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ne…shop； had received from the watchful police such heads of information concerning Doctor Manette's imprisonment； release； and history； as should serve him for an introduction to familiar conversation with the Defarges； and tried them on Madame Defarge； and had broken down with them signally。 He always remembered with fear and trembling； that that terrible woman had knitted when he talked with her； and had looked ominously at him as her fingers moved。 He had since seen her； in the Section of Saint Antoine； over and over a gain produce her knitted registers； and denounce people whose lives the guillotine then surely swallowed up。 He knew； as every one employed as he was did； that he was never safe； that flight was impossible； that he was tied fast under the shadow of the axe； and that in spite of his utmost tergiversation and treachery in furtherance of the reigning terror； a word might bring it down upon him。 Once denounced； and on such grave grounds as had just now been suggested to his mind； he foresaw that the dreadful woman of whose unrelenting character he had seen many proofs； would produce against him that fatal register； and would quash his last chance of life。 Besides that all secret men are men soon terrified； here were surely cards enough of one black suit； to justify the holder in growing rather livid as he turned them over。
‘You scarcely seem to like your hand；' said Sydney； with the greatest posure。 ‘Do you play？'
‘I think； sir；' said the spy； in the meanest manner； as he turned to Mr。 Lorry； ‘I may appeal to a gentleman of your years and benevolence； to put it to this other gentleman； so much your junior； whether he can under any circumstances reconcile it to his station to play that Ace of which he has spoken。 I admit that I am a spy； and that it is considered a discreditable station……though it must be filled by somebody； but this gentleman is no spy； and why should he so demean himself as to make himself one？'
‘I play my Ace； Mr。 Barsad；' said Carton； taking the answer on himself； and looking at his watch； ‘without any scruple in a very few minutes。'
‘I should have hoped； gentlemen both；' said the spy； always striving to hook Mr。 Lorry into the discussion； ‘that your respect for my sister………'
‘I could not better testify my respect for your sister than by finally relieving her of her brother；' said Sydney Carton。
‘You think not； sir？'
‘I have thoroughly made up my mind about it。'
The smooth manner of the spy； curiously in dissonance with his ostentatiously rough dress； and probably with his usual demeanour； received such a check from the inscrutability of Carton；……who was a mystery to wiser and honester men than he；……that it faltered here and failed him。 While he was at a loss； Carton said； resuming his former air of contemplating cards：
‘And indeed； now I think again； I have a strong impression that I have another good card here； not yet enumerated。 That friend and fellow…Sheep； who spoke of himself as pasturing in the country prisons； who was he？'
‘French。 You don't know him；' said the spy quickly。
‘French； eh！' repeated Carton； musing； and not appearing to notice him at all； though he echoed his word。 ‘Well； he may be。'
‘Is； I assure you；' said the spy； ‘though it's not important。' ‘Though it's not important；' repeated Carton in the same mechanical way……'though it's not important No； it's not important。 No。 Yet I know the face。'
‘I think not。 I am sure not。 It can't be；' said the spy。
‘It……can't……be；' muttered Sydney Carton； retrospectively； and filling his glass （which fortunately was a small one） again。 ‘Can't……be。 Spoke good French。 Yet like a foreigner； I thought？'
‘Provincial；' said the spy。
‘No。 Foreign！' cried Carton； striking his open hand on the table； as a light broke clearly on his mind。 ‘Cly！ Disguised； but the same man。 We had that man before us at the Old Bailey。'
‘Now； there you are hasty； sir；' said Barsad； with a smile that gave his aquiline nose an extra inclination to one side； ‘there you really give me an advantage over you。 Cly （who I will unreservedly admit； at this distance of time； was a partner of mine） has been dead several years。 I attended him in his last illness。 He was buried in London； at the church of Saint Pancras…in…the…Fields。 His unpopularity with the blackguard multitude at the moment prevented my following his remains； but I helped to lay him in his coffin。'
Here； Mr。 Lorry became aware； from where he sat； of a most remarkable goblin shadow on the wall。 Tracing it to its source； he discovered it to be caused by a sudden extraordinary rising and stiffening of all the risen and stiff hair on Mr。 Cruncher's head。
‘Let us be reasonable；' said the spy； ‘and let us be fair。 To show you how mistaken you are； and what an unfounded assumption yours is； I will lay before you a certificate of Cly's burial； which I happen to have carried in my pocket…book；' with a hurried hand he produced and opened it； ‘ever since。 There it is。 Oh； look at it； look at it！ You may take it in your hand； it's no forgery。'
Here； Mr。 Lorry perceived the reflection on the wall to elongate； and Mr。 Cruncher rose and stepped forward。 His hair could not have been more violently on end； if it had been that moment dressed by the Cow with the crumpled horn in the house that Jack built。
Unseen by the spy； Mr。 Cruncher stood at his side； and touched him on the shoulder like a ghostly bailiff。
‘That there Roger Cly； master；' said Mr。 Cruncher； with a taciturn and iron…bound visage。 ‘So you but him in his coffin？'
‘I did。'
‘Who took him out of it？'
Barsad leaned back in his chair； and stammered； ‘What do you mean？'
‘I mean；' said Mr。 Cruncher； ‘that he warn't never in it。 No！ Not he！ I'll have my head took off； if he was ever in it。'
The spy looked round at the two gentlemen； they both looked in unspeakable astonishment at Jerry。
‘I tell you；' said Jerry； ‘that you buried paving…stones and earth in that there coffin。 Don't go and tell me that you buried Cly。 It was a take in。 Me and two more knows it。'
‘How do you know it？'
‘What's that to you？ Ecod！' growled Mr。 Cruncher； ‘it's you I have got a old grudge again； is it； with your shameful impositions upon tradesmen！ I'd catch hold o