Page 32 - A Tale of Two Cities

The first night, Doctor Manette worked until late and then walked
A Tale of Two Cities

up and down for a long time before finally going to sleep. The next
morning, he began work early. Nine days passed very much like
this, and Mr Lorry’s heart grew heavier and heavier.
Then, on the tenth morning, Mr Lorry woke in his chair and saw
that the doctor was reading by the window. When Mr Lorry spoke
to him, the doctor seemed so very much himself that Mr Lorry was
almost ready to believe that the previous few days had all been a
dream.
At breakfast, it became clear that the doctor remembered nothing
that had happened since the wedding. Mr Lorry gently introduced
the idea that ten days had passed since that happy event, and seeing
the confused look in the doctor’s face, he decided to question his
friend carefully. Doctor Manette was very pleased to learn that his
daughter knew nothing of his illness, and told Mr Lorry that he was
confident it would not return.

‘When someone has feared something for a very long time,’ said
Doctor Manette, ‘but then recovered when that thing has happened
and the cloud has passed – then I think we can say that the worst is
over.’
‘Well, I am thankful!’ said Mr Lorry. ‘And my dear friend, would
it not be best, now that the person is well again, to destroy the
shoemaking tools that he uses next time he falls into his illness?’
A frightened look came into the doctor’s eyes. ‘But perhaps those
tools were once very important to that person, because they allowed

him to work with his fingers and not with his mind? And perhaps

he is terrified that he will need them again and not be able to fi nd
them?’

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