Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers

Help / FAQ



<- Previous | Table of Contents | Next ->
PinkMonkey.com Digital Library - A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens


43

the very door, he could be taken away--” “But, consider. Is he fit
for the journey?” asked Mr. Lorry.

“More fit for that, I think, than to remain in this city, so dreadful to
him.” “It is true,” said Defarge, who was kneeling to look on and
hear. “More than that; Monsieur Manette is, for all reasons, best out
of France. Say, shall I hire a carriage and post-horses?”

“That’s business,” said Mr. Lorry, resuming on the shortest notice
his methodical manners; “and if business is to be done, I had better
do it.” “Then be so kind,” urged Miss Manette, “as to leave us here.
You see how composed he has become, and you cannot be afraid to
leave him with me now.

Why should you be? If you will lock the door to secure us from
interruption, I do not doubt that you will find him, when you come
back, as quiet as you leave him.

In any case, I will take care of him until you return, and then we
will remove him straight.” Both Mr. Lorry and Defarge were rather
disinclined to this course, and in favour of one of them remaining.
But, as there were not only carriage and horses to be seen to, but
travelling papers; and as time pressed, for the day was drawing to
an end, it came at last to their hastily dividing the business that
was necessary to be done, and hurrying away to do it.

Then, as the darkness closed in, the daughter laid her head down
on the hard ground close at the father’s side, and watched him. The
darkness deepened and deepened, and they both lay quiet, until a
light gleamed through the chinks in the wall.

Mr. Lorry and Monsieur Defarge had made all ready for the
journey, and had brought with them, besides travelling cloaks and
wrappers, bread and meat, wine, and hot coffee. Monsieur Defarge
put this provender, and the lamp he carried, on the shoemaker’s
bench (there was nothing else in the garret but a pallet bed), and he
and Mr. Lorry roused the captive, and assisted him to his feet.

No human intelligence could have read the mysteries of his mind,
in the scared blank wonder of his face. Whether he knew what had
happened, whether he recollected what they had said to him,
whether he knew that he was free, were questions which no
sagacity could have solved. They tried speaking to him; but, he
was so confused, and so very slow to answer, that they took fright
at his bewilderment, and agreed for the time to tamper with him
no more. He had a wild, lost manner of occasionally clasping his
head in his hands, that had not been seen in him before; yet, he had
some pleasure in the mere sound of his daughter’s voice, and
invariably turned to it when she spoke.

In the submissive way of one long accustomed to obey under
coercion, he ate and drank what they gave him to eat and drink,
<- Previous | Table of Contents | Next ->



All Contents Copyright © All rights reserved.
Further Distribution Is Strictly Prohibited.

About Us | Advertising | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Home Page


Search:
Keywords:
In Association with Amazon.com