“‘If it had been otherwise’”; Carton’s hand was again watchfully

and softly stealing down; “‘I never should have used the longer

opportunity. If it had been otherwise’”; the hand was at the

Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics

prisoner’s face; “‘I should but have had so much the more to

answer for. If it had been otherwise,’” Carton looked at the pen

and saw it was trailing off into unintelligible signs.

Carton’s hand moved back to his breast no more. The prisoner

sprang up with a reproachful look, but Carton’s hand was close

and firm to his nostrils, and Carton’s left arm caught him round

the waist. For a few seconds he faintly struggled with the man who

had come to lay down his life for him; but, within a minute or so,

he was stretched insensible on the ground.

Quickly, but with his hands as true to the purpose as his heart

was, Carton dressed himself in the clothes the prisoner had laid

aside, combed back his hair, and tied it with the ribbon the

prisoner had worn. Then, he softly called, “Enter there! Come in!”

and the Spy presented himself.

“You see?” said Carton, looking up, as he kneeled on one knee

beside the insensible figure, putting the paper in the breast; “is

your hazard very great?”

“M. Carton,” the Spy answered, with a timid snap of his fingers,