To be confronted with such pity, and such earnest youth and

beauty, was far more trying to the accused than to be confronted

with all the crowd. Standing, as it were, apart with her on the edge

of his grave, not all the staring curiosity that looked on, could, for

the moment, nerve him to remain quite still. His hurried right

hand parcelled out the herbs before him into imaginary beds of

flowers in a garden; and his efforts to control and steady his

breathing shook the lips from which the colour rushed to his

heart. The buzz of the great flies was loud again.

“Miss Manette, have you seen the prisoner before?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Where?”

“On board of the packet-ship just now referred to, sir, and on

the same occasion.”

“You are the young lady just now referred to?”

“O! most unhappily, I am!”

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics

The plaintive tone of her compassion merged into the less

musical voice of the Judge, as he said something fiercely: “Answer

the questions put to you, and make no remark upon them.”

“Miss Manette, had you any conversation with the prisoner on

that passage across the Channel?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Recall it.”

In the midst of a profound stillness, she faintly began: “When

the gentleman came on board”

“Do you mean the prisoner?” inquired the Judge, knitting his

brows.

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Then say the prisoner.”

“When the prisoner came on board, he noticed that my father,”

turning her eyes lovingly to him as he stood beside her, “was

much fatigued and in a very weak state of health. My father was so

reduced that I was afraid to take him out of the air, and I had

made a bed for him on the deck near the cabin steps, and I sat on

the deck at his side to take care of him. There were no other

passengers that night, but we four. The prisoner was so good as to

beg permission to advise me how I could shelter my father from

the wind and weather, better than I had done. I had not known

how to do it well, not understanding how the wind would set when

we were out of the harbour. He did it for me. He expressed great

gentleness and kindness for my father’s state, and I am sure he felt

it. That was the manner of our beginning to speak together.”

“Let me interrupt you for a moment. Had he come on board

alone?”

“No.”

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics

“How many were with him?”

“Two French gentlemen.”

“Had they conferred together?”