a tale of two cities(双城记)-第43部分

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rface　of　face　had　come　back　to　him。　He　worked　hardimpatientlyas　if　in　some　sense　of　having　been　interrupted。　
　Mr。　Lorry　glanced　at　the　work　in　his　hand；　and　observed　that　it　was　a　shoe　of　the　old　size　and　shape。　He　took　up　another　that　was　lying　by　him；　and　asked　what　it　was？　
　‘A　young　lady's　walking　shoe；'　he　muttered；　without　looking　up'　‘It　ought　to　have　been　finished　long　ago。　Let　it　be。'　
　‘But；　Doctor　Manette。　Look　at　me'　
　He　obeyed；　in　the　old　mechanically　submissive　manner；　without　pausing　in　his　work。　
　‘You　know　me；　my　dear　friend？　Think　again。　This　is　not　your　proper　occupation。　Think；　dear　friend！'　
　Nothing　would　induce　him　to　speak　more。　He　looked　up；　for　an　instant　at　a　time；　when　he　was　requested　to　do　so；　but；　no　persuasion　would　extract　a　word　from　him。　He　worked；　and　worked；　and　worked；　in　silence；　and　words　fell　on　him　as　they　would　have　fallen　on　an　echoless　wall；　or　on　the　air。　The　only　ray　of　hope　that　Mr。　Lorry　could　discover；　was；　that　he　sometimes　furtively　looked　up　without　being　asked。　In　that；　there　seemed　a　faint　expression　of　curiosity　or　perplexityas　though　he　were　trying　to　reconcile　some　doubts　in　his　mind。　
　Two　things　at　once　impressed　themselves　on　Mr。　Lorry；　as　important　above　all　others；　the　first；　that　this　must　be　kept　secret　from　Lucie；　the　second　that　it　must　be　kept　secret　from　all　who　knew　him。　In　conjunction　with　Miss　Pross；　he　took　immediate　steps　towards　the　latter　precaution；　by　giving　out　that　the　Doctor　was　not　well；　and　required　a　few　days　of　complete　rest。　In　aid　of　the　kind　deception　to　be　practised　on　his　daughter；　Miss　Pross　was　to　write；　describing　his　having　been　called　away　professionally；　and　referring　to　an　imaginary　letter　of　two　or　three　hurried　lines　in　his　own　hand；　represented　to　have　been　addressed　to　her　by　the　same　post。　
These　measures；　advisable　to　be　taken　in　any　case；　Mr。　Lorry　took　in　the　hope　of　his　coming　to　himself。　If　that　should　happen　soon；　he　kept　another　course　in　reserve；　which　was；　to　have　a　certain　opinion　that　he　thought　the　best；　on　the　Doctor's　case。　
　In　the　hope　of　his　recovery；　and　of　resort　to　this　third　course　being　thereby　rendered　practicable；　Mr。　Lorry　resolved　to　watch　him　attentively；　with　as　little　appearance　as　possible　of　doing　so。　He　therefore　made　arrangements　to　absent　himself　from　Tellson's　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　and　took　his　post　by　the　window　in　the　same　room。　
　He　was　not　long　in　discovering　that　it　was　worse　than　useless　to　speak　to　him；　since；　on　being　pressed；　he　became　worried。　He　abandoned　that　attempt　on　the　first　day；　and　resolved　merely　to　keep　himself　always　before　him；　as　a　silent　protest　against　the　delusion　into　which　he　had　fallen；　or　was　falling。　He　remained；　therefore；　in　his　seat　near　the　window；　reading　and　writing；　and　expressing　in　as　many　pleasant　and　natural　ways　as　he　could　think　of　that　it　was　a　free　place。　
　Doctor　Manette　took　what　was　given　him　to　eat　and　drink；　and　worked　on；　that　first　day；　until　it　was　too　dark　to　seeworked　on；　half　an　hour　after　Mr。　Lorry　could　not　have　seen；　for　his　life；　to　read　or　write。　When　he　put　his　tools　aside　as　useless；　until　morning；　Mr。　Lorry　rose　and　said　to　him：　
　‘Will　you　go　out？'　〃　
　He　looked　down　at　the　floor　on　either　side　of　him　in　the　old　manner；　looked　up　in　the　old　manner；　and　repeated　in　the　old　low　voice：　
　‘Out？'　
　‘Yes；　for　a　walk　with　me。　Why　not？'　
　He　made　no　effort　to　say　why　not；　and　said　not　a　word　more。　But；　Mr。　Lorry　thought　he　saw；　as　he　leaned　forward　on　his　bench　in　the　dusk；　with　his　elbows　on　his　knees　and　his　head　in　his　hands；　that　he　was　in　some　misty　way　asking　himself　‘Why　not？'　The　sagacity　of　the　man　of　business　perceived　an　advantage　here；　and　determined　to　hold　it。　
　Miss　Pross　and　he　divided　the　night　into　two　watches；　and　observed　him　at　intervals　from　the　adjoining　room。　He　paced　up　and　down　for　a　long　time　before　he　lay　down；　but；　when　he　did　finally　lay　himself　down；　he　fell　asleep。　In　the　morning；　he　was　up　betimes；　and　went　straight　to　his　bench　and　to　work。　
　On　this　second　day；　Mr。　Lorry　saluted　him　cheerfully　by　his　name；　and　spoke　to　him　on　topics　that　had　been　of　late　familiar　to　them。　He　returned　no　reply；　but　it　was　evident　that　he　heard　what　was　said；　and　that　he　thought　about　it；　however　confusedly。　This　encouraged　Mr。　Lorry　to　have　Miss　Pross　in　with　her　work；　several　times　during　the　day；　at　those　times；　they　quietly　spoke　of　Lucie；　and　of　her　father　then　present；　precisely　in　the　usual　manner；　and　as　if　there　were　nothing　amiss。　This　was　done　without　any　demonstrative　accompaniment；　not　long　enough；　or　often　enough　to　harass　him；　and　it　lightened　Mr。　Lorry's　friendly　heart　to　believe　that　he　looked　up　oftener；　and　that　he　appeared　to　be　stirred　by　some　perception　of　inconsistencies　surrounding　him。　
　When　it　fell　dark　again；　Mr。　Lorry　asked　him　as　before：　
　‘Dear　Doctor；　will　you　go　out？'　
　As　before；　he　repeated；　‘Out？'　
　‘Yes；　for　a　walk　with　me。　Why　not？'　
　This　time；　Mr。　Lorry　feigned　to　go　out　when　he　could　extract　no　answer　from　him；　and；　after　remaining　absent　for　an　hour；　returned。　In　the　meanwhile；　the　Doctor　had　removed　to　the　seat　in　the　window；　and　had　sat　there　looking　down　at　the　plane…tree；　but；　on　Mr。　Lorry's　return；　he　slipped　away　to　his　bench。　
　The　time　went　very　slowly　on；　and　Mr。　Lorry's　hope　darkened；　and　his　heart　grew　heavier　again；　and　grew　yet　heavier　and　heavier　every　day。　The　third　day　came　and　went；　the　fourth；　the　fifth。　Five　days；　six　days；　seven　days；　eight　days；　nine　days。　
　With　a　hope　ever　darkening；　and　with　a　heart　always　growing　heavier　and　heavier；　Mr。　Lorry　passed　through　this　anxious　time。　The　secret　was　well　kept；　and　Lucie　was　unconscious　and　happy；　but　he　could　not　fail　to　observe　that　the　shoemaker；　whose　hand　had　been　a　little　out　at　first；　was　growing　dreadfully　skilful；　and　that　he　had　never　been　so　intent　on　his　work；　and　that　his　hands　had　never　been　so　nimble　and　expert；　as　in　the　dusk　of　the　ninth　evening。　


CHAPTER　XIX
An　Opinion
　
WORN　out　by　anxious　watching；　Mr。　Lorry　fell　asleep　at　his　post。　On　the　tenth　morning　of　his　suspense；　he　was　startled　by　the　shining　of　the　sun　into　the　room　where　a　heavy　slumber　had　overtaken　him　when　it　was　dark　night。　
　He　rubbed　his　eyes　and　roused　himself；　but　he　doubted；　when　he　had　done　so；　whether　he　was　not　still　asleep。　For；　going　to　the　door　of　the　Doctor's　room　and　looking　in；　he　perceived　that　the　shoemaker's　bench　and　tools　were　put　aside　again；　and　that　the　Doctor　himself　sat　reading　at　the　window。　He　was　in　his　usual　morning　dress；　and　his　face　（which　Mr。　Lorry　could　distinctly　see）；　though　still　very　pale；　was　calmly　studious　and　attentive。　
　Even　when　he　had　satisfied　himself　that　he　was　awake；　Mr。　Lorry　felt　giddily　uncertain　for　some　few　moments　whether　the　late　shoemaking　might　not　be　a　disturbed　dream　of　his　own；　for；　did　not　his　eyes　show　him　his　friend　before　him　in　his　accustomed　clothing　and　aspect；　and　employed　as　usual；　and　was　there　any　sign　within　their　range；　that　the　change　of　which　he　had　so　strong　an　impression　had　actually　happened？　
　It　was　but　the　inquiry　of　his　first　confusion　and　astonishment；　the　answer　being　obvious。　If　the　impression　were　not　produced　by　a　real　corresponding　and　sufficient　cause；　how　came　he；　Jarvis　Lorry；　there？　How　came　he　to　have　fallen　asleep；　in　his　clothes；　on　the　sofa　in　Dr。　Manette's　consulting…room；　and　to　be　debating　these　points　outside　the　Doctor's　bedroom　door　in　the　early　morning？　
　Within　a　few　minutes；　Miss　Pross　stood　whispering　at　his　side。　If　he　had　had　any　particle　of　doubt　left；　her　talk　would　of　necessity　have　resolved　it；　but　he　was　by　that　time　clearheaded；　and　had　none。　He　advised　that　they　should　let　the　time　go　by　until　the　regular　breakfast…hour；　and　should　then　meet　the　Doctor　as　if　nothing　unusual　had　occurred。　If　he　appeared　to　be　in　his　customary　state　of　mind；　Mr。　Lorry　would　then　cautiously　proceed　to　seek　direction　and　guidance　from　the　opinion　he　had　been；　in　his　anxiety；　so　anxious　to　obtain。　
Miss　Pross　submitting　herself　to　his　judgment；　the　scheme　was　worked　out　with　care。　Having　abundance　of　time　for　his　usual　methodical　toilette；　Mr。　Lorry　presented　himself　at　the　breakfast…hour　in　his　usual　white　linen；　and　with　his　usual　neat　leg。　The　Doctor　was　summoned　in　the　usual　way；　and　came　to　breakfast。　
　So　far　as　it　was　possible　to　comprehend　him　without　overstepping　those　delicate　and　gradual　approaches　which　Mr。　Lorry　felt　to　be　the　only　safe　advance；　he　at　first　supposed　that　his　daughter's　marriage　had　taken　place　yesterday。　An　incidental　allusion；　purposely　thrown　out；　to　the　day　of　the　week；　and　the　day　of　the　month；　set　him　thinking　and　counting；　and　evidently　made　him　uneasy。　In　all　other　respects；　however；　he　was　so　composedly　himself；　that　Mr。　Lorry　determined　to　have　the　aid　he　sought。　And　that　aid　was　his　own。　
　Therefore；　when　the　breakfast　was　done　and　cleared　away；　and　he　and　the　Doctor　were　left　together；　Mr。　Lorry　said；　feelingly：　
　‘My　dear　Manette；　I　am　anxious　to　have　your　opinion；　in　confidence；　on　a　very　curious　case　in　which　I　am　deeply　interested；　that　is　to　say；　it　is　very　curious　to　me；　perhaps；　to　your　better　information　it　may　be　less　so。'　
　Glancing　at　his　hands