were left uncorrupted seemed to escape, and all spoilt and sickly

vapours seemed to crawl in. Through the rusted bars, tastes,

rather than glimpses, were caught of the jumbled neighbourhood;

and nothing within range, nearer or lower than the summits of the

two great towers of Notre-Dame, had any promise on it of healthy

life or wholesome aspirations.

At last, the top of the staircase was gained, and they stopped for

the third time. There was yet an upper staircase, of a steeper

inclination and of contracted dimensions, to be ascended, before

the garret story was reached. The keeper of the wine-shop, always

going a little in advance, and always going on the side which Mr.

Lorry took, as though he dreaded to be asked any question by the

young lady, turned himself about here, and, carefully feeling in the

pockets of the coat he carried over his shoulder, took out a key.

“The door is locked then, my friend?” said Mr. Lorry, surprised.

“Ay. Yes,” was the grim reply of Monsieur Defarge.

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“You think it necessary to keep the unfortunate gentleman so

retired?”

“I think it necessary to turn the key.” Monsieur Defarge

whispered it closer in his ear, and frowned heavily.

“Why?”

“Why! Because he has lived so long, locked up, that he would

be frightenedrave, tear himself to piecesdiecome to I know

not what harmif his door was left open.”

“Is it possible?” exclaimed Mr. Lorry.

“Is it possible!” repeated Defarge, bitterly. “Yes. And a

beautiful world we live in, when it is possible, and when many

other such things are possible, and not only possible, but done

done, see you!under that sky there, every day. Long live the

Devil. Let us go on.”

This dialogue had been held in so very low a whisper, that not a

word of it had reached the young lady’s ears. But, by this time she

trembled under such strong emotion, and her face expressed such

deep anxiety, and, above all, such dread and terror, that Mr. Lorry

felt it incumbent on him to speak a word or two of reassurance.

“Courage, dear miss! Courage! Business! The worst will be over

in a moment; it is but passing the room-door, and the worst is

over. Then, all the good you bring to him, all the relief, all the

happiness you bring to him, begin. Let our good friend here, assist

you on that side. That’s well, friend Defarge. Come, now. Business,

business!” They went up slowly and softly. The staircase was

short, and they were soon at the top. There, as it had an abrupt

turn in it, they came all at once in sight of three men, whose heads

were bent down close together at the side of a door, and who were

intently looking into the room to which the door belonged,

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through some chinks or holes in the wall. On hearing footsteps

close at hand, these three turned, and rose, and showed

themselves to be the three of one name who had been drinking in