登陆注册
3554300000047

第47章 BOOK THE SECOND:THE GOLDEN THREAD(30)

'I know,'said Darnay,respectfully,'how can I fail to know,Doctor Manette,I who have seen you together from day to day,that between you and Miss Manette there is an affection so unusual,so touching,so belonging to the circumstances in which it has been nurtured,that it can have few parallels,even in the tenderness between a father and child. I know,Doctor Manette—how can I fail to know—that,mingled with the affection and duty of a daughter who has become a woman,there is,in her heart,towards you,all the love and reliance of infancy itself.I know that,as in her childhood she had no parent,so she is now devoted to you with all the constancy and fervour of her present years and character,united to the trustfulness and attachment of the earlydays in which you were lost to her.I know perfectly well that if you had been restored to her from the world beyond this life,you could hardly be invested,in her sight,with a more sacred character than that in which you are always with her.I know that when she is clinging to you,the hands of baby,girl,and woman,all in one,are round your neck.I know that in loving you she sees and loves her mother at her own age,sees and loves you at my age,loves her mother broken-hearted,loves you through your dreadful trial and in your blessed restoration.I have known this,night and day,since I have known you in your home.'

Her father sat silent,with his face bent down. His breathing was a little quickened;but he repressed all other signs of agitation.

'Dear Doctor Manette,always knowing this,always seeing her and you with this hallowed light about you,I have forborne,and forborne,as long as it was in the nature of man to do it. I have felt,and do even now feel,that to bring my love—even mine—between you,is to touch your history with something not quite so good as itself.But I love her.Heaven is my witness that I love her!'

'I believe it,'answered her father,mournfully.'I have thought so before now. I believe it.'

'But,do not believe,'said Darnay,upon whose ear the mournful voice struck with a reproachful sound,'that if my fortune were so cast as that,being one day so happy as to make her my wife,I must at any time put any separation between her and you,I could or would breathe a word of what I now say. Besides that I should know it to be hopeless,I should know it to be a baseness.If I had any such possibility,even at a remote distance of years,harboured in my thoughts,and hidden in my heart—if it ever had been there—if it ever could be there—I could not nowtouch this honoured hand.'

He laid his own upon it as he spoke.

'No,dear Doctor Manette. Like you,a voluntary exile from France;like you,driven from it by its distractions,oppressions,and miseries;like you,striving to live away from it by my own exertions,and trusting in a happier future;I look only to sharing your fortunes,sharing your life and home,and being faithful to you to the death,Not to divide with Lucie her privilege as your child,companion,and friend;but to come in aid of it,and bind her closer to you,if such a thing can be.'

His touch still lingered on her father's hand. Answering 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 struggle was evident in his face;a struggle with that occasional look which had a tendency in it to dark doubt and dread.

'You speak so feelingly and so manfully,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.'

'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.'

'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.'

同类推荐
  • 佛说佛顶尊胜陀罗尼经

    佛说佛顶尊胜陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 国秀集

    国秀集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 观自在菩萨心真言一印念诵法

    观自在菩萨心真言一印念诵法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说古来世时经

    佛说古来世时经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 韵语阳秋

    韵语阳秋

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 清代学术源流

    清代学术源流

    本书不仅全面、系统、深刻地揭示了有清一代学术发展的源流嬗变,而且对学术演进与世运变迁、政治文化导向等之间的密切联系,给予了充分关注,并做了深入阐释。总之,这是一部功底扎实、内容丰厚、史论结合、视野开阔、多维创新的重要清代学术史著作。
  • 我是木工能手

    我是木工能手

    本书为“金阳光新农村丛书”之《我是木工能手》分册,由刘金洪、李祖辉等编著,主要介绍了木工基本技能、木工安全知识、木结构施工、建筑模板、建筑装修等内容。全书新颖实用,简明易懂。希望本书的出版,让农民朋友买得起、看得懂、用得上,用书上的知识指导实践,用勤劳的双手发家致富,早日把家乡建成生产发展、生活宽裕、乡风文明、管理民主的社会主义新农村。
  • 火爆小凤凰

    火爆小凤凰

    (喜欢这本书的朋友,可以点击收藏,点击推荐,也可以发发评论哦!)作为一名女魔法师,资质我有,顶级功法我有,丹药要多少有多少,魔导器?喂喂喂…这种低级的问题,请不要问了好吗?想知道我有什么宝贝?那就不要说话,看下去就知道了!-原书名《火魅妖姬》
  • 佛说十地经

    佛说十地经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 喜你如命

    喜你如命

    爱情像一本无字书,刻着我写下的相思苦。无论什么样的身份,无论什么样的故事,于真正深爱的人而言,轰轰烈烈是沧桑,平平淡淡亦是沧桑。15个迥然不同的故事,写尽这世间种种、爱恨情仇。无论是轻狂年少时的飞扬恣意,还是悲欢尝尽后的烽火永寂,或许未完待续,才是唯一的圆满结局。
  • 清代野记

    清代野记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 行走高原上

    行走高原上

    有时候我也曾在人生的道路上迷茫过,此时此刻,文学给我以人性的温柔,仿佛女孩子温润的手一样,抚慰我的心灵,使我看到了希望,看到了未来。我也曾经在人生的道路上意气风发过,文学依然如故的陪伴着我,告诫我要戒骄戒躁,使我看到了天空下一抹最美的风景线。然而不管是沮丧仰或是愉悦,在我看来,它无私的充实了我的每一个细胞,让我感受到了成长道路中的酸甜苦辣。如今,蓦然回首间,四十余年的风雨历程中,那走过的路不就是一曲曲无声的五线谱么,上面歪歪斜斜的脚印不正是激越、奋发的音符吗。我想,虽然时事的变迁和风雨的磨砺让我在人生的路上跌宕起伏五味杂陈,然而那一颗为文学奋斗一生的念想却始终如一,会一直伴我到垂垂老矣。
  • 古龙文集:多情剑客无情剑(下)

    古龙文集:多情剑客无情剑(下)

    本书以旧派武侠名家王度卢《宝剑金钗》中的李慕白为原型,将小李探花李寻欢摆弄于朋友义气与爱人情感的强烈冲突中,加之以武林争霸的阴谋与野心,在情节上表现得极有戏剧张力,而无论是“兵器谱”中的正邪双方(天机老人、金钱帮主、小李探花、银戟温侯、嵩阳铁剑)或未列兵器谱中的阿飞、荆无命,乃至于女阴谋家林仙儿,都写得有声有色。这部作品运用了相互映照的写法,深刻描摹出一个人光明与黑暗、狂野与温和的性格冲突,是古龙小说中最经得起以心理学理论作品。
  • 辨症汇编

    辨症汇编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 刁蛮王妃

    刁蛮王妃

    一个聪明俏丽女警的穿越,一个历史上未曾记载的金龙国。他是将军,亦是她的丈夫,却心有所属。他是皇帝,有佳丽三千,却想带她私奔。他是王爷,野心勃勃,却又对她情有独钟。江山,美人,孰轻?孰重?……一场争夺皇位的战争,一场巨大的灭国阴谋。她卷入其中,勇敢乐观如她,该将如何化解这场危机?她的情究竟归于何处?花生《大胆丫鬟》已经开始更新,一直支持花花的亲们可以去看看哦!*********************************1群:38770994(假小子)2群:44805188(刁蛮群)3群:38349475(丫鬟群)新开群