a helpless look straying all around, he took his coat off and let it drop on the floor.

I Where is my bench? I have been looking everywhere for my bench, and I can't find it. What have they done with my work? Time presses: I must finish those shoes."

They looked at one another, and their hearts died within them.

"Come, come!" said he, in a whimpering, miserable way; "let me get to work. Give me my work.

Receiving no answer, he tore his hair, and beat his feet upon the ground like a distracted child.

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Don't torture a poor forlorn wretch," he implored them, with a dreadful cry; " but give me my work! What is to become of us if those shoes are not done tonight?"

Lost, utterly lost!

It was so clearly beyond hope to reason with him, or try to restore him—that—as if by agreement—they each put a hand upon his shoulder, and soothed him to sit down before the fire, with a promise that he should have his work presently. He sank into the chair, and brooded over the embers, and shed tears. As if all that had happened since the garret time were a momentary fancy, or a dream, Mr. Lorry saw him shrink into the exact figure that Defarge had had in keeping.

Affected and impressed with terror as they both were by this spectacle of ruin, it was not a time to yield to such emotions. His lonely daughter, bereft of her final hope and reliance, appealed to them both too strongly. Again, as if by agreement, they looked at one another with one meaning in their faces. Carton was the first to

speak:

The last chance is gone: it was not much. Yes; he had better be taken to her.

But before you go, will you,

Don't ask me

for a moment, steadily attend to me? why I make the stipulations I am going to make, and exact the promise I am going to exact; I have a reason —a good one."

"I do not doubt it," answered Mr. Lorry. "Say on."

The figure in the chair between them was all the time monotonously rocking itself to and fro and moaning. They spoke in such a tone as they would have used if they had been watching by a sick-bed in the night.

Carton stooped to pick up the coat, which lay almost entangling his feet. As he did so, a small case in which the Doctor was accustomed to carry the list of his day's duties, fell lightly on the floor. Carton took it up, and

"We should look at

there was a folded paper in it.
this!" he said. Mr. Lorry nodded his consent.
opened it, and exclaimed, Thank God!"

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"What is it?" asked Mr. Lorry, eagerly.

He

A moment! Let me speak of it in its place. First," he put his hand in his coat and took another paper from it, that is the certificate which enables me to pass out of this city. Look at it. You see Sydney Carton, an Englishman?”

Mr. Lorry held it open in his hand, gazing in his earnest face.

Keep it for me until to-morrow. I shall see him tomorrow, you remember, and I had better not take it into the prison."

Why not?"

"I don't know; I prefer not to do so.

Now take this

paper that Doctor Manette has carried about him. It is a similar certificate, enabling him and his daughter and her child, at any time, to pass the barrier and the frontier ? You see?"

"Yes!"

Perhaps he obtained it as his last and utmost pre

caution against evil yesterday. When is it dated? But no matter; don't stay to look; put it up carefully with mine and your own. Now observe! I never doubted until within this hour or two that he had, or could have,

But it may be

such a paper. It is good until recalled.
soon recalled, and I have reason to think will be."

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They are not in danger ?" They are in great danger. They are in danger of denunciation by Madame Defarge. I know it from her own lips. I have overheard words of that woman's tonight which have presented their danger to me in strong colours. I have lost no time, and since then I have seen the spy. He confirms me. He knows that a woodsawyer, living by the prison-wall, is under the control of the Defarges, and has been rehearsed by Madame Defarge as to his having seen her "—he never mentioned Lucie's name—" making signs and signals to prisoners. It is easy to foresee that the pretence will be the common one, a prison plot, and that it will involve her life— and perhaps her child's—and perhaps her father's—for both have been seen with her at that place. Don't look

so horrified. You will save them all."

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Heaven grant I may, Carton! But how?

"I am going to tell you how. It will depend on you, and it could depend on no better man. This new denunciation will certainly not take place until after tomorrow; probably not until two or three days afterwards; more probably a week afterwards. You know it is a capital crime to mourn for, or sympathise with, a victim of the guillotine. She and her father would unquestionably be guilty of this crime, and this woman (the inveteracy of whose pursuit cannot be described) would wait to add that strength to her case, and make herself doubly sure. You follow me ?"

So attentively, and with so much confidence in what

you say, that for the moment I lost sight," touching the back of the Doctor's chair, even of this distress."

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'You have money, and can buy the means of travelling to the seacoast as quickly as the journey can be made. Your preparations have been completed for some days to return to England. Early to-morrow have your horses ready, so that they may be in starting trim at two o'clock in the afternoon."

"It shall be done!"

His manner was so fervent and inspiring, that Mr. Lorry caught the flame and was as quick as youth.

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You are a noble heart. Did I say we could depend upon no better man? Tell her to-night what you know of her danger as involving her child and her father. Dwell upon that, for she would lay her own fair head beside her husband's cheerfully." He faltered for an instant; then went on as before. For the sake of her child and her father, press upon her the necessity of leaving Paris, with them and you, at that hour. Tell her that it was her husband's last arrangement. Tell her that more depends upon it than she dare believe or hope. You think that her father, even in this sad state, will submit himself to her, do you not?"

"I thought so. Quietly and steadily have all these arrangements made in the courtyard here, even to the taking of your own seat in the carriage. The moment I come to you, take me in, and drive away."

"I understand that I wait for you under all circumstances?"

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You have my certificate in your hand with the rest, you know, and will reserve my place. Wait for nothing but to have my place occupied, and then for England!" Why, then," said Mr. Lorry, grasping his eager but so firm and steady hand," it does not all depend on one

old man, but I shall have a young and ardent man at my side."

By the help of Heaven you shall !

Promise me solemnly that nothing shall influence you to alter the course on which we now stand pledged to one another." "Nothing, Carton."

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Remember these words to-morrow: change the course, or delay in it—for any reason—and no life can possibly be saved, and many lives must inevitably be sacrificed."

"I will remember them.

fully."

"And I hope to do mine.

I hope to do my part faith

Now good-by!"

Though he said it with a grave smile of earnestness, and though he even put the old man's hand to his lips, he did not part from him then. He helped him so far to arouse the rocking figure before the dying embers as to get a cloak and hat put upon it, and to tempt it forth to find where the bench and work were hidden that it still meaningly besought to have. He walked on the other side of it and protected it to the courtyard of the house where the afflicted heart—so happy in the memorable time when he had revealed his own desolate heart to it— outwatched the awful night. He entered the courtyard and remained there for a few moments alone, looking up at the light in the window of her room. Before he went away he breathed a blessing towards it, and a farewell.

CHAPTER XIII

FIFTY-TWO

IN the black prison of the Conciergerie the doomed of

the weeks of the year. Fifty-two were to roll that after