有声名著之双城记Book2 Chapter10

　　有声名著之双城记

      CHAPTER XTwo Promises

      MORE months, to the number of twelve, had come and gone, andMr. Charles Darnay was established in England as a higherteacher of the French language who was conversant 1 with Frenchliterature. In this age, he would have been a Professor; inthat age, he was a Tutor. He read with young men who couldfind any leisure and interest for the study of a living tonguespoken all over the world, and he cultivated a taste for itsstores of knowledge and fancy. He could write of them,besides, in sound English, and render them into sound English.

Such masters were not at that time easily found; Princes thathad been, and Kings that were to be, were not yet of theTeacher class, and no ruined nobility had dropped out ofTellson's ledgers 3, to turn cooks and carpenters. As a tutor,whose attainments 4 made the student's way unusually pleasantand profitable, and as an elegant translator who broughtsomething to his work besides mere 5 dictionary knowledge, youngMr. Darnay soon became known and encouraged. He was wellacquainted, moreover, with the circumstances of his country,and those were of ever-growing interest. So, with greatperseverance and untiring industry, he prospered 6.

In London, he had expected neither to walk on pavements ofgold, nor to lie on beds of roses: if he had had any suchexalted expectation, he would not have prospered. He hadexpected labour, and he found it, and did it, and made thebest of it. In this, his prosperity consisted.

A certain portion of his time was passed at Cambridge, wherehe read with undergraduates as a sort of tolerated smugglerwho drove a contraband 7 trade in European languages, instead ofconveying Greek and Latin through the Custom-house. The restof his time he passed in London.

Now, from the days when it was always summer in Eden, tothese days when it is mostly winter in fallen latitudes 8, theworld of a man has invariably gone one way--Charles Darnay'sway--the way of the love of a woman.

He had loved Lucie Manette from the hour of his danger. Hehad never heard a sound so sweet and dear as the sound of hercompassionate voice; he had never seen a face so tenderlybeautiful, as hers when it was confronted with his own on theedge of the grave that had been dug for him. But, he had notyet spoken to her on the subject; the assassination 9 at thedeserted chaateau far away beyond the heaving water and thelong, long, dusty roads--the solid stone chaateau which haditself become the mere mist of a dream--had been done a year,and he had never yet, by so much as a single spoken word,disclosed to her the state of his heart.

That he had his reasons for this, he knew full well. It wasagain a summer day when, lately arrived in London from hiscollege occupation, he turned into the quiet corner in Soho,bent 10 on seeking an opportunity of opening his mind to DoctorManette. It was the close of the summer day, and he knew Lucieto be out with Miss Pross.

He found the Doctor reading in his arm-chair at a window. Theenergy which had at once supported him under his oldsufferings and aggravated 11 their sharpness, had been graduallyrestored to him. He was now a very energetic man indeed withgreat firmness of purpose, strength of resolution, and vigourof action. In his recovered energy he was sometimes a littlefitful and sudden, as he had at first been in the exercise ofhis other recovered faculties 12; but, this had never beenfrequently observable, and had grown more and more rare.

He studied much, slept little, sustained a great deal offatigue with ease, and was equably cheerful. To him, nowentered Charles Darnay, at sight of whom he laid aside hisbook and held out his hand.

`Charles Darnay! I rejoice to see you. We have been countingon your return these three or four days past. Mr. Stryver andSydney Carton were both here yesterday, and both made you outto be more than due.

`I am obliged to them for their interest in the matter,' heanswered, a little coldly as to chem, though very warmly as tothe Doctor. `Miss Manette---'

`Is well,' said the Doctor, as he stopped short, `and yourreturn will delight us all. She has gone out on some householdmatters, but will soon be home.'

`Doctor Manette, I knew she was from home. I took theopportunity of her being from home, to beg to speak to you.'

There was a blank silence.

`Yes?' said the Doctor, with evident constraint 13. `Bring yourchair here, and speak on.'

He complied as to the chair, but appeared to find the speakingon less easy.

`I have had the happiness, Doctor Manette, of being sointimate here,' so he at length began, `for some year and ahalf, that I hope the topic on which I am about to touch maynot---'

He was stayed by the Doctor's putting out his hand to stophim. When he had kept it so a little while, he said, drawingit back:

`Is Lucie the topic?'

`She is.'

`It is hard for me to speak of her at any time. It is veryhard for me to hear her spoken of in that tone of yours,Charles Darnay.'

`It is a tone of fervent 14 admiration 15, true homage 16, and deeplove, Doctor Manette!' he said deferentially 17.

There was another blank silence before her father rejoined:

`I believe it. I do you justice; I believe it.'

His constraint was so manifest, and it was so manifest, too,that it originated in an unwillingness 18 to approach thesubject, that Charles Darnay hesitated.

`Shall I go on, sir?'

Another blank.

`Yes, go on.'

`You anticipate what I would say, though you cannot know howearnestly I say it, how earnestly I feel it, without knowingmy secret heart, and the hopes and fears and anxieties withwhich it has long been laden 19. Dear Doctor Manette, I love yourdaughter fondly, dearly, disinterestedly 20, devotedly 22. If everthere were love in the world, I love her. You have lovedyourself; let your old love speak for me!'

The Doctor sat with his face turned away, and his eyes benton the ground. At the last words, he stretched out his handagain, hurriedly, and cried:

`Not that, sir! Let that be! I adjure 23 you, do not recallthat!'

His cry was so like a cry of actual pain, that it rang inCharles Darnay's ears long after he had ceased. He motionedwith the hand he had extended, and it seemed to be an appealto Darnay to pause. The latter so received it, and remainedsilent.