“Here, in Paris?”

“Has been here some daysthree or fourI don’t know how

manyI can’t collect my thoughts. An errand of generosity

brought him here unknown to us; he was stopped at the barrier,

and sent to prison.”

The old man uttered an irrepressible cry. Almost at the same

moment, the bell of the great gate rang again, and a loud noise of

feet and voices came pouring into the court-yard.

“What is that noise?” said the Doctor, turning towards the

window.

“Don’t look!” cried Mr. Lorry. “Don’t look out! Manette, for

your life, don’t touch the blind!”

The Doctor turned, with his hand upon the fastening of the

window, and said, with a cool, bold smile:

“My dear friend, I have a charmed life in this city. I have been a

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Bastille prisoner. There is no patriot in Parisin Paris? In

Francewho, knowing me to have been a prisoner in the Bastille,

would touch me, except to overwhelm me with embraces, or carry

me in triumph. My old pain has given me a power that has brought

us through the barrier, and gained us news of Charles there, and

brought us here. I knew it would be so; I knew I could help

Charles out of all danger; I told Lucie so.What is that noise?”

His hand was again upon the window.

“Don’t look!” cried Mr. Lorry, absolutely desperate. “No, Lucie,

my dear, nor you!” He got his arm around her, and held her.

“Don’t be so terrified, my love. I solemnly swear to you that I know

of no harm having happened to Charles; that I had no suspicion

even of his being in this fatal place. What prison is he in?”

“La Force!”

“La Force! Lucie, my child, if ever you were brave and

serviceable in your lifeand you were always bothyou will

compose yourself now, to do exactly as I bid you; for more

depends upon it than you can think, or I can say. There is no help

for you in any action on your part tonight; you cannot possibly stir

out. I say this, because what I must bid you to do for Charles’s

sake, is the hardest thing to do of all. You must instantly be

obedient, still and quiet. You must let me put you in a room at the

back here. You must leave your father and me alone for two

minutes, and as there are Life and Death in the world you must

not delay.”

“I will be submissive to you. I see in your face that you know I

can do nothing else than this. I know you are true.”

The old man kissed her, and hurried her into his room, and

turned the key; then came hurrying back to the Doctor, and

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opened the window and partly opened the blind, and put his hand

upon the Doctor’s arm, and looked out with him into the courtyard.

Looked out upon a throng of men and women: not enough in

number, or near enough, to fill the courtyard: not more than forty