court-yard gate, rendered them occasional service; and Jerry

(almost wholly transferred to them by Mr. Lorry) had become

their daily retainer, and had his bed there every night.

It was an ordinance of the Republic One and Indivisible, of

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death, that on the door or doorpost

of every house, the name of every inmate must be legibly

inscribed in letters of a certain size, at a certain convenient height

from the ground. Mr. Jerry Cruncher’s name, therefore, duly

embellished the door-post down below; and, as the afternoon

shadows deepened, the owner of that name himself appeared,

from overlooking a painter whom Doctor Manette had employed

to add to the list the name of Charles Evremonde, called Darnay.

In the universal fear and distrust that darkened the time, all the

usual harmless ways of life were changed. In the Doctor’s little

household, as in very many others, the articles of daily

consumption that were wanted were purchased every evening, in

small quantities and at various small shops. To avoid attracting

notice, and to give as little occasion as possible for talk and envy,

was the general desire.

For some months past, Miss Pross and Mr. Cruncher had

discharged the office of purveyors; the former carrying the money;

the latter, the basket. Every afternoon at about the time when the

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