licate； 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。
‘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 wereCharles 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 lovedthe direct responsibility thereof not lying on his headthey 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…Well！ This is idle talk。'
So strange was the way in which he faded into silence； and so strange his fixed look when he had ceased to speak； that Darnay felt his own hand turn cold in the hand that slowly released and dropped it。
‘You said something to me；' said Doctor Manette； breaking into a smile。 ‘What was it you said to me？'
He was at a loss how to answer； until he remembered having spoken of a condition。 Relieved as his mind reverted to that； he answered：
‘Your confidence in me ought to be returned with full confidence on my part。 My present name； though but slightly changed from my mother's； is not； as you will remember； my Own。 I wish to tell you what that is； and why I am in England。'
‘Stop！' said the Doctor of Beauvais。
‘I wish it； that I may the better deserve your confidence； and have no secret from you。
‘Stop！'
For an instant； the Doctor even had his two hands at his ears； for another instant； even had his two hands laid on Darnay's lips。
‘Tell me when I ask you； not now。 If your suit should prosper； if Lucie should love you； you shall tell me on your marriage morning。 Do you promise？'
‘Willingly。'
‘Give me your hand。 She will be home directly； and it is better she should not see us together to…night。 Go！ God bless you！'
It was dark when Charles Darnay left him； and it was an hour later and darker when Lucie came home； she hurried into the room alonefor Miss Pross had gone straight upstairsand was surprised to find his reading…chair empty。
‘My father！' she called to him。 ‘Father dear！'
Nothing was said in answer； but she heard a low hammering sound in his bedroom。 Passing lightly across the intermediate room； she looked in at his door and came running back frightened； crying to herself； with her blood all chilled； ‘What shall I do！ What shall I do！'
Her uncertainty lasted but a moment； she hurried back； and tapped at his door； and softly called to him。 The noise ceased at the sound of her voice； and he presently came out to her； and they walked up and down together for a long time。
She came down from her bed； to look at him in his sleep that night。 He slept heavily； and his tray of shoemaking tools； and his old unfinished work； were all as usual。
CHAPTER XI
A Companion Picture
‘SYDNEY；' said Mr。 Stryver； on that self…same night； or morning； to his jackal； ‘mix another bowl of punch； I have something to say to you。'
Sydney had been working double tides that night； and the night before； and the night before that； and a good many nights in succession； making a grand clearance among Mr。 Stryver's papers before the setting in of the long vacation。 The clearance was effected at last； the Stryver arrears were handsomely fetched up； everything was got rid of until November should come with its fogs atmospheric and fogs legal； and bring grist to the mill again。
Sydney was none the livelier and none the soberer for so much application。 It had taken a deal of extra wet…towelling to pull him through the night； a correspondingly extra quantity of wine had preceded the towelling； and he was in a very damaged condition； as he now pulled his turban off and threw it into the basin in which he had steeped it at intervals for the last six hours。
‘Are you mixing that other bowl of punch？' said Stryver the portly； with his hands in his waistband； glancing round from the sofa where he lay on his back；
‘I am。'
‘Now； look here！ I am going to tell you something that will rather surprise you； and that perhaps will make you think me not quite as shrewd as you usually do think me。 I intend to marry。
‘Do you？'
‘Yes。 And not for money。 What do you say now？'
‘I don't feel disposed to say much。 Who is she？'
‘Guess。'
‘Do I know her？'
‘Guess。'
‘I am not going to guess； at five o'clock in the morning； with my brains frying and sputtering in my； head。 If you want me to guess； you must ask me to dinner。
‘Well then； I'll tell you；' said Stryver； coming slowly into a sitting posture。 ‘Sydney； I rather despair of making myself intelligible to you； because you are such an insensible dog。'
‘And you；' returned Sydney； busy concocting the punch； ‘are such a sensitive and poetical spirit。'
‘Come！' rejoined Stryver； laughing boastfully； ‘though I don't prefer any claim to being the soul of Romance （for I hope I； know better）； still I am a tenderer sort of fellow than you。
‘You are a luckier； if you mean that。'
‘I don't mean that。 I mean I am a man of moremore…'
‘Say gallantry； while you are about it；' suggested Carton。
‘Well！ I'll say gallantry。 My meaning is that I am a man；' said Stryver； inflating himself at his friend as he made the punch； ‘who cares more to be agreeable； Who takes more pains to be agreeable； who knows better how to be agreeable； in a woman's society； than you do。'
‘Go on；' said Sydney Carton。
‘No； but before I go on；' said Stryver； shaking his head in his bullying way； ‘I'll have this out with you。 You've been at Dr。 Manette's house as much as I have； or more than I have。 Why； I have been ashamed of your moroseness there！ Your manners have been of that silent and sullen and hang…dog kind； that； upon my life and soul； I have been ashamed of you； Sydney！'
‘It should be very beneficial to a man in your practice at the bar； to be ashamed of anything；' returned Sydney； ‘you ought to be much obliged to me。
‘You shall not get off in that Way；' rejoined Stryver； shouldering the rejoinder at him； ‘no； Sydney； it's my duty to tell youand I tell you to your face to do you goodthat you are a devilish ill…conditioned fellow in that sort of society。 You are a disagreeable fellow。'
Sydney drank a bumper of the punch he had made； and laughed。
‘Look at me！' said Stryver； squaring himself： ‘I have less need to make myself agreeable than you have； being more independent in circumstances。 Why do I do it？'
‘I never saw you do it yet；' muttered Carton。
‘I do it because it's politic； I do it on principle。 And look at me！ I get on。'
‘You don't get on with your account of your matrimonial intentions；' answered Carton； with a careless air； ‘I wish you would keep to that。 As to mewill you never understand that I am incorrigible？'
He asked the question with some appearance of scorn。
‘You have no business to be incorrigible；' was his friend's answer； delivered in no very soothing tone。
‘I have no business to be； at all； that I know of；' said Sydney Carton。 ‘Who is the lady？'
‘Now； don't let my announcement of the name make you uncomfortable； Sydney；' said Mr。 Stryver； preparing him with ostentatious friendliness for the disclosure he was about to make； ‘because I know you don't mean half you say； and if you meant it all； it would be of no importance。 I make this little preface； because；you once mentioned the young lady to me in slighting terms。
‘I did？'
‘Certainly； and in these chambers。'
Sydney Carton looked at his punch and looked at his complacent friend； drank his punch and looked at his complacent friend。
‘You made mention of the young lady as a golden…haired doll。 The young lady is Miss Manette。 If you had been a fellow of any sensitiveness or delicacy of feeling in that kind of way； Sydney； I might have been a little resentful of your employing such a designation； but you are not。 You want that sense altogether； therefore I am no more annoyed when I think of the expression； than I should be annoyed by a man's opinion of a picture of mine； who had no eye for pictures： or of a piece of music of mine； who had no ear for music。'
Sydney Carton drank the punch at a great rate； drank it by bumpers； looking at his friend。
‘Now you know all about it； Syd；' said Mr。 Stryver。 ‘I don't care about fortune： she is a charming creature； and I have made up my mind to please myself： on the whole； I think I can afford to please myself。 She will have in me a man already pretty well off and a rapidly rising man； and a man of some distinction： it is a piece of good fortune for her； but she is worthy of good fortune。 Are you astonished？'
Carton； still drinking the punch； rejoined； ‘Why should I be astonished？'
‘You approve？'
Carton； still drinking the punch； rejoined； ‘Why should I not approve？' ‘Well！' said his friend Stryver； ‘you take it more easily than I fancied you would； and are less mercenary on my behalf than I thought you would be； though； to be sure； you kn