Two Cities

Chapter 57 Dusk
The wretched wife of a man so innocently condemned to death fell down the moment she heard the sentence, as if mortally struck.But she became silent.The voice in her heart told her that she was the only one left to support him when he was in pain, and she must never make him suffer more.The thought made her recover quickly from the blow.

The judges were going outside for a public procession, and the next trial was postponed.People in the court hurried out through the doors.Before the noise and action were over, Lucy stood up and stretched out her arms to her husband, with a look of love and comfort on her face.

"Wish I could touch him! Wish I could hug him once! Oh, good citizens, if you could sympathize with us so deeply!"

Everyone went to the street to watch the excitement, only one warden and two of the four people who came to pick up the prisoner last night remained, and the other was Barcelona.Barca said to the people left behind, "Just let her hug him, it's only a moment." No one spoke, and acquiesced.They put her across the court bench to a raised place where the prisoner could bend over from the dock and hug his wife.

"Farewell, my supreme dear darling. I send my parting prayers to my love, and we may still meet in the place of weary sleep."

So said her husband, holding her to his chest. "I can take it, dear Charles. I have heaven's support, don't suffer because of me. Send our child a parting blessing!" "Through you I bless her. Through you I kiss her. Through you I send She said goodbye."

"My husband. No! Wait a little longer!" He was already reluctantly leaving her.We can't be separated for long.I think this will break my heart and die before long, but as long as I can, I'm going to do my duty, God made her friends when I left her, God did for me did.

Her father followed at this time.He was about to succumb before the two of them, but Darnay caught him with one hand and cried:
"No, no! What did you do? What did you do? Why did you kneel to us? We understand now how painful your struggle was. We understand now how much you suffered when you doubted and learned of my heritage. What a torment. Now I understand how many years you have fought against the devil of your nature for her sake and finally overcome it. We thank you with all our hearts, all our love and all our filial piety. May God bless you! Her father's only answer was to insert his hands into his gray hair and twist it in agony.

"There will be no other outcome," said the prisoner. "The present ending is the result of many factors, and it is destined by heaven. What brought me to you in the first place was my life's unsuccessful efforts to fulfill my late mother's last wish. Such a crime cannot produce good results, by its nature For me, such an unfortunate beginning can never produce a happy ending. Don't be sad, forgive me! God bless you!"

He was taken away.His wife let go and stood looking at him, clasping her hands as if praying, but her face was beaming, almost a smile of reassurance.After he had passed through the Prisoner's Gate, she turned and laid her head on her father's chest, ready to speak to him, but fell fainting at his feet.

At this moment Sidney Carton stepped forward to help her up.He came out of a secluded corner, and he has never left there.Only her father and Mr. Lorry were with her at the time.His arms took her trembling body and supported her head.But there was something not quite pity in his face, and a proud blush flashed across his face.

"Can I carry her into the carriage? I won't feel that she is heavy." He slowly picked her up, went outside the door, and gently put her into the carriage.Her father and their old friends all got into the coach, and Carton sat next to the coachman.

When they reached the gate—where he had lingered hours ago in the darkness, imagining which stones her dear feet had trod on—he carried her upstairs again, into their room, and put on the bed.Her children and Miss Pross cried nearby.

"Don't wake her up," he whispered to the Pross group, it was better that way.She just fainted, don't wake her up so soon!
"Oh, Carton, Carton, dear Carton, little Lucy came out crying and jumping and throwing her arms around his neck." You're here at last, and I know you'll be able to help mother And rescued dad!Ah, look at her, dear Carlton!Among these people who love her, you don't just watch her like this, do you?
He bent over the child, pressed her delicate cheek to his own, and then slowly let her go, staring at her unconscious mother.

"Before I leave," he said, but hesitated—"may I kiss her?"

Afterwards, they remembered that when he bent over to kiss her face with his lips, he whispered a few words.The children closest to him told them later that he was talking about "the life you love".This is what she still tells her grandchildren after she herself became a grandmother.

Carton came to the next room, turned suddenly to Mr. Lorry and her father who were following behind, and said to the latter:

"You were still very influential even yesterday, Dr. Manette, at least you should be able to try your influence now. Judges and people in power are very friendly to you and appreciate your contribution, right?" "About Charles They never hid the matter from me, and I was given an extremely firm guarantee that I could definitely save him, and I finally rescued him," he replied deeply.

"Try again. There's not much time left between now and tomorrow afternoon, but give it a try."

"I'm going to give it a try. I won't stop for a minute." "That's right. I've seen people with your mobility do great things—although," he smiled and sighed Said, "Although such a great thing has not been done yet. But try it! Life is worthless if it is not used properly, and it is definitely valuable when it comes to this issue. If it doesn't work, there is no loss."

"I'm going to the Attorney-General and the President at once," said Dr. Manette, "and others. It's better not to mention their names. I'm going to write--wait a minute! There's a celebration in the street Activities, I’m afraid you won’t be able to find them before dark.”

"It's not false. It's okay! It was just a slim hope, and I don't know what will happen when it gets dark. I really want to know how you are going, but remember! I don't have extravagant hopes! When is it convenient for you to talk to these people?" Where's the annoying powerful man meeting, Dr. Manechi?"

"I'm looking forward to seeing you as soon as it gets dark. That's an hour or two away." "It gets dark after four o'clock. We might as well put on another hour or two. If I'm at Mr. Lorry's at nine o'clock, I'll be there." Can you hear from him or from yourself about the progress?" "Yes." "Good luck!"

Mr. Lorry followed Sidney to the outer gate, and patted him on the shoulder as he went away to turn him around.

"I give up hope," said Mr. Lorry in a low mournful voice. "Me too." "Even if one of these people was going to forgive him, or even if all of them wanted to forgive him—it would be impossible, because his life, or anyone else's life, had anything to do with them. Coherent! — after that scene in the courtroom, I wonder if they'd have the guts to do that, too."

"I don't believe it either. I heard the sound of the ax falling amidst the din."

Mr. Lorry put one hand on the door frame, and put his head down on it.

"Don't be discouraged," said Carton very softly, "don't be sad. I used the same words to encourage Dr. Manette. For I think it may be a consolation to Lucy someday, or else she may feel that Dale The life inside can be discarded and wasted at will, so it feels painful."

"Yes, yes, yes," replied Mr. Lorry, wiping his tears, "that's what you say. But he's going to die, and there's no real hope at all." "Exactly, he's going to die, really. Hope not at all," answered Carton, and went downstairs with firm steps.

(End of this chapter)