Chapter 18 Chapter Ten Two Promises

Twelve months came and went.Mr. Charles Darnay has achieved the status of an excellent teacher of French in England.He was also familiar with French literature.Today, he might be a professor, but at that time, he could only be a private tutor.He read with young men who had the time and interest to study a living language spoken throughout the world, and to educate them to appreciate its treasure-houses of knowledge and imagination.Moreover, he can write articles on French and French literature in correct English, and can also translate correct English.A man of his caliber was not easy to find in those days, for many princes past and kings to come had not yet fallen into the ranks of the faculty, and shabby nobles had not yet been crossed off the books of Tellson's Bank to become cook or carpenter.As a private teacher, his profound knowledge and eloquence make students learn with great pleasure and benefit; as a translator, his style is elegant, and he injects many things into the translation that are not just dictionaries.Mr. Darnay, therefore, soon became famous, and much admired.Moreover, he was familiar with the conditions of his own country, and that was of increasing interest.Therefore, he prospered by his own perseverance and unremitting efforts.

In London he never dreamed of walking on golden pavements or sleeping in beds of roses.With such noble ideals he cannot flourish.He wanted to work, and he participated in the work, so he worked hard.His prosperity depends on this. He spent part of his time at Cambridge, where he taught French to undergraduates.He seemed to be a tolerated smuggler, importing not Greek and Latin through customs inspections, but smuggling in European languages.The rest of the time he spends in London. From the garden of Eden, which is always summer, to today's fallen world, which is mostly winter, a man's world has always followed one unchanging path—the pursuit of a woman's love.This is also the way of Charles Darnay.

He had fallen in love with Miss Lucy Manette in a moment of peril.Never had he heard a voice sweeter and lovelier than her sympathetic voice, never had he seen such a soft and beautiful face as she faced him on the edge of the grave he had dug.But he hadn't talked to her about it yet.A year had passed since the murder in that bleak manor beyond the stormy sea and the dusty road, and the great stone manor had been a vague dream, and yet he had not told her a single thing. Confess the heart-songing words. He understood why he was silent.Another summer day, he left his university job and came to London to this quiet street corner in Soho.He wanted to find an opportunity to open his heart to Dr. Manette.It was almost dusk that day, and he knew that Lucy had gone out with Miss Pross.

He found the doctor sitting in an armchair by the window.The physical strength that had supported him in his misery and added to his misery was gradually returning.He is indeed a very energetic man now.He is resolute and tenacious, and his actions are full of vitality.After he regained his vitality, he sometimes had seizures and impulsiveness, just like when he started training to restore other faculties, but these cases were rare at the beginning, and they are even rarer now. He spends more time studying and less time sleeping. It is very hard work, but it is very relaxing, and he also feels happy.When Charles Darnay came into his room now, he put down his book and held out his hand as soon as he saw it.

"Charles Darnay! Nice to see you. We've been expecting you for the last three or four days. Mr. Stryver and Mr. Sidney Carton were both here yesterday and thought you were overdue." !" "They're interested in me, and I appreciate that," he replied.Although he was somewhat indifferent to those two, he was full of enthusiasm for the doctor. "Miss Manette—" "She's well," put in the doctor. "We'll all be glad to have you back. She's got some chores to do, and she's out, and she'll be back in a minute." "Dr. Manette, I know she's not at home. I was going to take advantage of her absence to ask to speak to you."

blank.silence. "Really?" said the doctor, obviously disturbed. "Pull your chair over and talk." The chair was pulled over, but he found it not so easy to speak. "I am delighted to be on close terms with your family, Dr. Manette," he began at last. "It has been a year and a half. I hope that the subjects I shall bring up will not be exhausted." The doctor held out his hand to stop him, and he shut his mouth.After a while the doctor returned to the subject and said: "Are you going to talk about Lucy?" "yes." "I never feel sorry to speak of her. It is still worse to hear you speak of her in that tone, Charles Darnay."

"This is the voice of ardent reverence, sincere adoration, and earnest love, Doctor Manette!" he said deferentially. It was blank again, silent. "I take your word for it. I owe you justice, and I take your word for it." He was evidently disturbed, and this anxiety was evidently due to his reluctance to bring up the subject, so Charles Darnay hesitated. "Shall I go on, sir?" It's blank again. "Okay, let's talk." "You guess what I'm going to say, although you can't understand how serious I am when I say this, how serious my feelings are, because you don't understand my secret wish and the hope and fear that this wish has been pressing on me for a long time and uneasy. Dear Dr. Manette, I love your daughter obsessively, deeply, unselfishly and faithfully, as long as there is love in the world, I will love her. You have been in love too, let your old love Speak for me!"

The doctor sat with his face turned away, his eyes on the ground.Hearing the last sentence, he stretched out his hand hastily again, and cried: "Don't mention that, sir! Don't mention that, I beg you, don't remind me of the past!" His cry seemed to be really sick, so that it rang in Charles Darnay's ears long after he had finished speaking.He held out his hand and made a gesture, as if begging Darnay not to speak.After Darnay made such an understanding, he didn't speak out again. "I beg your pardon," said the doctor, after a moment, in a low voice, "I have no doubt that you love Lucy, and I can satisfy you."

He turned towards him in the chair without looking at him or raising his eyes.His chin had dropped to his hands, and his white hair hid his face. "Have you talked to Lucy?" "not yet.", "Haven't you written to her?" "there has never been." "Your self-denial is due to consideration of his father, and it is parochial to pretend not to know that. Her father is grateful to you." He held out his hand, but his eyes didn't cooperate. "I know," said Darnay respectfully, "how could I not know, Dr. Manette. I see you both together every day, this unusual and touching affection between you and Miss Manette." It was bred under special circumstances. Even between father and daughter, there are few feelings comparable to it. I know, Dr. Manette, how could I not know, except for one In addition to the affection and filial piety of the daughter who is gradually growing up, there is also all the love and dependence of her baby. I know that because she has no parents since she was a child, she has dedicated all her loyalty, enthusiasm and character in adulthood to you. Added to this is the trust and attachment to the father who was lost at an early age. I know full well that even if you return to her from another world beyond this life, you will hardly be more sacred in her eyes than you who have been with her for a long time I know that when she clings to you, the hand around your neck is three in one: it is the baby's, the girl's, and the woman's. I know that when she loves you, she sees the same A mother my age, loving her too; seeing you at my age, loving me too. She loves her heartbroken mother, and she loves you through horrible trials and successful recovery. I This is what I have seen day and night since I met you at your house."

Her father sat with his head bowed, his breathing accelerated only slightly, and all other signs of agitation were suppressed. "Dear Dr. Manette, I have always known this. I have always seen you surrounded by a divine halo. I have endured, I have endured as much as human nature can bear. I have always felt (that is Still feeling) putting my love (or even my love) between you two is touching your history with something that doesn't deserve to touch it. But I love her. By God I love her !" "I believe," replied her father sadly, "I have thought of it, I believe."

"But," said Darnay, the doctor's sad tone carrying a note of reproach in his ears, "if I have the good fortune to marry her, don't think that I shall some day break my present word and put you both Separate. Besides, I also understand that it is impossible and mean. If I consider this possibility in my heart, even if I put it in the distant future, but hide it in my heart, if I have such a mind, there is With such an auspicious thought, I am not qualified to touch this glorious hand right now." As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and placed it in the doctor's hand. "No, dear Doctor Manette, I have been exiled from France like you, driven out like you by French madness, persecution, and misery, like you trying to live abroad by my own labour, And I believe that I will be happier in the future. I only hope to share weal and woe with you, share your life and family. I will be loyal to you until death. I will not affect Lucy as your daughter, partner and friend Privileged. I will help her to bring her closer to you, if possible." His hand was still next to her father's.Her father did not take his touch coldly.After a while, Geng put his hands on the armrests of his chair.He looked up for the first time since the conversation.There was clearly an expression of inner struggle on his face.He was suppressing the dark doubts and fears that occasionally surfaced. "Your words are very affectionate and manly, Charles Darnay, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will open my whole heart to you--or nearly so. Have you any reason to believe that Lucy loves you?" "No. Not so far." "Is the direct purpose of you pouring out your heart to me like this to want me to affirm it immediately?" "Not quite. I could be hopeless for weeks, and I could be hopeful tomorrow, whether I'm mistaken or not." "Do you want me to give you advice?" "I don't ask, sir. But I feel you are in a position to advise me if you think you can." "Do you want my promise?" "think." "What promise?" "I know very well that I cannot hope without you. I know very well that even if Miss Manette had me now in her pure heart--don't think I really dared to hope--I was in her heart Her status is unlikely to affect her love for her father." "If that's the case, what other problems do you think are involved?" "I also understand that a favorable word from her father in favor of any suitor will carry more weight than her own and the world. Therefore, Dr. Manette," said Darnay humbly but firmly, "I would not beg you to say That Xiang, even if it can save my life." "I believe. Charles Darnay, mystery arises either from great love or from great distance. If it is the former, the mystery is fine and subtle, and difficult to penetrate. My daughter Lucy is such a mystery to me. So I can't guess her state of mind." "May I ask, sir? Do you think she—" He was still hesitating, her father had added to him: "Anyone else proposed?" "That's exactly what I was going to say." Her father thought for a while, then replied: "You have seen Mr. Carton here. Mr. Stryver came occasionally. There was only one, if any." "Perhaps two," said Darnay. "I don't think there'll be two; I don't think there's one. Don't get my promise, so tell me, what do you want me to promise?" "If Miss Manette is like what I did boldly today, and poured out my inner feelings to you one day, I hope you can confirm what I said to you today, and also show that you believe me. I hope you will I have such a favorable opinion that it does not affect me. How important it is to me I will not go into details. This is what I ask. The condition of my request-you undoubtedly have a right to demand it. —I will execute it immediately.” "I promise," said the doctor, "unconditionally. I believe your purpose is exactly what you say. I believe your intention is to preserve my relationship with my far more precious alter ego, not to weaken it. relationship. If she told me that you were indispensable to her complete happiness, I would give her to you. If there was more—Charles Darnay—if there was more—” The young man grasped his hand gratefully, and the two held hands tightly together.The doctor said: "If there are any fantasies, reasons, or fears against the man she really loves, for which he is not directly responsible, then, for her sake, whatever is the problem should be erased. She is mine Everything, she's more important to me than what I've suffered, more than what I've been wronged—hey! It's all bullshit." He lost his strength, stopped talking, with a strange attitude, and stared at him with a strange look, let go of the hand that was holding him, and let go again.Darnay felt that hand was cold. "You just said something to me," said Dr. Manette, with a smile. "what is that?" He didn't know how to answer, but after thinking about the conditions he just talked about, he answered with confidence: "I should repay your confidence in me with full confidence. My present name, though a slightly altered one of my mother's, is not my real name, as you remember. I intend to tell you my original name." and why I came to England." "Stop it!" said Povey's doctor. "I hope to be more worthy of your trust, and have no secrets from you." "do not talk!" The doctor even put his hands to his ears for a moment, and then put his hands to Darnay's lips. "Tell me when I ask you, don't tell me now. If your proposal succeeds, if Lucy loves you, tell me on the morning of your wedding day! Will you promise?" "I promise." "Shake hands. She'll be home soon, and she'd better not see us together tonight. Go away! God bless you!" It was dusk when Charles Darnay left.It was getting darker an hour later before Lucy came home.She hurried into the room alone—Miss Pross had gone straight to the bedroom—and was startled to find the study chair empty. "Daddy!" she called to him. "Dear Papa!" No one answered, but she heard a low knocking sound coming from his bedroom.She walked gently through the middle room, looked through his door, but ran back in panic.The blood all over her body was cold, and she shouted, "What should I do! What should I do:" She was only confused for a while, then hurried back, knocked on his door, and called out softly.As soon as she cried, the knocking stopped, and the doctor went out to her at once.The two walked up and down together for a long time. She got out of bed that night to watch him sleep.He slept soundly, his cobbler's toolbox and unfinished work back in its place.