Two Cities

Chapter 25 The Considerate Person
Mr. Stryver, having made up his mind to bestow the doctor's daughter with good luck, wished to inform her of her joy before going on his great vacation.He ran the matter over in his head and came to the conclusion that it would be best to get things sorted out first and then take it easy whether to go for the little Christmas break between the Hilary Day term some time before Michaelmas term or afterward Nei proposed to her.

He has no doubts about his strength in this case.He had a clear understanding of the way the case was judged.He made some excuses with the jury, in accordance with the common sense of the evidence—the only one that could be considered.The case was clear and without fault.He subpoenaed himself as plaintiff, and his evidence was irrefutable.The defendant's lawyer can only give up the debate, and the jury doesn't even have to discuss it.Justice Stryver was very satisfied after the trial, and the case is clearest.

Mr. Stryver will therefore begin his extended holiday by formally inviting Miss Manette to Vauxhall.If she doesn't want to, go to Lanlela Flower Show.If there was any more vague refusal, he would have to go to Soho himself and announce his intention there.

So Mr. Stryver hurried off from the Law Society to Soho, where the flowers were just beginning to bloom.How strong and dependable he was, anyone who saw him marching menacingly down the avenue from St. Dunstan of the Law Society, pushing the weak out of the way, knew at a glance how strong and dependable he was.

He had to go through Tellson's Bank.He had money in the bank, and knowing that Mr. Lorry was a good friend of the Manettes, he suddenly decided to go to the bank and tell him the dawn on the horizon of Soho.Thereupon he pushed open the door (there was a slight noise in the throat), descended two steps, passed two old cashiers, and hurried into Mr. Lorry's smelly room. Back room.Mr. Lorry sat in front of a large ledger, and the grids of the ledger were all numbers.The vertical steel bars on his windows are also like grids for writing numbers, and many of these things are numbers filled in the grids. "Hello!" said Stryver. "How are you? I wish you good health?" One of Mr. Stryver's traits was to appear too large at all times.He was the same at Tellson's Bank. Even the old bankers in the far corner raised their heads, showing a dissatisfied attitude, always feeling that he was pushed against the wall.The "Banking Authorities", who were concentrating on the documents in the back of the room, frowned in displeasure at this moment, as if Stryver's head had hit his responsible vest.

The discreet Mr. Lorry said as best he could, "How do you do, Mr. Stryver?" and shook his hand.His handshake was a little different, and as long as "banking authority" was in the air, Tellson's Bank clerks shook hands with customers with one thing in common: a little self-effacing air, for he was shaking hands on behalf of Tellson & Co.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Stryver?" Mr. Lorry said as a staff member.

"Nothing. This is my private visit to you, Mr. Lorry. I have something personal to say to you."

"Ah, that's right!" said Mr. Lorry, putting his ear close to him, but keeping his eyes fixed on the "Banking Authority" in the distance.

"I'm going to propose," said Mr. Stryver, in a confident tone, leaning over his desk--though it was a large table for two, it couldn't hold half of his body. "I'm going to propose to the The delightful Miss Manette proposes, Mr Lorry."

"Oh, my God!" Mr. Lorry could not help screaming, wiping his chin in disbelief, and looking at his visitor.

"What the hell are you, sir?" said Mr. Stryver again, moving himself. "Why the hell are you, sir? What do you mean, Mr. Lorry?"

"I mean," said the businessman, "of course it's friendly, I appreciate it, and you're the kindest person you can be for making this plan. In short, I mean I hope you get everything you want. But, indeed. , you know, Mr. Stryver—" Mr. Lorry stopped talking, shook his head at him in a way he didn't understand, and said to himself, as if there was nothing he could do about him, "you should know what you're really doing. It's a bit out of the ordinary."

"Why!" said Stryver, smacking the table with his triumphant hand, his eyes widening, and gasping, "if I knew what you meant, hang me, Mr Lorry!"

Mr. Lorry moved the little wig by his ears, and bit the feather of the quill to achieve the desired purpose.

"Damn it, sir!" Stryver glared at him. "You think I'm not qualified?"

"Oh my God, enough! Oh, enough, you're qualified!" said Mr. Lorry. "As far as qualifications are concerned, you're quite enough."

"Am I not developed enough?" asked Stryver. "Well, if you're well-off, you're good enough," said Mr. Lorry.

"And getting promoted?" "As for the promotion, you know," said Mr. Lorry, agreeing to admit a little more of his merits, "no one will doubt it." "Then, what the hell do you mean, Mr. Lorry?" Striver asked, visibly a little annoyed. "Ah, I—do you decide to propose at this moment?" asked Mr. Lorry. "Say it straight!" Stryver slammed his fist on the table. "Then I tell you plainly that I wouldn't go if I were you." "Why," asked Stryver. "I won't give you a chance to back down." He shook a finger at him like in court. "You are a business man, and you have to have a good reason for doing things. Tell me, why don't you go?"

"Because," said Mr. Lorry, "I would not take it lightly if I could not be certain of pursuing such an object."

"Damn it!" cried Stryver, "everything will be refuted by the reason you say."

Mr. Lorry glanced at the "Banking Authority" in the distance, and then at Stryver.

"You are a man of business, old, experienced, and banker," said Stryver, "and have given three important and reasonable reasons, and have said that there is no certainty! Out of breath!" Stryver made a comment on this, as if it would have been less flatter if it had been made out of breath.

"The victory I would say is a victory over the lady. The sure reasons and reasons I would say are the reasons and reasons that will work on the lady. In a word, my dear sir," said Mr. Lorry. Tapping Stryver's arm lightly, "Miss is the most important thing."

"Then you want to tell me, Mr. Lorry," said Mr. Stryver, opening his arms, "that the lady we are talking about is a person who can only pretend to know nothing. ?"

"Not at all. I want to tell you, Mr. Stryver," said Mr. Lorry, flushing, "that I don't like to hear anyone say a bad word about that lady. And, let Any man I ever met--I hope I haven't for a while--was so mean-spirited, so hot-tempered, that he couldn't resist saying something rude to the lady at this table, and I would Teach him unceremoniously, even Tellson's Bank can never stop me."

Now Mr. Stryver was angry.He was so full of breath that he couldn't attack, and his blood vessels were about to burst.Although Mr. Lorry's blood circulation has always been regular, it is also in a state of anger at this moment, and the condition is not better. "That's what I've decided to tell you, sir," said Mr. Lorry, "and please don't misunderstand me." Mr. Stryver took a ruler, bit the top of it, and stood holding it against his teeth again. He knocked on a piece of music, maybe it hurt his teeth, and then he spoke, breaking the uncomfortable situation.

"That strikes me as a novelty, Mr. Lorry. You're actually advising me not to go to Soho to propose for myself—for myself, Stryver, Crown Court?"

"You are asking for my opinion, Mr. Stryver?" "Yes, for yours." "Very well. I have told you my opinion, then! And you have repeated it accurately. " "My take on the opinion," said Stryver, with a resigned smile, "is that your opinion—ha ha!—can be refuted for all reasons: past, present, and future."

"You should know now," went on Mr. Lorry. "As a business person, I have no reason to comment on this matter, because as a business person, I don't know about it. If I were an old man who held Miss Manette in his arms and was still Miss Manette A trusted friend of her father's, an old man who has feelings for both of them, I'm done. Remember, I didn't come to talk to you. Now, you think I'm right, don't you?"

"I don't think so!" Stryver whistled. "I can figure out common sense issues by myself, and I can't ask others for advice. I think some things are reasonable. But you think it's just a pretentious nonsense. I think it's a novelty, but I dare say you're right."

"I think, Mr. Stryver, that my opinion has something to do with my own character. You will understand me, sir," said Mr. Lorry, blushing again in a moment. "I don't like anyone else to replace me." Not even Tellson's, I say." "Very well! I beg your pardon!" said Stryver. "I forgive you. Thank you. Well, Mr. Stryver, I was going to say:

You may feel bad because you feel you are wrong.Dr. Manette makes you feel bad again for having to tell you the truth.Miss Manette also makes you uncomfortable by having to tell you the truth.You know my friendship with them, it is my honor and joy.If you agree, I'd be happy to revise my advice.I am willing not to make you responsible, nor to represent you, to conduct a small investigation and judgment again just for this matter.At that time, if you are not satisfied with the conclusion, you can also check for yourself whether it is the same as what I said.If you are satisfied and the conclusion remains the same as it is now, it will save both parties some trouble that would have been better saved.what do you think? "

"How long do you want me to stay in town?" "Ah! It's only a matter of hours. I can go to Soho tonight and then to your house." "Then I agree," Stry said. The Buddha said, "Then I won't go there now, and I'm not in a hurry to go now. I agree, and I look forward to your presence tonight. Goodbye."

Mr. Stryver then rushed out of the bank.There was a strong wind blowing along the way, and the two old staff stood up behind the counter and bowed to him, and it took a lot of effort to stand firm.Those two venerable old men are often seen bowing.Everyone firmly believes that after they "jue" away a customer, they will continue to "jue" in the empty office until they "jue" into the next customer.

The lawyer was sensitive, and he guessed that the banker would not have made such an embarrassing opinion if he was only theoretically certain and had no more reliable reasons.Although he was unprepared for such a heavy dose of bitter medicine, he swallowed it forcefully.Now, Mr. Stryver took his drug and shook his finger at the whole Law Society building as if in court. "The way I solve this problem is to make you all feel bad."

It was a tactic of the old Baylor strategist, and he took great comfort from it. "You can't say I'm wrong, miss," said Mr. Stryver, "I'll say you're wrong."

So, when Mr. Lorry did not come to see him until ten o'clock that night, Mr. Stryver had deliberately spread out a pile of books and papers, as if all the topics of the morning were out of his mind. up.He even showed disbelief when he saw Mr. Lorry, and he was always preoccupied and wandering.

"There!" said the mild-mannered emissary, after trying unsuccessfully to bring him back to the subject for a full half hour, "I've been to Soho."

"Been to Soho?" said Stryver quietly. "Oh, of course! Where did I go!"

"I have no doubts at all," said Mr. Lorry. "I guessed right when we talked this morning. My opinion is confirmed, and I repeat my advice."

"I assure you," said Mr. Stryver, in the most friendly tone, "I am sorry for you, and for the poor father, and I know it is a subject not lightly brought up in that family, Let's not talk about it anymore."

"I don't understand you," said Mr. Lorry. "I daresay you won't know," replied Stryver, nodding reassuringly but irresistibly. "Never mind, never mind." "But it matters," said Rory emphatically. "No, it doesn't matter. I swear to you it doesn't matter. I took a meaningless thing for a meaningful thing. A commendable intention for a commendable one, and I've figured it out No harm has been done. Young women have done such unwise things before, and will regret it when they are poor and humble. From the disinterestedness of these, I am very sorry for not mentioning it, Because in the eyes of the world, this move is a sacrifice for me. But from a personal point of view, I am happy not to mention it, because in the eyes of the world, this marriage is only bad for us. —I got nothing, it hardly needs to be explained. There will be no harm at all, I did not propose to the lady. Say something intimate, you can't tell other people, I think about it There's no point in worrying like that. Mr. Lorry, you can't bear the coyness, the vanity, the boredom of a girl who has only looks and no brains. Don't try to control, or you will always be disappointed. Now please Don't mention it again. I tell you, I am sorry for others, but I am very happy for myself. I really thank you very much, because you agree with what I have said to you, and you have given me advice. You are very grateful This lady knows far more than I do. You are right, there is absolutely no way it can be done."

Mr. Lorry was very shocked, and looked at him stupidly.Mr. Stryver shouldered him slowly out of the door, with an air of generosity, forgiveness, and kindness, which made no detour to his stubborn mind. "Try to think best, my dear sir," said Stryver, "and never mention it again. Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to ask you, and good night!"

Before Mr. Rory could react, he had already entered the darkness.Mr. Stryver had retired to lie down on the sofa, blinking at the ceiling.

(End of this chapter)