“Tell me when I ask you, not now. If your suit should prosper, if

Lucie should love you, you shall tell me on your marriage

morning. Do you promise?”

“Willingly.”

“Give me your hand. She will be home directly, and it is better

she should not see us together tonight, Go! God bless you!”

It was dark when Charles Darnay left him, and it was an hour

later and darker when Lucie came home; she hurried into the

room alonefor Miss Pross had gone straight upstairsand was

surprised to find his reading-chair empty.

“My father!” she called to him. “Father dear!”

Nothing was said in answer, but she heard a low hammering

sound in the bedroom. Passing lightly across the intermediate

room, she looked in at his door and came running back frightened,

crying to herself, with her blood all chilled, “What shall I do! What

shall I do!”

Her uncertainty lasted but a moment; she hurried back and

tapped at his door, and softly called to him. The noise ceased at

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics

the sound of her voice, and he presently came out to her, and they

walked up and down together for a long time.

She came down from her bed to look at him in his sleep that

night. He slept, heavily, and his tray of shoe-making tools, and his

old unfinished work, were all as usual.

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics

Chapter XVII

A