English
“Ihavesavedhim.”Itwasnotanotherofthedreamsinwhichhehadoftencomeback;hewasreallyhere.Andyethiswifetrembled,andavaguebutheavyfearwasuponher.
Alltheairroundwassothickanddark,thepeopleweresopassionatelyrevengefulandfitful,theinnocentweresoconstantlyputtodeathonvaguesuspicionandblackmalice,itwassoimpossibletoforgetthatmanyasblamelessasherhusbandandasdeartoothersashewastoher,everydaysharedthefatefromwhichhehadbeenclutched,thatherheartcouldnotbeaslightenedofitsloadasshefeltitoughttobe.
Theshadowsofthewintryafternoonwerebeginningtofall,andevennowthedreadfulcartswererollingthroughthestreets.
Hermindpursuedthem,lookingforhimamongtheCondemned;andthensheclungclosertohisrealpresenceandtrembledmore.
Herfather,cheeringher,showedacompassionatesuperioritytothiswoman’sweakness,whichwaswonderfultosee.
Nogarret,noshoemaking,noOneHundredandFive,NorthTower,now!
Hehadaccomplishedthetaskhehadsethimself,hispromisewasredeemed,hehadsavedCharles.Letthemallleanuponhim.
Theirhousekeepingwasofaveryfrugalkind:notonlybecausethatwasthesafestwayoflife,involvingtheleastoffencetothepeople,butbecausetheywerenotrich,andCharles,throughouthisimprisonment,hadhadtopayheavilyforhisbadfood,andforhisguard,andtowardsthelivingofthepoorerprisoners.
Partlyonthisaccount,andpartlytoavoidadomesticspy,theykeptnoservant;thecitizenandcitizenesswhoactedasportersatthecourtyardgate,renderedthemoccasionalservice;andJerry(almostwhollytransferredtothembyMr.Lorry)hadbecometheirdailyretainer,andhadhisbedthereeverynight.
ItwasanordinanceoftheRepublicOneandIndivisibleofLiberty,Equality,Fraternity,orDeath,thatonthedoorordoorpostofeveryhouse,thenameofeveryinmatemustbelegiblyinscribedinlettersofacertainsize,atacertainconvenientheightfromtheground.
Mr.JerryCruncher’sname,therefore,dulyembellishedthedoorpostdownbelow;and,astheafternoonshadowsdeepened,theownerofthatnamehimselfappeared,fromoverlookingapainterwhomDoctorManettehademployedtoaddtothelistthenameofCharlesEvremonde,calledDarnay.
Intheuniversalfearanddistrustthatdarkenedthetime,alltheusualharmlesswaysoflifewerechanged.
IntheDoctor’slittlehousehold,asinverymanyothers,thearticlesofdailyconsumptionthatwerewantedwerepurchasedeveryevening,insmallquantitiesandatvarioussmallshops.
Toavoidattractingnotice,andtogiveaslittleoccasionaspossiblefortalkandenvy,wasthegeneraldesire.
Forsomemonthspast,MissProssandMr.Cruncherhaddischargedtheofficeofpurveyors;theformercarryingthemoney;thelatter,thebasket.
Everyafternoonataboutthetimewhenthepubliclampswerelighted,theyfaredforthonthisduty,andmadeandbroughthomesuchpurchasesaswereneedful.
AlthoughMissPross,throughherlongassociationwithaFrenchfamily,mighthaveknownasmuchoftheirlanguageasofherown,ifshehadhadamind,shehadnomindinthatdirection;consequentlysheknewnomoreofthat“nonsense”(asshewaspleasedtocallit)thanMr.Cruncherdid.
Sohermannerofmarketingwastoplumpanoun-substantiveattheheadofashopkeeperwithoutanyintroductioninthenatureofanarticle,and,ifithappenednottobethenameofthethingshewanted,tolookroundforthatthing,layholdofit,andholdonbyituntilthebargainwasconcluded.
Shealwaysmadeabargainforit,byholdingup,asastatementofitsjustprice,onefingerlessthanthemerchantheldup,whateverhisnumbermightbe.
“Now,Mr.Cruncher,”saidMissPross,whoseeyeswereredwithfelicity;“ifyouareready,Iam.”
JerryhoarselyprofessedhimselfatMissPross’sservice.Hehadwornallhisrustofflongago,butnothingwouldfilehisspikyheaddown.
“There’sallmannerofthingswanted,”saidMissPross,“andweshallhaveaprecioustimeofit.Wewantwine,amongtherest.NicetoaststheseRedheadswillbedrinking,whereverwebuyit.”
“Itwillbemuchthesametoyourknowledge,miss,Ishouldthink,”retortedJerry,“whethertheydrinkyourhealthortheOldUn’s.”
“Who’she?”saidMissPross.
Mr.Cruncher,withsomediffidence,explainedhimselfasmeaning“OldNick’s.”
“Ha!”saidMissPross,“itdoesn’tneedaninterpretertoexplainthemeaningofthesecreatures.Theyhavebutone,andit’sMidnightMurder,andMischief.”
“Hush,dear!Pray,pray,becautious!”criedLucie.
“Yes,yes,yes,I’llbecautious,”saidMissPross;“butImaysayamongourselves,thatIdohopetherewillbenoonionyandtobaccoeysmotheringsintheformofembracingsallround,goingoninthestreets.
Now,Ladybird,neveryoustirfromthatfiretillIcomeback!
Takecareofthedearhusbandyouhaverecovered,anddon’tmoveyourprettyheadfromhisshoulderasyouhaveitnow,tillyouseemeagain!
MayIaskaquestion,DoctorManette,beforeIgo?”
“Ithinkyoumaytakethatliberty,”theDoctoranswered,smiling.
“Forgracioussake,don’ttalkaboutLiberty;wehavequiteenoughofthat,”saidMissPross.
“Hush,dear!Again?”Lucieremonstrated.
“Well,mysweet,”saidMissPross,noddingherheademphatically,“theshortandthelongofitis,thatIamasubjectofHisMostGraciousMajestyKingGeorgetheThird;”MissProsscurtseyedatthename;“andassuch,mymaximis,Confoundtheirpolitics,Frustratetheirknavishtricks,Onhimourhopeswefix,GodsavetheKing!”
Mr.Cruncher,inanaccessofloyalty,growlinglyrepeatedthewordsafterMissPross,Resomebodyatchurch.
“IamgladyouhavesomuchoftheEnglishmaninyou,thoughIwishyouhadnevertakenthatcoldinyourvoice,”saidMissPross,approvingly.“Butthequestion,DoctorManette.
Isthere”—itwasthegoodcreature’swaytoaffecttomakelightofanythingthatwasagreatanxietywiththemall,andtocomeatitinthischancemanner—”isthereanyprospectyet,ofourgettingoutofthisplace?”
“Ifearnotyet.ItwouldbedangerousforCharlesyet.”
“Heigh-ho-hum!”saidMissPross,cheerfullyrepressingasighassheglancedatherdarling’sgoldenhairinthelightofthefire,“thenwemusthavepatienceandwait:that’sall.
Wemustholdupourheadsandfightlow,asmybrotherSolomonusedtosay.Now,Mr.Cruncher!—Don’tyoumove,Ladybird!”
Theywentout,leavingLucie,andherhusband,herfather,andthechild,byabrightfire.
Mr.LorrywasexpectedbackpresentlyfromtheBankingHouse.
MissProsshadlightedthelamp,buthadputitasideinacorner,thattheymightenjoythefire-lightundisturbed.
LittleLuciesatbyhergrandfatherwithherhandsclaspedthroughhisarm:andhe,inatonenotrisingmuchaboveawhisper,begantotenherastoryofagreatandpowerfulFairywhohadopenedaprison-wallandletoutacaptivewhohadoncedonetheFairyaservice.
Allwassubduedandquiet,andLuciewasmoreateasethanshehadbeen.
“Whatisthat?”shecried,allatonce.
“Mydear!”saidherfather,stoppinginhisstory,andlayinghishandonhers,“commandyourself.Whatadisorderedstateyouarein!Theleastthing—nothing—startlesyou!YOU,yourfather’sdaughter!”
“Ithought,myfather,”saidLucie,excusingherself,withapalefaceandinafalteringvoice,“thatIheardstrangefeetuponthestairs.”
“Mylove,thestaircaseisasstillasDeath.”
Ashesaidtheword,ablowwasstruckuponthedoor.
“Ohfather,father.Whatcanthisbe!HideCharles.Savehim!”
“Mychild,”saidtheDoctor,rising,andlayinghishanduponhershoulder,“IHAVEsavedhim.Whatweaknessisthis,mydear!Letmegotothedoor.”
Hetookthelampinhishand,crossedthetwointerveningouterrooms,andopenedit.
Arudeclatteringoffeetoverthefloor,andfourroughmeninredcaps,armedwithsabresandpistols,enteredtheroom.
“TheCitizenEvremonde,calledDarnay,”saidthefirst.
“Whoseekshim?”answeredDarnay.
“Iseekhim.Weseekhim.Iknowyou,Evremonde;IsawyoubeforetheTribunalto-day.YouareagaintheprisoneroftheRepublic.”
Thefoursurroundedhim,wherehestoodwithhiswifeandchildclingingtohim.
“TellmehowandwhyamIagainaprisoner?”
“ItisenoughthatyoureturnstraighttotheConciergerie,andwillknowto-morrow.Youaresummonedforto-morrow.”
DoctorManette,whomthisvisitationhadsoturnedintostone,thatbestoodwiththelampinhisband,asifbewoeastatuemadetoholdit,movedafterthesewordswerespoken,putthelampdown,andconfrontingthespeaker,andtakinghim,notungently,bytheloosefrontofhisredwoollenshirt,said:
“Youknowhim,youhavesaid.Doyouknowme?”
“Yes,Iknowyou,CitizenDoctor.”
“Weallknowyou,CitizenDoctor,”saidtheotherthree.
Helookedabstractedlyfromonetoanother,andsaid,inalowervoice,afterapause:
“Willyouanswerhisquestiontomethen?Howdoesthishappen?”
“CitizenDoctor,”saidthefirst,reluctantly,“hehasbeendenouncedtotheSectionofSaintAntoine.Thiscitizen,”pointingoutthesecondwhohadentered,“isfromSaintAntoine.”
Thecitizenhereindicatednoddedhishead,andadded:
“HeisaccusedbySaintAntoine.”
“Ofwhat?”askedtheDoctor.
“CitizenDoctor,”saidthefirst,withhisformerreluctance,“asknomore.
IftheRepublicdemandssacrificesfromyou,withoutdoubtyouasagoodpatriotwillbehappytomakethem.TheRepublicgoesbeforeall.ThePeopleissupreme.Evremonde,wearepressed.”
“Oneword,”theDoctorentreated.“Willyoutellmewhodenouncedhim?”
“Itisagainstrule,”answeredthefirst;“butyoucanaskHimofSaintAntoinehere.”
TheDoctorturnedhiseyesuponthatman.Whomoveduneasilyonhisfeet,rubbedhisbeardalittle,andatlengthsaid:
“Well!Trulyitisagainstrule.Butheisdenounced—andgravely—bytheCitizenandCitizenessDefarge.Andbyoneother.”
“Whatother?”
“DoYOUask,CitizenDoctor?”
“Yes.”
“Then,”saidheofSaintAntoine,withastrangelook,“youwillbeansweredto-morrow.Now,Iamdumb!”
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