第71章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(54)

第71章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(54)

'inhername，then，letitbedone；isanctionit.but，iwouldnottakeitawaywhilehewaspresent.letitberemovedwhenheisnotthere；lethimmisshisoldcompanionafteranabsence.'

mr.lorryreadilyengagedforthat，andtheconferencewasended.theypassedthedayinthecountry，andthedoctorwasquiterestored.onthethreefollowingdaysheremainedperfectlywell，andonthefourteenthdayhewentawaytojoinlucieandherhusband.theprecautionthathadbeentakentoaccountforhissilence，mr.lorryhadpreviouslyexplainedtohim，andhehadwrittentolucieinaccordancewithit，andshehadnosuspicions.

onthenightofthedayonwhichheleftthehouse，mr.lorrywentintohisroomwithachopper，saw，chisel，andhammer，attendedbymissprosscarryingalight.there，withcloseddoors，andinamysteriousandguiltymanner，mr.lorryhackedtheshoemaker'sbenchtopieces，whilemissprossheldthecandleasifshewereassistingatamurder—forwhich，indeed，inhergrimness，shewasnounsuitablefigure.theburningofthebody（previouslyreducedtopiecesconvenientforthepurpose）wascommencedwithoutdelayinthekitchenfire；andthetools，shoes，andleather，wereburiedinthegarden.sowickeddodestructionandsecrecyappeartohonestminds，thatmr.lorryandmisspross，whileengagedinthecommissionoftheirdeedandintheremovalofitstraces，almostfelt，andalmostlooked，likeaccomplicesinahorriblecrime.

xxvi.aplea

whenthenewly-marriedpaircamehome，thefirstpersonwhoappeared，toofferhiscongratulations，wassydneycarton.theyhadnotbeenathomemanyhours，whenhepresentedhimself.hewasnotimprovedinhabits，orinlooks，orinmanner；buttherewasacertainedairoffidelityabouthim，whichwasnewtotheobservationofcharlesdarnay.

hewatchedhisopportunityoftakingdarnayasideintoawindow，andofspeakingtohimwhennooneoverheard.

'mr.darnay，'saidcarton，'iwishwemightbefriends.'

'wearealreadyfriends，ihope.'

'youaregoodenoughtosayso，asafashionofspeech；but，idon'tmeananyfashionofspeech.indeed，whenisayiwishwemightbefriends，iscarcelymeanquitethat，either.'

charlesdarnay—aswasnatural—askedhim，inallgoodhumourandgood-fellowship，whathedidmean？'uponmylife，'saidcarton，smiling，'ifindthateasiertocomprehendinmyownmind，thantoconveytoyours.however，letmetry.yourememberacertainfamousoccasionwheniwasmoredrunkthan—thanusual？'

'irememberacertainfamousoccasionwhenyouforcedmetoconfessthatyouhadbeendrinking.'

'irememberittoo.thecurseofthoseoccasionsisheavyuponme，forialwaysrememberthem.ihopeitmaybetakenintoaccountoneday，whenalldaysareatanendforme！don'tbealarmed；iamnotgoingtopreach.'

'iamnotatallalarmed.earnestnessinyou，isanythingbutalarmingtome.'

'ah！'saidcarton，withacarelesswaveofhishand，asifhewavedthataway.'onthedrunkenoccasioninquestion（oneofalargenumber，asyouknow），iwasinsufferableaboutlikingyou，andnotlikingyou.iwishyouwouldforgetit.'

'iforgotitlongago.'

'fashionofspeechagain！but，mr.darnay，oblivionisnotsoeasytome，asyourepresentittobetoyou.ihavebynomeansforgottenit，andalightanswerdoesnothelpmetoforgetit.'

'ifitwasalightanswer，'returneddarnay，'ibegyourforgivenessforit.ihadnootherobjectthantoturnaslightthing，which，tomysurprise，seemstotroubleyoutoomuch，aside.ideclaretoyou，onthefaithofagentleman，thatihavelongdismisseditfrommymind.goodheaven，whatwastheretodismiss！haveihadnothingmoreimportanttoremember，inthegreatserviceyourenderedmethatday？'

'astothegreatservice，'saidcarton，'iamboundtoavowtoyou，whenyouspeakofitinthatway，thatitwasmereprofessionalclaptrap.idon'tknowthaticaredwhatbecameofyou，whenirenderedit.—mind！isaywhenirenderedit；iamspeakingofthepast.'

'youmakelightoftheobligation，'returneddarnay，'butiwillnotquarrelwithyourlightanswer.'

'genuinetruth，mr.darnay，trustme！ihavegoneasidefrommypurpose；iwasspeakingaboutourbeingfriends.now，youknowme；youknowiamincapableofallthehigherandbetterflightsofmen.ifyoudoubtit，askstryver，andhe'lltellyouso.'

'iprefertoformmyownopinion，withouttheaidofhis.'

'well！atanyrateyouknowmeasadissolutedog，whohasneverdoneanygood，andneverwill.'

'idon'tknowthatyou'neverwill.''

'butido，andyoumusttakemywordforit.well！ifyoucouldenduretohavesuchaworthlessfellow，andafellowofsuchindifferentreputation，comingandgoingatoddtimes，ishouldaskthatimightbepermittedtocomeandgoasaprivilegedpersonhere；thatimightberegardedasauseless（andiwouldadd，ifitwerenotfortheresemblanceidetectedbetweenyouandme），anunornamental，pieceoffurniture，toleratedforitsoldservice，andtakennonoticeof.idoubtifishouldabusethepermission.itisahundredtooneifishouldavailmyselfofitfourtimesinayear.itwouldsatisfyme，idaresay，toknowthatihadit.'

'willyoutry？'

'thatisanotherwayofsayingthatiamplacedonthefootingihaveindicated.ithankyou，darnay.imayusethatfreedomwithyourname？'

'ithinkso，carton，bythistime.'

theyshookhandsuponit，andsydneyturnedaway.withinaminuteafterwards，hewas，toalloutwardappearance，asunsubstantialasever.

whenhewasgone，andinthecourseofaneveningpassedwithmisspross，thedoctor，andmr.lorry，charlesdarnaymadesomementionofthisconversationingeneralterms，andspokeofsydneycartonasaproblemofcarelessnessandrecklessness.hespokeofhim，inshort，notbitterlyormeaningtobearharduponhim，butasanybodymightwhosawhimasheshowedhimself.