g wife, and all

the other eyes there intent upon the Doctor, who saw none of

themthe paper was read as follows.

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics

Chapter XL

THE SUBSTANCE OF THE SHADOW

“I

Alexandre Manette, unfortunate physician, native of

Beauvais, and afterwards resident in Pariswrite this

melancholy paper in my doleful cell in the Bastille,

during the last month of the year 1767. I write it at stolen intervals,

under every difficulty. I design to secrete it in the wall of the

chimney, where I have slowly and laboriously made a place of

concealment for it. Some pitying hand may find it there, when I

and my sorrows are dust.

“These words are formed by the rusty iron point with which I

write with difficulty in scrapings of soot and charcoal from the

chimney, mixed with blood, in the last month of the tenth year of

my captivity. Hope has quite departed from my breast. I know

from terrible warnings I have noted in myself that my reason will

not long remain unimpaired, but I solemnly declare that I am at

this time in the possession of my right mindthat my memory is

exact and circumstantialand that I write the truth as I shall

answer for these my last recorded words, whether they be ever

read by men or not, at the Eternal Judgment-seat.

“One cloudy moonlight night, in the third week of December (I

thi