Thewretchedwifeoftheinnocentmanthusdoomedtodie,fellunderthesentence,asifshehadbeenmortallystricken. But,sheutterednosound;andsostrongwasthevoicewithinher,representingthatitwassheofalltheworldwhomustupholdhiminhismiseryandnotaugmentit,thatitquicklyraisedher,evenfromthatshock. TheJudgeshavingtotakepartinapublicdemonstrationoutofdoors,theTribunaladjourned. Thequicknoiseandmovementofthecourt’semptyingitselfbymanypassageshadnotceased,whenLuciestoodstretchingoutherarmstowardsherhusband,withnothinginherfacebutloveandconsolation. “IfImighttouchhim!IfImightembracehimonce!O,goodcitizens,ifyouwouldhavesomuchcompassionforus!” Therewasbutagaolerleft,alongwithtwoofthefourmenwhohadtakenhimlastnight,andBarsad. Thepeoplehadallpouredouttotheshowinthestreets. Barsadproposedtotherest,“Letherembracehimthen;itisbutamoment.” Itwassilentlyacquiescedin,andtheypassedherovertheseatsinthehalltoaraisedplace,wherehe,byleaningoverthedock,couldfoldherinhisarms. “Farewell,deardarlingofmysoul.Mypartingblessingonmylove.Weshallmeetagain,wherethewearyareatrest!” Theywereherhusband’swords,asheheldhertohisbosom. “Icanbearit,dearCharles.Iamsupportedfromabove:don’tsufferforme.Apartingblessingforourchad.” “Isendittoherbyyou.Ikissherbyyou.Isayfarewelltoherbyyou.” “Myhusband.No!Amoment!”Hewastearinghimselfapartfromher.“Weshallnotbeseparatedlong. Ifeelthatthiswillbreakmyheartby-and-bye;butIwilldomydutywhileIcan,andwhenIleaveher,Godwillraiseupfriendsforher,asHedidforme.” Herfatherhadfollowedher,andwouldhavefallenonhiskneestobothofthem,butthatDarnayputoutahandandseizedhim,crying: “No,no!Whathaveyoudone,whathaveyoudone,thatyoushouldkneeltous! Weknownow,whatastruggleyoumadeofold. Weknow,nowwhatyouunderwentwhenyoususpectedmydescent,andwhenyouknewit. Weknownow,thenaturalantipathyyoustroveagainst,andconquered,forherdearsake. Wethankyouwithallourhearts,andallourloveandduty.Heavenbewithyou!” Herfather’sonlyanswerwastodrawhishandsthroughhiswhitehair,andwringthemwithashriekofanguish. “Itcouldnotbeotherwise,”saidtheprisoner. “Allthingshaveworkedtogetherastheyhavefallenout. itwasthealways-vainendeavourtodischargemypoormother’strustthatfirstbroughtmyfatalpresencenearyou. Goodcouldnevercomeofsuchevil,ahappierendwasnotinnaturetosounhappyabeginning.Becomforted,andforgiveme.Heavenblessyou!” Ashewasdrawnaway,hiswifereleasedhim,andstoodlookingafterhimwithherhandstouchingoneanotherintheattitudeofprayer,andwitharadiantlookuponherface,inwhichtherewasevenacomfortingsmile. Ashewentoutattheprisoners’door,sheturned,laidherheadlovinglyonherfather’sbreast,triedtospeaktohim,andfellathisfeet. Then,issuingfromtheobscurecornerfromwhichhehadnevermoved,SydneyCartoncameandtookherup. OnlyherfatherandMr.Lorrywerewithher. Hisarmtrembledasitraisedher,andsupportedherhead. Yet,therewasanairabouthimthatwasnotallofpity—thathadaflushofprideinit. “ShallItakehertoacoach?Ishallneverfeelherweight.” Hecarriedherlightlytothedoor,andlaidhertenderlydowninacoach.Herfatherandtheiroldfriendgotintoit,andhetookhisseatbesidethedriver. Whentheyarrivedatthegatewaywherehehadpausedinthedarknotmanyhoursbefore,topicturetohimselfonwhichoftheroughstonesofthestreetherfeethadtrodden,heliftedheragain,andcarriedherupthestaircasetotheirrooms. There,helaidherdownonacouch,whereherchildandMissProssweptoverher. “Don’trecallhertoherself,”hesaid,softly,tothelatter,“sheisbetterso.Don’trevivehertoconsciousness,whilesheonlyfaints.” “Oh,Carton,Carton,dearCarton!”criedlittleLucie,springingupandthrowingherarmspassionatelyroundhim,inaburstofgrief. “Nowthatyouhavecome,Ithinkyouwilldosomethingtohelpmamma,somethingtosavepapa!O,lookather,dearCarton! Canyou,ofallthepeoplewholoveher,beartoseeherso?” Hebentoverthechild,andlaidherbloomingcheekagainsthisface.Heputhergentlyfromhim,andlookedatherunconsciousmother. “BeforeIgo,”hesaid,andpaused—”Imaykissher?” Itwasrememberedafterwardsthatwhenhebentdownandtouchedherfacewithhislips,hemurmuredsomewords. Thechild,whowasnearesttohim,toldthemafterwards,andtoldhergrandchildrenwhenshewasahandsomeoldlady,thatsheheardhimsay,“Alifeyoulove.” Whenhehadgoneoutintothenextroom,heturnedsuddenlyonMr.Lorryandherfather,whowerefollowing,andsaidtothelatter: “Youhadgreatinfluencebutyesterday,DoctorManette;letitatleastbetried. Thesejudges,andallthemeninpower,areveryfriendlytoyou,andveryrecognisantofyourservices;aretheynot?” “NothingconnectedwithCharleswasconcealedfromme.IhadthestrongestassurancesthatIshouldsavehim;andIdid.”Hereturnedtheansweringreattrouble,andveryslowly. “Trythemagain.Thehoursbetweenthisandto-morrowafternoonarefewandshort,buttry.” “Iintendtotry.Iwillnotrestamoment.” “That’swell.Ihaveknownsuchenergyasyoursdogreatthingsbeforenow—thoughnever,”headded,withasmileandasightogether,“suchgreatthingsasthis.Buttry! Oflittleworthaslifeiswhenwemisuseit,itisworththateffort. Itwouldcostnothingtolaydownifitwerenot.” “Iwillgo,”saidDoctorManette,“totheProsecutorandthePresidentstraight,andIwillgotootherswhomitisbetternottoname.Iwillwritetoo,and—Butstay! ThereisaCelebrationinthestreets,andnoonewillbeaccessibleuntildark.” Itisaforlornhopeatthebest,andnotmuchtheforlornerforbeingdelayedtilldark. Ishouldliketoknowhowyouspeed;though,mind!Iexpectnothing! Whenareyoulikelytohaveseenthesedreadpowers,DoctorManette?” “Immediatelyafterdark,Ishouldhope.Withinanhourortwofromthis.” “Itwillbedarksoonafterfour.Letusstretchthehourortwo.IfIgotoMr.Lorry’satnine,shallIhearwhatyouhavedone,eitherfromourfriendorfromyourself?” Mr.LorryfollowedSydneytotheouterdoor,and,touchinghimontheshoulderashewasgoingaway,causedhimtoturn. “Ihavenohope,”saidMr.Lorry,inalowandsorrowfulwhisper. “Ifanyoneofthesemen,orallofthesemen,weredisposedtosparehim—whichisalargesupposition;forwhatishislife,oranyman’stothem! —Idoubtiftheydurstsparehimafterthedemonstrationinthecourt.” “AndsodoI.Iheardthefalloftheaxeinthatsound.” Mr.Lorryleanedhisarmuponthedoor-post,andbowedhisfaceuponit. “Don’tdespond,”saidCarton,verygently;“don’tgrieve. IencouragedDoctorManetteinthisidea,becauseIfeltthatitmightonedaybeconsolatorytoher. Otherwise,shemightthink`hislifewaswantonlythrownawayorwasted,’andthatmighttroubleher.” “Yes,yes,yes,”returnedMr.Lorry,dryinghiseyes,“youareright.Buthewillperish;thereisnorealhope.” “Yes.Hewillperish:thereisnorealhope,”echoedCarton. Andwalkedwithasettledstep,down-stairs. 
