"One cloudy moonlight night, in the third week of December  in the year 1757, I waswalking on a retired part of the quay by the Seine for the refreshmentof the frosty air, at an hour's distance from my place of residence inthe Street of the School of Medicine, when a carriage came alongbehind me, driven very fast. As I stood aside to let that carriagepass, apprehensive that it might otherwise run me down, a head was putout at the window, and a voice called to the driver to stop.

"The carriage stopped as soon as the driver could rein in hishorses, and the same voice called to me by my name. I answered. Thecarriage was then so far in advance of me that two gentlemen hadtime to open the door and alight before I came up with it. Iobserved that they were both wrapped in cloaks, and appeared toconceal themselves. As they stood side by side near the carriage door,I also observed that they both looked of about my own age, or ratheryounger, and that they were greatly alike, in stature, manner,voice, and (as far as I could see) face too.

"'Doctor Manette, formerly of Beauvais,' said the other; 'theyoung physician, originally an expert surgeon, who within the lastyear or two has made a rising reputation in Paris?'

"'Gentlemen,' I returned, 'I am that Doctor Manette of whom youspeak so graciously.'

"'We have been to your residence,' said the first, 'and not being sofortunate as to find you there, and being informed that you wereprobably walking in this direction, we followed, in the hope ofovertaking you. Will you please to enter the carriage?'

"The manner of both was imperious, and they both moved, as thesewords were spoken, so as to place me between themselves and thecarriage door. They were armed. I was not.

"'Gentlemen,' said I, 'pardon me; but I usually inquire who doesme the honour to seek my assistance, and what is the nature of thecase to which I am summoned.'

"The reply to this was made by him who had spoken second. 'Doctor,your clients are, people of condition. As to the nature of the case,our confidence in your skill assures us that you will ascertain it foryourself better than we can describe it. Enough. Will you please toenter the carriage?'

"I could do nothing but comply, and I entered it in silence. Theyboth entered after me- the last springing in, after putting up thesteps. The carriage turned about, and drove on at its former speed.

"I repeat this conversation exactly as it occurred. I have nodoubt that it is, word for word, the same. I describe everythingexactly as it took place, constraining my mind not to wander fromthe task. Where I make the broken marks that follow here, I leaveoff for the time, and put my paper in its hiding-place.

"The carriage left the streets behind, passed the North Barrier, andemerged upon the country road. At two-thirds of a league from theBarrier- I did not estimate the distance at that time, butafterwards when I traversed it- it struck out of the main avenue,and presently stopped at a solitary house. We all three alighted,and walked, by a damp soft footpath in a garden where a neglectedfountain had overflowed, to the door of the house. It was not openedimmediately, in answer to the ringing of the bell, and one of my twoconductors struck the man who opened it, with his heavy ridingglove, across the face.

Posted by: Fly to the moon! at 08:57 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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