Strona 592 z 896

"Where," repeated the same personage, without taking any heed of

him whatever, "are the papers of this prisoner?"

The drunken patriot had them in his cap, and produced them.

Casting his eyes over Gabelle's letter, the same personage in

authority showed some disorder and surprise, and looked at Darnay

with a close attention.

He left escort and escorted without saying a word, however, and

went into the guard-room; meanwhile, they sat upon their horses

outside the gate. Looking about him while in this state of

suspense, Charles Darnay observed that the gate was held by a

mixed guard of soldiers and patriots, the latter far outnumbering

the former; and that while ingress into the city for peasants'

carts bringing in supplies, and for similar traffic and

traffickers, was easy enough, egress, even for the homeliest

people, was very difficult. A numerous medley of men and women,

not to mention beasts and vehicles of various sorts, was waiting

to issue forth; but, the previous identification was so strict,

that they filtered through the barrier very slowly. Some of these

people knew their turn for examination to be so far off, that

they lay down on the ground to sleep or smoke, while others

talked together, or loitered about. The red cap and tri-colour

cockade were universal, both among men and women.