Pagina 805 di 896

There happened to be no customer in the shop but Jacques Three,

of the restless fingers and the croaking voice. This man, whom he

had seen upon the Jury, stood drinking at the little counter, in

conversation with the Defarges, man and wife. The Vengeance

assisted in the conversation, like a regular member of the

establishment.

As Carton walked in, took his seat and asked (in very indifferent

French) for a small measure of wine, Madame Defarge cast a

careless glance at him, and then a keener, and then a keener, and

then advanced to him herself, and asked him what it was he had

ordered.

He repeated what he had already said.

"English?" asked Madame Defarge, inquisitively raising her dark

eyebrows.

After looking at her, as if the sound of even a single French

word were slow to express itself to him, he answered, in his

former strong foreign accent. "Yes, madame, yes. I am English!"