A Tale of Two Cities

"I go so far as to say, miss, moreover," proceeded Mr. Cruncher, with
a most alarming tendency to hold forth as from a pulpit--"and let my
words be took down and took to Mrs. Cruncher through yourself--that
wot my opinions respectin' flopping has undergone a change, and that
wot I only hope with all my heart as Mrs. Cruncher may be a flopping
at the present time."

"There, there, there!  I hope she is, my dear man," cried the distracted
Miss Pross, "and I hope she finds it answering her expectations."

"Forbid it," proceeded Mr. Cruncher, with additional solemnity,
additional slowness, and additional tendency to hold forth and hold
out, "as anything wot I have ever said or done should be wisited on
my earnest wishes for them poor creeturs now!  Forbid it as we shouldn't
all flop (if it was anyways conwenient) to get 'em out o' this here
dismal risk!  Forbid it, miss!  Wot I say, for-_bid_ it!"  This was
Mr. Cruncher's conclusion after a protracted but vain endeavour
to find a better one.

And still Madame Defarge, pursuing her way along the streets, came
nearer and nearer.

"If we ever get back to our native land," said Miss Pross, "you may
rely upon my telling Mrs. Cruncher as much as I may be able to remember
and understand of what you have so impressively said; and at all
events you may be sure that I shall bear witness to your being
thoroughly in earnest at this dreadful time.  Now, pray let us think!
My esteemed Mr. Cruncher, let us think!"

Still, Madame Defarge, pursuing her way along the streets, came
nearer and nearer.

"If you were to go before," said Miss Pross, "and stop the vehicle
and horses from coming here, and were to wait somewhere for me;
wouldn't that be best?"

Mr. Cruncher thought it might be best.

"Where could you wait for me?" asked Miss Pross.

Mr. Cruncher was so bewildered that he could think of no locality but
Temple Bar.  Alas!  Temple Bar was hundreds of miles away, and Madame
Defarge was drawing very near indeed.

"By the cathedral door," said Miss Pross.  "Would it be much out of the
way, to take me in, near the great cathedral door between the two towers?"

"No, miss," answered Mr. Cruncher.

"Then, like the best of men," said Miss Pross, "go to the posting-
house straight, and make that change."

"I am doubtful," said Mr. Cruncher, hesitating and shaking his head,
"about leaving of you, you see.  We don't know what may happen."

"Heaven knows we don't," returned Miss Pross, "but have no fear for
me.  Take me in at the cathedral, at Three o'Clock, or as near it as
you can, and I am sure it will be better than our going from here.
I feel certain of it.  There!  Bless you, Mr. Cruncher!  Think-not of
me, but of the lives that may depend on both of us!"

This exordium, and Miss Pross's two hands in quite agonised entreaty
clasping his, decided Mr. Cruncher.  With an encouraging nod or two,
he immediately went out to alter the arrangements, and left her by
herself to follow as she had proposed.

The having originated a precaution which was already in course of
execution, was a great relief to Miss Pross.  The necessity of
composing her appearance so that it should attract no special notice
in the streets, was another relief.  She looked at her watch, and it
was twenty minutes past two.  She had no time to lose, but must get
ready at once.

Afraid, in her extreme perturbation, of the loneliness of the
deserted rooms, and of half-imagined faces peeping from behind every
open door in them, Miss Pross got a basin of cold water and began
laving her eyes, which were swollen and red.  Haunted by her feverish
apprehensions, she could not bear to have her sight obscured for a
minute at a time by the dripping water, but constantly paused and
looked round to see that there was no one watching her.  In one of
those pauses she recoiled and cried out, for she saw a figure
standing in the room.

The basin fell to the ground broken, and the water flowed to the feet
of Madame Defarge.  By strange stern ways, and through much staining
blood, those feet had come to meet that water.

Madame Defarge looked coldly at her, and said, "The wife of Evremonde;
where is she?"

It flashed upon Miss Pross's mind that the doors were all standing
open, and would suggest the flight.  Her first act was to shut them.
There were four in the room, and she shut them all.  She then placed
herself before the door of the chamber which Lucie had occupied.

Madame Defarge's dark eyes followed her through this rapid movement,
and rested on her when it was finished.  Miss Pross had nothing
beautiful about her; years had not tamed the wildness, or softened
the grimness, of her appearance; but, she too was a determined woman
in her different way, and she measured Madame Defarge with her eyes,