第119章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(34)

第119章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(34)

customersentered，andthegroupwasbrokenup.theenglishcustomerpaidforwhathehadhad，perplexedlycountedhischange，andasked，asastranger，tobedirectedtowardsthenationalpalace.madamedefargetookhimtothedoor，andputherarmonhis，inpointingouttheroad.theenglishcustomerwasnotwithouthisreflectionsthen，thatitmightbeagooddeedtoseizethatarm，liftit，andstrikeunderitsharpanddeep.

but，hewenthisway，andwassoonswallowedupintheshadowoftheprisonwall.attheappointedhour，heemergedfromittopresenthimselfinmr.lorry'sroomagain，wherehefoundtheoldgentlemanwalkingtoandfroinrestlessanxiety.hesaidhehadbeenwithlucieuntiljustnow，andhadonlyleftherforafewminutes，tocomeandkeephisappointment.herfatherhadnotbeenseen，sincehequittedthebanking-housetowardsfouro'clock.shehadsomefainthopesthathismediationmightsavecharles，buttheywereveryslight.hehadbeenmorethanfivehoursgone：wherecouldhebe？mr.lorrywaiteduntilten；but，doctormanettenotreturning，andhebeingunwillingtoleavelucieanylonger，itwasarrangedthatheshouldgobacktoher，andcometothebanking-houseagainatmidnight.inthemeanwhile，cartonwouldwaitalonebythefireforthedoctor.

hewaitedandwaited，andtheclockstrucktwelve；butdoctormanettedidnotcomeback.mr.lorryreturned，andfoundnotidingsofhim，andbroughtnone.wherecouldhebe？

theywerediscussingthisquestion，andwerealmostbuildingupsomeweakstructureofhopeonhisprolongedabsence，whentheyheardhimonthestairs.theinstantheenteredtheroom，itwasplainthatallwaslost.

whetherhehadreallybeentoanyone，orwhetherhehadbeenallthattimetraversingthestreets，wasneverknown.ashestoodstaringatthem，theyaskedhimnoquestions，forhisfacetoldthemeverything.

'icannotfindit，'saidhe，'andimusthaveit.whereisit？'

hisheadandthroatwerebare，and，ashespokewithahelplesslookstrayingallaround，hetookhiscoatoff，andletitdroponthefloor.

'whereismybench？ihavebeenlookingeverywhereformybench，andican'tfindit.whathavetheydonewithmywork？timepresses：imustfinishthoseshoes.'

theylookedatoneanother，andtheirheartsdiedwithinthem.'come，come！'saidhe，inawhimperingmiserableway；'letme

gettowork.givememywork.'

receivingnoanswer，hetorehishair，andbeathisfeetupontheground，likeadistractedchild.

'don'ttortureapoorforlornwretch，'heimploredthem，withadreadfulcry；'butgivememywork！whatistobecomeofus，ifthoseshoesarenotdonetonight？'

lost，utterlylost！

itwassoclearlybeyondhopetoreasonwithhim，ortrytorestorehim，that—asifbyagreement—theyeachputahanduponhisshoulder，andsoothedhimtositdownbeforethefire，withapromisethatheshouldhavehisworkpresently.hesankintothechair，andbroodedovertheembers，andshedtears.asifallthathadhappenedsincethegarrettimewereamomentaryfancy，oradream，mr.lorrysawhimshrinkintotheexactfigurethatdefargehadhadinkeeping.

affected，andimpressedwithterrorastheybothwere，bythisspectacleofruin，itwasnotatimetoyieldtosuchemotions.hislonelydaughter，bereftofherfinalhopeandreliance，appealedtothembothtoostrongly.again，asifbyagreement，theylookedatoneanotherwithonemeaningintheirfaces.cartonwasthefirsttospeak：

'thelastchanceisgone：itwasnotmuch.yes；hehadbetterbetakentoher.but，beforeyougo，willyou，foramoment，steadilyattendtome？don'taskmewhyimakethestipulationsiamgoingtomake，andexactthepromiseiamgoingtoexact；ihaveareason—agoodone.'

'idonotdoubtit，'answeredmr.lorry.'sayon.'

thefigureinthechairbetweenthem，wasallthetimemonotonouslyrockingitselftoandfro，andmoaning.theyspokeinsuchatoneastheywouldhaveusediftheyhadbeenwatchingbyasickbedinthenight.

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.

'keepitformeuntiltomorrow.ishallseehimtomorrow，youremember，andihadbetternottakeitintotheprison.'

'whynot？'

'idon'tknow；iprefernottodoso.now，takethispaperthatdoctormanettehascarriedabouthim.itisasimilarcertificate，enablinghimandhisdaughterandherchild，atanytime，topassthebarrierandthefrontier.yousee？'

'yes！'

'perhapsheobtaineditashislastandutmostprecautionagainstevil，yesterday.whenisitdated？butnomatter；don'tstaytolook；putitupcarefullywithmineandyourown.now，observe！ineverdoubteduntilwithinthishourortwo，thathehad，orcouldhavesuchapaper.itisgood，untilrecalled.butitmaybesoonrecalled，andihavereasontothink，willbe.'

'theyarenotindanger？'