forehead with it, and said, “Where shall I commence, monsieur?”

“Commence,” was Monsieur Defarge’s not unreasonable reply,

“at the commencement.”

“I saw him then, messieurs,” began the mender of roads, “a

year ago this running summer, underneath the carriage of the

Marquis, hanging by the chain. Be hold the manner of it. I leaving

my work on the road, the sun going to bed, the carriage of the

Marquis slowly ascending the hill, he hanged by the chainlike

this.”

Again the mender of roads went through the whole

performance; in which he ought to have been perfect by that time,

seeing that it had been the infallible resource and indispensable

entertainment of his village during a whole year.

Jacques One struck in, and asked if he had ever seen the man

before?

“Never,” answered the mender of roads, recovering his

perpendicular.

Jacques Three demanded how he afterwards recognised him

then?

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“By his tall figure,” said the mender of roads, softly, and with

his finger at his nose. “When Monsieur the Marquis demands that

evening, ‘Say, what is he like?’ I make response, ‘Tall as a

spectre.’”

“You should have said, short as a dwarf,” returned Jacques

Two.

“But what did I know? The deed was not then accomplished,

neither did he confide in me. Observe! Under those circumstances

even, I do not offer my testimony. Monsieur the Marquis indicates

me with his finger, standing near our little fountain, and says, ‘To

me! Bring that rascal!’ My faith, messieurs, I offer nothing.”

“He is right there, Jacques,” murmured Defarge, to him who

had interrupted. “Go on!”

“Good!” said the mender of roads with an air of mystery. “The

tall man is lost, and he is soughthow many months? Nine, ten,

eleven?”

“No matter, the number,” said Defarge. “He is well hidden, but

at last he is unluckily found. Go on!”

“I am again at work upon the hillside, and the sun is again

about to go to bed. I am collecting my tools to descend to my

cottage down in the village below, where it is already dark, when I

raise my eyes, and see coming over the hill six soldiers. In the

midst of them is a tall man with his arms boundtied to his

sideslike this!”

With the aid of his indispensable cap, he represented a man

with his elbows bound fast at his hips, with cords that were

knotted behind him.

“I stand aside, messieurs, by my heap of stones, to see the

soldiers and their prisoner pass (for it is a solitary road, that,

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