closer to you, if such a thing can be.”
His touch still lingered on her father’s **nswering the
touch for a moment, but not coldly, her father rested his hands
upon the arms of his chair, and looked up for the first time since
the beginning of the conference. A str**le was evident in his face;
a str**le with that occasional look which had a tendency in it to
dark doubt and dread.
“You speak so feelingly and **fully, Charles Darnay, that I
thank you with all my heart, and will open all my heart—or nearly
so. Have you any reason to believe that Lucie loves you?”
“None. As yet none.”
“Is it the immediate object of this confidence, that you may at
once ascertain that, with my knowledge?”
“Not even so. I might not have the hopefulness to do it for
weeks; I might (mistaken or not mistaken) have that hopefulness
tomorrow.”
“Do you seek any promise from me?”
“I ask none, sir. But I have thought it possible that you might
have it in your power, if you should deem it right, to give me
some.”
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A Tale of Two Cities
“Do you seek any promise from me!”
“I do seek that.”
“What is it?”
“I well understand that, without you, I could have no hope. I
well understand that, even if Miss Manette held me at this
moment in her innocent heart—do not think I have the
presumption to assume so much—I could retain no place in it
against her love for her father.”
“If that be so, do you see what, on the other hand, is involved in
it?”
“I understand equally well, that a word from her father in any
suitor’s favour, would outweigh herself and all the world. For
which reason, Doctor Manette.” said Darnay, modestly but firmly,
“I would not ask that word, to save my life.”
“I am sure of it. Charles Darnay, mysteries arise out of close
love, as well as out of wide division; in the former case, they are
subtle and delicate, and difficult to penetrate. My daughter Lucie
is, in this one respect, such a mystery to me; I can make no guess
at the state of her heart.”
“May I ask, sir, if you think she is—” As he hesitated, her father
supplied the rest.
“Is sought by any other suitor?”
“It is what I meant to say.”
Her father considered a little before he answered:
“You have seen Mr. Carton here, yourself. Mr. Stryver is here
too, occasionally. If it be at all, it can only be by one of these.”
“Or both,” said Darnay.
“I had not thought of both; I should not think either, likely, You
want a promise from me. Tell me what it is.”
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A Tale of Two Cities
“It is, that if Miss Manette should bring to you at any time, on
her own part, such a confidence as I have ventured to lay before
you, you will bear testimony to what I have said, and to your belief
in it. I hope you may be able to think so well of me, as to urge no
influence against me, I say nothing more of my stake in this; this is
what I ask. The condition on which I ask it, and which you have an
undoubted right to require, I will observe immediately.”
“I give the promise,” said the Doctor, “without any condition. I
believe your object to be, purely and truthfully, as you have stated
it. I believe your intention is to perpetuate, and not to weaken, the
ties between me and my other and far dearer self. If she should
ever tell me that you are essential to her perfect happiness, I will
give her to you. If there were—Charles Darnay—if there were—”
The young man had taken his hand gratefully; their hands were
joined as the Doctor spoke:
“—any fancies, any reasons, any apprehensions, anything
whatsoever, new or old, against the man she really loved—the
direct responsibility thereof not lying on his head—they should all
be obliterated for her sake. She is everything to me; more to me
than suffering, more to me than wrong, more to me—Wel"};
