stranger to whom little Lucie held out her chubby arms； and he kept his place with her as she grew。 The little boy had spoken of him； almost at the last。 ‘Poor Carton！ Kiss him for me！'
Mr。 Stryver shouldered his way through the law； like some great engine forcing itself through turbid water； and dragged his useful friend in his wake； like a boat towed astern。 As the boat so favoured is usually in a rough plight； and mostly under water； so； Sydney had a swamped life of it。 But； easy and strong custom； unhappily so much easier and stronger in him than any stimulating sense of desert or disgrace； made it the life he was to lead； and he no more thought of emerging from his state of lion's jackal； than any real jackal may be supposed to think of rising to be a lion。 Stryver was rich； had married a florid widow with property and three boys； who had nothing particularly shining about them but the straight hair of their dumpling heads。
These three young gentleman； Mr。 Stryver； exuding patronage of the most offensive quality from every pore； had walked before him like three sheep to the quiet corner in Soho； and had offered as pupils to Lucie's husband： delicately saying； ‘Halloa！ here are three lumps of bread…and…cheese towards your matrimonial picnic； Darnay！' The polite rejection of the three lumps of bread…and…cheese had quite bloated Mr。 Stryver with indignation； which he afterwards turned to account in the training of the young gentlemen； by directing them to beware of the pride of Beggars； like that tutor…fellow。 He was also in the habit of declaiming to Mrs。 Stryver； over his full…bodied wine； on the arts Mrs。 Darnay had once put in practice to ‘catch' him； and on the diamond…cut…diamond arts in himself； madam； which had rendered him ‘not to be caught。' Some of his King's Bench familiars； who were occasionally parties to the full…bodied wine and the lie； excused him for the latter by saying that he had told it so often； that he believed it himselfwhich is surely such an incorrigible aggravation of an originally bad offence； as to justify any such offender's being carried off to some suitably retired spot； and there hanged out of the way。
These were among the echoes to which Lucie； sometimes pensive； sometimes amused and laughing； listened in the echoing corner； until her little daughter was six years old。 How near to her heart the echoes of her child's tread came； and those of her own dear father's； always active and self…possessed； and those of her dear husband's； need not be told。 Nor； how the lightest echo of their united home； directed by herself with such a wise and elegant thrift that it was more abundant than any waste； was music to her。 Nor； how there were echoes all about her； sweet in her ears； of the many times her father had told her that he found her more devoted to him married （if that could be） than single； and of the many times her husband had said to her that no cares and duties seemed to divide her love for him or her help to him； and asked her ‘What is the magic secret； my darling； of your being everything to all of us； as if there were only one of us； yet never seeming to be hurried； or to have too much to do？'
But； there were other echoes； from a distance； that rumbled menacingly in the corner all through this space of time。 And it was now； about little Lucie's sixth birthday； that they began to have an awful sound； as of a great storm in France with a dreadful sea rising。
On a night in mid…July； one thousand seven hundred and eighty…nine； Mr。 Lorry came in late； from Tellson's； and sat himself down by Lucie and her husband in the dark window。 It was a hot； wild night； and they were all three reminded of the old Sunday night when they had looked at the lightning from the same place。
‘I began to think；' said Mr。 Lorry； pushing his brown wig back； ‘that I should have to pass the night at Tellson's。 We have been so full of business all day； that we have not known what to do first； or which way to turn。 There is such an uneasiness in Paris； that we have actually a run of confidence upon us！ Our customers over there； seem not to be able to confide their property to us fast enough。 There is positively a mania among some of them for sending it to England。'
‘That has a bad look；' said Darnay。
‘A bad look； you say； my dear Darnay？ Yes； but we don't know what reason there is in it。 People are so unreasonable！ Some of us at Tellson's are getting old； and we really can't be troubled out of the ordinary course without due occasion。'
‘Still；' said Darnay； ‘you know how gloomy and threatening the sky is。'
‘I know that； to be sure；' assented Mr。 Lorry； trying to persuade himself that his sweet temper was soured； and that he grumbled； ‘but I am determined to be peevish after my long day's botheration。 Where is Manette？'
‘Here he is；' said the Doctor； entering the dark room at the moment。
‘I am quite glad you are at home； for these hurries and forebodings by which I have been surrounded all day long； have made me nervous without reason。 You are not going out； I hope？'
‘No； I am going to play backgammon with you； if you like；' said the Doctor。
‘I don't think I do like； if I may speak my mind。 I am not fit to be pitted against you to…night。 Is the tea…board still there； Lucie？ I can't see。'
‘Of course； it has been kept for you。'
‘Thank ye； my dear。 The precious child is safe in bed？'
‘And sleeping soundly。
‘That's right； all safe and well！ I don't know why anything should be otherwise than safe and well here； thank God； but I have been so put out all day； and I am not as young as I was！ My tea； my dear！ Thank ye。 Now； come and take your place in the circle； and let us sit quiet； and hear the echoes about which you have your theory。'
‘Not a theory； it was a fancy。'
‘A fancy； then； my wise pet；' said Mr。 Lorry； patting her hand。 ‘They are very numerous and very loud； though； are they not？ Only hear them！'
Headlong； mad； and dangerous footsteps to force their way into anybody's life； footsteps not easily made clean again if once stained red； the footsteps raging in Saint Antoine afar off； as the little circle sat in the dark London window。
Saint Antoine had been； that morning； a vast dusky mass of scarecrows heaving to and fro； with frequent gleams of light above the billowy heads； where steel blades and bayonets shone in the sun。 A tremendous roar arose from the throat of Saint Antoine； and a forest of naked arms struggled in the air like shrivelled branches of trees in a winter wind： all the fingers convulsively clutching at every weapon or semblance of a weapon that was thrown up from the depths below； no matter how far off。
Who gave them out； whence they last came； where they began； through what agency they crookedly quivered and jerked； scores at a time； over the heads of the crowd； like a kind of lightning； no eye in the throng could have told； but； muskets were being distributedso were cartridges； powder； and ball； bars of iron and wood； knives； axes； pikes； every weapon that distracted ingenuity could discover or devise。 People who could lay hold of nothing else； set themselves with bleeding hands to force stones and bricks out of their places in walls。 Every pulse and heart in Saint Antoine was on high…fever strain and at high…fever heat。 Every living creature there held life as of no account； and was demented with a passionate readiness to sacrifice it。
As a whirlpool of boiling waters has a centre point； so； all this raging circled round Defarge's wine…shop； and every human drop in the caldron had a tendency to be sucked towards the vortex where Defarge himself； already begrimed with gunpowder and sweat； issued orders； issued arms； thrust this man back； dragged this man forward； disarmed one to arm another； laboured and strove in the thickest of the uproar。
‘Keep near to me； Jacques Three；' cried Defarge； ‘and do you； Jacques One and Two； separate and put yourselves at the head of as many of these patriots as you can。 Where is my wife？'
‘Eh； well！ Here you see me！' said madame； composed as ever； but not knitting to…day。 Madame's resolute right hand was occupied with an axe； in place of the usual softer implements； and in her girdle were a pistol and a cruel knife。
‘Where do you go； my wife？'
‘I go；' said madame； ‘with you at present。 You shall see me at the head of women； by…and…by。'
‘Come； then！' cried Defarge； in a resounding voice。 ‘Patriots and friends； we are ready！ The Bastille！'
With a roar that sounded as if all the breath in France had been shaped into the detested word； the living sea rose； wave on wave； depth on depth； and overflowed the city to that point。 Alarm…bells ringing； drums beating； the sea raging and thundering on its new beach； the attack ‘begun。
Deep ditches； double drawbridge； massive stone walls； eight great towers； cannon； muskets； fire and smoke。 Through the fire and through the smokein the fire and in the smoke； for the sea cast him up against a cannon； and on the instant he became a cannonierDefarge of the wine…shop worked like a manful soldier； Two fierce hours。
Deep ditch； single drawbridge； massive stone walls； eight at towers； cannon； muskets； fire and smoke。 One drawbridge down！ ‘Work； comrades all； work！ Work； Jacques ； Jacques Two； Jacques One Thousand； Jacques Two Thousand； Jacques Five…and…Twenty Thousand； in the name of all the Angels or the Devilswhich you preferwork！' Thus Defarge of the wine…shop； still at his gun； which had long grown hot。
‘To me； women！' cried madame his wife。 ‘What！ We can kill as well as the men when the place is taken！' And to her； with a shrill thirsty cry； trooping women variously armed； but all armed alike in hunger and revenge。
Cannon； muskets； fire and smoke； but； still the deep ditch； the single drawbridge； the massive stone walls； and the eight great towers。 Slight displacements of the raging sea； made by the falling wounded。 Flashing weapons； blazing torches； smoking waggon…loads of wet straw； hard work at neighbouring barricades in all directions； shrieks； volleys； execrations； bravery without stint； boom； smash and rattle； and the furious sounding of the living sea； but； still the deep ditch； and the single drawbridge； and the massive stone walls； and the eight