صفحة 300 من 896

"It is hard for me to speak of her at any time. It is very hard

for me to hear her spoken of in that tone of yours, Charles

Darnay."

"It is a tone of fervent admiration, true homage, and deep love,

Doctor Manette!" he said deferentially.

There was another blank silence before her father rejoined:

"I believe it. I do you justice; I believe it."

His constraint was so manifest, and it was so manifest, too, that

it originated in an unwillingness to approach the subject, that

Charles Darnay hesitated.

"Shall I go on, sir?"

Another blank.

"Yes, go on."

"You anticipate what I would say, though you cannot know how

earnestly I say it, how earnestly I feel it, without knowing my

secret heart, and the hopes and fears and anxieties with which it

has long been laden. Dear Doctor Manette, I love your daughter

fondly, dearly, disinterestedly, devotedly. If ever there were

love in the world, I love her. You have loved yourself; let your

old love speak for me!"