A Tale of Two Cities

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 can't 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.

«Don't 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 to-night?»

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? Don't 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 sick-bed 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 lists of his day's 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 to-morrow. I shall see him to-morrow, you remember, and I had better not take it into the prison.»

«Why not?»

«I don't 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; don't 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 woman's, to-night, 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 wood-sawyer, living by the prison wall, is under the control of the Defarges, and has been rehearsed by Madame Defarge as to his having seen Her»-he never mentioned Lucie's 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 child's-and perhaps her father's-for both have been seen with her at that place. Don't look so horrified. You will save them all.»

«Heaven grant I may, Carton! But how?»