按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 wine…shop recovered its habitual aspect。
In the evening； at which season of all others Saint Antoine turned himself inside out； and sat on doorsteps and window…ledges； 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 Missionarythere were many like hersuch 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 famine…pinched。
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 Court…Yard； 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 all…potent 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 XVIII
Nine Days
THE marriage…day was shining brightly； and they were ready outside the closed door of the Doctor's room； where he was speaking with Charles Darnay。 They were ready to go to church； the beautiful bride； Mr。 Lorry； and Miss Prossto 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 didn't mean it；' remarked the matter…of…fact Miss Pross； ‘and therefore how could you know it？ Nonsense！'
‘Really？ Well； but don't 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 don't wonder at it。 Such a present of plate as you have made ‘em； is enough to bring tears into anybody's eyes。 There's not a fork or a spoon in the collection；' said Miss Pross； ‘that I didn't cry over； last night after the box came； till I couldn't 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 Tellson's shall go to the wall （comparatively speaking） before him。 And when； at the fortnight's end； he comes to join you and your beloved husband； on your other fortnight's 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 Somebody's step coming to the door。 Let me kiss my dear girl with an old…fashioned bachelor blessing； before Somebody comes to claim his own。'
For a moment； he held the fair face from him to look at the well…remembered 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 old…fashioned； were as old as Adam。
The door of the Doctor's room opened； and he came out with Charles Darnay。 He was so deadly palewhich had not been the case when they went in togetherthat 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 bride's hand； which were newly released from the dark obscurity of one of Mr。 Lorry's pockets。 They returned home to breakfast； and all went well； and in due course the golden hair that had mingled with the poor shoemaker's 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 up…stairs； Mr。 Lorry was reminded of Defarge the wine…shop 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 Tellson's； 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 Tellson's； than to look out of Tellson's。 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。 ‘What's 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 doesn't know me； and is making shoes！'
Mr。 Lorry said what he could to calm her； and went himself into the Doctor's 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 momenthalf inquiringly； half as if he were angry at being spoken toand 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 hardimpatientlyas if in some sense of having been inte