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ple should know there is such a man as I here; it is a sound precaution; and may be a necessary preparation。 But care; care; care! Let me think it out!'
Checking his steps; which had begun to tend towards an object; he took a turn or two in the already darkening street; and traced the thought in his mind to its possible consequences。 His first impression was confirmed。 ‘It is best;' he said; finally resolved; ‘that these people should know there is such a man as I here。' And he turned his face towards Saint Antoine。
Defarge had described himself; that day; as the keeper of a wine…shop in the Saint Antoine suburb。 It was not difficult for one who knew the city well; to find his house without asking any question。 Having ascertained its situation; Carton came out of those closer streets again; and dined at a place of refreshment and fell sound asleep after dinner。 For the first time in many years; he had no strong drink。 Since last night he had taken nothing but a little light thin wine; and last night he had dropped the brandy slowly down on Mr。 Lorry's hearth like a man who had done with it。
It was as late as seven o'clock when he awoke refreshed; and went out into the streets again。 As he passed along towards Saint Antoine; he stopped at a shop…window where there was a mirror; and slightly altered the disordered arrangement of his loose cravat; and his coat…collar; and his wild hair。 This done; he went on direct to Defarge's; and went in。
There happened to be no customer in the shop but Jacques Three; of the restless fingers and the croaking voice。 This man; whom he had seen upon the Jury; stood drinking at the little counter; in conversation with the Defarges; man and wife。 The Vengeance assisted in the conversation; like a regular member of the establishment。
As Carton walked in; took his seat and asked (in very indifferent French) for a small measure of wine; Madame Defarge cast a careless glance at him; and then a keener; and then a keener; and then advanced to him herself; and asked him what it was he had ordered。
He repeated what he had already said。
‘English?' asked Madame Defarge; inquisitively raising her dark eyebrows。
After looking at her; as if the sound of even a single French word were slow to express itself to him; he answered; in his former strong foreign accent; ‘Yes; madame; yes。 I am English!'
Madame Defarge returned to her counter to get the wine; and; as he took up a Jacobin journal and feigned to pore over it puzzling out its meaning; he heard her say; ‘I swear to you; like Evrémonde!'
Defarge brought him the wine; and gave him Good Evening。
‘How?'
‘Good evening。'
‘Oh! Good evening; citizen;' filling his glass。 ‘Ah! and good wine。 I drink to the Republic。'
Defarge went back to the counter; and said; ‘Certainly; a little like。' Madame sternly retorted; ‘I tell you a good deal like。' Jacques Three pacifically remarked; ‘He is so much in your mind; see you; madame。' The amiable Vengeance added; with a laugh; ‘Yes; my faith! And you are looking forward with so much pleasure to seeing him once more to…morrow!'
Carton followed the lines and words of his paper; with a slow forefinger; and with a studious and absorbed face。 They were all leaning their arms on the counter close together; speaking low。 After a silence of a few moments; during which they all looked towards him without disturbing his outward attention from the Jacobin editor; they resumed their conversation。
‘It is true what madame says;' observed Jacques Three。 ‘Why stop? There is great force in that。 Why stop?'
‘Well; well;' reasoned Defarge; ‘but one must stop somewhere。 After all; the question is still where?'
‘At extermination;' said madame。
‘Magnificent!' croaked Jacques Three。 The Vengeance; also; highly approved。
‘Extermination is good doctrine; my wife;' said Defarge; rather troubled; ‘in general; I say nothing against it。 But this Doctor has suffered much; you have seen him to…day; you have observed his face when the paper was read。'
‘I have observed his face!' repeated madame; contemptuously and angrily。 ‘Yes。 I have observed his face。 I have observed his face to be not the face of a true friend of the Republic。 Let him take care of his face!'
‘And you have observed; my wife;' said Defarge; in a deprecatory manner; ‘the anguish of his daughter; which must be a dreadful anguish to him!'
‘I have observed his daughter;' repeated madame; ‘yes; I have observed his daughter; more times than one。 I have observed her to…day; and I have observed her other days。 I have observed her in the court; and I have observed her in the street by the prison。 Let me but lift my finger………!' She seemed to raise it (the listener's eyes were always on his paper); and to let it fall with a rattle on the ledge before her; as if the axe had dropped。
‘The citizeness is superb!' croaked the Juryman。
‘She is an Angel!' said The Vengeance; and embraced her。
‘As to thee;' pursued madame; implacably; addressing her husband; ‘if it depended on thee……which; happily; it does not……thou wouldst rescue this man even now。
‘No!' protested Defarge。 ‘Not if to lift this glass would do it! But I would leave the matter there。 I say; stop there。'
‘See you then; Jacques;' said Madame Defarge; wrathfully; ‘and see you; too; my little Vengeance; see you both! Listen! For other crimes as tyrants and oppressors; I have this race a long time on my register; doomed to destruction and extermination。 Ask my husband; is that so。'
‘It is so;' assented Defarge; without being asked。
‘In the beginning of the great days; when the Bastille falls; he finds this paper of to…day; and he brings it home; and in the middle of the night when this place is clear and shut; we read it; here on this spot; by the light of this lamp。 Ask him; is that so。'
‘It is so;' assented Defarge。
‘That night; I tell him; when the paper is read through; and the lamp is burnt out; and the day is gleaming in above those shutters and between those iron bars; that I have now a secret to municate。 Ask him; is that so。'
‘It is so;' assented Defarge again。
‘I municate to him that secret。 I smite this bosom with these two hands as I smite it now; and I tell him; 〃Defarge; I was brought up among the fi