第93章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(8)

第93章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(8)

'willyouaccompanyme，'saidmr.lorry，joyfullyrelievedafterreadingthisnotealoud，'towherehiswiferesides？'

'yes，'returneddefarge.

scarcelynoticingasyet，inwhatacuriouslyreservedandmechanicalwaydefargespoke，mr.lorryputonhishatandtheywentdownintothecourt-yard.theretheyfoundtwowomen；oneknitting.

'madamedefarge，surely！'saidmr.lorry，whohadleftherinexactlythesameattitudesomeseventeenyearsago.

'itisshe，'observedherhusband.

'doesmadamegowithus？'inquiredmr.lorry，seeingthatshemovedastheymoved.

'yes.thatshemaybeabletorecognisethefacesandknowthepersons.itisfortheirsafety.'

beginningtobestruckbydefarge'smanner，mr.lorrylookeddubiouslyathim，andledtheway.boththewomenfollowed；thesecondwomanbeingthevengeance.

theypassedthroughtheinterveningstreetsasquicklyastheymight，ascendedthestaircaseofthenewdomicile，wereadmittedbyjerry，andfoundlucieweeping，alone.shewasthrownintoatransportbythetidingsmr.lorrygaveherofherhusband，andclaspedthehandthatdeliveredhisnote—littlethinkingwhatithadbeendoingnearhiminthenight，andmight，butforachance，havedoneforhim.

dearest—takecourage.iamwell，andyourfatherhasinfluencearoundme.youcannotanswerthis.kissourchildforme.

thatwasallthewriting.itwassomuch，however，toherwhoreceivedit，thatsheturnedfromdefargetohiswife，andkissedoneofthehandsthatknitted.itwasapassionate，loving，thankful，womanlyaction，butthehandmadenoresponse—droppedcoldandheavy，andtooktoitsknittingagain.

therewassomethinginitstouchthatgavelucieacheck.shestoppedintheactofputtingthenoteinherbosom，and，withherhandsyetatherneck，lookedterrifiedatmadamedefarge.madamedefargemettheliftedeyebrowsandforeheadwithacold，impassivestare.

'mydear，'saidmr.lorry，strikingintoexplain；'therearefrequentrisingsinthestreets；and，althoughitisnotlikelytheywillevertroubleyou，madamedefargewishestoseethosewhomshehasthepowertoprotectatsuchtimes，totheendthatshemayknowthem—thatshemayidentifythem.ibelieve，'saidmr.lorry，ratherhaltinginhisreassuringwords，asthestonymannerofallthethreeimpresseditselfuponhimmoreandmore，'istatethecase，citizendefarge？'

defargelookedgloomilyathiswife，andgavenootheranswerthanagruffsoundofacquiescence.

'youhadbetter，lucie，'saidmr.lorry，doingallhecouldtopropitiate，bytoneandmanner，'havethedearchildhere，andourgoodpross.ourgoodpross，defarge，isanenglishlady，andknowsnofrench.'

theladyinquestion，whoserootedconvictionthatshewasmorethanamatchforanyforeigner，wasnottobeshakenbydistressanddanger，appearedwithfoldedarms，andobservedinenglishtothevengeance，whomhereyesfirstencountered，'well，iamsure，boldface！ihopeyouareprettywell！'shealsobestowedabritishcoughonmadamedefarge；but，neitherofthetwotookmuchheedofher.

'isthathischild？'saidmadamedefarge，stoppinginherworkforthefirsttimeandpointingherknitting-needleatlittlelucieasifitwerethefingeroffate.

'yes，madame，'answeredmr.lorry；'thisisourpoorprisoner'sdarlingdaughter，andonlychild.'

theshadowattendantonmadamedefargeandherpartyseemedtofallsothreateninganddarkonthechild，thathermotherinstinctivelykneeledonthegroundbesideher，andheldhertoherbreast.theshadowattendantonmadamedefargeandherpartyseemedthentofall，threateninganddark，onboththemotherandthechild.

'itisenough，myhusband，'saidmadamedefarge.'ihaveseenthem.wemaygo.'

butthesuppressedmannerhadenoughofmenaceinit—notvisibleandpresented，butindistinctandwithheld—toalarmlucieintosaying，asshelaidherappealinghandonmadamedefarge'sdress：'youwillbegoodtomypoorhusband.youwilldohimnoharm.youwillhelpmetoseehimifyoucan？'

'yourhusbandisnotmybusinesshere，'returnedmadamedefarge，lookingdownatherwithperfectcomposure.'itisthedaughterofyourfatherwhoismybusinesshere.'

'formysake，then，bemercifultomyhusband.formychild'ssake！shewillputherhandstogetherandprayyoutobemerciful.wearemoreafraidofyouthanoftheseothers.'

madamedefargereceiveditasacompliment，andlookedatherhusband.defarge，whohadbeenuneasilybitinghisthumb-nailandlookingather，collectedhisfaceintoasternerexpression.

'whatisthatyourhusbandsaysinthatlittleletter？'askedmadamedefarge，withaloweringsmile.'influence；hesayssomethingtouchinginfluence？'

'thatmyfather，'saidlucie，hurriedlytakingthepaperfromherbreast，butwithheralarmedeyesonherquestionerandnotonit，'hasmuchinfluencearoundhim.'

'surelyitwillreleasehim！'saidmadamedefarge.'letitdoso.'

'asawifeandmother，'criedluciemostearnestly，'iimploreyoutohavepityonmeandnotexerciseanypowerthatyoupossess，againstmyinnocenthusband，buttouseitinhisbehalf.osister-woman，thinkofme.asawifeandmother！'

madamedefargelooked，coldlyasever，atthesuppliant，andsaid，turningtoherfriendthevengeance：

'thewivesandmotherswehavebeenusedtosee，sincewewereaslittleasthischild，andmuchless，havenotbeengreatlyconsidered？wehaveknowntheirhusbandsandfatherslaidinprisonandkeptfromthem，oftenenough？allourlives，wehaveseenoursister-womensuffer，inthemselvesandintheirchildren，poverty，nakedness，hunger，thirst，sickness，misery，oppression，andneglectofallkinds？'

'wehaveseennothingelse，'returnedthevengeance.

'wehavebornethisalongtime，'saidmadamedefarge，turninghereyesagainuponlucie.'judgeyou！isitlikelythatthetroubleofonewifeandmotherwouldbemuchtousnow？'