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us from interruption, I do not doubt that you will find him, when you
come back, as quiet as you leave him. In any case, I will take care
of him until you return, and then we will remove him straight."

Both Mr. Lorry and Defarge were rather disinclined to this course,
and in favour of one of them remaining. But, as there were not only
carriage and horses to be seen to, but travelling papers; and as time
pressed, for the day was drawing to an end, it came at last to their
hastily dividing the business that was necessary to be done, and
hurrying away to do it.

Then, as the darkness closed in, the daughter laid her head down on
the hard ground close at the father's side, and watched him. The
darkness deepened and deepened, and they both lay quiet, until a
light gleamed through the chinks in the wall.

Mr. Lorry and Monsieur Defarge had made all ready for the journey,
and had brought with them, besides travelling cloaks and wrappers,
bread and meat, wine, and hot coffee. Monsieur Defarge put this
provender, and the lamp he carried, on the shoemaker's bench (there
was nothing else in the garret but a pallet bed), and he and
Mr. Lorry roused the captive, and assisted him to his feet.

No human intelligence could have read the mysteries of his mind, in
the scared blank wonder of his face. Whether he knew what had
happened, whether he recollected what they had said to him, whether
he knew that he was free, were questions which no sagacity could have
solved. They tried speaking to him; but, he was so confused, and so
very slow to answer, that they took fright at his bewilderment, and
agreed for the time to tamper with him no more. He had a wild, lost
manner of occasionally clasping his head in his hands, that had not
been seen in him before; yet, he had some pleasure in the mere sound
of his daughter's voice, and invariably turned to it when she spoke.

In the submissive way of one long accustomed to obey under coercion,
he ate and drank what they gave him to eat and drink, and put on the
cloak and other wrappings, that they gave him to wear. He readily
responded to his daughter's drawing her arm through his, and
took--and kept--her hand in both his own.

They began to descend; Monsieur Defarge going first with the lamp,
Mr. Lorry closing the little procession. They had not traversed many
steps of the long main staircase when he stopped, and stared at the
roof and round at the wails.

"You remember the place, my father? You remember coming up here?"

"What did you say?"

But, before she could repeat the question, he murmured an answer as
if she had repeated it.

"Remember? No, I don't remember. It was so very long ago."

That he had no recollection whatever of his having been brought from
his prison to that house, was apparent to them. They heard him mutter,
"One Hundred and Five, North Tower;" and when he looked about him, it
evidently was for the strong fortress-walls which had long encompassed him.

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