第53章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(36)

第53章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(36)

'don'tsaythat，missmanette，foryouwouldhavereclaimedme，ifanythingcould.youwillnotbethecauseofmybecomingworse.'

'sincethestateofyourmindthatyoudescribe，is，atallevents，attributabletosomeinfluenceofmine—thatiswhatimean，ificanmakeitplain—caniusenoinfluencetoserveyou？haveinopowerforgood，withyou，atall？'

'theutmostgoodthatiamcapableofnow，missmanette，ihavecomeheretorealise.letmecarrythroughtherestofmymisdirectedlife，theremembrancethatiopenedmyhearttoyou，lastofalltheworld；andthattherewassomethingleftinmeatthistimewhichyoucoulddeploreandpity.'

'whichientreatedyoutobelieve，againandagain，mostfervently，withallmyheart，wascapableofbetterthings，mr.carton！'

'entreatmetobelieveitnomore，missmanette.ihaveprovedmyself，andiknowbetter.idistressyou；idrawfasttoanend.willyouletmebelieve，whenirecallthisday，thatthelastconfidenceofmylifewasreposedinyourpureandinnocentbreast，andthatitliestherealone，andwillbesharedbynoone？'

'ifthatwillbeaconsolationtoyou，yes.'

'notevenbythedearestoneevertobeknowntoyou？'

'mr.carton，'sheanswered，afteranagitatedpause，'thesecretisyours，notmine；andipromisetorespectit.'

'thankyou.andagaingodblessyou.'

heputherhandtohislips，andmovedtowardsthedoor.

'beundernoapprehension，missmanette，ofmyeverresumingthisconversationbysomuchasapassingword.iwillneverrefertoitagain.ifiweredead，thatcouldnotbesurerthanitishenceforth.inthehourofmydeath，ishallholdsacredtheonegoodremembrance—andshallthankandblessyouforit—thatmylastavowalofmyselfwasmadetoyou，andthatmyname，andfaults，andmiseriesweregentlycarriedinyourheart.mayitotherwisebelightandhappy！'

hewassounlikewhathehadevershownhimselftobe，anditwassosadtothinkhowmuchhehadthrownaway，andhowmuchheeverydaykeptdownandperverted，thatluciemanetteweptmournfullyforhimashestoodlookingbackather.

'becomforted！'hesaid，'iamnotworthsuchfeeling，missmanette.anhourortwohence，andthelowcompanionsandlowhabitsthatiscornbutyieldto，willrendermelessworthsuchtearsasthose，thananywretchwhocreepsalongthestreets.becomforted！but，withinmyself，ishallalwaysbe，towardsyou，whatiamnow，thoughoutwardlyishallbewhatyouhaveheretoforeseenme.thelastsupplicationbutoneimaketoyou，is，thatyouwillbelievethisofme.'

'iwill，mr.carton.'

'mylastsupplicationofall，isthis；andwithit，iwillrelieveyouofavisitorwithwhomiwellknowyouhavenothinginunison，andbetweenwhomandyouthereisanimpassablespace.itisuselesstosayit，iknow，butitrisesoutofmysoul.foryou，andforanydeartoyou，iwoulddoanything.ifmycareerwereofthatbetterkindthattherewasanyopportunityorcapacityofsacrificeinit，iwouldembraceanysacrificeforyouandforthosedeartoyou.trytoholdmeinyourmind，atsomequiettimes，asardentandsincereinthisonething.thetimewillcome，thetimewillnotbelongincoming，whennewtieswillbeformedaboutyou—tiesthatwillbindyouyetmoretenderlyandstronglytothehomeyousoadorn—thedearesttiesthatwillevergraceandgladdenyou.omissmanette，whenthelittlepictureofahappyfather'sfacelooksupinyours，whenyouseeyourownbrightbeautyspringupanewatyourfeet，thinknowandthenthatthereisamanwhowouldgivehislife，tokeepalifeyoulovebesideyou！'

hesaid，'farewell！'saidalast'godblessyou！'andlefther.

xx.thehonesttradesman

totheeyesofmr.jeremiahcruncher，sittingonhisstoolinfleetstreetwithhisgrislyurchinbesidehim，avastnumberandvarietyofobjectsinmovementwereeverydaypresented.whocouldsituponanythinginfleetstreetduringthebusyhoursoftheday，andnotbedazedanddeafenedbytwoimmenseprocessions，oneevertendingwestwardwiththesun，theotherevertendingeastwardfromthesun，bothevertendingtotheplainsbeyondtherangeofredandpurplewherethesungoesdown！withhisstrawinhismouth，mr.crunchersatwatchingthetwostreams，liketheheathenrusticwhohasforseveralcenturiesbeenondutywatchingonestream—savingthatjerryhadnoexpectationoftheireverrunningdry.norwouldithavebeenanexpectationofahopefulkind，sinceasmallpartofhisincomewasderivedfromthepilotageoftimidwomen（mostlyofafullhabitandpastthemiddletermoflife）fromtellson'ssideofthetidestotheoppositeshore.briefassuchcompanionshipwasineveryseparateinstance.mr.cruncherneverfailedtobecomesointerestedintheladyastoexpressastrongdesiretohavethehonourofdrinkingherverygoodhealth.anditwasfromthegiftsbestoweduponhimtowardstheexecutionofthisbenevolentpurpose，thatherecruitedhisfinances，asjustnowobserved.

timewas，whenapoetsatuponastoolinapublicplace，andmusedinthesightofmen.mr.cruncher，sittingonastoolinapublicplace，butnotbeingapoet，musedaslittleaspossible，andlookedabouthim.

itfelloutthathewasthusengagedinaseasonwhencrowdswerefew，andbelatedwomenfew，andwhenhisaffairsingeneralweresounprosperousastoawakenastrongsuspicioninhisbreastthatmrs.crunchermusthavebeen'flopping'insomepointedmanner，whenanunusualconcoursepouringdownfleetstreetwestward，attractedhisattention.lookingthatway，mr.crunchermadeoutthatsomekindoffuneralwascomingalong，andthattherewaspopularobjectiontothisfuneral，whichengendereduproar.

'youngjerry，'saidmr.cruncher，turningtohisoffspring，'it'saburyin'.'

'hooroar，father！'criedyoungjerry.

theyoungmanutteredthisexultantsoundwithmysterioussignificance.theeldergentlemantookthecrysoill，thathewatchedhisopportunity，andsmotetheyounggentlemanontheear.