Pagina 498 di 896

"A bad look, you say, my dear Darnay? Yes, but we don't know what

reason there is in it. People are so unreasonable! Some of us at

Tellson's are getting old, and we really can't be troubled out of

the ordinary course without due occasion."

"Still," said Darnay, "you know how gloomy and threatening the

sky is."

"I know that, to be sure," assented Mr. Lorry, trying to persuade

himself that his sweet temper was soured, and that he grumbled,

"but I am determined to be peevish after my long day's

botheration. Where is Manette?"

"Here he is," said the Doctor, entering the dark room at the

moment.

"I am quite glad you are at home; for these hurries and

forebodings by which I have been surrounded all day long, have

made me nervous without reason. You are not going out, I hope?"

"No; I am going to play backgammon with you, if you like," said

the Doctor.

"I don't think I do like, if I may speak my mind. I am not fit to

be pitted against you to-night. Is the teaboard still there,

Lucie? I can't see."