L-U-C-I-E and I will meet for the second time in her apartment. Her husband has been in France for a little over a week and complications have arisen.
Made a saint because of his Bastille sufferings, Doctor Manette now has great influence; influence he would use to spring Evrémonde free. My husband told me when Evremonde arrived and I have been waiting for his execution ever since. I had delayed, wanting him to experience prison before his death. Also, I knew there was a chance he might be freed because of the prisoner Gabeli. So I waited… ill fortune! Had I but sprung earlier he might be dead! But when I learned that his wife and daughter were here as well I congratulated myself and remembered that patience seldom goes unrewarded.
I go to see them today. The doctor is working his full influence at La Force and so I must work hard to counteract it. We who worked together long ago must now work against each other. Save this time, we play the delicate game of politics with words and works instead of the easily learned labor of hands and hammers. Very well! He has chosen me as his opponent; now we must play until one has triumphed. We both know the price for losing and the reward for winning.
My thoughts are interrupted as my husband comes down the stairs solemnly with Mr. Lorry. Earnest's grim face would give away my intent to any but the blind, but the banker is blinded with the tears of joy. These tears will clear soon, however, so I shoot my husband a warning look that he does not see. It took me more than a little while to convince him to let me see them; in the end he gave in, but unhappily.
The Vengeance walks proudly by my side as we whisk through the streets. I do not look up from my knitting, knowing theses streets well. The descriptions of those I am to meet must be stitched in.
I watch with mild interest as Lucie reads the note. She, weak creature she is, is thrown into passionate weeping and grasps my hand to kiss it. I do not react, but let my hand fall before continuing to knit in her image. She starts at this and hesitates in the act of putting away her note. She watches me, terrified. I watch her, cold. I study my opposite for a moment. She has bright blue eyes and golden hair. I have dark green eyes and black hair. She is poised and delicate. I am steady and strong. Her love, kindness, and sweet grace make people willing to die for her. My strength, vision, and determination cause people to be willing to kill for me. She has lived a soft life, surrounded by people who love her and spoil her in every way. I have lived a harsh life, forced to work hard and take care of myself in many ways. Now, however, our positions have been reversed. Now she must learn the wisdom of hiding her emotions, else things will go ill for her. Now she shall live through a mockery of hell, one I shall create, and I shall watch, untouchable.
The banker speaks, telling her I have come to see her and her child so I might know whom I might protect. I agree with this, not saying, however, that I will protect them. They send for Evremonde's child and the nursemaid.
The old English woman enters first. She gives a remark to The Vengeance, one I cannot understand but doubt is complementary. She then looks at me coughs disapprovingly. Neither of us pay attention to her. I stop work for the first time when I see the child. She looks so much like her mother that I am sure I cannot be mistaken, but ask anyway.
"Is that his child?" I point one of my nettles at the girl. Mr. Lorry answers to the affirmative. The child looks about the same age I was when my family was destroyed. It has a fine symmetry to it. The mother feels my hate and bends down to clap the child to her. She to falls under my shadow and I smile, turning to go.
I am stopped by Lucie's appealing hand falling on my skirt. "You will be good to my poor husband. You will do him no harm. You will help me see him if you can?"
"Your husband is not my business here. It is the daughter of your father that is my business here." I return, looking impassionedly down at her passionate face.
"For my sake, then, be merciful to my husband. For my child's sake! She will put her hands together and pray you to be merciful. We are more afraid of you than these others." I receive this complement with grace. So the girl is not an empty headed fool after all. Ah, but her pleads come too late, too late! I smile and look to my husband. He knows of my hatred and has been watching us with a worried expression. When my eyes land on him he composes himself.
"What is it that your husband says in that little letter?" I ask with a dark smile. "Influence; he says something touching influence?"
She pulls out the letter hurriedly and thrusts it toward me, her eyes never leaving my face. "That my father has much influence around him."
"Surely it will release him! Let it do so." I will make no promises, not even for the pleasure of betraying this family. In this world one's words are more than likely to kill you. This Doctor's influence will free him; I will assure it without seeming to do so. Then, when he returns he will have a moment of peace to remain with his family so I might rip him away with great satisfaction. The second time he will not escape.
"As a wife and mother, I implore you to have pity on me and not to exercise any power that you posses against my innocent husband, but to use it on his behalf. O sister-woman, think of me. As a wife and mother!"
I give my coldest smile and turn to Vengeance. "As wives and mothers we have been used to see, since we were as little as this child, and much less, have not been greatly considered? We have known their husband and fathers lay in prison and kept from them, often enough? All our lives we have seen our sister-woman suffer, in themselves and in their children, poverty, nakedness, hunger, thirst, sickness, misery, oppression and neglect of all kinds?"
"We have seen nothing else." Vengeance replies stoutly.
"We have borne this a long time. Judge you! Is it likely that the trouble of one wife and mother would be much to us now?" Especially, I mentally add, since your husband's family was responsible for much of this. I return to my knitting and leave the room, followed by Vengeance and my husband. The door closes behind us, but not before I hear Mr. Lorry say to Lucie one word, "Courage."