at　they　should　retire　under　watch　and　ward；　and　retired　himself。　The　trial　had　lasted　all　day；　and　the　lamps　in　the　court　were　now　being　lighted。　It　began　to　be　rumoured　that　the　jury　would　be　out　a　long　while。　The　spectators　dropped　off　to　get　refreshment；　and　the　prisoner　withdrew　to　the　back　of　the　dock；　and　sat　down。
  Mr。　Larry；　who　had　gone　out　when　the　young　lady　and　her　father　went　out；　now　reappeared；　and　beckoned　to　Jerry：　who；　in　the　slackened　interest；　could　easily　get　near　him。
  ‘Jerry；　if　you　wish　to　take　something　to　eat；　you　can。　But；　keep　in　the　way。　You　will　be　sure　to　hear　when　the　jury　come　in。　Don't　be　a　moment　behind　them；　for　I　want　you　to　take　the　verdict　back　to　the　bank。　You　are　the　quickest　messenger　I　know；　and　will　get　to　Temple　Bar　long　before　I　can。'
  Jerry　had　just　enough　forehead　to　knuckle；　and　he　knuckled　in　acknowledgment　of　this　communication　and　a　shilling。
  Mr。　Carton　came　up　at　the　moment；　and　touched　Mr。　Lorry　on　the　arm。
  ‘How　is　the　young　lady？'
  ‘She　is　greatly　distressed；　but　her　father　is　comforting　her；　and　she　feels　the　better　for　being　out　of　court。'
  ‘I'll　tell　the　prisoner　so。　It　won't　do　for　a　respectable　bank　gentleman　like　you；　to　be　seen　speaking　to　him　publicly；　you　know。'
  Mr。　Lorry　reddened　as　if　he　were　conscious　of　having　debated　the　point　in　his　mind；　and　Mr。　Carton　made　his　way　to　the　outside　of　the　bar。　The　way　out　of　court　lay　in　that　direction；　and　Jerry　followed　him；　all　eyes；　ears；　and　spikes。
  ‘Mr。　Darnay！'
  The　prisoner　came　forward　directly。
  ‘You　will　naturally　be　anxious　to　hear　of　the　witness；　Miss　Manette。　She　will　do　very　well。　You　have　seen　the　worst　of　her　agitation。'
  ‘I　am　deeply　sorry　to　have　been　the　cause　of　it。　Could　you　tell　her　so　for　me；　with　my　fervent　acknowledgments？'
  ‘Yes；　I　could。　I　will；　if　you　ask　it。'
  Mr。　Carton's　manner　was　so　careless　as　to　be　almost　insolent。　He　stood；　half　turned　from　the　prisoner；　lounging　with　his　elbow　against　the　bar。
  ‘I　do　ask　it。　Accept　my　cordial　thanks。'
  ‘What；'　said　Carton；　still　only　half　turned　towards　him；　‘do　you　expect；　Mr。　Darnay？'
  ‘The　worst。'
  ‘It's　the　wisest　thing　to　expect；　and　the　likeliest。　But　I　think　their　withdrawing　is　in　your　favour。
  Loitering　on　the　way　out　of　court　not　being　allowed；　Jerry　heard　no　more：　but　left　themso　like　each　other　in　feature；　so　unlike　each　other　in　mannerstanding　side　by　side；　both　reflected　in　the　glass　above　them。
  An　hour　and　a　half　limped　heavily　away　in　the　thief…and…rascal　crowded　passages　below；　even　though　assisted　off　with　mutton　pies　and　ale。　The　hoarse　messenger；　uncomfortably　seated　on　a　form　after　taking　that　refection；　had　dropped　into　a　doze；　when　a　loud　murmur　and　a　rapid　tide　of　people　setting　up　the　stairs　that　led　to　the　court；　carried　him　along　with　them。
  ‘Jerry！　Jerry！'　Mr。　Lorry　was　already　calling　at　the　door　when　he　got　there。
  ‘Here；　sir！　It's　a　fight　to　get　back　again。　Here　I　am；　sir！'
  Mr。　Lorry　handed　him　a　paper　through　the　throng。　‘Quick！　Have　you　got　it？'
  ‘Yes；　sir！'
  Hastily　written　on　the　paper　was　the　word　‘ACQUITTED'。
  ‘If　you　had　sent　the　message；　〃Recalled　to　Life；〃　again；　muttered　Jerry；　as　he　turned；　‘I　should　have　known　what　you　meant；　this　time。'
  He　had　no　opportunity　of　saying；　or　so　much　as　thinking；　anything　else；　until　he　was　clear　of　the　Old　Bailey；　for；　the　crowd　came　pouring　out　with　a　vehemence　that　nearly　took　him　off　his　legs；　and　a　loud　buzz　swept　into　the　street　as　if　the　baffled　blue…flies　were　dispersing　in　search　of　other　carrion。
  CHAPTER　IV
  Congratulatory
  FROM　the　dimly…lighted　passages　of　the　court；　the　last　sediment　of　the　human　stew　that　had　been　boiling　there　all　day；　was　straining　off；　when　Doctor　Manette；　Lucie　Manette；　his　daughter；　Mr。　Lorry；　the　solicitor　for　the　defence；　and　its　counsel；　Mr。　Stryver；　stood　gathered　round　Mr。　Charles　Darnayjust　releasedcongratulating　him　on　his　escape　from　death。
  It　would　have　been　difficult　by　a　far　brighter　light；　to　recognise　in　Doctor　Manette；　intellectual　of　face　and　upright　of　bearing；　the　shoemaker　of　the　garret　in　Paris。　Yet；　no　one　could　have　looked　at　him　twice；　without　liking　again：　even　though　the　opportunity　of　observation　had　not　extended　to　the　mournful　cadence　of　his　low　grave　voice；　and　to　the　abstraction　that　overclouded　him　fitfully；　without　any　apparent　reason。　While　one　external　cause；　and　that　a　reference　to　his　long　lingering　agony；　would　alwaysas　on　the　trialevoke　this　condition　from　the　depths　of　his　soul；　it　was　also　in　its　nature　to　arise　of　itself；　and　to　draw　a　gloom　over　him；　as　incomprehensible　to　those　unacquainted　with　his　story　as　if　they　had　seen　the　shadow　of　the　actual　Bastille　thrown　upon　him　by　a　summer　sun；　when　the　substance　was　three　hundred　miles　away。
  Only　his　daughter　had　the　power　of　charming　this　black　brooding　from　his　mind。　She　was　the　golden　thread　that　united　him　to　a　Past　beyond　his　misery；　and　to　a　Present　beyond　his　misery：　and　the　sound　of　her　voice；　the　light　of　her　face；　the　touch　of　her　hand；　had　a　strong　beneficial　influence　with　him　almost　always。　Not　absolutely　always；　for　she　could　recall　some　occasions　on　which　her　power　had　failed；　but　they　were　few　and　slight；　and　she　believed　them　over。
  Mr。　Darnay　had　kissed　her　hand　fervently　and　gratefully；　and　had　turned　to　Mr。　Stryver；　whom　he　warmly　thanked。　Mr。　Stryver；　a　man　of　little　more　than　thirty；　but　looking　twenty　years　older　than　he　was；　stout；　loud；　red；　bluff；　and　free　from　any　drawback　of　delicacy；　had　a　pushing　way　of　shouldering　himself　（morally　and　physically）　into　companies　and　conversations；　that　argued　well　for　his　shouldering　his　way　up　in　life。
  He　still　had　his　wig　and　gown　on；　and　he　said；　squaring　himself　at　his　late　client　to　that　degree　that　he　squeezed　the　innocent　Mr。　Lorry　clean　out　of　the　group：　‘I　am　glad　to　have　brought　you　off　with　honour；　Mr。　Darnay。　It　was　an　infamous　prosecution；　grossly　infamous；　but　not　the　less　likely　to　succeed　on　that　account。
  ‘You　have　laid　me　under　an　obligation　to　you　for　life…in　two　senses；'　said　his　late　client；　taking　his　hand。
  ‘I　have　done　my　best　for　you；　Mr。　Darnay；　and　my　best　is　as　good　as　another　man's；　I　believe。'
  It　clearly　being　incumbent　on　some　one　to　say；　‘Much　better；'　Mr。　Lorry　said　it；　perhaps　not　quite　disinterestedly；　but　with　the　interested　object　of　squeezing　himself　back　again。
  ‘You　think　so？'　said　Mr。　Stryver。　‘Well！　you　have　been　present　all　day；；　and　you　ought　to　know。　You　are　a　man　of　business；　too。
  ‘And　as　such；'　quoth　Mr。　Larry；　whom　the　counsel　learned　in　the　law　had　now　shouldered　back　into　the　group；　just　as　he　had　previously　shouldered　him　out　of　it‘as　such　I　will　appeal　to　Doctor　Manette；　to　break　up　this　conference　and　order　us　all　to　our　homes。　Miss　Lucie　looks　ill；　Mr。　Darnay　has　had　a　terrible　day；　we　are　worn　out。'
  ‘Speak　for　yourself；　Mr。　Lorry；'　said　Stryver；　‘I　have　a　night's　work　to　do　yet。　Speak　for　yourself。'
  ‘I　speak　for　myself；'　answered　Mr。　Lorry；　‘and　for　Mr。　Darnay；　and　for　Miss　Lucie；　andMiss　Lucie；　do　you　not　think　I　may　speak　for　us　all？'　He　asked　her　the　question　pointedly；　and　with　a　glance　at　her　father。
  His　face　had　become　frozen；　as　it　were；　in　a　very　curious　look　at　Darnay：　an　intent　look；　deepening　into　a　frown　of　dislike　and　distrust；　not　even　unmixed　with　fear。　With　this　strange　expression　on　him　his　thoughts　had　wandered　away。
  ‘My　father；'　said　Lucie；　softly　laying　her　hand　on　his。
  He　slowly　shook　the　shadow　off；　and　turned　to　her。
  ‘Shall　we　go　home；　my　father？'
  With　a　long　breath；　he　answered　‘Yes。'
  The　friends　of　the　acquitted　prisoner　had　dispersed；　under　the　impression　which　he　himself　had　originatedthat　he　would　not　be　released　that　night。　The　lights　were　nearly　all　extinguished　in　the　passages；　the　iron　gates　were　being　closed　with　a　jar　and　a　rattle；　and　the　dismal　place　was　deserted　until　to…morrow　morning's　interest　of　gallows；　pillory；　whipping…post；　and　branding…iron；　should　re…people　it。　Walking　between　her　father　and　Mr。　Darnay；　Lucie　Manette　passed　into　the　open　air。　A　hackney…coach　was　called；　and　the　father　and　daughter　departed　in　it。
  Mr。　Stryver　had　left　them　in　the　passages；　to　shoulder　his　way　back　to　the　robing…room。　Another　person；　who　had　not　joined　the　group；　or　interchanged　a　word　with　any　one　of　them；　but　who　had　been　leaning　against　the　wall　where　its　shadow　was　darkest；　had　silently　strolled　out　after　the　rest；　and　had　looked　on　until　the　coach　drove　away。　He　now　stepped　up　to　where　Mr。　Lorry　and　Mr。　Darnay　stood　upon　the　pavement。
  ‘So；　Mr。　Lorry！　Men　of　business　may　speak　to　Mr。　Darnay　now？'
  Nobody　had　made　any　acknowledgment　of　Mr。　Carton's　part　in　the　day's　proceedings；　nobody　had　known　of　it。　He　was　unrobed；　and　was　none　the　better　for　it　in　appearance。
  ‘If　you　knew　what　a　conflict　goes　on　in　the　business　mind；　when　the　business　mind　is　divided　between　good…natured　impulse　and　business　appearances；　you　would　be　amused；　Mr。　Darnay。'
  Mr。　Lorry　reddened；　and　said；　warmly；　‘You　have　mentioned　that　before；　sir。　We　men　of　business；　who　serve　a　House；　are　not　our　own　masters。　We　have　to　think　of　the　House　more　than　ourselves。'
  ‘I　know；　I　know；'　rejoined　Mr。　Carton；　carelessly。　‘Don't　be　ne