第21章

Thefigureinthechairbetweenthem,wasallthetimemonotonouslyrockingitselftoandfro,andmoaning.Theyspokeinsuchatoneastheywouldhaveusediftheyhadbeenwatchingbyasick-bedintilenight.

Cartonstoopedtopickupthecoat,whichlayalmostentanglinghisfeet.Ashedidso,asmallcaseinwhichtheDoctorwasaccustomedtocarrythelistofhisday\'sduties,felllightlyonthefloor.Cartontookitup,andtherewasafoldedpaperinit.`Weshouldlookatthis!\'hesaid.Mr.Lorrynoddedhisconsent.Heopenedit,andexclaimed,

`ThankGOD\'

`Whatisit?\'askedMr.Lorry,eagerly.

`Amoment!Letmespeakofitinitsplace.First,\'heputhishandinhiscoat,andtookanotherpaperfromit,`thatisthecertificatewhichenablesmetopassoutofthiscity.Lookatit.Yousee——SydneyCarton,anEnglishman?\'

Mr.Lorryhelditopeninhishand,gazinginhisearnestface.

`Keepitformeuntilto-morrow.Ishallseehimto-morrow,youremember;andIhadbetternottakeitintotheprison.\'

`Whynot?\'

`Idon\'tknow;Iprefernottodoso.Now,takethispaperthatDoctorManettehascarriedabouthim.Itisasimilarcertificate,enablinghimandhisdaughterandherchildatanytime,topassthebarrierandthefrontier?Yousee?"

`Yes!\'

`Perhapsheobtaineditashislastandutmostprecautionagainstevil,yesterday.Whenisitdated?Butnomatter;don\'tstaytolook;putitupcarefullywit!,mineandyourown.Now,observe!Ineverdoubteduntilwithinthishourortwo,tathehad,orcouldhavesuchapaper.Itisgood,untilrecalled.Butitmaybesoonrecalled,and,Ihavereasontothink,willbe.\'

`Theyarenotindanger?\'

`Theyareingreatdanger.TheyareindangerofdenunciationbyMadameDefarge.Iknowitfromherownlips.Ihaveoverheardwordsofthatwoman\'s,to-night,whichhavepresentedtheirdangertomeinstrongcolours.Ihavelostnotime,andsincethen,Ihaveseenthespy.Heconfirmsme.Heknowsthatawood-sawyer,livingbytheprison-wall,isunderthecontroloftheDefarges,andhasbeenrehearsedbyMadameDefargeastohishavingseenHer\'——henevermentionedLucie\'sname——\'makingsignsandsignalstoprisoners.Itiseasytoforeseethatthepretencewillbethecommonone,aprisonplot,andthatitwillinvolveherlife——andperhapsherchild\'s——andperhapsherfather\'s——forbothhavebeenseenwithheratthatplace.Don\'tlooksohorrified.Youwillsavethemall.\'

`HeavengrantImay,Carton!Buthow?\'

`Iamgoingtotellyouhow.Itwilldependonyou,anditcoulddependonnobetterman.Thisnewdenunciationwillcertainlynottakeplaceuntilafterto-morrow;probablynotuntiltwoorthreedaysafterwards;moreprobablyaweekafterwards.Youknowitisacapitalcrime,tomournfor,orsympathisewith,avictimoftheGuillotine.Sheandherfatherwouldunquestionablybeguiltyofthiscrime,andthiswoman(theinveteracyofwhosepursuitcannotbedescribed)wouldwaittoaddthatstrengthtohercase,andmakeherselfdoublysure.Youfollowme?\'

`Soattentively,andwithsomuchconfidenceinwhatyousay,thatforthemomentIlosesight,\'touchingthebackoftheDoctor\'schair,`evenofthisdistress.\'

`Youhavemoney,andcanbuythemeansoftravellingtotileSea-coastasquicklyasthejourneycanbemade.Yourpreparationshavebeencompletedforsomedays,toreturntoEngland.Earlyto-morrowhaveyourhorsesready,sothattheymaybeinstartingtrimattwoo\'clockintheafternoon.\'

`Itshallbedone!\'

Hismannerwassoferventandinspiring,thatMr.Lorrycaughttheflame,andwasasquickasyouth.

`Youareanobleheart.DidIsaywecoulddependuponnobetterman?Tellher,to-night,whatyouknowofherdangerasinvolvingherchildandherfather.Dwelluponthat,forshewouldlayherownfairheadbesideherhusband\'scheerfully.\'Hefalteredforaninstant;thenwentonasbefore.`Forthesakeofherchildandherfather,pressuponherthenecessityofleavingParis,withthemandyou,atthathour.Tellherthatitwasherhusband\'slastarrangement.Tellherthatmoredependsuponitthanshedarebelieve,orhope.Youthinkthatherfather,eveninthissadstate,willsubmithimselftoher;doyounot?\'

`Iamsureofit.\'

`Ithoughtso.Quietlyandsteadilyhaveallthesearrangementsmadeinthecourt-yardhere,eventothetakingofyourownseatinthecarriage.ThemomentIcometoyou,takemein,anddriveaway.\'

`IunderstandthatIwaitforyouunderallcircumstances?\'

`Youhavemycertificateinyourhandwiththerest,youknow,andwillreservemyplace.Waitfornothingbuttohavemyplaceoccupied,andthenforEngland!\'

`Why,then,\'saidMr.Lorry,graspinghiseagerbutsofirmandsteadyhand,`itdoesnotalldependononeoldman,butIshallhaveayoungandardentmanatmyside.\'

`BythehelpofHeavenyoushall!Promisemesolemnlythatnothingwillinfluenceyoutoalterthecourseonwhichwenowstandpledgedtooneanother.\'

`Nothing,Carton.\'

`Rememberthesewordsto-morrow:changethecourse,ordelayinit——foranyreason——andnolifecanpossiblybesaved,andmanylivesmustinevitablybesacrificed.\'

`Iwillrememberthem.Ihopetodomypartfaithfully.\'`AndIhopetodomine.Now,good-bye!\'

Thoughhesaiditwithagravesmileofearnestness,andthoughlieevenputtheoldman\'shandtohislips,hedidnotpartfromhimthen.Hehelpedhimsofartoarousetherockingfigurebeforethedyingembers,astogetacloakandhatputuponit,andtotemptitforthtofindwherethebenchandworkwerehiddenthatitstillmoaninglybesoughttohave.Hewalkedontheothersideofitandprotectedittothecourt-yardofthehousewheretheafflictedheart——sohappyinthememorabletimewhenhehadrevealedhisowndesolatehearttoit——outwatchedtheawfulnight.Heenteredthecourt-yardandremainedthereforafewmomentsalone,lopingupatthelightinthewindowofherroom.Beforehewentaway,hebreathedablessingtowardsit,andaFarewell.

CHAPTERXIII

Fifty-two

INtheblackprisonoftheConciergerie,thedoomedofthedayawaitedtheirfate.Theywereinnumberastheweeksoftheyear.Fifty-twoweretorollthatafternoononthelife-tideofthecitytotheboundlesseverlastingsea.Beforetheircellswerequitofthem,newoccupantswereappointed;beforetheirbloodranintothebloodspilledyesterday,thebloodthatwastominglewiththeirsto-morrowwasalreadysetapart.

TwoscoreandtwelveweretoldoffFromthefarmer-generalofseventy,whoserichescouldnotbuyhislife,totheseamstressoftwenty,whosepovertyandobscuritycouldnotsaveher.Physicaldiseases,engenderedinthevicesandneglectsofmen,willseizeonvictimsofalldegrees;andthefrightfulmoraldisorder,bornofunspeakablesuffering,intolerableoppression,andheartlessindifference,smoteequallywithoutdistinction.

CharlesDarnay,aloneinacell,hadsustainedhimselfwithnoflatteringdelusionsincehecametoitfromtheTribunal.Ineverylineofthenarrativehehadheard,hehadheardhiscondemnation.Hehadfullycomprehendedthatnopersonalinfluencecouldpossiblysavehim,thathewasvirtuallysentencedbythemillions,andthatunitscouldavailhimnothing.

Nevertheless,itwasnoteasy,withthefaceofhisbelovedwifefreshbeforehim,tocomposehismindtowhatitmustbear.Hisholdonlifewasstrong,anditwasvery,veryhardtoloosen;bygradualeffortsanddegreesunclosedalittlehere,itclenchedthetighterthere;andwhenhebroughthisstrengthtobearonthathandandityielded,thiswasclosedagain.Therewasahurry,too,inallhisthoughts,aturbulentandheatedworkingofhisheart,thatcontendedagainstresignation.Ifforamoment,hedidfeelresigned,thenhiswifeandchildwhohadtoliveafterhim,seemedtoprotestandtomakeitaselfishthing.

But,allthiswasatfirst.Beforelong,theconsiderationthattherewasnodisgraceinthefatehemustmeet,andthatnumberswentthesameroadwrongfully,andtroditfirmlyeveryday,spranguptostimulatehim.Nextfollowedthethoughtthatmuchofthefuturepeaceofmindenjoyablebythedearones,dependedonhisquietfortitude.So,bydegreeshecalmedintothebetterstate,whenhecouldraisehisthoughtsmuchhigher,anddrawcomfortdown.

Beforeithadsetindarkonthenightofhiscondemnation,hehadtravelledthusfaronhislastway.Beingallowedtopurchasethemeansofwriting,andalight,hesatdowntowriteuntilsuchtimeastheprisonlampsshouldbeextinguished.

HewrotealonglettertoLucie,showingherthathehadknownnothingofherfather\'simprisonment,untilhehadheardofitfromherself,andthathehadbeenasignorantassheofhisfather\'sanduncle\'sresponsibilityforthatmisery,untilthepaperhadbeenread.Hehadalreadyexplainedtoherthathisconcealmentfromherselfofthenamehehadrelinquished,wastheonecondition——fullyintelligiblenow——thatherfatherhadattachedtotheirbetrothal,andwastheonepromisehehadstillexactedonthemorningoftheirmarriage.Heentreatedher,forherfather\'ssake,nevertoseektoknowwhetherherfatherhadbecomeobliviousoftheexistenceofthepaper,orhadhaditrecalledtohim(forthemoment,orforgood),bythestoryoftheTower,onthatoldSundayunderthedearoldplane-treeinthegarden.Ifhehadpreservedanydefiniteremembranceofit,therecouldbenodoubtthathehadsupposeditdestroyedwiththeBastille,whenhehadfoundnomentionofitamongtherelicsofprisonerswhichthepopulacehaddiscoveredthere,andwhichhadbeendescribedtoalltheworld.Hebesoughther——thoughheaddedthatheknewitwasneedless——toconsoleherfather,byimpressinghimthrougheverytendermeansshecouldthinkof,withthetruththathehaddonenothingforwhichhecouldjustlyreproachhimself,buthaduniformlyforgottenhimselffortheirjointsakes.Nexttoherpreservationofhisownlastgratefulloveandblessing,andherovercomingofhersorrow,todevoteherselftotheirdearchild,headjuredher,astheywouldmeetinHeaven,tocomfortherfather.

Toherfatherhimselfhewroteinthesamestrain;but,hetoldherfatherthatheexpresslyconfidedhiswifeandchildtohiscare.Andhetoldhimthis,verystrongly,withthehopeofrousinghimfromanydespondencyordangerousretrospecttowardswhichheforesawhemightbetending.

ToMr.Lorry,hecommendedthemall,andexplainedhisworldlyaffairs.Thatdone,withmanyaddedsentencesofgratefulfriendshipandwarmattachment,allwasdone.HeneverthoughtofCarton.Hismindwassofulloftheothers,thatheneveroncethoughtofhim.

Hehadtimetofinishtheselettersbeforethelightswereputout.Whenhelaydownonhisstrawbed,hethoughthehaddonewiththisworld.

But,itbeckonedhimbackinhissleep,andshoweditselfinshiningforms.Freeandhappy,backintheoldhouseinSoho(thoughithadnothinginitliketherealhouse),unaccountablyreleasedandlightofheart,hewaswithLucieagain,andshetoldhimitwasalladream,andhehadnevergoneaway.Apauseofforgetfulness,andthenliehadevensuffered,andhadcomebacktoher,deadandatpeace,andyettherewasnodifferenceinhim.Anotherpauseofoblivion,andheawokeinthesombremorning,unconsciouswherehewasorwhathadhappened,untilitflasheduponhismind,`thisisthedayofmydeath\'

Thus,hadhecomethroughthehours,tothedaywhenthefifty-twoheadsweretofall.Andnow,whilehewascomposed,andhopedthathecouldmeettheendwithquietheroism,anewactionbeganinhiswakingthoughts,whichwasverydifficulttomaster.

Hehadneverseentheinstrumentthatwastoterminatehislife.Howhighitwasfromtheground,howmanystepsithad,wherehewouldbestood,howhewouldbetouched,whetherthetouchinghandswouldbedyedred,whichwayhisfacewouldbeturned,whetherhewouldbethefirst,ormightbethelast:theseandmanysimilarquestions,innowisedirectedbyhiswill,obtrudedthemselvesoverandoveragain,countlesstimes.Neitherweretheyconnectedwithfear:hewasconsciousofnofear.Rather,theyoriginatedinastrangebesettingdesiretoknowwhattodowhenthetimecame;adesiregiganticallydisproportionatetothefewswiftmomentstowhichitreferred;awonderingthatwasmorelikethewonderingofsomeotherspiritwithinhis,thanhisown.

Thehourswentonasliewalkedtoandfro,andtheclocksstruckthenumbershewouldneverhearagain.Nineconeforever,tengoneforever,elevengoneforever,twelvecomingontopassaway.Afterahardcontestwiththateccentricactionofthoughtwhichhadlastperplexedhim,hehadgotthebetterofit.Hewalkedupanddown,softlyrepeatingtheirnamestohimself.Theworstofthestrifewasover.Hecouldwalkupanddown,freefromdistractingfancies,prayin