English
Thoseweredrinkingdays,andmostmendrankhard.
SoverygreatistheimprovementTimehasbroughtaboutinsuchhabits,thatamoderatestatementofthequantityofwineandpunchwhichonemanwouldswallowinthecourseofanight,withoutanydetrimenttohisreputationasaperfectgentleman,wouldseem,inthesedays,aridiculousexaggeration.
ThelearnedprofessionofthelawwascertainlynotbehindanyotherlearnedprofessioninitsBacchanalianpropensities;neitherwasMr.Stryver,alreadyfastshoulderinghiswaytoalargeandlucrativepractice,behindhiscompeersinthisparticular,anymorethaninthedrierpartsofthelegalrace.
AfavouriteattheOldBailey,andekeattheSessions,Mr.Stryverhadbeguncautiouslytohewawaythelowerstavesoftheladderonwhichhemounted.
SessionsandOldBaileyhadnowtosummontheirfavourite,specially,totheirlongingarms;andshoulderingitselftowardsthevisageoftheLordChiefJusticeintheCourtofKing’sBench,thefloridcountenanceofMr.Stryvermightbedailyseen,burstingoutofthebedofwigs,likeagreatsunflowerpushingitswayatthesunfromamongarankgarden-fullofflaringcompanions.
IthadoncebeennotedattheBar,thatwhileMr.Stryverwasaglibman,andanunscrupulous,andaready,andabold,hehadnotthatfacultyofextractingtheessencefromaheapofstatements,whichisamongthemoststrikingandnecessaryoftheadvocate’saccomplishments.
But,aremarkableimprovementcameuponhimastothis.
Themorebusinesshegot,thegreaterhispowerseemedtogrowofgettingatitspithandmarrow;andhoweverlateatnighthesatcarousingwithSydneyCarton,healwayshadhispointsathisfingers’endsinthemorning.
SydneyCarton,idlestandmostunpromisingofmen,wasStryver’sgreatally.
Whatthetwodranktogether,betweenHilaryTermandMichaelmas,mighthavefloatedaking’sship.
Stryverneverhadacaseinhand,anywhere,butCartonwasthere,withhishandsinhispockets,staringattheceilingofthecourt;theywentthesameCircuit,andeventheretheyprolongedtheirusualorgieslateintothenight,andCartonwasrumouredtobeseenatbroadday,goinghomestealthilyandunsteadilytohislodgings,likeadissipatedcat.
Atlast,itbegantogetabout,amongsuchaswereinterestedinthematter,thatalthoughSydneyCartonwouldneverbealion,hewasanamazinglygoodjackal,andthatherenderedsuitandservicetoStryverinthathumblecapacity.
“Teno’clock,sir,”saidthemanatthetavern,whomhehadchargedtowakehim—”teno’clock,sir.”
“WHAT’Sthematter?”
“Teno’clock,sir.”
“Whatdoyoumean?Teno’clockatnight?”
“Yes,sir.Yourhonourtoldmetocallyou.”
“Oh!Iremember.Verywell,verywell.”
Afterafewdulleffortstogettosleepagain,whichthemandexterouslycombatedbystirringthefirecontinuouslyforfiveminutes,hegotup,tossedhishaton,andwalkedout.
HeturnedintotheTemple,and,havingrevivedhimselfbytwicepacingthepavementsofKing’sBench-walkandPaper-buildings,turnedintotheStryverchambers.
TheStryverclerk,whoneverassistedattheseconferences,hadgonehome,andtheStryverprincipalopenedthedoor.
Hehadhisslipperson,andaloosebed-gown,andhisthroatwasbareforhisgreaterease.
Hehadthatratherwild,strained,searedmarkingabouttheeyes,whichmaybeobservedinallfreeliversofhisclass,fromtheportraitofJeffriesdownward,andwhichcanbetraced,undervariousdisguisesofArt,throughtheportraitsofeveryDrinkingAge.
“Youarealittlelate,Memory,”saidStryver.
“Abouttheusualtime;itmaybeaquarterofanhourlater.”
Theywentintoadingyroomlinedwithbooksandlitteredwithpapers,wheretherewasablazingfire.
Akettlesteameduponthehob,andinthemidstofthewreckofpapersatableshone,withplentyofwineuponit,andbrandy,andrum,andsugar,andlemons.
“Youhavehadyourbottle,Iperceive,Sydney.”
“Twoto-night,Ithink.Ihavebeendiningwiththeday’sclient;orseeinghimdine—it’sallone!”
“Thatwasararepoint,Sydney,thatyoubroughttobearupontheidentification.Howdidyoucomebyit?Whendiditstrikeyou?”
“Ithoughthewasratherahandsomefellow,andIthoughtIshouldhavebeenmuchthesamesortoffellow,ifIhadhadanyluck.”
Mr.Stryverlaughedtillheshookhisprecociouspaunch.
“Youandyourluck,Sydney!Gettowork,gettowork.”
Sullenlyenough,thejackalloosenedhisdress,wentintoanadjoiningroom,andcamebackwithalargejugofcoldwater,abasin,andatowelortwo.
Steepingthetowelsinthewater,andpartiallywringingthemout,hefoldedthemonhisheadinamannerhideoustobehold,satdownatthetable,andsaid,“NowIamready!”
“Notmuchboilingdowntobedoneto-night,Memory,”saidMr.Stryver,gaily,ashelookedamonghispapers.
“Howmuch?”
“Onlytwosetsofthem.”
“Givemetheworstfirst.”
“Theretheyare,Sydney.Fireaway!”
Thelionthencomposedhimselfonhisbackonasofaononesideofthedrinking-table,whilethejackalsatathisownpaper-bestrewntableproper,ontheothersideofit,withthebottlesandglassesreadytohishand.
Bothresortedtothedrinking-tablewithoutstint,buteachinadifferentway;thelionforthemostpartrecliningwithhishandsinhiswaistband,lookingatthefire,oroccasionallyflirtingwithsomelighterdocument;thejackal,withknittedbrowsandintentface,sodeepinhistask,thathiseyesdidnotevenfollowthehandhestretchedoutforhisglass—whichoftengropedabout,foraminuteormore,beforeitfoundtheglassforhislips.
Twoorthreetimes,thematterinhandbecamesoknotty,thatthejackalfounditimperativeonhimtogetup,andsteephistowelsanew.
Fromthesepilgrimagestothejugandbasin,hereturnedwithsucheccentricitiesofdampheadgearasnowordscandescribe;whichweremadethemoreludicrousbyhisanxiousgravity.
Atlengththejackalhadgottogetheracompactrepastforthelion,andproceededtoofferittohim.
Theliontookitwithcareandcaution,madehisselectionsfromit,andhisremarksuponit,andthejackalassistedboth.
Whentherepastwasfullydiscussed,thelionputhishandsinhiswaistbandagain,andlaydowntomediate.
Thejackaltheninvigoratedhimselfwithabumforhisthrottle,andafreshapplicationtohishead,andappliedhimselftothecollectionofasecondmeal;thiswasadministeredtothelioninthesamemanner,andwasnotdisposedofuntiltheclocksstruckthreeinthemorning.
“Andnowwehavedone,Sydney,fillabumperofpunch,”saidMr.Stryver.
Thejackalremovedthetowelsfromhishead,whichhadbeensteamingagain,shookhimself,yawned,shivered,andcomplied.
“Youwereverysound,Sydney,inthematterofthosecrownwitnessesto-day.Everyquestiontold.”
“Ialwaysamsound;amInot?”
“Idon’tgainsayit.Whathasroughenedyourtemper?Putsomepunchtoitandsmoothitagain.”
Withadeprecatorygrunt,thejackalagaincomplied.
“TheoldSydneyCartonofoldShrewsburySchool,”saidStryver,noddinghisheadoverhimashereviewedhiminthepresentandthepast,“theoldseesawSydney.
Uponeminuteanddownthenext;nowinspiritsandnowindespondency!”
“Ah!”returnedtheother,sighing:“yes!ThesameSydney,withthesameluck.Eventhen,Ididexercisesforotherboys,andseldomdidmyown.
“Andwhynot?”
“Godknows.Itwasmyway,Isuppose.”
Hesat,withhishandsinhispocketsandhislegsstretchedoutbeforehim,lookingatthefire.
“Carton,”saidhisfriend,squaringhimselfathimwithabullyingair,asifthefire-gratehadbeenthefurnaceinwhichsustainedendeavourwasforged,andtheonedelicatethingtobedonefortheoldSydneyCartonofoldShrewsburySchoolwastoshoulderhimintoit,“yourwayis,andalwayswas,alameway.Yousummonnoenergyandpurpose.Lookatme.”
“Oh,botheration!”returnedSydney,withalighterandmoregood-humouredlaugh,“don’tYOUbemoral!”
“HowhaveIdonewhatIhavedone?”saidStryver;“howdoIdowhatIdo?”
“Partlythroughpayingmetohelpyou,Isuppose.
Butit’snotworthyourwhiletoapostrophiseme,ortheair,aboutit;whatyouwanttodo,youdo.
Youwerealwaysinthefrontrank,andIwasalwaysbehind.”
“Ihadtogetintothefrontrank;Iwasnotbornthere,wasI?”
“Iwasnotpresentattheceremony;butmyopinionisyouwere,”saidCarton.Atthis,helaughedagain,andtheybothlaughed.
“BeforeShrewsbury,andatShrewsbury,andeversinceShrewsbury,”pursuedCarton,“youhavefallenintoyourrank,andIhavefallenintomine.
Evenwhenwewerefellow-studentsintheStudent-QuarterofParis,pickingupFrench,andFrenchlaw,andotherFrenchcrumbsthatwedidn’tgetmuchgoodof,youwerealwayssomewhere,andIwasalwaysnowhere.”
“Andwhosefaultwasthat?”
“Uponmysoul,Iamnotsurethatitwasnotyours.
Youwerealwaysdrivingandrivingandshoulderingandpassing,tothatrestlessdegreethatIhadnochanceformylifebutinrustandrepose.
It’sagloomything,however,totalkaboutone’sownpast,withthedaybreaking.
TurnmeinsomeotherdirectionbeforeIgo.”
“Wellthen!Pledgemetotheprettywitness,”saidStryver,holdinguphisglass.“Areyouturnedinapleasantdirection?”
Apparentlynot,forhebecamegloomyagain.
“Prettywitness,”hemuttered,lookingdownintohisglass.“Ihavehadenoughofwitnessesto-dayandto-night;who’syourprettywitness?”
“Thepicturesquedoctor’sdaughter,MissManette.”
“SHEpretty?”
“Isshenot?”
“No.”
“Why,manalive,shewastheadmirationofthewholeCourt!”
“RottheadmirationofthewholeCourt!WhomadetheOldBaileyajudgeofbeauty?Shewasagolden-haireddoll!”
“Doyouknow,Sydney,”saidMr.Stryver,lookingathimwithsharpeyes,andslowlydrawingahandacrosshisfloridface:“doyouknow,Iratherthought,atthetime,thatyousympathisedwiththegolden-haireddoll,andwerequicktoseewhathappenedtothegolden-haireddoll?”
“Quicktoseewhathappened!Ifagirl,dollornodoll,swoonswithinayardortwoofaman’snose,hecanseeitwithoutaperspective-glass.Ipledgeyou,butIdenythebeauty.
AndnowI’llhavenomoredrink;I’llgettobed.”
Whenhishostfollowedhimoutonthestaircasewithacandle,tolighthimdownthestairs,thedaywascoldlylookinginthroughitsgrimywindows.
Whenhegotoutofthehouse,theairwascoldandsad,thedullskyovercast,theriverdarkanddim,thewholescenelikealifelessdesert.
Andwreathsofdustwerespinningroundandroundbeforethemorningblast,asifthedesert-sandhadrisenfaraway,andthefirstsprayofitinitsadvancehadbeguntooverwhelmthecity.
Wasteforceswithinhim,andadesertallaround,thismanstoodstillonhiswayacrossasilentterrace,andsawforamoment,lyinginthewildernessbeforehim,amirageofhonourableambition,self-denial,andperseverance.
Inthefaircityofthisvision,therewereairygalleriesfromwhichthelovesandgraceslookeduponhim,gardensinwhichthefruitsoflifehungripening,watersofHopethatsparkledinhissight.Amoment,anditwasgone.
Climbingtoahighchamberinawellofhouses,hethrewhimselfdowninhisclothesonaneglectedbed,anditspillowwaswetwithwastedtears.
Sadly,sadly,thesunrose;itroseuponnosaddersightthanthemanofgoodabilitiesandgoodemotions,incapableoftheirdirectedexercise,incapableofhisownhelpandhisownhappiness,sensibleoftheblightonhim,andresigninghimselftoletiteathimaway.
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