第7章BOOKTHEFIRST：RECALLEDTOLIFE(7)

第7章bookthefirst：recalledtolife(7)

theobscuritywassodifficulttopenetratethatmr.lorry，pickinghiswayoverthewell-wornturkeycarpet，supposedmissmanettetobe，forthemoment，insomeadjacentroom，until，havinggotpastthetwotallcandles，hesawstandingtoreceivehimbythetablebetweenthemandthefire，ayoungladyofnotmorethanseventeen，inariding-cloak，andstillholdingherstrawtravelling-hatbyitsribboninherhand.ashiseyesrestedonashort，slight，prettyfigure，aquantityofgoldenhair，apairofblueeyesthatmethisownwithaninquiringlook，andaforeheadwithasingularcapacity（rememberinghowyoungandsmoothitwas），ofliftingandknittingitselfintoanexpressionthatwasnotquiteoneofperplexity，orwonder，oralarm，ormerelyofabrightfixedattention，thoughitincludedallthefourexpressions—ashiseyesrestedonthesethings，asuddenvividlikenesspassedbeforehim，ofachildwhomhehadheldinhisarmsonthepassageacrossthatverychannel，onecoldtime，whenthehaildriftedheavilyandthesearanhigh.thelikenesspassedaway，likeabreathalongthesurfaceofthegauntpier-glassbehindher，ontheframeofwhich，ahospitalprocessionofnegrocupids，severalheadlessandallcripples，wereofferingblackbasketsofdeadseafruittoblackdivinitiesofthefemininegender—andhemadehisformalbowtomissmanette.

'praytakeaseat，sir.'inaveryclearandpleasantyoungvoice；alittleforeigninitsaccent，butaverylittleindeed.

'ikissyourhand，miss，'saidmr.lorry，withthemannersofanearlierdate，ashemadehisformalbowagain，andtookhisseat.

'ireceivedaletterfromthebank，sir，yesterday，informingmethatsomeintelligence—ordiscovery—'

'thewordisnotmaterial，miss；eitherwordwilldo.'

'—respectingthesmallpropertyofmypoorfather，whomineversaw—solongdead—'mr.lorrymovedinhischair，andcastatroubledlooktowardsthehospitalprocessionofnegrocupids.asiftheyhadanyhelpforanybodyintheirabsurdbaskets！'—rendereditnecessarythatishouldgotoparis，theretocommunicatewithagentlemanofthebank，sogoodastobedespatchedtoparisforthepurpose.'

'myself.'

'asiwaspreparedtohear，sir.'

shecurtseyedtohim（youngladiesmadecurtseysinthosedays），withaprettydesiretoconveytohimthatshefelthowmucholderandwiserhewasthanshe.hemadeheranotherbow.

'irepliedtothebank，sir，thatasitwasconsiderednecessary，bythosewhoknew，andwhoaresokindastoadviseme，thatishouldgotofrance，andthatasiamanorphanandhavenofriendwhocouldgowithme，ishouldesteemithighlyifimightbepermittedtoplacemyself，duringthejourney，underthatworthygentleman'sprotection.thegentlemanhadleftlondon，butithinkamessengerwassentafterhimtobegthefavourofhiswaitingformehere.'

'iwashappy，'saidmr.lorry，'tobeentrustedwiththecharge.ishallbemorehappytoexecuteit.'

'sir，ithankyouindeed.ithankyouverygratefully.itwastoldmebythebankthatthegentlemanwouldexplaintomethedetailsofthebusiness，andthatimustpreparemyselftofindthemofasurprisingnature.ihavedonemybesttopreparemyself，andinaturallyhaveastrongandeagerinteresttoknowwhattheyare.'

'naturally，'saidmr.lorry.'yes—i—'afterapause，headded，againsettlingthecrispflaxenwigattheears.

'itisverydifficulttobegin.'

hedidnotbegin，but，inhisindecision，metherglance.theyoungforeheadlifteditselfintothatsingularexpression—butitwasprettyandcharacteristic，besidesbeingsingular—andsheraisedherhand，asifwithaninvoluntaryactionshecaughtat，orstayedsomepassingshadow.

'areyouquiteastrangertome，sir？'

'aminot？'mr.lorryopenedhishands，andextendedthemoutwardswithanargumentativesmile.

betweentheeyebrowsandjustoverthelittlefemininenose，thelineofwhichwasasdelicateandfineasitwaspossibletobe，theexpressiondeepeneditselfasshetookherseatthoughtfullyinthechairbywhichshehadhithertoremainedstanding.hewatchedherasshemused，andthemomentsheraisedhereyesagain，wenton：

'inyouradoptedcountry，ipresume，icannotdobetterthanaddressyouasayoungenglishlady，missmanette？'

'ifyouplease，sir.'

'missmanette，iamamanofbusiness.ihaveabusinesschargetoacquitmyselfof.inyourreceptionofit，don'theedmeanymorethanifiwasaspeakingmachine—truly，iamnotmuchelse.iwill，withyourleave，relatetoyou，miss，thestoryofoneofourcustomers.'

'story！'

heseemedwilfullytomistakethewordshehadrepeated，whenheadded，inahurry，'yes，customers；inthebankingbusinessweusuallycallourconnexionourcustomers.hewasafrenchgentleman；ascientificgentleman；amanofgreatacquirements—adoctor.'

'notofbeauvais？'

'why，yes，ofbeauvais.likemonsieurmanette，yourfather，thegentlemanwasofbeauvais.likemonsieurmanette，yourfather，thegentlemanwasofreputeinparis.ihadthehonourofknowinghimthere.ourrelationswerebusinessrelations，butconfidential.iwasatthattimeinourfrenchhouse，andhadbeen—oh！twentyyears.'

'atthattime—imayask，atwhattime，sir？'

'ispeak，miss，oftwentyyearsago.hemarried—anenglishlady—andiwasoneofthetrustees.hisaffairs，liketheaffairsofmanyotherfrenchgentlemenandfrenchfamilies，wereentirelyintellson'shands.inasimilarwayiam，orihavebeen，trusteeofonekindorotherforscoresofourcustomers.thesearemerebusinessrelations，miss；thereisnofriendshipinthem，noparticularinterest，nothinglikesentiment.ihavepassedfromonetoanother，inthecourseofmybusinesslife，justasipassfromoneofourcustomerstoanotherinthecourseofmybusinessday；inshort，ihavenofeelings；iamameremachine.togoon—'