated »Will you tell me who denounced him«
»It is against rule« answered the first »but you can ask Him of Saint
Antoine here«
The Doctor turned his eyes upon that man Who moved uneasily on his feet
rubbed his beard a little and at length said
»Well Truly it is against rule But he is denounced and gravely by the
Citizen and Citizeness Defarge And by one other«
»What other«
»Do you ask Citizen Doctor«
»Yes«
»Then« said he of Saint Antoine with a strange look »you will be answered
tomorrow Now I am dumb«
Chapter VIII
A Hand at Cards
Happily unconscious of the new calamity at home Miss Pross threaded her way
along the narrow streets and crossed the river by the bridge of the PontNeuf
reckoning in her mind the number of indispensable purchases she had to make Mr
Cruncher with the basket walked at her side They both looked to the right and
to the left into most of the shops they passed had a wary eye for all
gregarious assemblages of people and turned out of their road to avoid any very
excited group of talkers It was a raw evening and the misty river blurred to
the eye with blazing lights and to the ear with harsh noises showed where the
barges were stationed in which the smiths worked making guns for the Army of
the Republic Woe to the man who played tricks with that Army or got undeserved
promotion in it Better for him that his beard had never grown for the National
Razor shaved him close
Having purchased a few small articles of grocery and a measure of oil for
the lamp Miss Pross bethought herself of the wine they wanted After peeping
into several wineshops she stopped at the sign of The Good Republican Brutus
of Antiquity not far from the National Palace once and twice the Tuileries
where the aspect of things rather took her fancy It had a quieter look than any
other place of the same description they had passed and though red with
patriotic caps was not so red as the rest Sounding Mr Cruncher and finding
him of her opinion Miss Pross resorted to The Good Republican Brutus of
Antiquity attended by her cavalier
Slightly observant of the smoky lights of the people pipe in mouth
playing with limp cards and yellow dominoes of the one barebreasted
barearmed sootbegrimed workman reading a journal aloud and of the others
listening to him of the weapons worn or laid aside to be resumed of the two
or three customers fallen forward asleep who in the popular highshouldered
shaggy black spencer looked in that attitude like slumbering bears or dogs
the two outlandish customers approached the counter and showed what they
wanted
As their wine was measuring out a man parted from another man in a corner
and rose to depart In going he had to face Miss Pross No sooner did he face
her than Miss Pross uttered a scream and clapped her hands
In a moment the whole company were on their feet That somebody was
assassinated by somebody vindicating a difference of opinion was the likeliest
occurrence Everybody looked to see somebody fall but only saw a man and a
woman standing staring at each other the man with all the outward aspect of a
Frenchman and a thorough Republican the woman evidently English
What was said in this disappointing anticlimax by the disciples of the
Good Republican Brutus of Antiquity except that it was something very voluble
and loud would have been as so much Hebrew or Chaldean to Miss Pross and her
protector though they had been all ears But they had no ears for anything in
their surprise For it must be recorded that not only was Miss Pross lost in
amazement and agitation but Mr Cruncher though it seemed on his own
separate and individual account was in a state of the greatest wonder
»What is the matter« said the man who had caused Miss Pross to scream
speaking in a vexed abrupt voice though in a low tone and in English
»Oh Solomon dear Solomon« cried Miss Pross clapping her hands again
»After not setting eyes upon you or hearing of you for so long a time do I find
you here«
»Dont call me Solomon Do you want to be the death of me« asked the man
in a furtive frightened way
»Brother brother« cried Miss Pross bursting into tears »Have I ever been
so hard with you that you ask me such a cruel question«
»Then hold your meddlesome tongue« said Solomon »and come out if you want
to speak to me Pay for your wine and come out Whos this man«
Miss Pross shaking her loving and dejected head at her by no means
affectionate brother said through her tears »Mr Cruncher«
»Let him come out too« said Solomon »Does he think me a ghost«
Apparently Mr Cruncher did to judge from his looks He said not a word
however and Miss Pross exploring the depths of her reticule through her tears
with great difficulty paid for her wine As she did so Solomon turned to the
followers of the Good Republican Brutus of Antiquity and offered a few words of
explanation in the French language which caused them all to relapse into their
former places and pursuits
»Now« said Solomon stopping at the dark street corner »what do you want«
»How dreadfully unkind in a brother nothing has ever turned my love away
from« cried Miss Pross »to give me such a greeting and show me no affection«
»There Confound it There« said Solomon making a dab at Miss Prosss
lips with his own »Now are you content«
Miss Pross only shook her head and wept in silence
»If you expect me to be surprised« said her brother Solomon »I am not
surprised I knew you were here I know of most people who are here If you
really dont want to endanger my existence which I half believe you do go
your ways as soon as possible and let me go mine I am busy I am an official«
»My English brother Solomon« mourned Miss Pross casting up her
tearfraught eyes »that had the makings in him of one of the best and greatest
of men in his native country an official among foreigners and such foreigners
I would almost sooner have seen the dear boy lying in his «
»I said so« cried her brother interrupting »I knew it You want to be the
death of me I shall be rendered Suspected by my own sister Just as I am
getting on«
»The gracious and merciful Heavens forbid« cried Miss Pross »Far rather
would I never see you again dear Solomon though I have ever loved you truly
and ever shall Say but one affectionate word to me and tell me there is
nothing angry or estranged between us and I will detain you no longer«
Good Miss Pross As if the estrangement between them had come of any
culpability of hers As if Mr Lorry had not known it for a fact years ago in
the quiet corner in Soho that this precious brother had spent her money and
left her
He was saying the affectionate word however with a far more grudging
condescension and patronage than he could have shown if their relative merits
and positions had been reversed which is invariably the case all the world
over when Mr Cruncher touching him on the shoulder hoarsely and
unexpectedly interposed with the following singular question
»I say Might I ask the favour As to whether your name is John Solomon or
Solomon John«
The official turned towards him with sudden distrust He had not previously
uttered a word
»Come« said Mr Cruncher »Speak out you know« Which by the way was
more than he could do himself
»John Solomon or Solomon John She calls you Solomon and she must know
being your sister And I know youre John you know Which of the two goes
first And regarding that name of Pross likewise That warnt your name over
the water«
»What do you mean«
»Well I dont know all I mean for I cant call to mind what your name was
over the water«
»No«
»No But Ill swear it was a name of two syllables«
»Indeed«
»Yes Tother ones was one syllable I know you You was a spywitness at
the Bailey What in the name of the Father of Lies own father to yourself was
you called at that time«
»Barsad« said another voice striking in
»Thats the name for a thousand pound« cried Jerry
The speaker who struck in was Sydney Carton He had his hands behind him
under the skirts of his ridingcoat and he stood at Mr Crunchers elbow as
negligently as he might have stood at the Old Bailey itself
»Dont be alarmed my dear Miss Pross I arrived at Mr Lorrys to his
surprise yesterday evening we agreed that I would not present myself elsewhere
until all was well or unless I could be useful I present myself here to beg a
little talk with your brother I wish you had a better employed brother than Mr
Barsad I wish for your sake Mr Barsad was not a Sheep of the Prisons«
Sheep was a cant word of the time for a spy under the gaolers The spy who
was pale turned paler and asked him how he dared
»Ill tell you« said Sydney »I lighted on you Mr Barsad coming out of
the prison of the Conciergerie while I was contemplating the walls an hour or
more ago You have a face to be remembered and I remember faces well Made
curious by seeing you in that connection and having a reason to which you are
no stranger for associating you with the misfortunes of a friend now very
unfortunate I walked in your direction I walked into the wineshop here close
after you and sat near you I had no difficulty in deducing from your
unreserved conversation and the rumour openly going about among your admirers
the nature of your calling And gradually what I had done at random seemed to
shape itself into a purpose Mr Barsad«
»What purpose« the spy asked
»It would be troublesome and might be dangerous to explain in the street
Could you favour me in confidence with some minutes of your company at the
office of Tellsons Bank for instance«
»Under a threat«
»Oh Did I say that«
»Then why should I go there«
»Really Mr Barsad I cant say if you cant«
»Do you mean that you wont say sir« the spy irresolutely asked
»You apprehend me very clearly Mr Barsad I wont«
Cartons negligent recklessness of manner came powerfully in aid of his
quickness and skill in such a business as he had in his secret mind and with
such a man as he had to do with His practised eye saw it and made the most of
it
»Now I told you so« said the spy casting a reproachful look at his
sister »if any trouble comes of this its your doing«
»Come come Mr Barsad« exclaimed Sydney »Dont be ungrateful But for my
great respect for your sister I might not have led up so pleasantly to a little
proposal that I wish to make for our mutual satisfaction Do you go with me to
the Bank«
»Ill hear what you have got to say Yes Ill go with you«
»I propose that we first conduct your sister safely to the corner of her own
street Let me take your arm Miss Pross This is not a good city at this time
for you to be out in unprotected and as your escort knows Mr Barsad I will
invite him to Mr Lorrys with us Are we ready Come then«
Miss Pross recalled soon afterwards and to the end of her life remembered
that as she pressed her hands on Sydneys arm and looked up in his face
imploring him to do no hurt to Solomon there was a braced purpose in the arm
and a kind of inspiration in the eyes which not only contradicted his light
manner but changed and raised the man She was too much occupied then with
fears for the brother who so little deserved her affection and with Sydneys
friendly reassurances adequately to heed what she observed
They left her at the corner of the street and Carton led the way to Mr
Lorrys which was within a few minutes walk John Barsad or Solomon Pross
walked at his side
Mr Lorry had just finished his dinner and was sitting before a cheery
little log or two of fire perhaps looking into their blaze for the picture of
that younger elderly gentleman from Tellsons who had looked into the red coals
at the Royal George at Dover now a good many years ago He turned his head as
they entered and showed the surprise with which he saw a stranger
»Miss Prosss brother sir« said Sydney »Mr Barsad«
»Barsad« repeated the old gentleman »Barsad I have an association with
the name and with the face«
»I told you you had a remarkable face Mr Barsad« observed Carton coolly
»Pray sit down«
As he took a chair himself he supplied the link that Mr Lorry wanted by
saying to him with a frown Witness at that trial Mr Lorry immediately
remembered and regarded his new visitor with an undisguised look of abhorrence
»Mr Barsad has been recognised by Miss Pross as the affectionate brother
you have heard of« said Sydney »and has acknowledged the relationship I pass
to worse news Darnay has been arrested again«
Struck with consternation the old gentleman exclaimed »What do you tell
me I left him safe and free within these two hours and am about to return to
him«
»Arrested for all that When was it done Mr Barsad«
»Just now if at all«
»Mr Barsad is the best authority possible sir« said Sydney »and I have
it from Mr Barsads communication to a friend and brother Sheep over a bottle
of wine that the arrest has taken place He left the messengers at the gate
and saw them admitted by the porter There is no earthly doubt that he is
retaken«
Mr Lorrys business eye read in the speakers face that it was loss of time
to dwell upon the point Confused but sensible that something might depend on
his presence of mind he commanded himself and was silently attentive
»Now I trust« said Sydney to him »that the name and influence of Doctor
Manette may stand him in as good stead tomorrow you said he would be before
the Tribunal again tomorrow Mr Barsad «
»Yes I believe so«
» In as good stead tomorrow as today But it may not be so I own to you
I am shaken Mr Lorry by Doctor Manettes not having had the power to prevent
this arrest«
»He may not have known of it beforehand« said Mr Lorry
»But that very circumstance would be alarming when we remember how
identified he is with his soninlaw«
»Thats true« Mr Lorry acknowledged with his troubled hand at his chin
and his troubled eyes on Carton
»In short« said Sydney »this is a desperate time when desperate games are
played for desperate stakes Let the Doctor play the winning game I will play
the losing one No mans life here is worth purchase Any one carried home by
the people today may be condemned tomorrow Now the stake I have resolved to
play for in case of the worst is a friend in the Conciergerie And the friend
I purpose to myself to win is Mr Barsad«
»You need have good cards sir« said the spy
»Ill run them over Ill see what I hold Mr Lorry you know what a
brute I am I wish youd give me a little brandy«
It was put before him and he drank off a glassful drank off another
glassful pushed the bottle thoughtfully away
»Mr Barsad« he went on in the tone of one who really was looking over a
hand at cards »Sheep of the prisons emissary of Republican committees now
turnkey now prisoner always spy and secret informer so much the more valuable
here for being English that an Englishman is less open to suspicion of
subornation in those characters than a Frenchman represents himself to his
employers under a false name Thats a very good card Mr Barsad now in the
employ of the republican French government was formerly in the employ of the
aristocratic English government the enemy of France and freedom Thats an
excellent card Inference clear as day in this region of suspicion that Mr
Barsad still in the pay of the aristocratic English government is the spy of
Pitt the treacherous foe of the Republic crouching in its bosom the English
traitor and agent of all mischief so much spoken of and so difficult to find
Thats a card not to be beaten Have you followed my hand Mr Barsad«
»Not to understand your play« returned the spy somewhat uneasily
»I play my Ace Denunciation of Mr Barsad to the nearest Section Committee
Look over your hand Mr Barsad and see what you have Dont hurry«
He drew the bottle near poured out another glassful of brandy and drank it
off He saw that the spy was fearful of his drinking himself into a fit state
for the immediate denunciation of him Seeing it he poured out and drank
another glassful
»Look over your hand carefully Mr Barsad Take time«
It was a poorer hand than he suspected Mr Barsad saw losing cards in it
that Sydney Carton knew nothing of Thrown out of his honourable employment in
England through too much unsuccessful hard swearing there not because he was
not wanted there our English reasons for vaunting our superiority to secrecy
and spies are of very modern date he knew that he had crossed the Channel and
accepted service in France first as a tempter and an eavesdropper among his
own countrymen there gradually as a tempter and an eavesdropper among the
natives He knew that under the overthrown government he had been a spy upon
Saint Antoine and Defarges wineshop had received from the watchful police
such heads of information concerning Doctor Manettes imprisonment release and
history as should serve him for an introduction to familiar conversation with
the Defarges and tried them on Madame Defarge and had broken down with them
signally He always remembered with fear and trembling that that terrible woman
had knitted when he talked with her and had looked ominously at him as her
fingers moved He had since seen her in the Section of Saint Antoine over and
over again produce her knitted registers and denounce people whose lives the
guillotine then surely swallowed up He knew as every one employed as he was
did that he was never safe that flight was impossible that he was tied fast
under the shadow of the axe and that in spite of his utmost tergiversation and
treachery in furtherance of the reigning terror a word might bring it down upon
him Once denounced and on such grave grounds as had just now been suggested to
his mind he foresaw that the dreadful woman of whose unrelenting character he
had seen many proofs would produce against him that fatal register and would
quash his last chance of life Besides that all secret men are men soon
terrified here were surely cards enough of one black suit to justify the
holder in growing rather livid as he turned them over
»You scarcely seem to like your hand« said Sydney with the greatest
composure »Do you play«
»I think sir« said the spy in the meanest manner as he turned to Mr
Lorry »I may appeal to a gentleman of your years and benevolence to put it to
this other gentleman so much your junior whether he can under any
circumstances reconcile it to his station to play that Ace of which he has
spoken I admit that I am a spy and that it is considered a discreditable
station though it must be filled by somebody but this gentleman is no spy
and why should he so demean himself as to make himself one«
»I play my Ace Mr Barsad« said Carton taking the answer on himself and
looking at his watch »without any scruple in a very few minutes«
»I should have hoped gentlemen both« said the spy always striving to hook
Mr Lorry into the discussion »that your respect for my sister «
»I could not better testify my respect for your sister than by finally
relieving her of her brother« said Sydney Carton
»You think not sir«
»I have thoroughly made up my mind about it«
The smooth manner of the spy curiously in dissonance with his
ostentatiously rough dress and probably with his usual demeanour received such
a check from the inscrutability of Carton who was a mystery to wiser and
honester men than he that it faltered here and failed him While he was at a
loss Carton said resuming his former air of contemplating cards
»And indeed now I think again I have a strong impression that I have
another good card here not yet enumerated That friend and fellowSheep who
spoke of himself as pasturing in the country prisons who was he«
»French You dont know him« said the spy quickly
»French eh« repeated Carton musing and not appearing to notice him at
all though he echoed his word »Well he may be«
»Is I assure you« said the spy »though its not important«
»Though its not important« repeated Carton in the same mechanical way
»though its not important No its not important No Yet I know the face«
»I think not I am sure not It cant be« said the spy
»It cant be« muttered Sydney Carton retrospectively and filling his
glass which fortunately was a small one again »Cant be Spoke good French
Yet like a foreigner I thought«
»Provincial« said the spy
»No Foreign« cried Carton striking his open hand on the table as a light
broke clearly on his mind »Cly Disguised but the same man We had that man
before us at the Old Bailey«
»Now there you are hasty sir« said Barsad with a smile that gave his
aquiline nose an extra inclination to one side »there you really give me an
advantage over you Cly who I will unreservedly admit at this distance of
time was a partner of mine has been dead several years I attended him in his
last illness He was buried in London at the church of Saint
PancrasintheFields His unpopularity with the blackguard multitude at the
moment prevented my following his remains but I helped to lay him in his
coffin«
Here Mr Lorry became aware from where he sat of a most remarkable goblin
shadow on the wall Tracing it to its source he discovered it to be caused by a
sudden extraordinary rising and stiffening of all the risen and stiff hair on
Mr Crunchers head
»Let us be reasonable« said the spy »and let us be fair To show you how
mistaken you are and what an unfounded assumption yours is I will lay before
you a certificate of Clys burial which I happen to have carried in my
pocketbook« with a hurried hand he produced and opened it »ever since There
it is Oh look at it look at it You may take it in your hand its no
forgery«
Here Mr Lorry perceived the reflection on the wall to elongate and Mr
Cruncher rose and stepped forward His hair could not have been more violently
on end if it had been that moment dressed by the Cow with the crumpled horn in
the house that Jack built
Unseen by the spy Mr Cruncher stood at his side and touched him on the
shoulder like a ghostly bailiff
»That there Roger Cly master« said Mr Cruncher with a taciturn and
ironbound visage »So you put him in his coffin«
»I did«
»Who took him out of it«
Barsad leaned back in his chair and stammered »What do you mean«
»I mean« said Mr Cruncher »that he warnt never in it No Not he Ill
have my head took off if he was ever in it«
The spy looked round at the two gentlemen they both looked in unspeakable
astonishment at Jerry
»I tell you« said Jerry »that you buried pavingstones and earth in that
there coffin Dont go and tell me that you buried Cly It was a take in Me and
two more knows it«
»How do you know it«
»Whats that to you Ecod« growled Mr Cruncher »its you I have got a old
grudge again is it with your shameful impositions upon tradesmen Id catch
hold of your throat and choke you for half a guinea«
Sydney Carton who with Mr Lorry had been lost in amazement at this turn
of the business here requested Mr Cruncher to moderate and explain himself
»At another time sir« he returned evasively »the present time is
illconwenient for explainin What I stand to is that he knows well wot that
there Cly was never in that there coffin Let him say he was in so much as a
word of one syllable and Ill either catch hold of his throat and choke him for
half a guinea« Mr Cruncher dwelt upon this as quite a liberal offer »or Ill
out and announce him«
»Humph I see one thing« said Carton »I hold another card Mr Barsad
Impossible here in raging Paris with Suspicion filling the air for you to
outlive denunciation when you are in communication with another aristocratic
spy of the same antecedents as yourself who moreover has the mystery about
him of having feigned death and come to life again A plot in the prisons of
the foreigner against the Republic A strong card a certain Guillotine card
Do you play«
»No« returned the spy »I throw up I confess that we were so unpopular
with the outrageous mob that I only got away from England at the risk of being
ducked to death and that Cly was so ferreted up and down that he never would
have got away at all but for that sham Though how this man knows it was a sham
is a wonder of wonders to me«
»Never you trouble your head about this man« retorted the contentious Mr
Cruncher »youll have trouble enough with giving your attention to that
gentleman And look here Once more« Mr Cruncher could not be restrained
from making rather an ostentatious parade of his liberality »Id catch hold of
your throat and choke you for half a guinea«
The Sheep of the prisons turned from him to Sydney Carton and said with
more decision »It has come to a point I go on duty soon and cant overstay my
time You told me you had a proposal what is it Now it is of no use asking
too much of me Ask me to do anything in my office putting my head in great
extra danger and I had better trust my life to the chances of a refusal than
the chances of consent In short I should make that choice You talk of
desperation We are all desperate here Remember I may denounce you if I think
proper and I can swear my way through stone walls and so can others Now what
do you want with me«
»Not very much You are a turnkey at the Conciergerie«
»I tell you once for all there is no such thing as an escape possible«
said the spy firmly
»Why need you tell me what I have not asked You are a turnkey at the
Conciergerie«
»I am sometimes«
»You can be when you choose«
»I can pass in and out when I choose«
Sydney Carton filled another glass with brandy poured it slowly out upon
the hearth and watched it as it dropped It being all spent he said rising
»So far we have spoken before these two because it was as well that the
merits of the cards should not rest solely between you and me Come into the
dark room here and let us have one final word alone«
Chapter IX
The Game Made
While Sydney Carton and the Sheep of the prisons were in the adjoining dark
room speaking so low that not a sound was heard Mr Lorry looked at Jerry in
considerable doubt and mistrust That honest tradesmans manner of receiving the
look did not inspire confidence he changed the leg on which he rested as
often as if he had fifty of those limbs and were trying them all he examined
his fingernails with a very questionable closeness of attention and whenever
Mr Lorrys eye caught his he was taken with that peculiar kind of short cough
requiring the hollow of a hand before it which is seldom if ever known to be
an infirmity attendant on perfect openness of character
»Jerry« said Mr Lorry »Come here«
Mr Cruncher came forward sideways with one of his shoulders in advance of
him
»What have you been besides a messenger«
After some cogitation accompanied with an intent look at his patron Mr
Cruncher conceived the luminous idea of replying »Agricultooral character«
»My mind misgives me much« said Mr Lorry angrily shaking a forefinger at
him »that you have used the respectable and great house of Tellsons as a
blind and that you have had an unlawful occupation of an infamous description
If you have dont expect me to befriend you when you get back to England If
you have dont expect me to keep your secret Tellsons shall not be imposed
upon«
»I hope sir« pleaded the abashed Mr Cruncher »that a gentleman like
yourself wot Ive had the honour of odd jobbing till Im grey at it would think
twice about harming of me even if it wos so I dont say it is but even if it
wos And which it is to be took into account that if it wos it wouldnt even
then be all o one side Thered be two sides to it There might be medical
doctors at the present hour a picking up their guineas where a honest tradesman
dont pick up his fardens fardens no nor yet his half fardens half
fardens no nor yet his quarter a banking away like smoke at Tellsons and a
cocking their medical eyes at that tradesman on the sly a going in and going
out to their own carriages ah equally like smoke if not more so Well that
ud be imposing too on Tellsons For you cannot sarse the goose and not the
gander And heres Mrs Cruncher or leastways wos in the Old England times and
would be tomorrow if cause given a floppin again the business to that degree
as is ruinating stark ruinating Whereas them medical doctors wives dont
flop catch em at it Or if they flop their floppings goes in favour of more
patients and how can you rightly have one without the tother Then wot with
undertakers and wot with parish clerks and wot with sextons and wot with
private watchmen all awaricious and all in it a man wouldnt get much by it
even if it wos so And wot little a man did get would never prosper with him
Mr Lorry Hed never have no good of it hed want all along to be out of the
line if he could see his way out being once in even if it wos so«
»Ugh« cried Mr Lorry rather relenting nevertheless »I am shocked at the
sight of you«
»Now what I would humbly offer to you sir« pursued Mr Cruncher »even if
it wos so which I dont say it is «
»Dont prevaricate« said Mr Lorry
»No I will not sir« returned Mr Cruncher as if nothing were further
from his thoughts or practice »which I dont say it is wot I would humbly
offer to you sir would be this Upon that there stool at that there Bar sets
that there boy of mine brought up and growed up to be a man wot will errand
you message you generallightjob you till your heels is where your head is
if such should be your wishes If it wos so which I still dont say it is for
I will not prewaricate to you sir let that there boy keep his fathers place
and take care of his mother dont blow upon that boys father do not do it
sir and let that father go into the line of the reglar diggin and make
amends for what he would have undug if it wos so by diggin of em in with
a will and with conwictions respectin the futur keepin of em safe That
Mr Lorry« said Mr Cruncher wiping his forehead with his arm as an
announcement that he had arrived at the peroration of his discourse »is wot I
would respectfully offer to you sir A man dont see all this here a goin on
dreadful round him in the way of Subjects without heads dear me plentiful
enough fur to bring the price down to porterage and hardly that without havin
his serious thoughts of things And these here would be mine if it wos so
entreatin of you fur to bear in mind that wot I said just now I up and said in
the good cause when I might have kep it back«
»That at least is true« said Mr Lorry »Say no more now It may be that I
shall yet stand your friend if you deserve it and repent in action not in
words I want no more words«
Mr Cruncher knuckled his forehead as Sydney Carton and the spy returned
from the dark room »Adieu Mr Barsad« said the former »our arrangement thus
made you have nothing to fear from me«
He sat down in a chair on the hearth over against Mr Lorry When they were
alone Mr Lorry asked him what he had done
»Not much If it should go ill with the prisoner I have ensured access to
him once«
Mr Lorrys countenance fell
»It is all I could do« said Carton »To propose too much would be to put
this mans head under the axe and as he himself said nothing worse could
happen to him if he were denounced It was obviously the weakness of the
position There is no help for it«
»But access to him« said Mr Lorry »if it should go ill before the
Tribunal will not save him«
»I never said it would«
Mr Lorrys eyes gradually sought the fire his sympathy with his darling
and the heavy disappointment of this second arrest gradually weakened them he
was an old man now overborne with anxiety of late and his tears fell
»You are a good man and a true friend« said Carton in an altered voice
»Forgive me if I notice that you are affected I could not see my father weep
and sit by careless And I could not respect your sorrow more if you were my
father You are free from that misfortune however«
Though he said the last words with a slip into his usual manner there was
a true feeling and respect both in his tone and in his touch that Mr Lorry
who had never seen the better side of him was wholly unprepared for He gave
him his hand and Carton gently pressed it
»To return to poor Darnay« said Carton »Dont tell Her of this interview
or this arrangement It would not enable Her to go to see him She might think
it was contrived in case of the worst to convey to him the means of
anticipating the sentence«
Mr Lorry had not thought of that and he looked quickly at Carton to see if
it were in his mind It seemed to be he returned the look and evidently
understood it
»She might think a thousand things« Carton said »and any of them would
only add to her trouble Dont speak of me to her As I said to you when I first
came I had better not see her I can put my hand out to do any little helpful
work for her that my hand can find to do without that You are going to her I
hope She must be very desolate tonight«
»I am going now directly«
»I am glad of that She has such a strong attachment to you and reliance on
you How does she look«
»Anxious and unhappy but very beautiful«
»Ah«
It was a long grieving sound like a sigh almost like a sob It attracted
Mr Lorrys eyes to Cartons face which was turned to the fire A light or a
shade the old gentleman could not have said which passed from it as swiftly
as a change will sweep over a hillside on a wild bright day and he lifted his
foot to put back one of the little flaming logs which was tumbling forward He
wore the white ridingcoat and topboots then in vogue and the light of the
fire touching their light surfaces made him look very pale with his long brown
hair all untrimmed hanging loose about him His indifference to fire was
sufficiently remarkable to elicit a word of remonstrance from Mr Lorry his
boot was still upon the hot embers of the flaming log when it had broken under
the weight of his foot
»I forgot it« he said
Mr Lorrys eyes were again attracted to his face Taking note of the wasted
air which clouded the naturally handsome features and having the expression of
prisoners faces fresh in his mind he was strongly reminded of that expression
»And your duties here have drawn to an end sir« said Carton turning to
him
»Yes As I was telling you last night when Lucie came in so unexpectedly I
have at length done all that I can do here I hoped to have left them in perfect
safety and then to have quitted Paris I have my Leave to Pass I was ready to
go«
They were both silent
»Yours is a long life to look back upon sir« said Carton wistfully
»I am in my seventyeighth year«
»You have been useful all your life steadily and constantly occupied
trusted respected and looked up to«
»I have been a man of business ever since I have been a man Indeed I may
say that I was a man of business when a boy«
»See what a place you fill at seventyeight How many people will miss you
when you leave it empty«
»A solitary old bachelor« answered Mr Lorry shaking his head »There is
nobody to weep for me«
»How can you say that Wouldnt She weep for you Wouldnt her child«
»Yes yes thank God I didnt quite mean what I said«
»It is a thing to thank God for is it not«
»Surely surely«
»If you could say with truth to your own solitary heart tonight I have
secured to myself the love and attachment the gratitude or respect of no human
creature I have won myself a tender place in no regard I have done nothing
good or serviceable to be remembered by your seventyeight years would be
seventyeight heavy curses would they not«
»You say truly Mr Carton I think they would be«
Sydney turned his eyes again upon the fire and after a silence of a few
moments said
»I should like to ask you Does your childhood seem far off Do the days
when you sat at your mothers knee seem days of very long ago«
Responding to his softened manner Mr Lorry answered
»Twenty years back yes at this time of my life no For as I draw closer
and closer to the end I travel in the circle nearer and nearer to the
beginning It seems to be one of the kind smoothings and preparings of the way
My heart is touched now by many remembrances that had long fallen asleep of my
pretty young mother and I so old and by many associations of the days when
what we call the World was not so real with me and my faults were not confirmed
in me«
»I understand the feeling« exclaimed Carton with a bright flush »And you
are the better for it«
»I hope so«
Carton terminated the conversation here by rising to help him on with his
outer coat »but you« said Mr Lorry reverting to the theme »you are young«
»Yes« said Carton »I am not old but my young way was never the way to
age Enough of me«
»And of me I am sure« said Mr Lorry »Are you going out«
»Ill walk with you to her gate You know my vagabond and restless habits
If I should prowl about the streets a long time dont be uneasy I shall
reappear in the morning You go to the Court tomorrow«
»Yes unhappily«
»I shall be there but only as one of the crowd My Spy will find a place
for me Take my arm sir«
Mr Lorry did so and they went downstairs and out in the streets A few
minutes brought them to Mr Lorrys destination Carton left him there but
lingered at a little distance and turned back to the gate again when it was
shut and touched it He had heard of her going to the prison every day »She
came out here« he said looking about him »turned this way must have trod on
these stones often Let me follow in her steps«
It was ten oclock at night when he stood before the prison of La Force
where she had stood hundreds of times A little woodsawyer having closed his
shop was smoking his pipe at his shopdoor
»Good night citizen« said Sydney Carton pausing in going by for the man
eyed him inquisitively
»Good night citizen«
»How goes the Republic«
»You mean the Guillotine Not ill Sixtythree to We shall mount to a
hundred soon Samson and his men complain sometimes of being exhausted Ha ha
ha He is so droll that Samson Such a Barber«
»Do you often go to see him «
»Shave Always Every day What a barber You have seen him at work«
»Never«
»Go and see him when he has a good batch Figure this to yourself citizen
he shaved the sixtythree today in less than two pipes Less than two pipes
Word of honour«
As the grinning little man held out the pipe he was smoking to explain how
he timed the executioner Carton was so sensible of a rising desire to strike
the life out of him that he turned away
»But you are not English« said the woodsawyer »though you wear English
dress«
»Yes« said Carton pausing again and answering over his shoulder
»You speak like a Frenchman«
»I am an old student here«
»Aha a perfect Frenchman Good night Englishman«
»Good night citizen«
»But go and see that droll dog« the little man persisted calling after him
»And take a pipe with you«
Sydney had not gone far out of sight when he stopped in the middle of the
street under a glimmering lamp and wrote with his pencil on a scrap of paper
Then traversing with the decided step of one who remembered the way well
several dark and dirty streets much dirtier than usual for the best public
thoroughfares remained uncleansed in those times of terror he stopped at a
chemists shop which the owner was closing with his own hands A small dim
crooked shop kept in a tortuous uphill thoroughfare by a small dim crooked
man
Giving this citizen too good night as he confronted him at his counter
he laid the scrap of paper before him »Whew« the chemist whistled softly as
he read it »Hi hi hi«
Sydney Carton took no heed and the chemist said
»For you citizen«
»For me«
»You will be careful to keep them separate citizen You know the
consequences of mixing them«
»Perfectly«
Certain small packets were made and given to him He put them one by one
in the breast of his inner coat counted out the money for them and
deliberately left the shop »There is nothing more to do« said he glancing
upward at the moon »until tomorrow I cant sleep«
It was not a reckless manner the manner in which he said these words aloud
under the fastsailing clouds nor was it more expressive of negligence than
defiance It was the settled manner of a tired man who had wandered and
struggled and got lost but who at length struck into his road and saw its end
Long ago when he had been famous among his earliest competitors as a youth
of great promise he had followed his father to the grave His mother had died
years before These solemn words which had been read at his fathers grave
arose in his mind as he went down the dark streets among the heavy shadows
with the moon and the clouds sailing on high above him »I am the resurrection
and the life saith the Lord he that believeth in me though he were dead yet
shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die«
In a city dominated by the axe alone at night with natural sorrow rising
in him for the sixtythree who had been that day put to death and for
tomorrows victims then awaiting their doom in the prisons and still of
tomorrows and tomorrows the chain of association that brought the words
home like a rusty old ships anchor from the deep might have been easily
found He did not seek it but repeated them and went on
With a solemn interest in the lighted windows where the people were going to
rest forgetful through a few calm hours of the horrors surrounding them in the
towers of the churches where no prayers were said for the popular revulsion
had even travelled that length of selfdestruction from years of priestly
impostors plunderers and profligates in the distant burialplaces reserved
as they wrote upon the gates for Eternal Sleep in the abounding gaols and in
the streets along which the sixties rolled to a death which had become so common
and material that no sorrowful story of a haunting Spirit ever arose among the
people out of all the working of the Guillotine with a solemn interest in the
whole life and death of the city settling down to its short nightly pause in
fury Sydney Carton crossed the Seine again for the lighter streets
Few coaches were abroad for riders in coaches were liable to be suspected
and gentility hid its head in red nightcaps and put on heavy shoes and
trudged But the theatres were all well filled and the people poured
cheerfully out as he passed and went chatting home At one of the theatre
doors there was a little girl with a mother looking for a way across the
street through the mud He carried the child over and before the timid arm was
loosed from his neck asked her for a kiss
»I am the resurrection and the life saith the Lord he that believeth in
me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die«
Now that the streets were quiet and the night wore on the words were in
the echoes of his feet and were in the air Perfectly calm and steady he
sometimes repeated them to himself as he walked but he heard them always
The night wore out and as he stood upon the bridge listening to the water
as it splashed the riverwalls of the Island of Paris where the picturesque
confusion of houses and cathedral shone bright in the light of the moon the day
came coldly looking like a dead face out of the sky Then the night with the
moon and the stars turned pale and died and for a little while it seemed as if
Creation were delivered over to Deaths dominion
But the glorious sun rising seemed to strike those words that burden of
the night straight and warm to his heart in its long bright rays And looking
along them with reverently shaded eyes a bridge of light appeared to span the
air between him and the sun while the river sparkled under it
The strong tide so swift so deep and certain was like a congenial
friend in the morning stillness He walked by the stream far from the houses
and in the light and warmth of the sun fell asleep on the bank When he awoke
and was afoot again he lingered there yet a little longer watching an eddy
that turned and turned purposeless until the stream absorbed it and carried it
on to the sea »Like me«
A tradingboat with a sail of the softened colour of a dead leaf then
glided into his view floated by him and died away As its silent track in the
water disappeared the prayer that had broken up out of his heart for a merciful
consideration of all his poor blindnesses and errors ended in the words »I am
the resurrection and the life«
Mr Lorry was already out when he got back and it was easy to surmise where
the good old man was gone Sydney Carton drank nothing but a little coffee ate
some bread and having washed and changed to refresh himself went out to the
place of trial
The court was all astir and abuzz when the black sheep whom many fell
away from in dread pressed him into an obscure corner among the crowd Mr
Lorry was there and Doctor Manette was there She was there sitting beside her
father
When her husband was brought in she turned a look upon him so sustaining
so encouraging so full of admiring love and pitying tenderness yet so
courageous for his sake that it called the healthy blood into his face
brightened his glance and animated his heart If there had been any eyes to
notice the influence of her look on Sydney Carton it would have been seen to
be the same influence exactly
Before that unjust Tribunal there was little or no order of procedure
ensuring to any accused person any reasonable hearing There could have been no
such Revolution if all laws forms and ceremonies had not first been so
monstrously abused that the suicidal vengeance of the Revolution was to scatter
them all to the winds
Every eye was turned to the jury The same determined patriots and good
republicans as yesterday and the day before and tomorrow and the day after
Eager and prominent among them one man with a craving face and his fingers
perpetually hovering about his lips whose appearance gave great satisfaction to
the spectators A lifethirsting canniballooking bloodyminded juryman the
Jacques Three of St Antoine The whole jury as a jury of dogs empannelled to
try the deer
Every eye then turned to the five judges and the public prosecutor No
favourable leaning in that quarter today A fell uncompromising murderous
businessmeaning there Every eye then sought some other eye in the crowd and
gleamed at it approvingly and heads nodded at one another before bending
forward with a strained attention
Charles Evrémonde called Darnay Released yesterday Reaccused and retaken
yesterday Indictment delivered to him last night Suspected and Denounced enemy
of the Republic Aristocrat one of a family of tyrants one of a race
proscribed for that they had used their abolished privileges to the infamous
oppression of the people Charles Evrémonde called Darnay in right of such
proscription absolutely Dead in Law
To this effect in as few or fewer words the Public Prosecutor
The President asked was the Accused openly denounced or secretly
»Openly President«
»By whom«
»Three voices Ernest Defarge winevendor of St Antoine«
»Good«
»Thérèse Defarge his wife«
»Good«
»Alexandre Manette physician«
A great uproar took place in the court and in the midst of it Doctor
Manette was seen pale and trembling standing where he had been seated
»President I indignantly protest to you that this is a forgery and a fraud
You know the accused to be the husband of my daughter My daughter and those
dear to her are far dearer to me than my life Who and where is the false
conspirator who says that I denounce the husband of my child«
»Citizen Manette be tranquil To fail in submission to the authority of the
Tribunal would be to put yourself out of Law As to what is dearer to you than
life nothing can be so dear to a good citizen as the Republic«
Loud acclamations hailed this rebuke The President rang his bell and with
warmth resumed
»If the Republic should demand of you the sacrifice of your child herself
you would have no duty but to sacrifice her Listen to what is to follow In the
meanwhile be silent«
Frantic acclamations were again raised Doctor Manette sat down with his
eyes looking around and his lips trembling his daughter drew closer to him
The craving man on the jury rubbed his hands together and restored the usual
hand to his mouth
Defarge was produced when the court was quiet enough to admit of his being
heard and rapidly expounded the story of the imprisonment and of his having
been a mere boy in the Doctors service and of the release and of the state of
the prisoner when released and delivered to him This short examination
followed for the court was quick with its work
»You did good service at the taking of the Bastille citizen«
»I believe so«
Here an excited woman screeched from the crowd »You were one of the best
patriots there Why not say so You were a cannonier that day there and you
were among the first to enter the accursed fortress when it fell Patriots I
speak the truth«
It was The Vengeance who amidst the warm commendations of the audience
thus assisted the proceedings The President rang his bell but The Vengeance
warming with encouragement shrieked »I defy that bell« wherein she was
likewise much commended
»Inform the Tribunal of what you did that day within the Bastille citizen«
»I knew« said Defarge looking down at his wife who stood at the bottom of
the steps on which he was raised looking steadily up at him »I knew that this
prisoner of whom I speak had been confined in a cell known as One Hundred and
Five North Tower I knew it from himself He knew himself by no other name than
One Hundred and Five North Tower when he made shoes under my care As I serve
my gun that day I resolve when the place shall fall to examine that cell It
falls I mount to the cell with a fellowcitizen who is one of the Jury
directed by a gaoler I examine it very closely In a hole in the chimney
where a stone has been worked out and replaced I find a written paper This is
that written paper I have made it my business to examine some specimens of the
writing of Doctor Manette This is the writing of Doctor Manette I confide this
paper in the writing of Doctor Manette to the hands of the President«
»Let it be read«
In a dead silence and stillness the prisoner under trial looking lovingly
at his wife his wife only looking from him to look with solicitude at her
father Doctor Manette keeping his eyes fixed on the reader Madame Defarge
never taking hers from the prisoner Defarge never taking his from his feasting
wife and all the other eyes there intent upon the Doctor who saw none of them
the paper was read as follows
Chapter X
The Substance of the Shadow
»I Alexandre Manette unfortunate physician native of Beauvais and afterwards
resident in Paris write this melancholy paper in my doleful cell in the
Bastille during the last month of the year 1767 I write it at stolen
intervals under every difficulty I design to secrete it in the wall of the
chimney where I have slowly and laboriously made a place of concealment for it
Some pitying hand may find it there when I and my sorrows are dust
These words are formed by the rusty iron point with which I write with
difficulty in scrapings of soot and charcoal from the chimney mixed with blood
in the last month of the tenth year of my captivity Hope has quite departed
from my breast I know from terrible warnings I have noted in myself that my
reason will not long remain unimpaired but I solemnly declare that I am at this
time in the possession of my right mind that my memory is exact and
circumstantial and that I write the truth as I shall answer for these my last
recorded words whether they be ever read by men or not at the Eternal
Judgmentseat
One cloudy moonlight night in the third week of December I think the
twentysecond of the month in the year 1757 I was walking on a retired part of
the quay by the Seine for the refreshment of the frosty air at an hours
distance from my place of residence in the Street of the School of Medicine
when a carriage came along behind me driven very fast As I stood aside to let
that carriage pass apprehensive that it might otherwise run me down a head was
put out at the window and a voice called to the driver to stop
The carriage stopped as soon as the driver could rein in his horses and the
same voice called to me by my name I answered The carriage was then so far in
advance of me that two gentlemen had time to open the door and alight before I
came up with it I observed that they were both wrapped in cloaks and appeared
to conceal themselves As they stood side by side near the carriage door I also
observed that they both looked of about my own age or rather younger and that
they were greatly alike in stature manner voice and as far as I could see
face too
You are Doctor Manette said one
I am
Doctor Manette formerly of Beauvais said the other the young physician
originally an expert surgeon who within the last year or two has made a rising
reputation in Paris
Gentlemen I returned I am that Doctor Manette of whom you speak so
graciously
We have been to your residence said the first and not being so fortunate
as to find you there and being informed that you were probably walking in this
direction we followed in the hope of overtaking you Will you please to enter
the carriage
The manner of both was imperious and they both moved as these words were
spoken so as to place me between themselves and the carriage door They were
armed I was not
Gentlemen said I pardon me but I usually inquire who does me the honour
to seek my assistance and what is the nature of the case to which I am
summoned
The reply to this was made by him who had spoken second Doctor your
clients are people of condition As to the nature of the case our confidence in
your skill assures us that you will ascertain it for yourself better than we can
describe it Enough Will you please to enter the carriage
I could do nothing but comply and I entered it in silence They both
entered after me the last springing in after putting up the steps The
carriage turned about and drove on at its former speed
I repeat this conversation exactly as it occurred I have no doubt that it
is word for word the same I describe everything exactly as it took place
constraining my mind not to wander from the task Where I make the broken marks
that follow here I leave off for the time and put my paper in its
hidingplace
The carriage left the streets behind passed the North Barrier and emerged
upon the country road At twothirds of a league from the Barrier I did not
estimate the distance at that time but afterwards when I traversed it it
struck out of the main avenue and presently stopped at a solitary house We all
three alighted and walked by a damp soft footpath in a garden where a
neglected fountain had overflowed to the door of the house It was not opened
immediately in answer to the ringing of the bell and one of my two conductors
struck the man who opened it with his heavy ridingglove across the face
There was nothing in this action to attract my particular attention for I
had seen common people struck more commonly than dogs But the other of the
two being angry likewise struck the man in like manner with his arm the look
and bearing of the brothers were then so exactly alike that I then first
perceived them to be twin brothers
From the time of our alighting at the outer gate which we found locked and
which one of the brothers had opened to admit us and had relocked I had
heard cries proceeding from an upper chamber I was conducted to this chamber
straight the cries growing louder as we ascended the stairs and I found a
patient in a high fever of the brain lying on a bed
The patient was a woman of great beauty and young assuredly not much past
twenty Her hair was torn and ragged and her arms were bound to her sides with
sashes and handkerchiefs I noticed that these bonds were all portions of a
gentlemans dress On one of them which was a fringed scarf for a dress of
ceremony I saw the armorial bearings of a Noble and the letter E
I saw this within the first minute of my contemplation of the patient for
in her restless strivings she had turned over on her face on the edge of the
bed had drawn the end of the scarf into her mouth and was in danger of
suffocation My first act was to put out my hand to relieve her breathing and
in moving the scarf aside the embroidery in the corner caught my sight
I turned her gently over placed my hands upon her breast to calm her and
keep her down and looked into her face Her eyes were dilated and wild and she
constantly uttered piercing shrieks and repeated the words My husband my
father and my brother and then counted up to twelve and said Hush For an
instant and no more she would pause to listen and then the piercing shrieks
would begin again and she would repeat the cry My husband my father and my
brother and would count up to twelve and say Hush There was no variation in
the order or the manner There was no cessation but the regular moments
pause in the utterance of these sounds
How long I asked has this lasted
To distinguish the brothers I will call them the elder and the younger by
the elder I mean him who exercised the most authority It was the elder who
replied Since about this hour last night
She has a husband a father and a brother
A brother
I do not address her brother
He answered with great contempt No
She has some recent association with the number twelve
The younger brother impatiently rejoined With twelve oclock
See gentlemen said I still keeping my hands upon her breast how useless
I am as you have brought me If I had known what I was coming to see I could
have come provided As it is time must be lost There are no medicines to be
obtained in this lonely place
The elder brother looked to the younger who said haughtily There is a case
of medicines here and brought it from a closet and put it on the table
I opened some of the bottles smelt them and put the stoppers to my lips
If I had wanted to use anything save narcotic medicines that were poisons in
themselves I would not have administered any of those
Do you doubt them asked the younger brother
You see monsieur I am going to use them I replied and said no more
I made the patient swallow with great difficulty and after many efforts
the dose that I desired to give As I intended to repeat it after a while and
as it was necessary to watch its influence I then sat down by the side of the
bed There was a timid and suppressed woman in attendance wife of the man
downstairs who had retreated into a corner The house was damp and decayed
indifferently furnished evidently recently occupied and temporarily used
Some thick old hangings had been nailed up before the windows to deaden the
sound of the shrieks They continued to be uttered in their regular succession
with the cry My husband my father and my brother the counting up to twelve
and Hush The frenzy was so violent that I had not unfastened the bandages
restraining the arms but I had looked to them to see that they were not
painful The only spark of encouragement in the case, was that my hand upon the
sufferers breast had this much soothing influence that for minutes at a time
it tranquillised the figure It had no effect upon the cries no pendulum could
be more regular
For the reason that my hand had this effect I assume I had sat by the
side of the bed for half an hour with the two brothers looking on before the
elder said
There is another patient
I was startled and asked Is it a pressing case
You had better see he carelessly answered and took up a light
The other patient lay in a back room across a second staircase which was a
species of loft over a stable There was a low plastered ceiling to a part of
it the rest was open to the ridge of the tiled roof and there were beams
across Hay and straw were stored in that portion of the place fagots for
firing and a heap of apples in sand I had to pass through that part to get at
the other My memory is circumstantial and unshaken I try it with these
details and I see them all in this my cell in the Bastille near the close of
the tenth year of my captivity as I saw them all that night
On some hay on the ground with a cushion thrown under his head lay a
handsome peasant boy a boy of not more than seventeen at the most He lay on
his back with his teeth set his right hand clenched on his breast and his
glaring eyes looking straight upward I could not see where his wound was as I
kneeled on one knee over him but I could see that he was dying of a wound from
a sharp point
I am a doctor my poor fellow said I Let me examine it
I do not want it examined he answered let it be
It was under his hand and I soothed him to let me move his hand away The
wound was a swordthrust received from twenty to twentyfour hours before but
no skill could have saved him if it had been looked to without delay He was
then dying fast As I turned my eyes to the elder brother I saw him looking
down at this handsome boy whose life was ebbing out as if he were a wounded
bird or hare or rabbit not at all as if he were a fellowcreature
How has this been done monsieur said I
A crazed young common dog A serf Forced my brother to draw upon him and
has fallen by my brothers sword like a gentleman
There was no touch of pity sorrow or kindred humanity in this answer The
speaker seemed to acknowledge that it was inconvenient to have that different
order of creature dying there and that it would have been better if he had died
in the usual obscure routine of his vermin kind He was quite incapable of any
compassionate feeling about the boy or about his fate
The boys eyes had slowly moved to him as he had spoken and they now slowly
moved to me
Doctor they are very proud these Nobles but we common dogs are proud too
sometimes They plunder us outrage us beat us kill us but we have a little
pride left sometimes She have you seen her Doctor
The shrieks and the cries were audible there though subdued by the
distance He referred to them as if she were lying in our presence
I said I have seen her
She is my sister Doctor They have had their shameful rights these Nobles
in the modesty and virtue of our sisters many years but we have had good girls
among us I know it and have heard my father say so She was a good girl She
was betrothed to a good young man too a tenant of his We were all tenants of
his that mans who stands there The other is his brother the worst of a bad
race
It was with the greatest difficulty that the boy gathered bodily force to
speak but his spirit spoke with a dreadful emphasis
We were so robbed by that man who stands there as all we common dogs are by
those superior Beings taxed by him without mercy obliged to work for him
without pay obliged to grind our corn at his mill obliged to feed scores of
his tame birds on our wretched crops and forbidden for our lives to keep a
single tame bird of our own pillaged and plundered to that degree that when we
chanced to have a bit of meat we ate it in fear with the door barred and the
shutters closed that his people should not see it and take it from us I say
we were so robbed and hunted and were made so poor that our father told us it
was a dreadful thing to bring a child into the world and that what we should
most pray for was that our women might be barren and our miserable race die
out
I had never before seen the sense of being oppressed bursting forth like a
fire I had supposed that it must be latent in the people somewhere but I had
never seen it break out until I saw it in the dying boy
Nevertheless Doctor my sister married He was ailing at that time poor
fellow and she married her lover that she might tend and comfort him in our
cottage our doghut as that man would call it She had not been married many
weeks when that mans brother saw her and admired her and asked that man to
lend her to him for what are husbands among us He was willing enough but my
sister was good and virtuous and hated his brother with a hatred as strong as
mine What did the two then to persuade her husband to use his influence with
her to make her willing
The boys eyes which had been fixed on mine slowly turned to the
lookeron and I saw in the two faces that all he said was true The two
opposing kinds of pride confronting one another I can see even in this
Bastille the gentlemans all negligent indifference the peasants all
troddendown sentiment and passionate revenge
You know Doctor that it is among the Rights of these Nobles to harness us
common dogs to carts and drive us They so harnessed him and drove him You
know that it is among their Rights to keep us in their grounds all night
quieting the frogs in order that their noble sleep may not be disturbed They
kept him out in the unwholesome mists at night and ordered him back into his
harness in the day But he was not persuaded No Taken out of harness one day
at noon to feed if he could find food he sobbed twelve times once for
every stroke of the bell and died on her bosom
Nothing human could have held life in the boy but his determination to tell
all his wrong He forced back the gathering shadows of death as he forced his
clenched right hand to remain clenched and to cover his wound
Then with that mans permission and even with his aid his brother took her
away in spite of what I know she must have told his brother and what that is
will not be long unknown to you Doctor if it is now his brother took her
away for his pleasure and diversion for a little while I saw her pass me on
the road When I took the tidings home our fathers heart burst he never spoke
one of the words that filled it I took my young sister for I have another to
a place beyond the reach of this man and where at least she will never be his
vassal Then I tracked the brother here and last night climbed in a common
dog but sword in hand Where is the loft window It was somewhere here
The room was darkening to his sight the world was narrowing around him I
glanced about me and saw that the hay and straw were trampled over the floor
as if there had been a struggle
She heard me and ran in I told her not to come near us till he was dead
He came in and first tossed me some pieces of money then struck at me with a
whip But I though a common dog so struck at him as to make him draw Let him
break into as many pieces as he will the sword that he stained with my common
blood he drew to defend himself thrust at me with all his skill for his life
My glance had fallen but a few moments before on the fragments of a broken
sword lying among the hay That weapon was a gentlemans In another place lay
an old sword that seemed to have been a soldiers
Now lift me up Doctor lift me up Where is he
He is not here I said supporting the boy and thinking that he referred to
the brother
He Proud as these nobles are he is afraid to see me Where is the man who
was here Turn my face to him
I did so raising the boys head against my knee But invested for the
moment with extraordinary power he raised himself completely obliging me to
rise too or I could not have still supported him
Marquis said the boy turned to him with his eyes opened wide and his
right hand raised in the days when all these things are to be answered for I
summon you and yours to the last of your bad race to answer for them I mark
this cross of blood upon you as a sign that I do it In the days when all these
things are to be answered for I summon your brother the worst of the bad race
to answer for them separately I mark this cross of blood upon him as a sign
that I do it
Twice he put his hand to the wound in his breast and with his forefinger
drew a cross in the air He stood for an instant with the finger yet raised
and as it dropped he dropped with it and I laid him down dead
When I returned to the bedside of the young woman I found her raving in
precisely the same order and continuity I knew that this might last for many
hours and that it would probably end in the silence of the grave
I repeated the medicines I had given her and I sat at the side of the bed
until the night was far advanced She never abated the piercing quality of her
shrieks never stumbled in the distinctness or the order of her words They were
always My husband my father and my brother One two three four five six
seven eight nine ten eleven twelve Hush
This lasted twentysix hours from the time when I first saw her I had come
and gone twice and was again sitting by her when she began to falter I did
what little could be done to assist that opportunity and byandby she sank
into a lethargy and lay like the dead
It was as if the wind and rain had lulled at last after a long and fearful
storm I released her arms and called the woman to assist me to compose her
figure and the dress she had torn It was then that I knew her condition to be
that of one in whom the first expectations of being a mother have arisen and it
was then that I lost the little hope I had had of her
Is she dead asked the Marquis whom I will still describe as the elder
brother coming booted into the room from his horse
Not dead said I but like to die
What strength there is in these common bodies he said looking down at her
with some curiosity
There is prodigious strength I answered him in sorrow and despair
He first laughed at my words and then frowned at them He moved a chair
with his foot near to mine ordered the woman away and said in a subdued voice
Doctor finding my brother in this difficulty with these hinds I
recommended that your aid should be invited Your reputation is high and as a
young man with your fortune to make you are probably mindful of your interest
The things that you see here are things to be seen and not spoken of
I listened to the patients breathing and avoided answering
Do you honour me with your attention Doctor
Monsieur said I in my profession the communications of patients are
always received in confidence I was guarded in my answer for I was troubled in
my mind with what I had heard and seen
Her breathing was so difficult to trace that I carefully tried the pulse
and the heart There was life and no more Looking round as I resumed my seat
I found both the brothers intent upon me
I write with so much difficulty the cold is so severe I am so fearful of
being detected and consigned to an underground cell and total darkness that I
must abridge this narrative There is no confusion or failure in my memory it
can recall and could detail every word that was ever spoken between me and
those brothers
She lingered for a week Towards the last I could understand some few
syllables that she said to me by placing my ear close to her lips She asked me
where she was and I told her who I was and I told her It was in vain that I
asked her for her family name She faintly shook her head upon the pillow and
kept her secret as the boy had done
I had no opportunity of asking her any question until I had told the
brothers she was sinking fast and could not live another day Until then
though no one was ever presented to her consciousness save the woman and myself
one or other of them had always jealously sat behind the curtain at the head of
the bed when I was there But when it came to that they seemed careless what
communication I might hold with her as if the thought passed through my mind
I were dying too
I always observed that their pride bitterly resented the younger brothers
as I call him having crossed swords with a peasant and that peasant a boy
The only consideration that appeared to affect the mind of either of them was
the consideration that this was highly degrading to the family and was
ridiculous As often as I caught the younger brothers eyes their expression
reminded me that he disliked me deeply for knowing what I knew from the boy He
was smoother and more polite to me than the elder but I saw this I also saw
that I was an incumbrance in the mind of the elder too
My patient died two hours before midnight at a time by my watch
answering almost to the minute when I had first seen her I was alone with her
when her forlorn young head drooped gently on one side and all her earthly
wrongs and sorrows ended
The brothers were waiting in a room downstairs impatient to ride away I
had heard them alone at the bedside striking their boots with their
ridingwhips and loitering up and down
At last she is dead said the elder when I went in
She is dead said I
I congratulate you my brother were his words as he turned round
He had before offered me money which I had postponed taking He now gave me
a rouleau of gold I took it from his hand but laid it on the table I had
considered the question and had resolved to accept nothing
Pray excuse me said I Under the circumstances no
They exchanged looks but bent their heads to me as I bent mine to them and
we parted without another word on either side
I am weary weary weary worn down by misery I cannot read what I have
written with this gaunt hand
Early in the morning the rouleau of gold was left at my door in a little
box with my name on the outside From the first I had anxiously considered
what I ought to do I decided that day to write privately to the Minister
stating the nature of the two cases to which I had been summoned and the place
to which I had gone in effect stating all the circumstances I knew what Court
influence was and what the immunities of the Nobles were and I expected that
the matter would never be heard of but I wished to relieve my own mind I had
kept the matter a profound secret even from my wife and this too I resolved
to state in my letter I had no apprehension whatever of my real danger but I
was conscious that there might be danger for others if others were compromised
by possessing the knowledge that I possessed
I was much engaged that day and could not complete my letter that night I
rose long before my usual time next morning to finish it It was the last day of
the year The letter was lying before me just completed when I was told that a
lady waited who wished to see me
I am growing more and more unequal to the task I have set myself It is so
cold so dark my senses are so benumbed and the gloom upon me is so dreadful
The lady was young engaging and handsome but not marked for long life
She was in great agitation She presented herself to me as the wife of the
Marquis St Evrémonde I connected the title by which the boy had addressed the
elder brother with the initial letter embroidered on the scarf and had no
difficulty in arriving at the conclusion that I had seen that nobleman very
lately
My memory is still accurate but I cannot write the words of our
conversation I suspect that I am watched more closely than I was and I know
not at what times I may be watched She had in part suspected and in part
discovered the main facts of the cruel story of her husbands share in it and
my being resorted to She did not know that the girl was dead Her hope had
been she said in great distress to show her in secret a womans sympathy
Her hope had been to avert the wrath of Heaven from a House that had long been
hateful to the suffering many
She had reasons for believing that there was a young sister living and her
greatest desire was to help that sister I could tell her nothing but that
there was such a sister beyond that I knew nothing Her inducement to come to
me relying on my confidence had been the hope that I could tell her the name
and place of abode Whereas to this wretched hour I am ignorant of both
These scraps of paper fail me One was taken from me with a warning
yesterday I must finish my record today
She was a good compassionate lady and not happy in her marriage How could
she be The brother distrusted and disliked her and his influence was all
opposed to her she stood in dread of him and in dread of her husband too When
I handed her down to the door there was a child a pretty boy from two to three
years old in her carriage
For his sake Doctor she said pointing to him in tears I would do all I
can to make what poor amends I can He will never prosper in his inheritance
otherwise I have a presentiment that if no other innocent atonement is made for
this it will one day be required of him What I have left to call my own it
is little beyond the worth of a few jewels I will make it the first charge of
his life to bestow with the compassion and lamenting of his dead mother on
this injured family if the sister can be discovered
She kissed the boy and said caressing him It is for thine own dear sake
Thou wilt be faithful little Charles The child answered her bravely Yes I
kissed her hand and she took him in her arms and went away caressing him I
never saw her more
As she had mentioned her husbands name in the faith that I knew it I added
no mention of it to my letter I sealed my letter and not trusting it out of
my own hands delivered it myself that day
That night the last night of the year towards nine oclock a man in a
black dress rang at my gate demanded to see me and softly followed my servant
Ernest Defarge a youth upstairs When my servant came into the room where I
sat with my wife O my wife beloved of my heart My fair young English wife
we saw the man who was supposed to be at the gate standing silent behind him
An urgent case in the Rue St Honoré he said It would not detain me he
had a coach in waiting
It brought me here it brought me to my grave When I was clear of the
house a black muffler was drawn tightly over my mouth from behind and my arms
were pinioned The two brothers crossed the road from a dark corner and
identified me with a single gesture The Marquis took from his pocket the letter
I had written showed it me burnt it in the light of a lantern that was held
and extinguished the ashes with his foot Not a word was spoken I was brought
here I was brought to my living grave
If it had pleased GOD to put it in the hard heart of either of the brothers
in all these frightful years to grant me any tidings of my dearest wife so
much as to let me know by a word whether alive or dead I might have thought
that He had not quite abandoned them But now I believe that the mark of the
red cross is fatal to them and that they have no part in His mercies And them
and their descendants to the last of their race I Alexandre Manette unhappy
prisoner do this last night of the year 1767 in my unbearable agony denounce
to the times when all these things shall be answered for I denounce them to
Heaven and to earth«
A terrible sound arose when the reading of this document was done A sound of
craving and eagerness that had nothing articulate in it but blood The narrative
called up the most revengeful passions of the time and there was not a head in
the nation but must have dropped before it
Little need in presence of that tribunal and that auditory to show how the
Defarges had not made the paper public with the other captured Bastille
memorials borne in procession and had kept it biding their time Little need
to show that this detested family name had long been anathematised by Saint
Antoine and was wrought into the fatal register The man never trod ground
whose virtues and services would have sustained him in that place that day
against such denunciation
And all the worse for the doomed man that the denouncer was a wellknown
citizen his own attached friend the father of his wife One of the frenzied
aspirations of the populace was for imitations of the questionable public
virtues of antiquity and for sacrifices and selfimmolations on the peoples
altar Therefore when the President said else had his own head quivered on his
shoulders that the good physician of the Republic would deserve better still
of the Republic by rooting out an obnoxious family of Aristocrats and would
doubtless feel a sacred glow and joy in making his daughter a widow and her
child an orphan there was wild excitement patriotic fervour not a touch of
human sympathy
»Much influence around him has that Doctor« murmured Madame Defarge
smiling to The Vengeance »Save him now my Doctor save him«
At every jurymans vote there was a roar Another and another Roar and
roar
Unanimously voted At heart and by descent an Aristocrat an enemy of the
Republic a notorious oppressor of the People Back to the Conciergerie and
Death within fourandtwenty hours
Chapter XI
Dusk
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 courts 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 husbands words as he held her to his bosom
»I can bear it dear Charles I am supported from above dont suffer for
me A parting blessing for our child«
»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 byandby 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 fathers 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 alwaysvain endeavour to discharge
my poor mothers 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
fathers 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
»Dont recall her to herself« he said softly to the latter »she is
better so Dont 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 tomorrow afternoon are few and
short but try«
»I intend to try I will not rest a moment«
»Thats 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«
»Thats 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 Lorrys 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 mans 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 doorpost and bowed his face upon it
»Dont despond« said Carton very gently »dont 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 wantonly 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 downstairs
Chapter XII
Darkness
Sydney Carton paused in the street not quite decided where to go »At Tellsons
bankinghouse at nine« he said with a musing face »Shall I do well in the
mean time to show myself I think so It is best that these people should know
there is such a man as I here it is a sound precaution and may be a necessary
preparation But care care care Let me think it out«
Checking his steps which had begun to tend towards an object he took a turn
or two in the already darkening street and traced the thought in his mind to
its possible consequences His first impression was confirmed »It is best« he
said finally resolved »that these people should know there is such a man as I
here« And he turned his face towards Saint Antoine
Defarge had described himself that day as the keeper of a wineshop in the
Saint Antoine suburb It was not difficult for one who knew the city well to
find his house without asking any question Having ascertained its situation
Carton came out of those closer streets again and dined at a place of
refreshment and fell sound asleep after dinner For the first time in many
years he had no strong drink Since last night he had taken nothing but a
little light thin wine and last night he had dropped the brandy slowly down on
Mr Lorrys hearth like a man who had done with it
It was as late as seven oclock when he awoke refreshed and went out into
the streets again As he passed along towards Saint Antoine he stopped at a
shopwindow where there was a mirror and slightly altered the disordered
arrangement of his loose cravat and his coatcollar and his wild hair This
done he went on direct to Defarges and went in
There happened to be no customer in the shop but Jacques Three of the
restless fingers and the croaking voice This man whom he had seen upon the
Jury stood drinking at the little counter in conversation with the Defarges
man and wife The Vengeance assisted in the conversation like a regular member
of the establishment
As Carton walked in took his seat and asked in very indifferent French
for a small measure of wine Madame Defarge cast a careless glance at him and
then a keener and then a keener and then advanced to him herself and asked
him what it was he had ordered
He repeated what he had already said
»English« asked Madame Defarge inquisitively raising her dark eyebrows
After looking at her as if the sound of even a single French word were slow
to express itself to him he answered in his former strong foreign accent
»Yes madame yes I am English«
Madame Defarge returned to her counter to get the wine and as he took up a
Jacobin journal and feigned to pore over it puzzling out its meaning he heard
her say »I swear to you like Evrémonde«
Defarge brought him the wine and gave him Good Evening
»How«
»Good evening«
»Oh Good evening citizen« filling his glass »Ah and good wine I drink
to the Republic«
Defarge went back to the counter and said »Certainly a little like«
Madame sternly retorted »I tell you a good deal like« Jacques Three
pacifically remarked »He is so much in your mind see you madame« The amiable
Vengeance added with a laugh »Yes my faith And you are looking forward with
so much pleasure to seeing him once more tomorrow«
Carton followed the lines and words of his paper with a slow forefinger
and with a studious and absorbed face They were all leaning their arms on the
counter close together speaking low After a silence of a few moments during
which they all looked towards him without disturbing his outward attention from
the Jacobin editor they resumed their conversation
»It is true what madame says« observed Jacques Three »Why stop There is
great force in that Why stop«
»Well well« reasoned Defarge »but one must stop somewhere After all the
question is still where«
»At extermination« said madame
»Magnificent« croaked Jacques Three The Vengeance also highly approved
»Extermination is good doctrine my wife« said Defarge rather troubled
»in general I say nothing against it But this Doctor has suffered much you
have seen him today you have observed his face when the paper was read«
»I have observed his face« repeated madame contemptuously and angrily
»Yes I have observed his face I have observed his face to be not the face of a
true friend of the Republic Let him take care of his face«
»And you have observed my wife« said Defarge in a deprecatory manner
»the anguish of his daughter which must be a dreadful anguish to him«
»I have observed his daughter« repeated madame »yes I have observed his
daughter more times than one I have observed her today and I have observed
her other days I have observed her in the court and I have observed her in the
street by the prison Let me but lift my finger «
She seemed to raise it the listeners eyes were always on his paper and
to let it fall with a rattle on the ledge before her as if the axe had dropped
»The citizeness is superb« croaked the Juryman
»She is an Angel« said The Vengeance and embraced her
»As to thee« pursued madame implacably addressing her husband »if it
depended on thee which happily it does not thou wouldst rescue this man
even now«
»No« protested Defarge »Not if to lift this glass would do it But I would
leave the matter there I say stop there«
»See you then Jacques« said Madame Defarge wrathfully »and see you too
my little Vengeance see you both Listen For other crimes as tyrants and
oppressors I have this race a long time on my register doomed to destruction
and extermination Ask my husband is that so«
»It is so« assented Defarge without being asked
»In the beginning of the great days when the Bastille falls he finds this
paper of today and he brings it home and in the middle of the night when this
place is clear and shut we read it here on this spot by the light of this
lamp Ask him is that so«
»It is so« assented Defarge
»That night I tell him when the paper is read through and the lamp is
burnt out and the day is gleaming in above those shutters and between those
iron bars that I have now a secret to communicate Ask him is that so«
»It is so« assented Defarge again
»I communicate to him that secret I smite this bosom with these two hands
as I smite it now and I tell him Defarge I was brought up among the fishermen
of the seashore and that peasant family so injured by the two Evrémonde
brothers as that Bastille paper describes is my family Defarge that sister
of the mortally wounded boy upon the ground was my sister that husband was my
sisters husband that unborn child was their child that brother was my
brother that father was my father those dead are my dead and that summons to
answer for those things descends to me Ask him is that so«
»It is so« assented Defarge once more
»Then tell Wind and Fire where to stop« returned madame »but dont tell
me«
Both her hearers derived a horrible enjoyment from the deadly nature of her
wrath the listener could feel how white she was without seeing her and both
highly commended it Defarge a weak minority interposed a few words for the
memory of the compassionate wife of the Marquis but only elicited from his own
wife a repetition of her last reply »Tell the Wind and the Fire where to stop
not me«
Customers entered and the group was broken up The English customer paid
for what he had had perplexedly counted his change and asked as a stranger
to be directed towards the National Palace Madame Defarge took him to the door
and put her arm on his in pointing out the road The English customer was not
without his reflections then that it might be a good deed to seize that arm
lift it and strike under it sharp and deep
But he went his way and was soon swallowed up in the shadow of the prison
wall At the appointed hour he emerged from it to present himself in Mr
Lorrys room again where he found the old gentleman walking to and fro in
restless anxiety He said he had been with Lucie until just now and had only
left her for a few minutes to come and keep his appointment Her father had not
been seen since he quitted the bankinghouse towards four oclock She had some
faint hopes that his mediation might save Charles but they were very slight He
had been more than five hours gone where could he be
Mr Lorry waited until ten but Doctor Manette not returning and he being
unwilling to leave Lucie any longer it was arranged that he should go back to
her and come to the bankinghouse again at midnight In the meanwhile Carton
would wait alone by the fire for the Doctor
He waited and waited and the clock struck twelve but Doctor Manette did
not come back Mr Lorry returned and found no tidings of him and brought
none Where could he be
They were discussing this question and were almost building up some weak
structure of hope on his prolonged absence when they heard him on the stairs
The instant he entered the room it was plain that all was lost
Whether he had really been to any one or whether he had been all that time
traversing the streets was never known As he stood staring at them they asked
him no question for his face told them everything
»I cannot find it« said he »and I must have it Where is it«
His head and throat were bare and as he spoke with a helpless look
straying all around he took his coat off and let it drop on the floor
»Where is my bench I have been looking everywhere for my bench and I cant
find it What have they done with my work Time presses I must finish those
shoes«
They looked at one another and their hearts died within them
»Come come« said he in a whimpering miserable way »let me get to work
Give me my work«
Receiving no answer he tore his hair and beat his feet upon the ground
like a distracted child
»Dont torture a poor forlorn wretch« he implored them with a dreadful
cry »but give me my work What is to become of us if those shoes are not done
tonight«
Lost utterly lost
It was so clearly beyond hope to reason with him or try to restore him
that as if by agreement they each put a hand upon his shoulder and soothed
him to sit down before the fire with a promise that he should have his work
presently He sank into the chair and brooded over the embers and shed tears
As if all that had happened since the garret time were a momentary fancy or a
dream Mr Lorry saw him shrink into the exact figure that Defarge had had in
keeping
Affected and impressed with terror as they both were by this spectacle of
ruin it was not a time to yield to such emotions His lonely daughter bereft
of her final hope and reliance appealed to them both too strongly Again as if
by agreement they looked at one another with one meaning in their faces Carton
was the first to speak
»The last chance is gone it was not much Yes he had better be taken to
her But before you go will you for a moment steadily attend to me Dont
ask me why I make the stipulations I am going to make and exact the promise I
am going to exact I have a reason a good one«
»I do not doubt it« answered Mr Lorry »Say on«
The figure in the chair between them was all the time monotonously rocking
itself to and fro and moaning They spoke in such a tone as they would have
used if they had been watching by a sickbed in the night
Carton stooped to pick up the coat which lay almost entangling his feet As
he did so a small case in which the Doctor was accustomed to carry the list of
his days duties fell lightly on the floor Carton took it up and there was a
folded paper in it »We should look at this« he said Mr Lorry nodded his
consent He opened it and exclaimed »Thank GOD«
»What is it« asked Mr Lorry eagerly
»A moment Let me speak of it in its place First« he put his hand in his
coat and took another paper from it »that is the certificate which enables me
to pass out of this city Look at it You see Sydney Carton an Englishman«
Mr Lorry held it open in his hand gazing in his earnest face
»Keep it for me until tomorrow I shall see him tomorrow you remember
and I had better not take it into the prison«
»Why not«
»I dont know I prefer not to do so Now take this paper that Doctor
Manette has carried about him It is a similar certificate enabling him and his
daughter and her child at any time to pass the barrier and the frontier You
see«
»Yes«
»Perhaps he obtained it as his last and utmost precaution against evil
yesterday When is it dated But no matter dont stay to look put it up
carefully with mine and your own Now observe I never doubted until within
this hour or two that he had or could have such a paper It is good until
recalled But it may be soon recalled and I have reason to think will be«
»They are not in danger«
»They are in great danger They are in danger of denunciation by Madame
Defarge I know it from her own lips I have overheard words of that womans
tonight which have presented their danger to me in strong colours I have lost
no time and since then I have seen the spy He confirms me He knows that a
woodsawyer living by the prisonwall is under the control of the Defarges
and has been rehearsed by Madame Defarge as to his having seen Her« he never
mentioned Lucies name »making signs and signals to prisoners It is easy to
foresee that the pretence will be the common one a prison plot and that it
will involve her life and perhaps her childs and perhaps her fathers for
both have been seen with her at that place Dont look so horrified You will
save them all«
»Heaven grant I may Carton But how«
»I am going to tell you how It will depend on you and it could depend on
no better man This new denunciation will certainly not take place until after
tomorrow probably not until two or three days afterwards more probably a week
afterwards You know it is a capital crime to mourn for or sympathise with a
victim of the Guillotine She and her father would unquestionably be guilty of
this crime and this woman the inveteracy of whose pursuit cannot be described
would wait to add that strength to her case and make herself doubly sure You
follow me«
»So attentively and with so much confidence in what you say that for the
moment I lose sight« touching the back of the Doctors chair »even of this
distress«
»You have money and can buy the means of travelling to the seacoast as
quickly as the journey can be made Your preparations have been completed for
some days to return to England Early tomorrow have your horses ready so that
they may be in starting trim at two oclock in the afternoon«
»It shall be done«
His manner was so fervent and inspiring that Mr Lorry caught the flame
and was as quick as youth
»You are a noble heart Did I say we could depend upon no better man Tell
her tonight what you know of her danger as involving her child and her
father Dwell upon that for she would lay her own fair head beside her
husbands cheerfully« He faltered for an instant then went on as before »For
the sake of her child and her father press upon her the necessity of leaving
Paris with them and you at that hour Tell her that it was her husbands last
arrangement Tell her that more depends upon it than she dare believe or hope
You think that her father even in this sad state will submit himself to her
do you not«
»I am sure of it«
»I thought so Quietly and steadily have all these arrangements made in the
courtyard here even to the taking of your own seat in the carriage The moment
I come to you take me in and drive away«
»I understand that I wait for you under all circumstances«
»You have my certificate in your hand with the rest you know and will
reserve my place Wait for nothing but to have my place occupied and then for
England«
»Why then« said Mr Lorry grasping his eager but so firm and steady hand
»it does not all depend on one old man but I shall have a young and ardent man
at my side«
»By the help of Heaven you shall Promise me solemnly that nothing will
influence you to alter the course on which we now stand pledged to one another«
»Nothing Carton«
»Remember these words tomorrow change the course or delay in it for any
reason and no life can possibly be saved and many lives must inevitably be
sacrificed«
»I will remember them I hope to do my part faithfully«
»And I hope to do mine Now goodbye«
Though he said it with a grave smile of earnestness and though he even put
the old mans hand to his lips he did not part from him then He helped him so
far to arouse the rocking figure before the dying embers as to get a cloak and
hat put upon it and to tempt it forth to find where the bench and work were
hidden that it still moaningly besought to have He walked on the other side of
it and protected it to the courtyard of the house where the afflicted heart
so happy in the memorable time when he had revealed his own desolate heart to it
outwatched the awful night He entered the courtyard and remained there for a
few moments alone looking up at the light in the window of her room Before he
went away he breathed a blessing towards it and a Farewell
Chapter XIII
FiftyTwo
In the black prison of the Conciergerie the doomed of the day awaited their
fate They were in number as the weeks of the year Fiftytwo were to roll that
afternoon on the lifetide of the city to the boundless everlasting sea Before
their cells were quit of them new occupants were appointed before their blood
ran into the blood spilled yesterday the blood that was to mingle with theirs
tomorrow was already set apart
Two score and twelve were told off From the farmergeneral of seventy
whose riches could not buy his life to the seamstress of twenty whose poverty
and obscurity could not save her Physical diseases engendered in the vices and
neglects of men will seize on victims of all degrees and the frightful moral
disorder born of unspeakable suffering intolerable oppression and heartless
indifference smote equally without distinction
Charles Darnay alone in a cell had sustained himself with no flattering
delusion since he came to it from the Tribunal In every line of the narrative
he had heard he had heard his condemnation He had fully comprehended that no
personal influence could possibly save him that he was virtually sentenced by
the millions and that units could avail him nothing
Nevertheless it was not easy with the face of his beloved wife fresh
before him to compose his mind to what it must bear His hold on life was
strong and it was very very hard to loosen by gradual efforts and degrees
unclosed a little here it clenched the tighter there and when he brought his
strength to bear on that hand and it yielded this was closed again There was a
hurry too in all his thoughts a turbulent and heated working of his heart
that contended against resignation If for a moment he did feel resigned then
his wife and child who had to live after him seemed to protest and to make it a
selfish thing
But all this was at first Before long the consideration that there was no
disgrace in the fate he must meet and that numbers went the same road
wrongfully and trod it firmly every day sprang up to stimulate him Next
followed the thought that much of the future peace of mind enjoyable by the dear
ones depended on his quiet fortitude So by degrees he calmed into the better
state when he could raise his thoughts much higher and draw comfort down
Before it had set in dark on the night of his condemnation he had travelled
thus far on his last way Being allowed to purchase the means of writing and a
light he sat down to write until such time as the prison lamps should be
extinguished
He wrote a long letter to Lucie showing her that he had known nothing of
her fathers imprisonment until he had heard of it from herself and that he
had been as ignorant as she of his fathers and uncles responsibility for that
misery until the paper had been read He had already explained to her that his
concealment from herself of the name he had relinquished was the one condition
fully intelligible now that her father had attached to their betrothal and
was the one promise he had still exacted on the morning of their marriage He
entreated her for her fathers sake never to seek to know whether her father
had become oblivious of the existence of the paper or had had it recalled to
him for the moment or for good by the story of the Tower on that old Sunday
under the dear old planetree in the garden If he had preserved any definite
remembrance of it there could be no doubt that he had supposed it destroyed
with the Bastille when he had found no mention of it among the relics of
prisoners which the populace had discovered there and which had been described
to all the world He besought her though he added that he knew it was needless
to console her father by impressing him through every tender means she could
think of with the truth that he had done nothing for which he could justly
reproach himself but had uniformly forgotten himself for their joint sakes
Next to her preservation of his own last grateful love and blessing and her
overcoming of her sorrow to devote herself to their dear child he adjured her
as they would meet in Heaven to comfort her father
To her father himself he wrote in the same strain but he told her father
that he expressly confided his wife and child to his care And he told him this
very strongly with the hope of rousing him from any despondency or dangerous
retrospect towards which he foresaw he might be tending
To Mr Lorry he commended them all and explained his worldly affairs That
done with many added sentences of grateful friendship and warm attachment all
was done He never thought of Carton His mind was so full of the others that
he never once thought of him
He had time to finish these letters before the lights were put out When he
lay down on his straw bed he thought he had done with this world
But it beckoned him back in his sleep and showed itself in shining forms
Free and happy back in the old house in Soho though it had nothing in it like
the real house unaccountably released and light of heart he was with Lucie
again and she told him it was all a dream and he had never gone away A pause
of forgetfulness and then he had even suffered and had come back to her dead
and at peace and yet there was no difference in him Another pause of oblivion
and he awoke in the sombre morning unconscious where he was or what had
happened until it flashed upon his mind »this is the day of my death«
Thus had he come through the hours to the day when the fiftytwo heads
were to fall And now while he was composed and hoped that he could meet the
end with quiet heroism a new action began in his waking thoughts which was
very difficult to master
He had never seen the instrument that was to terminate his life How high it
was from the ground how many steps it had where he would be stood how he
would be touched whether the touching hands would be dyed red which way his
face would be turned whether he would be the first or might be the last these
and many similar questions in no wise directed by his will obtruded themselves
over and over again countless times Neither were they connected with fear he
was conscious of no fear Rather they originated in a strange besetting desire
to know what to do when the time came a desire gigantically disproportionate to
the few swift moments to which it referred a wondering that was more like the
wondering of some other spirit within his than his own
The hours went on as he walked to and fro and the clocks struck the numbers
he would never hear again Nine gone for ever ten gone for ever eleven gone
for ever twelve coming on to pass away After a hard contest with that
eccentric action of thought which had last perplexed him he had got the better
of it He walked up and down softly repeating their names to himself The worst
of the strife was over He could walk up and down free from distracting
fancies praying for himself and for them
Twelve gone for ever
He had been apprised that the final hour was Three and he knew he would be
summoned some time earlier inasmuch as the tumbrils jolted heavily and slowly
through the streets Therefore he resolved to keep Two before his mind as the
hour and so to strengthen himself in the interval that he might be able after
that time to strengthen others
Walking regularly to and fro with his arms folded on his breast a very
different man from the prisoner who had walked to and fro at La Force he heard
One struck away from him without surprise The hour had measured like most
other hours Devoutly thankful to Heaven for his recovered selfpossession he
thought »There is but another now« and turned to walk again
Footsteps in the stone passage outside the door He stopped
The key was put in the lock and turned Before the door was opened or as
it opened a man said in a low voice in English »He has never seen me here I
have kept out of his way Go you in alone I wait near Lose no time«
The door was quickly opened and closed and there stood before him face to
face quiet intent upon him with the light of a smile on his features and a
cautionary finger on his lip Sydney Carton
There was something so bright and remarkable in his look that for the
first moment the prisoner misdoubted him to be an apparition of his own
imagining But he spoke and it was his voice he took the prisoners hand and
it was his real grasp
»Of all the people upon earth you least expected to see me« he said
»I could not believe it to be you I can scarcely believe it now You are
not« the apprehension came suddenly into his mind »a prisoner«
»No I am accidentally possessed of a power over one of the keepers here
and in virtue of it I stand before you I come from her your wife dear
Darnay«
The prisoner wrung his hand
»I bring you a request from her«
»What is it«
»A most earnest pressing and emphatic entreaty addressed to you in the
most pathetic tones of the voice so dear to you that you well remember«
The prisoner turned his face partly aside
»You have no time to ask me why I bring it or what it means I have no time
to tell you You must comply with it take off those boots you wear and draw
on these of mine«
There was a chair against the wall of the cell behind the prisoner Carton
pressing forward had already with the speed of lightning got him down into
it and stood over him barefoot
»Draw on these boots of mine Put your hands to them put your will to them
Quick«
»Carton there is no escaping from this place it never can be done You
will only die with me It is madness«
»It would be madness if I asked you to escape but do I When I ask you to
pass out at that door tell me it is madness and remain here Change that cravat
for this of mine that coat for this of mine While you do it let me take this
ribbon from your hair and shake out your hair like this of mine«
With wonderful quickness and with a strength both of will and action that
appeared quite supernatural he forced all these changes upon him The prisoner
was like a young child in his hands
»Carton Dear Carton It is madness It cannot be accomplished it never can
be done it has been attempted and has always failed I implore you not to add
your death to the bitterness of mine«
»Do I ask you my dear Darnay to pass the door When I ask that refuse
There are pen and ink and paper on this table Is your hand steady enough to
write«
»It was when you came in«
»Steady it again and write what I shall dictate Quick friend quick«
Pressing his hand to his bewildered head Darnay sat down at the table
Carton with his right hand in his breast stood close beside him
»Write exactly as I speak«
»To whom do I address it«
»To no one« Carton still had his hand in his breast
»Do I date it«
»No«
The prisoner looked up at each question Carton standing over him with his
hand in his breast looked down
»If you remember« said Carton dictating »the words that passed between
us long ago you will readily comprehend this when you see it You do remember
them I know It is not in your nature to forget them«
He was drawing his hand from his breast the prisoner chancing to look up in
his hurried wonder as he wrote the hand stopped closing upon something
»Have you written forget them« Carton asked
»I have Is that a weapon in your hand«
»No I am not armed«
»What is it in your hand«
»You shall know directly Write on there are but a few words more« He
dictated again »I am thankful that the time has come when I can prove them
That I do so is no subject for regret or grief« As he said these words with his
eyes fixed on the writer his hand slowly and softly moved down close to the
writers face
The pen dropped from Darnays fingers on the table and he looked about him
vacantly
»What vapour is that« he asked
»Vapour«
»Something that crossed me«
»I am conscious of nothing there can be nothing here Take up the pen and
finish Hurry hurry«
As if his memory were impaired or his faculties disordered the prisoner
made an effort to rally his attention As he looked at Carton with clouded eyes
and with an altered manner of breathing Carton his hand again in his breast
looked steadily at him
»Hurry hurry«
The prisoner bent over the paper once more
»If it had been otherwise« Cartons hand was again watchfully and softly
stealing down »I never should have used the longer opportunity If it had been
otherwise« the hand was at the prisoners face »I should but have had so much
the more to answer for If it had been otherwise « Carton looked at the pen and
saw it was trailing off into unintelligible signs
Cartons hand moved back to his breast no more The prisoner sprang up with
a reproachful look but Cartons hand was close and firm at his nostrils and
Cartons left arm caught him round the waist For a few seconds he faintly
struggled with the man who had come to lay down his life for him but within a
minute or so he was stretched insensible on the ground
Quickly but with hands as true to the purpose as his heart was Carton
dressed himself in the clothes the prisoner had laid aside combed back his
hair and tied it with the ribbon the prisoner had worn Then he softly called
»Enter there Come in« and the Spy presented himself
»You see« said Carton looking up as he kneeled on one knee beside the
insensible figure putting the paper in the breast »is your hazard very great«
»Mr Carton« the Spy answered with a timid snap of his fingers »my hazard
is not that in the thick of business here if you are true to the whole of your
bargain«
»Dont fear me I will be true to the death«
»You must be Mr Carton if the tale of fiftytwo is to be right Being
made right by you in that dress I shall have no fear«
»Have no fear I shall soon be out of the way of harming you and the rest
will soon be far from here please God Now get assistance and take me to the
coach«
»You« said the Spy nervously
»Him man with whom I have exchanged You go out at the gate by which you
brought me in«
»Of course«
»I was weak and faint when you brought me in and I am fainter now you take
me out The parting interview has overpowered me Such a thing has happened
here often and too often Your life is in your own hands Quick Call
assistance«
»You swear not to betray me« said the trembling Spy as he paused for a
last moment
»Man man« returned Carton stamping his foot »have I sworn by no solemn
vow already to go through with this that you waste the precious moments now
Take him yourself to the courtyard you know of place him yourself in the
carriage show him yourself to Mr Lorry tell him yourself to give him no
restorative but air and to remember my words of last night and his promise of
last night and drive away«
The Spy withdrew and Carton seated himself at the table resting his
forehead on his hands The Spy returned immediately with two men
»How then« said one of them contemplating the fallen figure »So
afflicted to find that his friend has drawn a prize in the lottery of Sainte
Guillotine«
»A good patriot« said the other »could hardly have been more afflicted if
the Aristocrat had drawn a blank«
They raised the unconscious figure placed it on a litter they had brought
to the door and bent to carry it away
»The time is short Evrémonde« said the Spy in a warning voice
»I know it well« answered Carton »Be careful of my friend I entreat you
and leave me«
»Come then my children« said Barsad »Lift him and come away«
The door closed and Carton was left alone Straining his powers of
listening to the utmost he listened for any sound that might denote suspicion
or alarm There was none Keys turned doors clashed footsteps passed along
distant passages no cry was raised or hurry made that seemed unusual
Breathing more freely in a little while he sat down at the table and listened
again until the clock struck Two
Sounds that he was not afraid of for he divined their meaning then began
to be audible Several doors were opened in succession and finally his own A
gaoler with a list in his hand looked in merely saying »Follow me
Evrémonde« and he followed into a large dark room at a distance It was a dark
winter day and what with the shadows within and what with the shadows without
he could but dimly discern the others who were brought there to have their arms
bound Some were standing some seated Some were lamenting and in restless
motion but these were few The great majority were silent and still looking
fixedly at the ground
As he stood by the wall in a dim corner while some of the fiftytwo were
brought in after him one man stopped in passing to embrace him as having a
knowledge of him It thrilled him with a great dread of discovery but the man
went on A very few moments after that a young woman with a slight girlish
form a sweet spare face in which there was no vestige of colour and large
widely opened patient eyes rose from the seat where he had observed her
sitting and came to speak to him
»Citizen Evrémonde« she said touching him with her cold hand »I am a poor
little seamstress who was with you in La Force«
He murmured for answer »True I forget what you were accused of«
»Plots Though the just Heaven knows I am innocent of any Is it likely Who
would think of plotting with a poor little weak creature like me«
The forlorn smile with which she said it so touched him that tears started
from his eyes
»I am not afraid to die Citizen Evrémonde but I have done nothing I am
not unwilling to die if the Republic which is to do so much good to us poor
will profit by my death but I do not know how that can be Citizen Evrémonde
Such a poor weak little creature«
As the last thing on earth that his heart was to warm and soften to it
warmed and softened to this pitiable girl
»I heard you were released Citizen Evrémonde I hoped it was true«
»It was But I was again taken and condemned«
»If I may ride with you Citizen Evrémonde will you let me hold your hand
I am not afraid but I am little and weak and it will give me more courage«
As the patient eyes were lifted to his face he saw a sudden doubt in them
and then astonishment He pressed the workworn hungerworn young fingers and
touched his lips
»Are you dying for him« she whispered
»And his wife and child Hush Yes«
»O you will let me hold your brave hand stranger«
»Hush Yes my poor sister to the last«
The same shadows that are falling on the prison are falling in that same hour
of the early afternoon on the Barrier with the crowd about it when a coach
going out of Paris drives up to be examined
»Who goes here Whom have we within Papers«
The papers are handed out and read
»Alexandre Manette Physician French Which is he«
This is he this helpless inarticulately murmuring wandering old man
pointed out
»Apparently the CitizenDoctor is not in his right mind The
Revolutionfever will have been too much for him«
Greatly too much for him
»Hah Many suffer with it Lucie His daughter French Which is she«
This is she
»Apparently it must be Lucie the wife of Evrémonde is it not«
It is
»Hah Evrémonde has an assignation elsewhere Lucie her child English
This is she«
She and no other
»Kiss me child of Evrémonde Now thou hast kissed a good Republican
something new in thy family remember it Sydney Carton Advocate English
Which is he«
He lies here in this corner of the carriage He too is pointed out
»Apparently the English advocate is in a swoon«
It is hoped he will recover in the fresher air It is represented that he is
not in strong health and has separated sadly from a friend who is under the
displeasure of the Republic
»Is that all It is not a great deal that Many are under the displeasure
of the Republic and must look out at the little window Jarvis Lorry Banker
English Which is he«
»I am he Necessarily being the last«
It is Jarvis Lorry who has replied to all the previous questions It is
Jarvis Lorry who has alighted and stands with his hand on the coach door
replying to a group of officials They leisurely walk round the carriage and
leisurely mount the box to look at what little luggage it carries on the roof
the countrypeople hanging about press nearer to the coach doors and greedily
stare in a little child carried by its mother has its short arm held out for
it that it may touch the wife of an aristocrat who has gone to the Guillotine
»Behold your papers Jarvis Lorry countersigned«
»One can depart citizen«
»One can depart Forward my postilions A good journey«
»I salute you citizens And the first danger passed«
These are again the words of Jarvis Lorry as he clasps his hands and looks
upward There is terror in the carriage there is weeping there is the heavy
breathing of the insensible traveller
»Are we not going too slowly Can they not be induced to go faster« asks
Lucie clinging to the old man
»It would seem like flight my darling I must not urge them too much it
would rouse suspicion«
»Look back look back and see if we are pursued«
»The road is clear my dearest So far we are not pursued«
Houses in twos and threes pass by us solitary farms ruinous buildings
dyeworks tanneries and the like open country avenues of leafless trees The
hard uneven pavement is under us the soft deep mud is on either side
Sometimes we strike into the skirting mud to avoid the stones that clatter us
and shake us sometimes we stick in ruts and sloughs there The agony of our
impatience is then so great that in our wild alarm and hurry we are for getting
out and running hiding doing anything but stopping
Out of the open country in again among ruinous buildings solitary farms
dyeworks tanneries and the like cottages in twos and threes avenues of
leafless trees Have these men deceived us and taken us back by another road
Is not this the same place twice over Thank Heaven no A village Look back
look back and see if we are pursued Hush the postinghouse
Leisurely our four horses are taken out leisurely the coach stands in the
little street bereft of horses and with no likelihood upon it of ever moving
again leisurely the new horses come into visible existence one by one
leisurely the new postilions follow sucking and plaiting the lashes of their
whips leisurely the old postilions count their money make wrong additions
and arrive at dissatisfied results All the time our overfraught hearts are
beating at a rate that would far outstrip the fastest gallop of the fastest
horses ever foaled
At length the new postilions are in their saddles and the old are left
behind We are through the village up the hill and down the hill and on the
low watery grounds Suddenly the postilions exchange speech with animated
gesticulation and the horses are pulled up almost on their haunches We are
pursued
»Ho Within the carriage there Speak then«
»What is it« asks Mr Lorry looking out at window
»How many did they say«
»I do not understand you«
» At the last post How many to the Guillotine today«
»Fiftytwo«
»I said so A brave number My fellowcitizen here would have it fortytwo
ten more heads are worth having The Guillotine goes handsomely I love it Hi
forward Whoop«
The night comes on dark He moves more he is beginning to revive and to
speak intelligibly he thinks they are still together he asks him by his name
what he has in his hand O pity us kind Heaven and help us Look out look
out and see if we are pursued
The wind is rushing after us and the clouds are flying after us and the
moon is plunging after us and the whole wild night is in pursuit of us but so
far we are pursued by nothing else
Chapter XIV
The Knitting Done
In that same juncture of time when the FiftyTwo awaited their fate Madame
Defarge held darkly ominous council with The Vengeance and Jacques Three of the
Revolutionary Jury Not in the wineshop did Madame Defarge confer with these
ministers but in the shed of the woodsawyer erst a mender of roads The
sawyer himself did not participate in the conference but abided at a little
distance like an outer satellite who was not to speak until required or to
offer an opinion until invited
»But our Defarge« said Jacques Three »is undoubtedly a good Republican
Eh«
»There is no better« the voluble Vengeance protested in her shrill notes
»in France«
»Peace little Vengeance« said Madame Defarge laying her hand with a
slight frown on her lieutenants lips »hear me speak My husband
fellowcitizen is a good Republican and a bold man he has deserved well of the
Republic and possesses its confidence But my husband has his weaknesses and
he is so weak as to relent towards this Doctor«
»It is a great pity« croaked Jacques Three dubiously shaking his head
with his cruel fingers at his hungry mouth »it is not quite like a good
citizen it is a thing to regret«
»See you« said madame »I care nothing for this Doctor I He may wear his
head or lose it for any interest I have in him it is all one to me But the
Evrémonde people are to be exterminated and the wife and child must follow the
husband and father«
»She has a fine head for it« croaked Jacques Three »I have seen blue eyes
and golden hair there and they looked charming when Samson held them up« Ogre
that he was he spoke like an epicure
Madame Defarge cast down her eyes and reflected a little
»The child also« observed Jacques Three with a meditative enjoyment of his
words »has golden hair and blue eyes And we seldom have a child there It is a
pretty sight«
»In a word« said Madame Defarge coming out of her short abstraction »I
cannot trust my husband in this matter Not only do I feel since last night
that I dare not confide to him the details of my projects but also I feel that
if I delay there is danger of his giving warning and then they might escape«
»That must never be« croaked Jacques Three »no one must escape We have
not half enough as it is We ought to have six score a day«
»In a word« Madame Defarge went on »my husband has not my reason for
pursuing this family to annihilation and I have not his reason for regarding
this Doctor with any sensibility I must act for myself therefore Come hither
little citizen«
The woodsawyer who held her in the respect and himself in the submission
of mortal fear advanced with his hand to his red cap
»Touching those signals little citizen« said Madame Defarge sternly
»that she made to the prisoners you are ready to bear witness to them this very
day«
»Ay ay why not« cried the sawyer »Every day in all weathers from two
to four always signalling sometimes with the little one sometimes without I
know what I know I have seen with my eyes«
He made all manner of gestures while he spoke as if in incidental imitation
of some few of the great diversity of signals that he had never seen
»Clearly plots« said Jacques Three »Transparently«
»There is no doubt of the Jury« inquired Madame Defarge letting her eyes
turn to him with a gloomy smile
»Rely upon the patriotic Jury dear citizeness I answer for my
fellowJurymen«
»Now let me see« said Madame Defarge pondering again »Yet once more Can
I spare this Doctor to my husband I have no feeling either way Can I spare
him«
»He would count as one head« observed Jacques Three in a low voice »We
really have not heads enough it would be a pity I think«
»He was signalling with her when I saw her« argued Madame Defarge »I
cannot speak of one without the other and I must not be silent and trust the
case wholly to him this little citizen here For I am not a bad witness«
The Vengeance and Jacques Three vied with each other in their fervent
protestations that she was the most admirable and marvellous of witnesses The
little citizen not to be outdone declared her to be a celestial witness
»He must take his chance« said Madame Defarge »No I cannot spare him You
are engaged at three oclock you are going to see the batch of today executed
You«
The question was addressed to the woodsawyer who hurriedly replied in the
affirmative seizing the occasion to add that he was the most ardent of
Republicans and that he would be in effect the most desolate of Republicans if
anything prevented him from enjoying the pleasure of smoking his afternoon pipe
in the contemplation of the droll national barber He was so very demonstrative
herein that he might have been suspected perhaps was by the dark eyes that
looked contemptuously at him out of Madame Defarges head of having his small
individual fears for his own personal safety every hour in the day
»I« said madame »am equally engaged at the same place After it is over
say at eight tonight come you to me in Saint Antoine and we will give
information against these people at my Section«
The woodsawyer said he would be proud and flattered to attend the
citizeness The citizeness looking at him he became embarrassed evaded her
glance as a small dog would have done retreated among his wood and hid his
confusion over the handle of his saw
Madame Defarge beckoned the Juryman and The Vengeance a little nearer to the
door and there expounded her further views to them thus
»She will now be at home awaiting the moment of his death She will be
mourning and grieving She will be in a state of mind to impeach the justice of
the Republic She will be full of sympathy with its enemies I will go to her«
»What an admirable woman what an adorable woman« exclaimed Jacques Three
rapturously »Ah my cherished« cried The Vengeance and embraced her
»Take you my knitting« said Madame Defarge placing it in her lieutenants
hands »and have it ready for me in my usual seat Keep me my usual chair Go
you there straight for there will probably be a greater concourse than usual
today«
»I willingly obey the orders of my Chief« said The Vengeance with alacrity
and kissing her cheek »You will not be late«
»I shall be there before the commencement«
»And before the tumbrils arrive Be sure you are there my soul« said The
Vengeance calling after her for she had already turned into the street
»before the tumbrils arrive«
Madame Defarge slightly waved her hand to imply that she heard and might
be relied upon to arrive in good time and so went through the mud and round
the corner of the prison wall The Vengeance and the Juryman looking after her
as she walked away were highly appreciative of her fine figure and her superb
moral endowments
There were many women at that time upon whom the time laid a dreadfully
disfiguring hand but there was not one among them more to be dreaded than this
ruthless woman now taking her way along the streets Of a strong and fearless
character of shrewd sense and readiness of great determination of that kind
of beauty which not only seems to impart to its possessor firmness and
animosity but to strike into others an instinctive recognition of those
qualities the troubled time would have heaved her up under any circumstances
But imbued from her childhood with a brooding sense of wrong and an inveterate
hatred of a class opportunity had developed her into a tigress She was
absolutely without pity If she had ever had the virtue in her it had quite
gone out of her
It was nothing to her that an innocent man was to die for the sins of his
forefathers she saw not him but them It was nothing to her that his wife
was to be made a widow and his daughter an orphan that was insufficient
punishment because they were her natural enemies and her prey and as such had
no right to live To appeal to her was made hopeless by her having no sense of
pity even for herself If she had been laid low in the streets in any of the
many encounters in which she had been engaged she would not have pitied
herself nor if she had been ordered to the axe tomorrow would she have gone
to it with any softer feeling than a fierce desire to change places with the man
who sent her there
Such a heart Madame Defarge carried under her rough robe Carelessly worn
it was a becoming robe enough in a certain weird way and her dark hair looked
rich under her coarse red cap Lying hidden in her bosom was a loaded pistol
Lying hidden at her waist was a sharpened dagger Thus accoutred and walking
with the confident tread of such a character and with the supple freedom of a
woman who had habitually walked in her girlhood barefoot and barelegged on
the brown seasand Madame Defarge took her way along the streets
Now when the journey of the travelling coach at that very moment waiting
for the completion of its load had been planned out last night the difficulty
of taking Miss Pross in it had much engaged Mr Lorrys attention It was not
merely desirable to avoid overloading the coach but it was of the highest
importance that the time occupied in examining it and its passengers should be
reduced to the utmost since their escape might depend on the saving of only a
few seconds here and there Finally he had proposed after anxious
consideration that Miss Pross and Jerry who were at liberty to leave the city
should leave it at three oclock in the lightestwheeled conveyance known to
that period Unencumbered with luggage they would soon overtake the coach and
passing it and preceding it on the road would order its horses in advance and
greatly facilitate its progress during the precious hours of the night when
delay was the most to be dreaded
Seeing in this arrangement the hope of rendering real service in that
pressing emergency Miss Pross hailed it with joy She and Jerry had beheld the
coach start had known who it was that Solomon brought had passed some ten
minutes in tortures of suspense and were now concluding their arrangements to
follow the coach even as Madame Defarge taking her way through the streets
now drew nearer and nearer to the elsedeserted lodging in which they held their
consultation
»Now what do you think Mr Cruncher« said Miss Pross whose agitation was
so great that she could hardly speak or stand or move or live »what do you
think of our not starting from this courtyard Another carriage having already
gone from here today it might awaken suspicion«
»My opinion miss« returned Mr Cruncher »is as youre right Likewise wot
Ill stand by you right or wrong«
»I am so distracted with fear and hope for our precious creatures« said
Miss Pross wildly crying »that I am incapable of forming any plan Are you
capable of forming any plan my dear good Mr Cruncher«
»Respectin a future spear o life miss« returned Mr Cruncher »I hope
so Respectin any present use o this here blessed old head o mine I think
not Would you do me the favour miss to take notice o two promises and wows
wot it is my wishes fur to record in this here crisis«
»Oh for gracious sake« cried Miss Pross still wildly crying »record them
at once and get them out of the way like an excellent man«
»First« said Mr Cruncher who was all in a tremble and who spoke with an
ashy and solemn visage »them poor things well out o this never no more will I
do it never no more«
»I am quite sure Mr Cruncher« returned Miss Pross »that you never will
do it again whatever it is and I beg you not to think it necessary to mention
more particularly what it is«
»No miss« returned Jerry »it shall not be named to you Second them poor
things well out o this and never no more will I interfere with Mrs Crunchers
flopping never no more«
»Whatever housekeeping arrangement that may be« said Miss Pross striving
to dry her eyes and compose herself »I have no doubt it is best that Mrs
Cruncher should have it entirely under her own superintendence O my poor
darlings«
»I go so far as to say miss morehover« proceeded Mr Cruncher with a
most alarming tendency to hold forth as from a pulpit »and let my words be
took down and took to Mrs Cruncher through yourself that wot my opinions
respectin flopping has undergone a change and that wot I only hope with all my
heart as Mrs Cruncher may be a flopping at the present time«
»There there there I hope she is my dear man« cried the distracted Miss
Pross »and I hope she finds it answering her expectations«
»Forbid it« proceeded Mr Cruncher with additional solemnity additional
slowness and additional tendency to hold forth and hold out »as anything wot I
have ever said or done should be wisited on my earnest wishes for them poor
creeturs now Forbid it as we shouldnt all flop if it was anyways conwenient
to get em out o this here dismal risk Forbid it miss Wot I say for BID
it« This was Mr Crunchers conclusion after a protracted but vain endeavour to
find a better one
And still Madame Defarge pursuing her way along the streets came nearer
and nearer
»If we ever get back to our native land« said Miss Pross »you may rely
upon my telling Mrs Cruncher as much as I may be able to remember and
understand of what you have so impressively said and at all events you may be
sure that I shall bear witness to your being thoroughly in earnest at this
dreadful time Now pray let us think My esteemed Mr Cruncher let us think«
Still Madame Defarge pursuing her way along the streets came nearer and
nearer
»If you were to go before« said Miss Pross »and stop the vehicle and
horses from coming here and were to wait somewhere for me wouldnt that be
best«
Mr Cruncher thought it might be best
»Where could you wait for me« asked Miss Pross
Mr Cruncher was so bewildered that he could think of no locality but Temple
Bar Alas Temple Bar was hundreds of miles away and Madame Defarge was drawing
very near indeed
»By the cathedral door« said Miss Pross »Would it be much out of the way
to take me in near the great cathedral door between the two towers«
»No miss« answered Mr Cruncher
»Then like the best of men« said Miss Pross »go to the postinghouse
straight and make that change«
»I am doubtful« said Mr Cruncher hesitating and shaking his head »about
leaving of you you see We dont know what may happen«
»Heaven knows we dont« returned Miss Pross »but have no fear for me Take
me in at the cathedral at Three oClock or as near it as you can and I am
sure it will be better than our going from here I feel certain of it There
Bless you Mr Cruncher Think not of me but of the lives that may depend on
both of us«
This exordium and Miss Prosss two hands in quite agonised entreaty
clasping his decided Mr Cruncher With an encouraging nod or two he
immediately went out to alter the arrangements and left her by herself to
follow as she had proposed
The having originated a precaution which was already in course of execution
was a great relief to Miss Pross The necessity of composing her appearance so
that it should attract no special notice in the streets was another relief She
looked at her watch and it was twenty minutes past two She had no time to
lose but must get ready at once
Afraid in her extreme perturbation of the loneliness of the deserted
rooms and of halfimagined faces peeping from behind every open door in them
Miss Pross got a basin of cold water and began laving her eyes which were
swollen and red Haunted by her feverish apprehensions she could not bear to
have her sight obscured for a minute at a time by the dripping water but
constantly paused and looked round to see that there was no one watching her In
one of those pauses she recoiled and cried out for she saw a figure standing in
the room
The basin fell to the ground broken and the water flowed to the feet of
Madame Defarge By strange stern ways and through much staining blood those
feet had come to meet that water
Madame Defarge looked coldly at her and said »The wife of Evrémonde where
is she«
It flashed upon Miss Prosss mind that the doors were all standing open and
would suggest the flight Her first act was to shut them There were four in the
room and she shut them all She then placed herself before the door of the
chamber which Lucie had occupied
Madame Defarges dark eyes followed her through this rapid movement and
rested on her when it was finished Miss Pross had nothing beautiful about her
years had not tamed the wildness or softened the grimness of her appearance
but she too was a determined woman in her different way and she measured
Madame Defarge with her eyes every inch
»You might from your appearance be the wife of Lucifer« said Miss Pross
in her breathing »Nevertheless you shall not get the better of me I am an
Englishwoman«
Madame Defarge looked at her scornfully but still with something of Miss
Prosss own perception that they two were at bay She saw a tight hard wiry
woman before her as Mr Lorry had seen in the same figure a woman with a strong
hand in the years gone by She knew full well that Miss Pross was the familys
devoted friend Miss Pross knew full well that Madame Defarge was the familys
malevolent enemy
»On my way yonder« said Madame Defarge with a slight movement of her hand
towards the fatal spot »where they reserve my chair and my knitting for me I
am come to make my compliments to her in passing I wish to see her«
»I know that your intentions are evil« said Miss Pross »and you may depend
upon it Ill hold my own against them«
Each spoke in her own language neither understood the others words both
were very watchful and intent to deduce from look and manner what the
unintelligible words meant
»It will do her no good to keep herself concealed from me at this moment«
said Madame Defarge »Good patriots will know what that means Let me see her
Go tell her that I wish to see her Do you hear«
»If those eyes of yours were bedwinches« returned Miss Pross »and I was
an English fourposter they shouldnt loose a splinter of me No you wicked
foreign woman I am your match«
Madame Defarge was not likely to follow these idiomatic remarks in detail
but she so far understood them as to perceive that she was set at naught
»Woman imbecile and piglike« said Madame Defarge frowning »I take no
answer from you I demand to see her Either tell her that I demand to see her
or stand out of the way of the door and let me go to her« This with an angry
explanatory wave of her right arm
»I little thought« said Miss Pross »that I should ever want to understand
your nonsensical language but I would give all I have except the clothes I
wear to know whether you suspect the truth or any part of it«
Neither of them for a single moment released the others eyes Madame
Defarge had not moved from the spot where she stood when Miss Pross first became
aware of her but she now advanced one step
»I am a Briton« said Miss Pross »I am desperate I dont care an English
Twopence for myself I know that the longer I keep you here the greater hope
there is for my Ladybird Ill not leave a handful of that dark hair upon your
head if you lay a finger on me«
Thus Miss Pross with a shake of her head and a flash of her eyes between
every rapid sentence and every rapid sentence a whole breath Thus Miss Pross
who had never struck a blow in her life
But her courage was of that emotional nature that it brought the
irrepressible tears into her eyes This was a courage that Madame Defarge so
little comprehended as to mistake for weakness »Ha ha« she laughed »you poor
wretch What are you worth I address myself to that Doctor« Then she raised
her voice and called out »Citizen Doctor Wife of Evrémonde Child of
Evrémonde Any person but this miserable fool answer the Citizeness Defarge«
Perhaps the following silence perhaps some latent disclosure in the
expression of Miss Prosss face perhaps a sudden misgiving apart from either
suggestion whispered to Madame Defarge that they were gone Three of the doors
she opened swiftly and looked in
»Those rooms are all in disorder there has been hurried packing there are
odds and ends upon the ground There is no one in that room behind you Let me
look«
»Never« said Miss Pross who understood the request as perfectly as Madame
Defarge understood the answer
»If they are not in that room they are gone and can be pursued and brought
back« said Madame Defarge to herself
»As long as you dont know whether they are in that room or not you are
uncertain what to do« said Miss Pross to herself »and you shall not know that
if I can prevent your knowing it and know that or not know that you shall not
leave here while I can hold you«
»I have been in the streets from the first nothing has stopped me I will
tear you to pieces but I will have you from that door« said Madame Defarge
»We are alone at the top of a high house in a solitary courtyard we are
not likely to be heard and I pray for bodily strength to keep you here while
every minute you are here is worth a hundred thousand guineas to my darling«
said Miss Pross
Madame Defarge made at the door Miss Pross on the instinct of the moment
seized her round the waist in both her arms and held her tight It was in vain
for Madame Defarge to struggle and to strike Miss Pross with the vigorous
tenacity of love always so much stronger than hate clasped her tight and even
lifted her from the floor in the struggle that they had The two hands of Madame
Defarge buffeted and tore her face but Miss Pross with her head down held
her round the waist and clung to her with more than the hold of a drowning
woman
Soon Madame Defarges hands ceased to strike and felt at her encircled
waist »It is under my arm« said Miss Pross in smothered tones »you shall not
draw it I am stronger than you I bless Heaven for it Ill hold you till one
or other of us faints or dies«
Madame Defarges hands were at her bosom Miss Pross looked up saw what it
was struck at it struck out a flash and a crash and stood alone blinded
with smoke
All this was in a second As the smoke cleared leaving an awful stillness
it passed out on the air like the soul of the furious woman whose body lay
lifeless on the ground
In the first fright and horror of her situation Miss Pross passed the body
as far from it as she could and ran down the stairs to call for fruitless help
Happily she bethought herself of the consequences of what she did in time to
check herself and go back It was dreadful to go in at the door again but she
did go in and even went near it to get the bonnet and other things that she
must wear These she put on out on the staircase first shutting and locking
the door and taking away the key She then sat down on the stairs a few moments
to breathe and to cry and then got up and hurried away
By good fortune she had a veil on her bonnet or she could hardly have gone
along the streets without being stopped By good fortune too she was naturally
so peculiar in appearance as not to show disfigurement like any other woman She
needed both advantages for the marks of griping fingers were deep in her face
and her hair was torn and her dress hastily composed with unsteady hands was
clutched and dragged a hundred ways
In crossing the bridge she dropped the door key in the river Arriving at
the cathedral some few minutes before her escort and waiting there she
thought what if the key were already taken in a net what if it were
identified what if the door were opened and the remains discovered what if she
were stopped at the gate sent to prison and charged with murder In the midst
of these fluttering thoughts the escort appeared took her in and took her
away
»Is there any noise in the streets« she asked him
»The usual noises« Mr Cruncher replied and looked surprised by the
question and by her aspect
»I dont hear you« said Miss Pross »What do you say«
It was in vain for Mr Cruncher to repeat what he said Miss Pross could not
hear him »So Ill nod my head« thought Mr Cruncher amazed »at all events
shell see that« And she did
»Is there any noise in the streets now« asked Miss Pross again presently
Again Mr Cruncher nodded his head
»I dont hear it«
»Gone deaf in a hour« said Mr Cruncher ruminating with his mind much
disturbed »wots come to her«
»I feel« said Miss Pross »as if there had been a flash and a crash and
that crash was the last thing I should ever hear in this life«
»Blest if she aint in a queer condition« said Mr Cruncher more and more
disturbed »Wot can she have been a takin to keep her courage up Hark
Theres the roll of them dreadful carts You can hear that miss«
»I can hear« said Miss Pross seeing that he spoke to her »nothing O my
good man there was first a great crash and then a great stillness and that
stillness seems to be fixed and unchangeable never to be broken any more as
long as my life lasts«
»If she dont hear the roll of those dreadful carts now very nigh their
journeys end« said Mr Cruncher glancing over his shoulder »its my opinion
that indeed she never will hear anything else in this world«
And indeed she never did
Chapter XV
The Footsteps Die Out for Ever
Along the Paris streets the deathcarts rumble hollow and harsh Six tumbrils
carry the days wine to La Guillotine All the devouring and insatiate Monsters
imagined since imagination could record itself are fused in the one
realisation Guillotine 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 Crush humanity out of shape once more under similar hammers and
it will twist itself into the same tortured forms Sow the same seed of
rapacious licence and oppression over again and it will surely yield the same
fruit according to its kind
Six tumbrils roll along the streets 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 fathers house but dens of thieves the
huts of millions of starving peasants No the great magician who majestically
works out the appointed order of the Creator never reverses his
transformations »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
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 Ridges of faces are
thrown to this side and to that and the ploughs go steadily onward 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 Here and there the
inmate has visitors to see the sight 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
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 Some seated with drooping heads are sunk in
silent despair 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 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 number appeals by look or gesture to the pity of the people
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 It
would seem to be always the same question for it is always followed by a press
of people towards the third cart The horsemen abreast of that cart frequently
point out one man in it with their swords The leading curiosity is to know
which is he 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
He has no curiosity or care for the scene about him and always speaks to the
girl Here and there in the long street of St Honoré cries are raised against
him 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 He cannot easily touch his face his arms
being bound
On the steps of a church awaiting the comingup of the tumbrils stands the
Spy and prisonsheep He looks into the first of them not there He looks into
the second not there He already asks himself »Has he sacrificed me« when his
face clears as he looks into the third
»Which is Evrémonde« says a man behind him
»That At the back there«
»With his hand in the girls«
»Yes«
The man cries »Down Evrémonde To the Guillotine all aristocrats Down
Evrémonde«
»Hush hush« the Spy entreats him timidly
»And why not citizen«
»He is going to pay the forfeit it will be paid in five minutes more Let
him be at peace«
But the man continuing to exclaim »Down Evrémonde« the face of Evrémonde
is for a moment turned towards him Evrémonde then sees the Spy and looks
attentively at him and goes his way
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 On one of the foremost chairs stands The Vengeance looking
about for her friend
»Thérèse« she cries in her shrill tones »Who has seen her Thérèse
Defarge«
»She never missed before« says a knittingwoman of the sisterhood
»No nor will she miss now« cries The Vengeance petulantly »Thérèse«
»Louder« the woman recommends
Ay Louder Vengeance much louder and still she will scarcely hear thee
Louder yet Vengeance with a little oath or so added and yet it will hardly
bring her 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
»Bad Fortune« cries The Vengeance stamping her foot in the chair »and
here are the tumbrils 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 I cry with
vexation and disappointment«
As The Vengeance descends from her elevation to do it the tumbrils begin to
discharge their loads The ministers of Sainte Guillotine are robed and ready
Crash A head is held up and the knittingwomen who scarcely lifted their
eyes to look at it a moment ago when it could think and speak count One
The second tumbril empties and moves on the third comes up Crash And
the knittingwomen never faltering or pausing in their work count Two
The supposed Evrémonde descends and the seamstress is lifted out next after
him He has not relinquished her patient hand in getting out but still holds it
as he promised 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
»But for you dear stranger I should not be so composed for I am naturally
a poor little thing faint of heart 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
today I think you were sent to me by Heaven«
»Or you to me« says Sydney Carton »Keep your eyes upon me dear child and
mind no other object«
»I mind nothing while I hold your hand I shall mind nothing when I let it
go if they are rapid«
»They will be rapid Fear not«
The two stand in the fastthinning 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
»Brave and generous friend will you let me ask you one last question I am
very ignorant and it troubles me just a little«
»Tell me what it is«
»I have a cousin an only relative and an orphan like myself whom I love
very dearly She is five years younger than I and she lives in a farmers house
in the south country Poverty parted us and she knows nothing of my fate for
I cannot write and if I could how should I tell her It is better as it is«
»Yes yes better as it is«
»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 she may even
live to be old«
»What then my gentle sister«
»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 »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«
»It cannot be my child there is no Time there and no trouble there«
»You comfort me so much I am so ignorant Am I to kiss you now Is the
moment come«
»Yes«
She kisses his lips he kisses hers they solemnly bless each other The
spare hand does not tremble as he releases it nothing worse than a sweet
bright constancy is in the patient face She goes next before him is gone the
knittingwomen count TwentyTwo
»I am the Resurrection and the Life saith the Lord he that believeth in
me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die«
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 TwentyThree
They said of him about the city that night that it was the peacefullest mans
face ever beheld there Many added that he looked sublime and prophetic
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 If he had given an utterance to his and
they were prophetic they would have been these
»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 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
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 I see Her with a child
upon her bosom who bears my name 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
I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts and in the hearts of their
descendants generations hence I see her an old woman weeping for me on the
anniversary of this day 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 others soul than I was in the souls of both
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 I see him winning it so
well that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his I see the
blots I threw upon it faded away 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 days
disfigurement and I hear him tell the child my story with a tender and a
faltering voice
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«