Pagina 399 van 896

"Very willingly," said the mender of roads. Whom Defarge escorted

to the top of the stairs, and, leaving seated there, returned.

The three had risen, and their heads were together when he came

back to the garret.

"How say you, Jacques?" demanded Number One. "To be registered?"

"To be registered, as doomed to destruction," returned Defarge.

"Magnificent!" croaked the man with the craving.

"The chateau, and all the race?" inquired the first.

"The chateau and all the race," returned Defarge.

"Extermination."

The hungry man repeated, in a rapturous croak, "Magnificent!" and

began gnawing another finger.

"Are you sure," asked Jacques Two, of Defarge, "that no

embarrassment can arise from our manner of keeping the register?

Without doubt it is safe, for no one beyond ourselves can

decipher it; but shall we always be able to decipher it--or, I

ought to say, will she?"