... sir, and on
the same occasion.”
“You are the young lady just now referred to?”
“O! most unhappily, I am!”
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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.”
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“How many were with him?”
“Two French gentlemen.”
“Had they conferred together?”
“They had conferred together until the last moment, when it
was necessary for the French gentlemen to be landed in their
boat.”
“Had any papers been handed about among them, similar to
these lists?”
“Some papers had been handed about among them, but I don’t
know what papers.”
“Like these in shape and size?”
“Possibly, but indeed I don’t know, although they stood
whispering very near to me: because they stood at the top of the
cabin steps to have the light of the lamp that was hanging there; it
was a dull lamp, and they spoke very low, and I did not hear what
they said, and saw only that they looked at papers.”
“Now, to the prisoner’s conversation, Miss Manette.”
“The prisoner was as open in his confidence with me—which
arose out of my helpless situation—as he was kind, and good, and
useful to my father. I hope,” bursting into tears, “I may not repay
him by doing him harm today.”
Buzzing from the blue-flies.
“Miss Manette, if the prisoner does not perfectly understand
that you give the evidence which it is your duty to give—which you
must give—and which you cannot escape from giving—with great
unwillingness, he is the only person present in that condition.
Please to go on.”
“He told me that he was travelling on business of a delicate and
difficult nature, which might get people into trouble, and that he
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was therefore travelling under an assumed name. He said that this
business had, within a few days, taken him to France, and might,
at intervals, take him backwards and fo