第47章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(30)

第47章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(30)

'iknow，'saiddarnay，respectfully，'howcanifailtoknow，doctormanette，iwhohaveseenyoutogetherfromdaytoday，thatbetweenyouandmissmanettethereisanaffectionsounusual，sotouching，sobelongingtothecircumstancesinwhichithasbeennurtured，thatitcanhavefewparallels，eveninthetendernessbetweenafatherandchild.iknow，doctormanette—howcanifailtoknow—that，mingledwiththeaffectionanddutyofadaughterwhohasbecomeawoman，thereis，inherheart，towardsyou，alltheloveandrelianceofinfancyitself.iknowthat，asinherchildhoodshehadnoparent，sosheisnowdevotedtoyouwithalltheconstancyandfervourofherpresentyearsandcharacter，unitedtothetrustfulnessandattachmentoftheearlydaysinwhichyouwerelosttoher.iknowperfectlywellthatifyouhadbeenrestoredtoherfromtheworldbeyondthislife，youcouldhardlybeinvested，inhersight，withamoresacredcharacterthanthatinwhichyouarealwayswithher.iknowthatwhensheisclingingtoyou，thehandsofbaby，girl，andwoman，allinone，areroundyourneck.iknowthatinlovingyousheseesandloveshermotheratherownage，seesandlovesyouatmyage，loveshermotherbroken-hearted，lovesyouthroughyourdreadfultrialandinyourblessedrestoration.ihaveknownthis，nightandday，sinceihaveknownyouinyourhome.'

herfathersatsilent，withhisfacebentdown.hisbreathingwasalittlequickened；butherepressedallothersignsofagitation.

'deardoctormanette，alwaysknowingthis，alwaysseeingherandyouwiththishallowedlightaboutyou，ihaveforborne，andforborne，aslongasitwasinthenatureofmantodoit.ihavefelt，anddoevennowfeel，thattobringmylove—evenmine—betweenyou，istotouchyourhistorywithsomethingnotquitesogoodasitself.butiloveher.heavenismywitnessthatiloveher！'

'ibelieveit，'answeredherfather，mournfully.'ihavethoughtsobeforenow.ibelieveit.'

'but，donotbelieve，'saiddarnay，uponwhoseearthemournfulvoicestruckwithareproachfulsound，'thatifmyfortuneweresocastasthat，beingonedaysohappyastomakehermywife，imustatanytimeputanyseparationbetweenherandyou，icouldorwouldbreatheawordofwhatinowsay.besidesthatishouldknowittobehopeless，ishouldknowittobeabaseness.ifihadanysuchpossibility，evenataremotedistanceofyears，harbouredinmythoughts，andhiddeninmyheart—ifiteverhadbeenthere—ifitevercouldbethere—icouldnotnowtouchthishonouredhand.'

helaidhisownuponitashespoke.

'no，deardoctormanette.likeyou，avoluntaryexilefromfrance；likeyou，drivenfromitbyitsdistractions，oppressions，andmiseries；likeyou，strivingtoliveawayfromitbymyownexertions，andtrustinginahappierfuture；ilookonlytosharingyourfortunes，sharingyourlifeandhome，andbeingfaithfultoyoutothedeath，nottodividewithlucieherprivilegeasyourchild，companion，andfriend；buttocomeinaidofit，andbindherclosertoyou，ifsuchathingcanbe.'

histouchstilllingeredonherfather'shand.answeringthetouchforamoment，butnotcoldly，herfatherrestedhishandsuponthearmsofhischair，andlookedupforthefirsttimesincethebeginningoftheconference.alewasevidentinhisface；alewiththatoccasionallookwhichhadatendencyinittodarkdoubtanddread.

'youspeaksofeelinglyandsomanfully，charlesdarnay，thatithankyouwithallmyheart，andwillopenallmyheart—ornearlyso.haveyouanyreasontobelievethatlucielovesyou？'

'none.asyetnone.'

'isittheimmediateobjectofthisconfidence，thatyoumayatonceascertainthat，withmyknowledge？'

'notevenso.imightnothavethehopefulnesstodoitforweeks；imight（mistakenornotmistaken）havethathopefulnesstomorrow.'

'doyouseekanypromisefromme？'

'iasknone，sir.butihavethoughtitpossiblethatyoumighthaveitinyourpower，ifyoushoulddeemitright，togivemesome.'

'doyouseekanypromisefromme！'

'idoseekthat.'

'whatisit？'

'iwellunderstandthat，withoutyou，icouldhavenohope.iwellunderstandthat，evenifmissmanetteheldmeatthismomentinherinnocentheart—donotthinkihavethepresumptiontoassumesomuch—icouldretainnoplaceinitagainstherloveforherfather.'

'ifthatbeso，doyouseewhat，ontheotherhand，isinvolvedinit？'

'iunderstandequallywell，thatawordfromherfatherinanysuitor'sfavour，wouldoutweighherselfandalltheworld.forwhichreason，doctormanette.'saiddarnay，modestlybutfirmly，'iwouldnotaskthatword，tosavemylife.'

'iamsureofit.charlesdarnay，mysteriesariseoutofcloselove，aswellasoutofwidedivision；intheformercase，theyaresubtleanddelicate，anddifficulttopenetrate.mydaughterlucieis，inthisonerespect，suchamysterytome；icanmakenoguessatthestateofherheart.'

'mayiask，sir，ifyouthinksheis—'ashehesitated，herfathersuppliedtherest.

'issoughtbyanyothersuitor？'

'itiswhatimeanttosay.'

herfatherconsideredalittlebeforeheanswered：'youhaveseenmr.cartonhere，yourself.mr.stryverisheretoo，occasionally.ifitbeatall，itcanonlybebyoneofthese.'

'orboth，'saiddarnay.

'ihadnotthoughtofboth；ishouldnotthinkeither，likely，youwantapromisefromme.tellmewhatitis.'

'itis，thatifmissmanetteshouldbringtoyouatanytime，onherownpart，suchaconfidenceasihaveventuredtolaybeforeyou，youwillbeartestimonytowhatihavesaid，andtoyourbeliefinit.ihopeyoumaybeabletothinksowellofme，astourgenoinfluenceagainstme，isaynothingmoreofmystakeinthis；thisiswhatiask.theconditiononwhichiaskit，andwhichyouhaveanundoubtedrighttorequire，iwillobserveimmediately.'