Two Cities

Chapter 16: Hundreds of Visitors (1)
Dr. Manette's quiet apartment is in a very quiet corner, not very far from Soho Square.After four months of scouring in the treason trial, everyone's interest and memory for it have flowed into the sea.Mr. Jarvis Lorry set out from Clerkenwell, where he lived, one sunny Sunday afternoon, and walked along the sun-drenched streets to dine at Dr. Manette's.Mr. Lorry had become the doctor's friend through repeated contacts in the business, and the very quiet street corner had become a sunny part of his life.

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, and Mr Lorry was walking towards Soho early.Here are three reasons for the habit.First, he used to go for a walk with the doctor and Lucy before supper on a sunny Sunday.Second, on Sundays when the weather is bad, he will spend the day with them as a friend of the family, chatting, reading, and looking at the scenery outside the window.Thirdly, he has a delicate mind and often has some small questions, and he knows that according to the living habits of the doctor's family, Sunday afternoon is the time to solve these problems.Stranger street corners than the doctor's quarters are hard to find in London.There is no street to pass through, and looking out of the front window of the house, you can see a small landscape, which has an elegant taste away from troubles, and makes people open-minded.At that time, there were few houses north of Oxford Street, and there were still lush trees and wild flowers in the fields that have disappeared today, and the hawthorns were in full bloom.For here the country air can move briskly and powerfully about Soho without the fear of approaching it like a homeless poor intruding into a parish.There are several beautiful south-facing dam walls not far away, and the peach trees on the walls are full of fruits in season.

In the morning, the sun's light shone into this street corner very dazzlingly, but when the street got hotter, the street corner was already shrouded in the shade of trees.The shade is not too deep, and the dazzling sunlight can be seen through it.That place is cool, stable, quiet, and intoxicating. It is a good place to listen to the echo, and it is a good haven from the chaotic shopping malls.

Logically speaking, there should be a peaceful boat in such a harbor, and the boat does exist.The Doctor occupies two floors of a silent building.I heard that there are people who are engaged in several occupations working in the building during the day, but the sound has been rarely heard, and people avoid this place at night.There is a small patio at the back of the building leading to another building.In the small courtyard, the sycamore trees shake their green leaves and rustle.It is said that in that building there is a mysterious giant who is making church organs, carving silver, and striking gold. This giant stretched a golden arm from the wall of the vestibule-as if he put It's expensive, and he wants to make all his guests more expensive.In addition to the occupations mentioned above, there was a lone lodger upstairs and the counting clerk of a carriage manufacturer downstairs, though seldom seen or talked about.Sometimes a wandering worker would walk across the hall with his clothes on.Sometimes a stranger would look around not far away.Sometimes there was a long clang from the little courtyard, or a thump from the giant with the golden arms.But all are mere coincidences, just proof that from Sunday morning until Saturday night the sparrows in the plane trees behind the house and the echoes of the street corner in front of the house each existed in their own way.

Dr. Manette was here to see patients brought in by his old reputation and the one awakened by whispered stories about him.His scientific knowledge and the acumen and skill with which he performed innovative surgical experiments also brought him many patients, so he was able to get the income he needed.

It was all that Jarvis Lowry had known, thought, and noticed as he rang the doorbell of his corner house on this sunny Sunday afternoon.

"Is Dr. Manette home?" Waiting for his return. "Is Miss Lucy at home?" Waiting for her to come back. "Is Miss Pross at home?"

Probably at home.But the maid has no way of understanding Miss Pross' intention, whether she is receiving guests or not admitting that she is at home.

"I am here as at home," said Mr. Lorry; "I will go upstairs myself!"

Although the doctor's daughter knew nothing of the country of her birth, she seemed to have inherited from it the wit for doing more with less.This would have been the most useful and desirable feature of that country.Although the furniture in this room is simple, it is full of trinkets.These things, though cheap, express taste and imagination to delightful effect.The arrangement of the objects in the room, from the largest to the smallest, with their harmonies, elegant variations and contrasts (obtained by a small economy, with dexterous hand, quick eye and good taste) ) can make people feel comfortable, reflecting the elegant taste of the designer.So, as Mr. Lorry stood looking about the room, even the table and chairs seemed to ask his opinion with a peculiar expression with which he was now very familiar: Satisfied?

There are three rooms on this floor.The doors between the rooms were all left open to allow for the circulation of air.Mr. Lorry passed one by one, examining with a smile the same dexterity expressed in the different things around him.The first room was the prettiest, and contained Lucy's flowers, birds, books, desk and workbench, and a box of water-colors.The second is a doctor's clinic, which is also used as a restaurant.The third room is where the doctor sleeps because of the sycamore trees in the courtyard, the shadows of the trees are whirling, and the leaves are soft.In one corner of the dormitory was the unused set of cobbler's benches and toolboxes, much like that on the fifth floor of the doleful building near the Hotel Suburban Saint-Antoine in Paris.

"It's really unexpected," Mr. Rory temporarily stopped observing, "He would actually keep these things that reminded him of the sufferings of the past!"

"Is there anything unexpected:" the sudden retort surprised him.The rhetorical question came from Miss Pross, the fierce woman with the red face and thick arms.He had first met her at the King George Hotel in Dover, and his impression of her had changed.

"Of course I want to—" Rory began to explain. "Bah! Of course you want it!" said Miss Pross, and Mr. Lorry closed his mouth.

"Hello?" At this moment, the young lady greeted him—although her tone was sharp, she didn't seem to be hostile to him.

"Very well, thank you," returned Mr. Lorry, mildly, "how are you?" "Nothing to show off," said Miss Pross. "Really?" "Ah! Really!" said Miss Pross. "I'm dying of anxiety about my little bird."

"Really?" "Dear me! Would you please say something other than 'really' 'really'? It's so tiresome," said Miss Pross.Shortness is one of her character traits—except for her stature.

"How about changing it to 'indeed'?" Mr. Lorry hastily corrected. "It's not so much 'indeed,'" replied Miss Pross, "but it's better. Yes, I'm in a hurry." "May I ask why?" "I don't like having dozens or hundreds of People who are not worthy of my little bird come here for her," said Miss Pross. "Did scores and hundreds come to her for that purpose?" "Hundreds," said Miss Pross.This young lady has a characteristic. When others doubt her words, she will exaggerate them instead.So did many before and after her.

"Dear me!" said Mr. Lorry, the safest words that could have occurred to him.

"I've lived with the little bird since she was ten years old—that is, she paid me to live with me. She really didn't need to pay, and I can say that if I could do it without pay." To support herself, or to support her--since she was ten years old. But I have real difficulties," said Miss Pross.

Mr. Lorry, not quite understanding what her difficulty was, shook his head too.He regards the most important part of himself as the immortal's greatest comfort, and he can express whatever meaning he wants.

"There are all sorts of people who are totally unworthy of my darling, and who keep coming," said Miss Pross. "When you started this—"

"Did I start it, Miss Pross?" "Isn't it? Who brought her father back to life?" "Ah! That's the beginning—" said Mr. Lorry. "It's not the end, I think it was quite sad when you first started. I don't mean to find fault with Dr. Manette, it's just that he doesn't deserve such a daughter. I don't mean to blame him, because any One should never blame him under any circumstances. But the crowds of people who came to him and tried to wrest the little bird's affection from me were doubly painful, though I could forgive him. "

Mr. Lorry knew that Miss Pross was jealous.But he also understands now that she is a woman with no selfishness under her weird appearance-only women can be like this-this kind of person is simply willing to be a slave for love and admiration, for At the service of the youth they have lost that others still have, of the beauty they never had, of the success that fate did not entrust to them, of the bright hope that never greeted their dark lives.Mr. Lorry understands the morals of the world very well, and understands that everything in the world is inferior to loyal service from the heart.It was a loyal devotion that was not tainted by the idea of ​​employment.He had the highest respect for this affection of hers, and made amends in his heart (as we all do, some do more and some less), and put Miss Pross in When it comes to the status below the lower angels, it ranks above the ladies of the upper class who have an account with Tellson Bank, although the latter's natural talents and acquired education do not know how many times stronger than hers. "There was never but one man worthy of my little bird," said Miss Pross. "My brother Solomon, if he hadn't made the only mistake of his life."

It's the same situation again: Mr. Lorry's investigation of Miss Pross' history reveals that her brother Solomon is a villain without a conscience.He had cheated her of everything, risked it all, and abandoned her ever since, leaving her to live forever in poverty, without regretting it at all.Mr. Lorry highly valued Pross's loyalty and trust in Solomon (except for his little fault).This is the most important point in his praise of her.

"Now we have no one else, but business people," he said after they returned to the living room and sat down, "I want to ask you—did the doctor never mention when he talked to Lucy when he was making shoes? "

"No." "But why did he keep that bench and tools with him?" "Ah," said Miss Pross, shaking her head. "I don't think he didn't think of all that before." "You believe he thought much of it?" "Yes," said Miss Pross.

"You imagine—" Mr. Lorry hadn't finished speaking when Miss Pross interrupted him:
"Don't even imagine."

"I correct. But you assume—do you sometimes assume?" "Sometimes," said Miss Pross. "You suppose—" went on Mr. Lorry, looking at her with loving eyes, and with a smile in their bright eyes, Dr. Manette's reason for being so seriously endangered to himself in those years, perhaps for Should the person who harmed him have his own opinion?
"I only believe what my little bird tells me, and I make no assumptions."

"What is her word—?" "She thinks he has an opinion."

"Now, I'm going to ask some questions. Don't be angry, because I'm just a clumsy business person, and you are also a business woman."

"Clumsy?" asked Miss Pross calmly.Mr. Lorry was about to retract the polite adjective, when he replied, "No, no, no. Of course not. Let's talk about business. We are all very convinced that Dr. Manette has not committed a crime, but he has never Wouldn't it be weird not to mention it? I'm not saying he should tell me, even though he's had a business relationship with me for years and is now a good friend. I mean he should tell his beautiful daughter. He's right She is devoted to her, and who could not be so devoted to her? Believe me, Miss Pross, I am not talking to you about this out of curiosity, but out of interest."

"Well! to my best understanding, you will say my best understanding is bad," said Miss Pross, her heart softened by the tone of the apology, "he is terrified of the whole subject .""fear?"

(End of this chapter)