第85章BOOKTHESECOND：THEGOLDENTHREAD(68)

第85章bookthesecond：thegoldenthread(68)

ashewalkedtoandfrowithhisresolutionmade，heconsideredthatneitherlucienorherfathermustknowofituntilhewasgone.lucieshouldbesparedthepainofseparation；andherfather，alwaysreluctanttoturnhisthoughtstowardthedangerousgroundofold，shouldcometotheknowledgeofthestep，asasteptaken，andnotinthebalanceofsuspenseanddoubt.howmuchoftheincompletenessofhissituationwasreferabletoherfather，throughthepainfulanxietytoavoidrevivingoldassociationsoffranceinhismind，hedidnotdiscusswithhimself.but，thatcircumstance，too，hadhaditsinfluenceinhiscourse.

hewalkedtoandfro，withthoughtsverybusy，untilitwastimetoreturntotellson'sandtakeleaveofmr.lorry.assoonashearrivedinparishewouldpresenthimselftothisoldfriend，buthemustsaynothingofhisintentionnow.

acarriagewithpost-horseswasreadyatthebankdoor，andjerrywasbootedandequipped.

‘ihavedeliveredthatletter，’saidcharlesdarnaytomr.lorry.‘iwouldnotconsenttoyourbeingchargedwithanywrittenanswer，butperhapsyouwilltakeaverbalone？’‘thatiwill，andreadily，’saidmr.lorry，‘ifitisnotdangerous.’

‘notatall.thoughitistoaprisonerintheabbaye.’

‘whatishisname？’saidmr.lorry，withhisopenpocketbookinhishand.

‘gabelle.’

‘gabelle.andwhatisthemessagetotheunfortunategabelleinprison？’

‘simply，‘thathehasreceivedtheletter，andwillcome.'’

‘anytimementioned？’

‘hewillstartuponhisjourneytomorrownight.’

‘anypersonmentioned？’

‘no.’

hehelpedmr.lorrytowraphimselfinanumberofcoatsandcloaks，andwentoutwithhimfromthewarmatmosphereoftheoldbank，intothemistyairoffleetstreet.‘mylovetolucie，andtolittlelucie，’saidmr.lorryatparting，‘andtakepreciouscareofthemtillicomeback.’charlesdarnayshookhisheadanddoubtfullysmiled，asthecarriagerolledaway.

thatnight—itwasthefourteenthofaugust—hesatuplate，andwrotetwoferventletters；onewastolucie，explainingthestrongobligationhewasundertogotoparis，andshowingher，atlength，thereasonsthathehad，forfeelingconfidentthathecouldbecomeinvolvedinnopersonaldangerthere；theotherwastothedoctor，confidinglucieandtheirdearchildtohiscare，anddwellingonthesametopicswiththestrongestassurances.toboth，hewrotethathewoulddespatchlettersinproofofhissafety，immediatelyafterhisarrival.itwasahardday，thatdayofbeingamongthem，withthefirstreservationoftheirjointlivesonhismind.itwasahardmattertopreservetheinnocentdeceitofwhichtheywereprofoundlyunsuspicious.but，anaffectionateglanceathiswife，sohappyandbusy，madehimresolutenottotellherwhatimpended（hehadbeenhalfmovedtodoit，sostrangeitwastohimtoactinanythingwithoutherquietaid），andthedaypassedquickly.earlyintheeveningheembracedher，andherscarcelylessdearnamesake，pretendingthathewouldreturnby-and-by（animaginaryengagementtookhimout，andhehadsecretedavaliseofclothesready），andsoheemergedintotheheavymistoftheheavystreets，withaheavierheart.

theunseenforcewasdrawinghimfasttoitself，now，andallthetidesandwindsweresettingstraightandstrongtowardsit.helefthistwoletterswithatrustyporter，tobedeliveredhalfanhourbeforemidnight，andnosooner；tookhorsefordover；andbeganhisjourney.‘fortheloveofheaven，ofjustice，ofgenerosity，ofthehonourofyournoblename！'wasthepoorprisoner'scrywithwhichhestrengthenedhissinkingheart，asheleftallthatwasdearonearthbehindhim，andfloatedawayfortheloadstonerock.